CLA WSO Bylaws

7/23/2026 Open Letter Inviting Participation in Updating CLA WSO Bylaws

As we begin the next phase of updating our bylaws, your participation is requested to support this important aspect of CLA WSO’s governance responsibilities. Our objective is to ensure that our governing documents are clear, current, and aligned with the way CLA WSO operates today.

Our first meeting, as previously announced, was held on June 25^th and was attended by 5 of us. The order of business included electing a chair, deciding the committee meeting structure, and establishing voting eligibility. We also reviewed which Articles required the most attention and made preliminary work assignments.

The 2^nd work session on 7/9 began the process of going through the articles of the bylaws using the most recent list of suggested edits developed by the prior bylaws committee in 2022. Assignments were made for questions that arose during the meeting.

For those who would like to participate beginning with our next work session meeting on July 30^th, please prepare by reviewing the latest version of the bylaws (5/31/2025) and the accompanying amendments beforehand. You may find it helpful to cross-reference the amendments with the motions list to confirm when each was officially adopted at a general meeting. Please also review the PowerPoint presentation “What’s in a Name?” on the CLA WSO page so that we begin our discussions with a common understanding of some of the major issues before us. Having this basic understanding of the beginning of CLA WSO and its evolution are critical to your participation.

We encourage participants to bring specific issues, proposed language, and constructive solutions so that our discussions can be productive and focused on improving the documents for the benefit of the fellowship as a whole. To help us use our work session time effectively, please send me, at least 4 hours before the meeting, a list of:

• Sections (by Article and Section number) you believe require revision
• Sections (by Article and Section number) you would be willing to help draft

I will use this information to add to our existing list of topics needing review. If you do not have any suggested areas of concern, you may volunteer for items you feel well-versed in as we move through the document. To ensure that all topics receive adequate consideration, discussion time will be offered first to those who submit their comments in advance.

As many of you know, questions have been raised regarding whether certain current practices align with our bylaws. Some of those concerns stem from procedural changes that evolved during and after the COVID period and were never fully reflected in the governing documents.

This committee’s purpose is to focus on solutions: our goal is to identify areas where the bylaws no longer accurately reflect our operating practices or that need clarification, revision, or expansion and to develop thoughtful recommendations for consideration through the appropriate approval process. To that end all viewpoints are welcome. While historical context may occasionally be relevant, the purpose of this effort is not to revisit past decisions or assign responsibility for how we arrived at the current situation.

We plan to meet biweekly and hope to have several sections ready for submission to CLA WSO for consideration by the fall. The remaining more complex sections and any new provisions are expected to be completed by year-end so the reissue of the bylaws can be completed and submitted to CLA WSO delegates by early spring. This approach and timeline will be reevaluated as we proceed.

Check the meetings calendar for Zoom information and meeting dates.

If you have questions, please let me know.

Marge
Bylaws Chair
CLA WSO