The ARRL Board of Directors took action on a number of items at its Annual Meeting, January 19-20, in Windsor, Connecticut, including adopting a motion to a review the entire code of conduct for Board members, known officially as the ARRL Policy on Board Governance and Conduct of Members of the Board of Directors and Vice Directors. ARRL Officers, Directors, and Vice Directors will review the code of conduct and complete a final draft version 60 days ahead of the Board’s July 2018 meeting.

In the same motion, the Board deleted and suspended sections that were considered ambiguous and in conflict with the intent of the code of conduct requiring Board members to act in the best interest of the League’s membership. 

The Board also voted unanimously to amend a policy affecting candidates for ARRL elected offices, including Directors and Vice Directors. The new policy calls for candidates to be informed in writing at the outset of the nomination process that decisions of the Board’s Ethics and Elections Committee concerning candidate eligibility will be made public unless the candidate requests otherwise. In addition, if the Ethics and Elections Committee rejects a candidate’s petition, the candidate may ask that the reason(s) for rejection not be made public. Unless confidentiality is requested within 10 business days, the reason(s) for rejection may be made public.

A proposed addition to the ARRL Articles of Association regarding the personal liability and indemnification of Directors will be reviewed by the Executive Committee, the General Counsel, and ARRL Connecticut corporate counsel. Proposed amendments to the ARRL Bylaws regarding Life Membership were referred to the Administration and Finance Committee for further consideration.

It was decided that if these or any additional changes are proposed, they will be made available to the membership and will be accompanied by explanatory “white papers” before the Board considers action on them.

The Board approved an amendment, effective immediately, to Section II, Rule 1 of ARRL’s DXCC Rules (Political Entities) that will confer DXCC entity status to an entity that has its own International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) member society and is included on the US Department of State’s list of Independent States in the World. In 2004, the Board had removed a rule that extended DXCC status by virtue of having been admitted as an IARU member society. (See related story.)

In other action, the Board approved a motion requiring that minutes of Board meetings be published only after being formally approved by the Board.

The Board unanimously adopted ARRL’s 2018-2019 financial plan. Up to $30,000 was allocated to fund the discovery and strategy phase of the Lifelong Learning Initiative. The Board will receive a progress report on the project at its July meeting.

Addressing administrative matters, the Board unanimously adopted a motion to form a CEO Search Committee to identify a candidate for Chief Executive Office for Board election. The committee, which is authorized to engage a search consultant, will report periodically to the Board and at the July meeting. Committee members will include Treasurer Rick Niswander, K7GM (chair), Central Division Director Kermit Carlson, W9XA; Roanoke Division Director Jim Boehner, N2ZZ, West Gulf Division Director Dr. David Woolweaver, K5RAV, and First Vice President Greg Widin, K0GW.