Statement of Opposition from Bill Nicholson '78

I am writing to urge rejection of the proposed amendments to the Reed College Alumni Association’s Constitution.

See the statement of opponents: https://reedalumni.blogspot.com/2018/12/statement-of-opponents-to-proposed.html

- Amending a Constitution is a major step which should not be undertaken absent compelling evidence that the existing document is hopelessly flawed. The proponents of the changes have not presented such evidence.

- The major effect of the proposed Constitutional changes would be the anti-democratic disenfranchisement of the Chapters. Disenfranchisement would be the result of reducing Chapter representation on the Alumni Board. Further, overworked Chapter heads would become members of a separate Chapters Committee - a new layer of bureaucracy.

- Adoption of the proposed changes would result in a significant diminution of alumni control over the Alumni Association. Fewer Chapter member seats on the AB would mean fewer grass roots alumni would be able to serve on the Alumni Board. Control of the Alumni Association would become even more concentrated in the hands of the Executive Committee - a self-appointed minority answerable only to themselves.

I urge rejection of the ill-advised and anti-democratic proposed changes in the Reed College Alumni Association’s Constitution.