Fellows Amend Constitution and Bylaws

ARLINGTON, Va.—In balloting conducted during October 2-November 13, 1998, the Fellows of the Society approved all of the changes to the CAS Constitution and Bylaws proposed by the Board of Directors. The affected articles of the Constitution were II (Statement of Purpose), III (Membership), VII (Meetings), VIII (Quorum), and X (Resignation and Discipline of Members). Bylaws articles which were changed include I (Order of Business), V (Discipline of Members), VI (Indemnification) and VII (Dues).

Recommended changes for the discipline of members were identified by the special CAS Task Force for Review of the Disciplinary Process. Following a review and discussion by the Board of Directors in May 1998, proposed changes to the Constitution and Bylaws, along with revised Rules of Procedure for Disciplinary Actions, were circulated to the CAS membership for comment. The Board of Directors approved in September 1998 revised Rules of Procedure for Disciplinary Actions, as well as related proposed Constitution and Bylaws changes. The highlights of these changes, which were intended to add additional guidelines and more specific details to enhance CAS disciplinary procedures, were identified in the article "From the President" in the August 1998 Actuarial Review issue.

As also reported in detail in the August issue, the Board of Directors approved in May 1998 a proposal for a new Affiliate membership class. Changes to the Constitution and Bylaws approved by the Fellows offer qualified actuaries who practice in the general insurance field an opportunity to participate as active but limited, nonvoting members of the CAS without becoming Associates or Fellows. Actuaries may be enrolled as Affiliates upon action by the Board of Directors subject to the Board's prescribed requirements.

The Fellows approved a change to the CAS statement of purpose in the Constitution to reflect that the Society's scope includes advancing the body of knowledge of actuarial science applied to property, casualty, and similar risk exposures, replacing the former phrase "in applications other than life insurance."

Other Constitution and Bylaws changes approved by the Fellows pertain to updating the procedures for determining the agenda, order of business, quorums, and scheduling of CAS meetings, and the indemnification of the CAS Office staff.

The revised Constitution and Bylaws, which became effective November 13, 1998, have been posted on the CAS Web Site in the "About CAS" section under "CAS Policies" at http://www.casact.org/aboutcas/policy.htm and are being included in the 1999 CAS Yearbook.

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