Current Bylaw:
Article V, B, 1:

Each officer shall be a Professional, Graduate or Emeritus member during his or her term of office. The President-Elect and President shall be employed or enrolled in a graduate program at a college or university during their terms of office.

Proposed Bylaw:

Article V, B, 1:

Each officer shall be a Professional, Graduate or Emeritus member during his or her term of office.

Rationale:

Over the past several years, the Association has made strides to provide equal election and voting access for its members. The stipulation that you must be employed or enrolled by a college or university in order to serve as AFA's President is long overdue to be removed. Professionals from fraternity/sorority inter/national organizations have and continue to serve the Association on the Executive Board and in numerous elected and appointed positions. This Bylaw does not take into account the transient nature of our profession; one in which increasing numbers of professionals move from a campus position to an organization position and vice versa. This Bylaw change serves to create equality in the nomination and election process for all Professional, Graduate, and Emeritus members, regardless of employment or academic location.

Furthermore, the Association cannot espouse partnership between institutions and organizations while maintaining a leadership structure that creates a power dynamic between campus-based and non campus-based professionals of the same membership categories. The current Bylaw legislates the qualifications of some members to hold a leadership role and not others. The Association has a nomination and elections process which should determine whether someone is qualified for the role of President. This determination should not be based on where that individual currently works, rather it should be based on their ability to effectively fulfill the duties of the position.

Process:

• According to the Bylaws, amendments to or a repeal of these Bylaws may be proposed by the Executive Board on its own initiative, through solicitation of member input, or upon petition by 2.5% of the Professional, Affiliate, Graduate, and Emeritus members and Past Presidents. The Executive Board shall present all such proposals to the Professional, Affiliate, Graduate, and Emeritus members and Past Presidents with or without endorsement.
• Based on email communication with current AFA President Shelly Brown Dobek on 7/11/12, 2.5% of the current AFA membership (1525 members) would be a minimum of 39 signatures on this petition.
  
• According to the Bylaws, amendments to or a repeal of these Bylaws shall be approved by a 2/3 affirmative vote of the Professional, Affiliate, Graduate, and Emeritus members and Past Presidents present at the annual business session of the Association duly called, provided written notice of proposed changes have been sent to the Professional, Affiliate, Graduate, and Emeritus members and Past Presidents thirty (30) days before such meeting; or by majority vote of the Professional, Affiliate, Graduate, and Emeritus members and Past Presidents voting by a thirty (30) day mail or electronic ballot.
• Based on the Bylaws, this petition, if it achieves the minimum of 39 signatures, could be brought to a vote at the 2012 business meeting at the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors annual meeting in Indianapolis.