Board of Directors
Membership / Notices to Members

CAS Board Proposes Constitution and Bylaws Amendments to Streamline Governance

governance

The CAS Board of Directors is proposing amendments to our governing documents designed to streamline and modernize the Society’s governance—without changing its structure or policies. Fellows will be asked to vote on the changes in conjunction with the 2025 CAS elections in August. In putting the proposals on the ballot, the Board is recommending that the Fellows vote in favor of the amendments.

Currently, the CAS operates under two separate documents—a Constitution and Bylaws—which creates unnecessary duplication, can cause confusion, and makes updates more cumbersome than necessary. The proposed change would consolidate these into a single, clear set of Bylaws, enabling a more nimble governance framework.

As part of the CAS’s commitment to transparent and collaborative leadership, an exposure draft of the proposed changes was released for member feedback in April. Five members submitted comments on the proposal, all of which were supportive.

What’s Changing—and What’s Not

The proposal centers on a single, focused objective: combining the current CAS Constitution and Bylaws into one cohesive governing document. This new document, titled the CAS Bylaws, will incorporate all content from the existing Constitution not already found in the current Bylaws. This approach reflects best practices for professional societies and is supported by CAS legal counsel.

It’s important to note:

  • No changes to the CAS governance structure or policies are being proposed.
  • The updates are intended purely to simplify, clarify, and align our governance documents.

In addition to combining the two documents, the Governance Committee, appointed by the Board, has proposed minor editorial updates to eliminate outdated or inconsistent terminology.

Review the Proposal

The proposed Bylaws are available for review, along with the current Constitution and Bylaws and other helpful documents.

Questions on the proposal are welcome and may be submitted via an online form.

What’s Next?

Balloting on the proposed Bylaws will open on August 1, with ballots due by August 29. Constitution and Bylaws changes require an affirmative vote from 10% of the Fellows or two-thirds of the Fellows voting, whichever is greater.

Wording of Ballot Question for Proposed Changes to the CAS Constitution and Bylaws:

Do you approve the adoption of the new proposed CAS Bylaws, replacing the current CAS Constitution and Bylaws?

  • Yes or No