Thursday, April 19, 2012

New Officers

Congratulations to the newly elected officers of the Association of Student Planners:

President Patrick Anderson
Vice President Matt Parsons
Treasurer Bryan Esmeralda
Secretary Julianne Nilsen
National Representative Aaron Qualls
State Representative Bryan Esmeralda
IES-APA Representative Julianne Nilsen

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Nominations

Nominations are open for ASP offices. As nominations are made, they will be added to this thread. Final Version as of 11:30 AM, Friday, April 13.

President
Patrick Anderson

Vice President
Matt Parsons

Treasurer
(none)

Secretary
Julianne Nilsen

National Representative
Aaron Qualls

State Representative
Bryan Esmeralda

IES-APA Representative
(none)

Friday, March 30, 2012

Proposed Bylaws Amendment

RESOLUTION 12-01
ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT PLANNERS
A RESOLUTION to amend the bylaws of the Association of Student Planners; striking current officer election procedures; providing for new officer election procedures; and other matters appropriately related thereto.
WHEREAS, the membership of the Association of Student Planners (“Association”) wishes to modernize and clarify the procedures for the election of officers of the Association;
WHEREAS, causing the election of officers earlier in the academic year provides for a period of transition from past officers to newly elected officers prior to the end of the year; and
WHEREAS, the major fundraisers of the year are commonly completed prior to the end of March; and
WHEREAS, notice of this proposed amendment was provided on to the membership on Friday, March 16, 2012 for the purpose of presentation to the membership at a meeting on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 and scheduled consideration at the following membership meeting;

NOW, THEREFORE, be it RESOLVED by the Association of Student Planners:

SECTION 1 – Current Election Procedures Removed. The contents of Article Five are to be stricken from the Bylaws of the Association of Student Planners, to wit:
5.1 Nominations for all officers will be taken from the floor during the first regular meeting with the month of May each year. Elections shall follow taking place during the month of May each year.
5.2 All officio and ex-officio members are eligible to be nominated for office, however, officio standing is required to hold or retain any Association office.
5.3 Any member may nominate any member, including him or herself. The member nominated for office must accept the nomination. Each nomination requires a second in order to be considered for the office.
5.4 Elections shall take place via email and written ballot.
5.5 A simple majority vote of the members will be sufficient to elect an officer. If there are more than two candidates and no candidate receives a majority, there will be a run-off between the top two vote recipients. If additional ties result, a simple coin toss conducted by a member in full standing that is not running for office will occur to determine the election.

SECTION 2 – New Election Procedures Inserted. The following language is to be inserted in the Bylaws of the Association of Student Planners as Article Five:
5.1 Commencement of Elections.
5.1.1 Most Offices. Elections for officers of the Association shall commence during the first meeting in May. Upon a majority vote of the Executive Board, the commencement of election procedures may be prior to the first meeting of May, provided such vote is made not less than two weeks prior to commencement. No election shall commence prior to the first meeting of March.
5.1.2 Cheney Representative. Notwithstanding section 0, the election of Cheney Representative shall commence during the first meeting in October.
5.2 Nominations. Elections shall commence with nominations for officers during the first regular meeting and via electronic communication with the Secretary during the period two (2) from business days prior and following inclusive. Any known member may nominate any known member, including himself or herself. Any nominee may decline the nomination. The President shall second all valid nominations.
5.3 President – Vice President. Unless otherwise specified by the nominator, all accepted and seconded nominations for President shall also be a nomination for Vice President. A candidate for the office of President may decline the nomination for Vice President.
5.4 Election Meeting. Voting shall take place during the first regular meeting not less than one week after the close of nominations.
5.5 Method of Voting. Elections shall take place via email and written ballot.
5.6 Electors.
5.6.2 Most Offices. All known members shall be entitled to vote for all officers other than Cheney Representative.
5.6.3 Cheney Representative. All known members who have planning program ("PLAN") classes in scheduled on the Cheney campus during the scheduled month shall be entitled to vote for Cheney Representative.
5.7 Procedure. A simple majority vote of the electors will be sufficient to elect an officer. If there are more than two candidates for an office, the election shall be conducted using an instant runoff format. The President shall conduct a coin toss should a tie occur.
5.8 Multiple Offices. Should a person be elected to multiple Executive Board offices, the elected person shall select one Executive Board office to occupy and the candidate with the next highest vote count for the abandoned office or offices shall be elected.
5.9 Seating. Newly elected officers shall be seated at the next regularly scheduled meeting following their election.

SECTION 3 – Supermajority Required. This resolution requires a two-thirds vote in affirmation of those present to become effective.

SECTION 4 – Effective Date. This resolution is effective immediately.

RESOLVED this _____ Day of April 2012

ATTESTED: Secretary of the Association President of the Association EFFECTIVE DATE:

Monday, March 12, 2012

Bylaws and Election Report

During the March 6, 2012 ASP membership meeting, I was directed by those present to determine an expedited schedule for making changes to the bylaws and conducting an election in preparation for a new executive board. My findings are summarized here.

Bylaws Amendments


The current bylaws (online here) envision a two-meeting process for the amendment of the bylaws. They state that bylaws amendments require a 72-hour notice period prior to the first meeting during which information is to be provided and discussed. At the second meeting the proposed amendments are to be put to a vote. The second meeting is required to be a regular membership meeting. Consequently, the first meeting during which amendments may be adopted is the first meeting in April. Parliamentary procedure allows the amendments themselves to be amended by majority vote; the bylaws require that amendments to the bylaws are adopted and made effective by 2/3s vote of those present.

Election


The current bylaws are explicit: elections must be held in May. In order to hold earlier elections, the assumption must be made that a bylaws amendment will occur in order to hold the election at any other time. Presuming that such an amendment were to be made, the executive board would follow this procedure:

  1. approve the change of month to April for the election prior to March 15

  2. receive nominations during the first meeting in April (procedurally, following the adoption of amended bylaws)

  3. conduct elections during the second meeting in April

  4. seat the new officers during the regular meeting following the second meeting in April.


Expedited Schedule


With the above considerations, the most reasonably expedited schedule would be as follows (with the minimal cushion necessary to ensure that each step is completed early enough for sufficient notice for the next step to occur):

  1. March 8-19: Transmit the text of proposed bylaws amendments prior to 72 hours prior regular membership meeting

  2. Prior to March 15: executive board accepts a motion to conduct elections for new officers in April

  3. March 11-23: a meeting (under current circumstances, in Cheney) at least 72 hours after transmission of proposed amendments during which the amendments are moved and discussed

  4. Prior to March 29: executive board sets regular meeting schedule for spring quarter

  5. Two business days prior to membership meeting during the week of April 2-6: Written nominations accepted for elected offices.

  6. Week of April 2-6: Regular Membership Meeting during which:
    a) amendments to the bylaws are adopted; and
    b) nominations are taken from the floor

  7. Two business days following membership meeting during the week of April 2-6: Written nominations accepted for elected offices

  8. Week of April 16-20: Regular Membership Meeting during which the election of officers is conducted.

  9. Immediately after #8, executive board meeting to revise the regular membership meeting schedule, if necessary.

  10. Next Regular Membership Meeting: New officers are officially seated.


Proposing Amendments


If you have an amendment you would like to propose, please send it to me and I will include the proposal along with other proposals I have already received so they may be considered at the same meetings. You may, of course, offer amendments at a later time if you prefer.

Brian
ASP President

Friday, January 6, 2012

Winter Quarter Meeting Time/Dates

The Executive Board voted 3-1 (with one abstention) this week to establish Tuesday 11:45 AM as the regular time of ASP Membership Meetings. Winter Quarter meetings are currently scheduled for:

  • January 10, 2012
  • January 24, 2012
  • February 7, 2010
  • February 21, 2010
  • March 6, 2010
  • March 20, 2010

The votes cast for the meeting times was as follows:

  • Cheney Representative: Tuesday 4:45, Thursday 4:45, Tuesday 11:45, Thursday 11:45
  • Treasurer: Tuesday 11:45, Thursday 11:45, Tuesday 4:45, Thursday 11:45
  • Secretary: Tuesday 11:45, Thursday 11:45, Tuesday 4:45, Thursday 11:45
  • Vice President: Abstained
  • President: Thursday 11:45, Tuesday 11:45, Thursday 4:45, Tuesday 4:45

After the first round, Tuesday 11:45 had 2 votes, Tuesday 4:45 had 1 vote, Thursday 11:45 had 1 vote.
Thursday 4:45, with 0 votes, was eliminated.
After the second round, whether Tuesday 4:45 or Thursday 11:45 was eliminated, Tuesday 11:45 received the third vote, constituting a majority.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Planning Internship- City of Rathdrum Idaho


‎****Planning Internship** ***PAID***
-Work on drafting new zoning code to comply with Comp Plan
-Research alternatives
-Facilitate public workshops


Chris Riffe
Rathdrum City Planner
8047 W. Main Street, #2
Rathdrum, Idaho 83858
planner@rathdrum.org
Phone: (208) 687-2700 ext. 117
Fax: (208) 687-1377

Monday, January 2, 2012

ASP Winter 2012 Meeting Time Debate

Greetings!

Purpose and Eligible Participants. I am writing today to begin to complete the process of establishing a time for ASP General Membership Meetings during Winter Quarter 2012. Per the bylaws, the time for ASP membership meetings is set by the Executive Board, consisting of the officers of the club. The bylaws, as they currently stand, do not recognize the APA Representative offices, nor do the bylaws recognize the club's ability to establish such offices. The bylaws establish five offices; a majority vote of those participating are necessary to establish a time for the meeting.

Result Requirements. The bylaws require that meetings occur at least twice per month; as established previously, once every two weeks satisfies that requirement. Notice must be made at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. In order to ensure compliance with that requirement, the Board's vote will be concluded no later than Friday, January 6, at 9 AM. This will give us time to distribute the notice.

Inventory Participants. As you are all aware, I have been collecting input on when the meetings should occur this next quarter. I received input from the vice president, secretary, treasurer, Washington APA rep, IES rep, Cheney rep, Eric Cowell, Matt Parsons, and Dr. Winchell. I added my needs in as well.

  • Inventory (Monday and Wednesday). The result is strong opposition to Monday and Wednesday meetings, with many expressions of inability to attend. One person established Wednesdays at noon as a preferred time for the meeting, and one established Monday afternoon as their preference. Since Dr. Winchell will be showing movies about starchitects and urban design as an extension of the Reflective Planning Theory class on Wednesdays during the noon hour (and the class actually ends right at noon), it was also deemed an ineligible time as a conflict with a core planning class.
  • Inventory (Tuesday and Thursday noon). Tuesday and Thursday noon received the greatest amount of positive feedback (the remaining 13 of 15 expressions of preference were one or the other of these two times), but it was not universal. One officer and one general member said that, due to conflicting classes at the Cheney campus, they could not attend at these times.
  • Inventory (Tuesday and Thursday evenings). Tuesday and Thursday evenings were the times that had the least conflict, though no one counted either as a preferred time. Several board members were concerned about a drop in attendance due to the poor timing after classes. No one said they absolutely could not come, but one officer did say it would harm his/her employment.
  • Inventory (Fridays and Weekends). Very few expressions were made for Fridays and weekends. One person said that Friday at noon would be a conflict but that Friday evenings would be OK. There were no expressions, positive, negative or neutral, for weekend meetings.

Process. I am establishing the following process to ensure that everyone has a chance to participate and have meaningful input on the final decision. Since this is an executive board meeting, only board members will be permitted to make motions. I am asking board members at this time to forward nominations for meeting times (however, see below). Meeting time nominations will close on Wednesday, January 4 at 5 PM. While this is is a board decision, discussion by the membership is entirely appropriate and encouraged. Debate and nominations shall take place on the EWU ASP web site at http://ewuasp.blogspot.com.

Voting. To ensure vote security, votes will be emailed directly to me at my regular email address and made public when a decision is reached. This will not be a secret ballot. Voting will end on Friday, January 6 at 9 AM. Out of respect for the debate, officers, please do not forward your vote until after the nomination period is complete. This vote shall utilize Instant Runoff Voting (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant-runoff_voting) to determine a majority choice. For each of the nominated times, please indicate, in order, your preference, thusly:

#1: Top preference
#2: Second preference
...
#n: Lowest preference

Please consult the Wikipedia article (or any other resource) to understand how the vote will be tabulated. IRV simulates having an additional vote if no preference secures a majority on the first round, with the lowest ranking preferences being eliminated in later rounds.

Nominations. To expedite matters, I hereby nominate the following four meeting times for Winter Quarter 2012 in alternating weeks beginning on week one: 11:45 Tuesday, 4:45 Tuesday, 11:45 Thursday, 4:45 Thursday.

Open Door Policy. As always, please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or comments. Thank you all for your positive participation in the decision making process!