Page 21 - Sojourner Newsletter-Spring 2023 v.3
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Volume 100, Issue 2 21
2023 ANNUAL NATIONAL CONVENTION RESOLUTIONS
RESOLUTION 2023-01
EMERITUS MEMBERSHIP
Whereas Emeritus Members are National Officers.
Whereas the National Constitution and Bylaws does not address what Emeritus members are or how this
statue is obtained.
Whereas Sojourners who have served nine (9) or more consecutive years as a National Officer may apply
for Emeritus status to hold life tenure as National Officer.
Whereas the request must be recommended by the nominating Committee and be voted on by the delegates
and receive a two-thirds vote at a National Convention to be granted Emeritus status,
Therefore be it resolved that Section 1, Article VI of the National Constitution, entitled NATIONAL
OFFICER POSITIONS, the last sentence of which reads in part “Past National Commanders and Emeritus
Members” be amended to read, “Past National Commanders and members who have been elected to
Emeritus Status.”
Therefore be it further resolved that Section 18, Article VI of the National Bylaws entitled PAST
NATIONAL PRESIDENTS, PAST NATIONAL COMMANDERS, AND EMERITUS SOJOURNERS
which reads as follows: “These Sojourners are ex officio and non-voting members of all National-level
Committees and hold life tenure as National Officers. The National Progressive Line Officers must meet with
the Past National Presidents at every National Convention and Mid-Winter Meeting. The senior Past National
President, who is present, presides.” be amended to read
“a. Past National Presidents and Past National Commanders are ex officio and non-voting members of
all National-level Committees and hold life tenure as National Officers.
b. The National Progressive Line Officers must meet with the Past National Presidents at every National
Convention and Mid-Winter Meeting. The senior Past National President, who is present, presides.
c. Emeritus Sojourners are members who have served nine (9) or more years in an elected or appointed
National Office and have been elected to Emeritus status by no less than a two-thirds vote of the delegates
present at a National Convention and shall hold life tenure as National Officers.”
RESOLUTION 2023-02
FEE FOR LATE SUBMISSION OF CAR
Whereas Section 5, Article V of the National Bylaws states: “For a Chapter, the consequences span 1)
probation, 2) loss of a portion or all Chapter Annual MIP dividends, 3) loss of a Chapter’s good standing
and voting rights, and 4) suspension of the Chapter’s charter; and whereas paragraph 9(d), Section 9, Article
V of the National Bylaws states: “d. Submitting Chapter Annual Report: If an operational Chapter fails to
submit its Chapter Annual Report on time, it is placed on probation and forfeits 10% of its Membership-in-
Perpetuity Dividend for each month the report is late. If the report is not received by the following
National Convention, the Chapter is not in good standing and loses all voting rights until the report is
submitted. If the Chapter Annual Report is delinquent for two (2) consecutive years, the Chapter’s charter is
suspended.”
Whereas paragraph 9d does not specify if the penalty is assessed as 10% per month of the original amount
of the dividend or 10% of the balance after the latest decrement, nor does it define a “month” as the next
calendar month or the next end of month date.
Whereas the amount of time and effort required to track and maintain the accounting on the amounts
decremented from the Chapters would be tedious and laborious for the National Office staff, and at a time,
when the staff is already busy with the “Spring mailing” and calculating the MIP dividends for all the