Last amended January 25, 2000 A. Purpose of this document - to describe the structure of and the mechanics for creating and maintaining SDAnet governance.
B. Description and function of SDAnet governance.1. SDAnet Boardmembers - those who govern and administer the SDAnet organization by consensus and/or formal vote.
2. Associates - those who assist or advise in the day-to-day operation or in long range planning.
3. Administrative units - board members and associates who work together in a specific area of governance. Larger administrative units "meet" on administrative mailing lists: eg. sdanetboard@sdanet.org for general governance; sdamod@sdanet.org for SDAnet list management.
4. Spokesperson - An individual selected and authorized by the board to represent SDAnet officially with specified persons or organizations. Other persons may also be designated by any administrative unit to represent them officially for specified tasks.
5. Chair - each administrative unit shall designate a chair- person, who will facilitate discussion and motions.
6. Consensus - It is anticipated that the board will operate on a consensus basis and voting would not typically be necessary.
7. Motions - All motions must have a second and are passed by a simple majority of the quorum unless explicitly stated otherwise in these rules.
8. Quorum - 80% of those eligible to vote on the motion. These must make their will known within one week of the call for vote, or the motion dies for lack of a quorum.
C. Composition of the SDAnetboard.
1. The SDAnetboard consists of 11 persons. It is empowered to increase its number by increments of two if and when it so chooses.
2. One position is ex-officio (Andrews University Liason), and is not subject to election. This ex-officio position will continue so long as SDAnet is affiliated with Andrews University. (Dan Bidwell presently fills this position. If the need arises he must name his successor). The ex-officio position carries complete voting responsibility as well as being uniquely authoritative in its advisory role.
3. Selection of candidates and election of boardmembers is detailed in section F.
4. Boardmembers and associates must be baptized members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in regular standing.
5. All boardmembers and associates serve as volunteers. No one in SDAnet governance receives any remuneration. All donated funds are used for hardware or software purchase.
D. Associates.
1. Associates are persons invited by the board to participate as workers or advisors in some phase of SDAnet operations. Selection of Associates is detailed in section E.
2. Associates will not vote in the overall governance of SDAnet, but may be asked to vote in the administrative unit of which they are a part.
E. Selection of Associates.
1. The board will periodically as the need arises, make announcement on the mailing list asking for volunteers who are interested in assisting in sdanet operations. Individual board members and/or associates will also take private initiatives to locate those who desire to serve with them in some capacity.
2. New Associates, both those personally recruited or those who have responded to a call for volunteers, will be reviewed by current board members and associates in the appropriate administrative unit, and will be accepted as Associates by consensus of the board members active in that specific administrative unit.
3. If there is less than a quorum of the total board on that administrative unit, the candidate will be approved by the sdanetboard as a whole.
F. Election of SDAnetboardmembers.
1. All boardmembers, with the exception of the ex-officio position, will serve for two year terms. The terms will be staggered so that only 1/2 of those terms will expire in any one year. Elections will be on or shortly after February 15 of each year.
2. There are no term limitations. Currently serving boardmembers may always run for re-election.
3. The existing board will approve candidates for board positions, seeking an optimum of 50% more candidates than the number of positions being filled at that election (if there are enough qualified candidates available). Candidates must be either current boardmembers or associates who have served more than 6 months. Requests for candidacy may be rejected by a simple majority vote. In the case that there might not be enough qualified candidates to fill existing seats, the board may let seats remain vacant until a qualified candidate can be found, at which time they may if they so choose, hold a special election to fill the vacant seat.
4. Previous to election day, information regarding each candidate will be posted to the sdanetboard list.
5. On election day a private "ballot" email will be sent by the ex-officio boardmember (Dan Bidwell) to all boardmembers and associates. This will be sent from an address used only for voting purposes, thus assuring that the voting is by secret ballot. Ballots must be marked and returned within one weeks time.
6. After the close of the vote the results will be posted to the sdanetboard list and a spokesman for the sdanetboard will announce the election results to the SDAnet mailing lists as part of a "state of the net" message.
G. Removal from SDAnetboard membership or Associate membership
1. It is understood that people are, in general, unlikely to remain involved if there is a significant desire by others for them to cease their involvement. In the unlikely event that such a situation is not resolved by the voluntary withdrawal of the member involved the SDAnetboard may take action.
2. Any individual SDAnetboardmember may be removed by a 75% majority vote by the remaining boardmembers.
3. Any Associate may be removed by a simple majority of the sdanetboardmembers in the administrative unit where the Associate has served, or by the sdanetboard as a whole if the Associate has served in multiple areas of sdanet.
H. Amending these Rules
These rules may be amended at any future date by a 75% majority vote of the sdanetboard members.