Please review the proposed changes to the NCB Constitution and Bylaws. These proposed amendments will require a positive vote of at least 2/3 of those casting votes. Voting will take place electronically in conjunction with the NCB officer elections. The changes noted here have been approved by the NCB Executive Committee prior to submission to the general membership for a full vote. If you have any questions, please contact NCB President, Jeff Bradshaw.
View the current Constitution and Bylaws
Proposed Changes to ESA-NCB Constitution and Bylaws
Modification #1 - By-Laws Article II Officers and Executive Committee – Duties and Election
Current Version:
SECTION 3. The Secretary-Treasurer shall serve as business officer, keeping the accounts and records of the Branch; report annually to the Branch, having the accounts audited prior to the Branch meeting by a committee selected by the President; receive remuneration for personal expenses incurred in attending Branch meetings, subject to approval of the President; and can only be elected for one additional term. The election of the Secretary-Treasurer shall take place one year in advance of taking office.
Proposed Change:
SECTION 3. The Secretary-Treasurer shall serve as business officer, report annually to the Branch and is eligible to be elected for one additional term. The election of the Secretary-Treasurer shall take place one year in advance of taking office.
Reason for Change:
The proposed modification involve the transference of finances to the management of ESA Headquarters. Currently, ESA management works very closely with NCB to hold our investments, assists in coordinating our Annual Meeting, and facilitates a number of our financial transactions. Historically, the NCB Secretary-Treasurer has had to maintain a bank account (manage transference of funds, process checks, and balance accounts) to facilitate award payments, process hotel and catering expenses, honoraria payments, etc. When our Secretary-Treasurer ends their term, typically the new member elected into this role would need to transfer NCB accounts from the previous member’s bank into the new Secretary-Treasurer’s bank of choice. This process is cumbersome. Additionally, since ESA holds NCB’s investments and often holds NCB donations that support our Annual Meeting, transfer from ESA accounts to NCB’s bank often takes place shortly following our Annual Meeting. Should ESA hold our accounts on behalf of NCB, these transfers (and any associated delays) would be greatly reduced and payments could be expedited.
Modification #2 - By-Laws Article IV Committees
Current Version:
SECTION 1. The President shall appoint Branch committees other than the Nominating Committee, as may be needed, in accordance with procedures adopted by the Executive Committee and the Membership. Such committees shall include:
- Standing Committees, include Program, Local Arrangements, Audit, Archivist, ESA Awards, Linnaean Games, NCB Awards, Nominating, Student Awards, Student Affairs, Photo Salon, and Membership. {note: the Early Career Professionals (ECP) Committee was already approved by the NCB Executive Committee}
- Ad Hoc Committees with specific duties and specified terms of activity.
All committees will submit an annual report to the executive committee at the annual meeting. When appropriate, the report should include recommendations for future operations of the committee. The Executive Committee will consider the report and act on specified recommendations as appropriate. The report and Executive Committee action will be posted to the Branch websites.
The President shall designate the chairman of individual committees. In the case of committees with rotational membership, the President shall appoint, in keeping with procedures adopted, members to replace those retiring or resigning from that committee membership. Ad Hoc committees may be established at any time by the Executive Committee or by the President.
SECTION 4.
The Auditing Committee shall audit the Secretary-Treasurer's accounts, examine the annual financial statement and submit a report for acceptance by the Branch members at the annual meeting.
Proposed Change:
SECTION 1. The President shall appoint Branch committees other than the Nominating Committee, as may be needed, in accordance with procedures adopted by the Executive Committee and the Membership. Such committees shall include:
- Standing Committees, include Program, Local Arrangements, Archivist, ESA Awards, Entomology Games, NCB Awards, Nominating, Student Awards, Student Affairs, Photo Salon, and Membership.
- Ad Hoc Committees with specific duties and specified terms of activity.
All committees will submit an annual report to the executive committee at the annual meeting. When appropriate, the report should include recommendations for future operations of the committee. The Executive Committee will consider the report and act on specified recommendations as appropriate. The report and Executive Committee action will be posted to the Branch website.
[Removal of Section 4 and renumbering of subsequent Sections.]
Reason for Change: Related to the first proposed modification, should NCB accounts be transferred to management by ESA, the NCB would no longer need an Audit Committee as accounts would be audited by ESA's account auditors.
Modification #3 - By-Laws Article IV Committees
Current Version:
SECTION 1. The President shall appoint Branch committees other than the Nominating Committee, as may be needed, in accordance with procedures adopted by the Executive Committee and the Membership. Such committees shall include:
- Standing Committees, include Program, Local Arrangements, Audit, Archivist, ESA Awards, Linnaean Games, NCB Awards, Nominating, Student Awards, Student Affairs, Photo Salon, and Membership.
- Ad Hoc Committees with specific duties and specified terms of activity.
All committees will submit an annual report to the executive committee at the annual meeting. When appropriate, the report should include recommendations for future operations of the committee. The Executive Committee will consider the report and act on specified recommendations as appropriate. The report and Executive Committee action will be posted to the Branch websites.
The President shall designate the chairman of individual committees. In the case of committees with rotational membership, the President shall appoint, in keeping with procedures adopted, members to replace those retiring or resigning from that committee membership. Ad Hoc committees may be established at any time by the Executive Committee or by the President.
SECTION 5.
The Linnaean Games committee shall function to organize and manage the Linnaean Games at the annual meeting. It shall consist of five members including three members serving three-year rotating terms, the Gamesmaster, and a student member.
Proposed Change (in italics):
SECTION 1. The President shall appoint Branch committees other than the Nominating Committee, as may be needed, in accordance with procedures adopted by the Executive Committee and the Membership. Such committees shall include:
- Standing Committees, include Program, Local Arrangements, Audit, Archivist, ESA Awards, Entomology Games, NCB Awards, Nominating, Student Awards, Student Affairs, Photo Salon, and Membership.
- Ad Hoc Committees with specific duties and specified terms of activity.
All committees will submit an annual report to the executive committee at the annual meeting. When appropriate, the report should include recommendations for future operations of the committee. The Executive Committee will consider the report and act on specified recommendations as appropriate. The report and Executive Committee action will be posted to the Branch website.
The President shall designate the chairman of individual committees. In the case of committees with rotational membership, the President shall appoint, in keeping with procedures adopted, members to replace those retiring or resigning from that committee membership. Ad Hoc committees may be established at any time by the Executive Committee or by the President.
SECTION 5. The Entomology Games committee shall function to organize and manage the Entomology Games at the annual meeting. It shall consist of five members including three members serving three-year rotating terms, the Gamesmaster, and a student member.
Reason for Change: The proposed modification updates the NCB-ESA By-laws to correctly state the revised name of our Branch student-member scholastic competition.