National Reading Conference
Address: 7044 S. 13th St. Oak Creek, WI 53154
Main Office: 414.908.4924
CustomerCare Center: 414-908-4924, ext. 450
Fax: 414-768-8001
Email: customercare@nrconline.org

This web page is designed to provide NRC members with additional information and resources regarding the revisions to the NRC bylaws.

Compare the bylaws

Current Bylaws
Proposed Bylaws

Reports

Section-by-Section Revision Information
Parliamentarian’s Report

Feedback

Please send any feedback to bylawfeedback@nrconline.org or contact your NRC Elected Representative.

Timeline

September 24, 2008 to October 24, 2008: Comment Period
October 27, 2008 to October 31, 2008: NRC’s Board of Directors Vote on Bylaw Revisions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why is NRC revising the bylaws?
   In response to a request by its membership, the NRC Board of Directors began a thorough review of the "NRC Policy and Procedures Handbook" (PPH). The Board quickly discovered that in order to conduct a thorough review of the PPH, the NRC Bylaws also needed to be reviewed and updated. The Board contracted with a Professional Registered Parliamentarian (PRP) to have the NRC Bylaws reviewed. The Parliamentarian reviewed the bylaws and made several suggestions in order to bring them in compliance with the Illinois General Not-for-Profit Act, the current version of Robert’s Rules of Order as well as current Parliamentary practice.
2. Why are the NRC bylaws being reviewed against an Illinois State Statute?
   The National Reading Conference is incorporated in the State of Illinois. Therefore, as a non-profit entity incorporated in Illinois, the Illinois General Not-for-Profit Act governs NRC.
3. Why does the formatting of the revised bylaws look different?
   Based on a recommendation by the Parliamentarian, the bylaws were reformatted to conform to the standard bylaws format as suggested in Robert’s Rules of Order.
4. Why does the NRC Board of Directors retain the power to revise the bylaws in the new version of the bylaws (I thought that this provision was going to be removed)?
   The Board of Directors learned from its attorney as well as the Parliamentarian that the Illinois General Not-for-Profit Act requires that this provision be included in the NRC bylaws. The rationale for this includes but is not limited to dissolution of the corporation should the need arise in NRC’s future. As a member, you should understand that the membership could also bring forth its own amendments to the bylaws, which provides a “check-and-balance” system of governance over the NRC Board of Directors.
5. What are the major changes to the bylaws?
   The significant changes to the bylaws include:
   · Amendments
   · Number of members and make-up of the Nominating Committee
   · Formatting
   · Clarification on the succession plan of Elected Board Representatives
   · The addition of two new standing committees: Policy and Legislative and Ethnicity, Race, and Multilingualism
   · Members of standing committees as well as members and Chairs of awards committees will now be appointed by the Past President
   · Members of an ICG will elect their own Chair
   You may also view a detailed, section-by-section list of the revisions by clicking the link found in the “Reports” section above.
6. Is the NRC name change part of the bylaw revisions?
   No, the NRC name change vote will take place at the NRC Business Meeting at the 2008 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida. More information on the name change issue can be found here.