It’s Not Too Late to Support Modernizing IDSA’s Bylaws

All voting members of IDSA have received a ballot via email from IDSA’s third party voting management platform, Election Services, on a proposed change to our bylaws that will allow the Board of Directors to be more responsive to the changing needs of the society. The most recent email with the ballot was sent on Monday, Dec. 16 to eligible members who have not yet voted. Please take a moment to check your inbox and cast your vote using the link provided in that email. 

Member participation is key to the success of IDSA and we need your vote to influence the future direction of the society. The deadline for casting your ballot is 5 p.m. EST, Jan. 31, 2020. We encourage you to exercise your right to vote.

In 2017, the Board of Directors conducted a governance review, a process that had not been undertaken in 25 years. During this review, we studied best practices on how medical society bylaws should be structured. We learned that our bylaws should be overhauled to enable the society to be nimble and relevant in advancing our mission.

IDSA’s current bylaws require that we approach the membership each time a bylaws change is needed. This is required even for revisions as simple as changing the name of a committee – and the process to enact a bylaws change is time consuming and expensive. Allowing the board to vote on future changes ensures critical decisions can be made on a timelier basis and that important staff and financial resources are not directed away from our strategic priorities during an extended bylaws voting process. Because member input is key to the success of IDSA, we will also be providing members with a direct way to propose a bylaws change.

This nimble approach to governance will help foster our inclusion, diversity, access and equity work, allowing the society to expeditiously advance our new IDA&E roadmap. It could also, for example, facilitate changes that would help IDSA better engage with state and regional societies.

If you have difficulty voting, have questions about voting online, or another member needs a ballot, please contact Election Services Corporation by email at idsahelp@electionservicescorp.com or call 1-866-720-HELP (4357), 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST.

Learn more about this vote to modernize IDSA’s governance, and follow us on Twitter for updates using the hashtag #IDSABylawsVote.

Please take a moment to vote for this important change.