I. CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS BALLOT
A six page mailing, including a cover letter explaining the ballot on the proposed revisions, a four page sample of the revised Constitution and Bylaws along with explanations for the revisions, and a ballot with space for comments was mailed on April 25, 1995 to 599 members (Appendix 1 attached to official Committee Report). The ballot deadline was set for May 10 and 199 ballots were returned. The revisions passed overwhelmingly. The ballot tally and comments received were summarized and sent to the President for publicity purposes (Appendix 2 attached to official Committee Report).
Before the April 25 mailing, the Chair distributed the draft of the mailing to the Committee members via fax. Comments were received from the committee members by e-mail and incorporated into the mailing.
The total cost to CARL of the mailing was $696.92 which included: $331.43 for mailing/postage; $349.40 for printing; and $16.09 for supplies.
II.ELECTION OF OFFICERS BALLOT
The committee gathered only once, on May 25 to discuss candidates for election and to formulate a slate. Other business was done entirely through e-mail or fax. Nomination were sought in the CARL Newsletter and on the CARLALL email reflector in accordance with the results of the Bylaws ballot. Committee members volunteered to ask individuals to be candidates for election. Eventually two candidates for each office appeared on the ballot. The candidates were sent a Biographical Summary Form (Appendix 3 on official Committee Report) on July 7 with a request to return them by August 1. The five page election ballot (Appendix 4 attached to official Committee Report) was prepared and mailed on August 22 to 671 members, with a request to return them by September 15 by which time, 235 were received.
The candidates were (elected officers marked with *):
The elected officers were notified by the President of CARL. The Nominating Committee Chair telephoned the non-elected candidates. A follow-up letter was sent by the President to all candidates.
The total cost to CARL for the election ballot mailing was $757.02 which included: $383.44 for mailing/postage; $354.09 for printing; $3.49 for supplies; and $16 for student help.
III. SUGGESTIONS for 1996 COMMITTEE
1. Make a return address stamp for envelopes and, possibly, ar for ballot return.
2. Chair should forward all returned ballots to Membership Director for corrections.
3. After the ballot is mailed, announcements should be made on electronic lists to encourage more return of ballots.
4. Budget: the time of the Chair and secretarial assistance was donated to CARL. The mailing--typing, reproduction and mailing of the candidates' bio forms was absorbed by the Chair's institution. Any budgeting for the Committee for 1996 should take these factors into consideration.
IV. ISSUES TO CONSIDER FOR FUTURE NOMINATING COMMITTEES
1. How long should ballots be kept after tabulating and counting? Can elections be challenged?!
2. Should the total number of votes be announced with the results? ALA and ACRL do this.
3. Special efforts should be made to keep candidates who were not elected active in CARL.
4. According to the revised Constitution, one responsibility of the Nominating Committee is to "maintain records of past participation and leadership to assist the Committee and other CARL officers in nominating candidates for elected and appointed positions". Procedures and/or guidelines to accomplish this should be worked out. Such records available to the Committee this year were very helpful.
Judy Harvey Sahak, Chair
(Claremont Colleges)
Locke Morrisey (UC Irvine)
Marje Schuetze-Coburn (USC)
Don L. Bosseau (San Diego SU), ex-officio as Southern Vice-President
[With many thanks for the exceptionally helpful and knowledgable guidance of President Bill Whitson.]
December 1, 1995