AWIS Bylaws: 2021 Update

Through a Board-appointed Governance Task Force, the AWIS Board has completed a total revision of the Bylaws for the first time since 2014. Bylaws are one of the founding documents in an association, and they serve to outline the key roles for decision making, structure and policy within an organization. AWIS’ Bylaws from 2014 leave a lot of questions about how the organization is run open to interpretation, and the Board has made it a priority to modernize and clarify this core governance document. 

The 2021 Bylaws redesign goes into more detail about the roles of the Board, outlines structures including standing committees and advisory committees, and clarifies the roles and terms of each Board Officer. The AWIS Governing Board wants these roles and policy explanations to be clear and transparent to all members and organizational stakeholders. As a membership association, AWIS’ Bylaws need to be approved by the membership every time they are changed. On July 31, 2021, the Bylaws were approved. We encourage you to become familiar with the document by reviewing it on our website, and to familiarize yourself with the approved changes. You can review the 2014 Bylaws, as well as a one-page summary of key changes in the 2021 Bylaws.

Another upcoming membership milestone we will be organizing later this year is Board Director elections. We will be looking for several new Board members who are eager to help AWIS expand our impact, our network, and our fundraising to continue our progress in advancing equity for women in the Sciences and STEM.