Resolution Procedures

The resolution process is an important means by which AAAL members can make their voices heard on issues internal to AAAL’s governance and operations. The Resolutions Committee is charged with the responsibility for processing all resolutions proposed by the membership before they are acted upon by the general business meeting of AAAL, including those calling for amendment to the Bylaws as outlined in Article XII: Amendments. The Resolutions Committee may also originate courtesy resolutions.

Resolutions shall be of two types–courtesy and content.

• Courtesy resolutions are non-controversial resolutions. They may be in the nature of congratulations or thanks, or commenting on or affirming support for an internal governance or operational matter.
• Content resolutions allow for formal comment by the membership on issues internal to AAAL governance or operations. The issues articulated in resolutions must be discussed by the Executive Committee at its first meeting following membership approval, and may necessitate a change to the Bylaws, Standing Rules or procedures.

• All resolutions shall be written in standard resolution format, as recommended in Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, and shall begin: “Be it resolved by the general business meeting of AAAL that–”
• Origination
  • Courtesy resolutions may be submitted by the general membership or may be prepared by the Resolutions Committee.
  • Content resolutions originate from the general membership. A resolution bearing the signatures of at least ten members of AAAL must be received by the Chair of the Resolutions Committee by January 2. The names of the ten members shall be included in presentation of the resolution to the Resolutions Committee, Executive Committee (if applicable), and general membership. If a resolution is approved by the membership, the names shall be removed for dissemination as outlined below.
  • Resolution(s) may not be proposed from the floor of the general business meeting.
• Each resolution received shall be circulated immediately upon receipt by the Chair of the Resolutions Committee to the other members of the Committee and the President of AAAL.
  • Committee authority with respect to courtesy resolutions shall be:
    • Courtesy resolutions are subject to the approval of the Resolutions Committee.
    • The decision of the Committee shall be final.
  • Committee authority with respect to content resolutions shall be:
    • To render preliminary judgment as to whether the resolution is germane to the mission, objectives, Bylaws, Standing Rules and strategic direction of AAAL.
    • Should the Resolutions Committee believe that a given resolution is in conflict with the mission, objectives, Bylaws, Standing Rules or strategic direction of AAAL, this view shall be reported by the Chair of the Committee to the President of AAAL. The President will then submit the resolution and stated view to the Executive Committee, which shall render final judgment in the matter.
      • A resolution ruled, for any reason, inadmissible by the Executive Committee, shall not be submitted to the general membership for deliberation or vote. This ruling shall be reported to the originators of the resolution and the Resolutions Committee by the President of AAAL.
      • A resolution ruled germane by the Executive Committee shall be reverted to the Resolutions Committee.
    • The Resolutions Committee will take one of the following actions upon determination that the content resolution is germane:
      • Approve the resolution, as written.
      • Revert the resolution to the originating parties, with suggestions for revision. These may be substantive changes or editorial changes in the interest of clarity and style. Submitters have one week to submit a revised version, withdraw the resolution, and/or remove the name(s) of submitters no longer in support of the resolution.
      • Reject the resolution. In such an instance, the Resolutions Committee must provide rationale to the submitters of the resolution and the Executive Committee.
• Resolutions approved by the Resolutions Committee will be immediately submitted to the President of AAAL for circulation to the Executive Committee, for information purposes.
• Member comment period and voting
  • Courtesy resolutions shall be presented as outlined in the “Dissemination” section below, with no membership comment period or approval needed.
  • Content resolutions approved by the Resolutions Committee will be proposed to the AAAL membership and are subject to membership commentary and approval.
    • At least six weeks before the annual conference, proposed resolutions will be posted to the AAAL web site in a members-only area, with invitation for comment by AAAL members. An email inviting comment will be distributed to all AAAL members in good standing. The deadline for member comment shall be three weeks prior to the first full day of the annual conference.
    • The Resolutions Committee will review the member commentary and take one of the following actions:
      • Submit the resolution to the membership for presentation at the business meeting, as written.
      • Amend the resolution, based on member commentary, and return the amended resolution to its submitters. Submitters will have an opportunity to provide additional comments to the Resolutions Committee and/or withdraw his/her name as submitter but may not further revise the proposed resolution.
      • Revert the resolution to the originating parties, with suggestion(s) for revision based on member commentary. In this instance, the revised resolution shall be resubmitted to the Resolutions Committee for approval, with no further commentary period prior to presentation at the annual business meeting.
    • All content resolutions shall be reported and discussed at the annual business meeting.
      • Content resolutions shall be considered singly and shall be available in written form at the beginning of the general business meeting in sufficient number for all members attending.
      • The Chair of the Resolutions Committee, or a specified designated committee member in the absence of the Chair, shall present each resolution in turn. It shall be the duty of the presenter to report the gist of whatever discussions have occurred with respect to each resolution.
      • The presiding officer of the general business meeting shall rule whether a proposed change, if any, is substantive.
        • Non-substantive changes are not permissible.
        • Any substantive change proposed from the floor of the general business meeting shall result in the proposed resolution being sent back to the Resolutions Committee for consideration. The Resolutions Committee shall take substantive changes under advisement and shall have final authority with respect to revision of the resolution. Final proposed resolutions shall then be submitted to the membership for vote by ballot without meeting. The names of the original submitters shall not be included with the submission of the resolution for vote.
    • Proposed resolutions will be voted on by the membership via ballot without meeting following the same distribution timeline and deadline as the annual election (Bylaws Article VI, §2). A resolution shall be considered approved if it receives a simple majority of the votes cast.
• Dissemination
  • Courtesy resolutions
  • Courtesy resolutions shall be presented orally at the general business meeting.
  • The President shall convey official copies of the courtesy resolutions to the recipients and, as appropriate, to any other parties concerned.
  • Courtesy resolutions shall be published in the first available issue of the AAALetter following approval.
  • Courtesy resolutions shall be published on a publicly accessible page on the AAAL web site.
• Content resolutions
  • The names of the original submitters shall not be disseminated with approved resolutions.
  • Content resolutions will be posted to a members-only area of the AAAL web site.
  • At its midyear meeting the Executive Committee shall determine the appropriate disposition of each content resolution that has passed.
  • In the first available issue of the AAALetter following the Executive Committee meeting, the President shall inform the general membership of AAAL of all adopted resolutions together with a report of any Executive Committee action on each.