Annual Meeting
How can I attend the Annual Meeting?
The Annual Meeting will be held in person at 3:00pm ET on June 4, 2022 in the auditorium at Hunter College High School (HCHS), 71 East 94th Street, New York, NY 10128. You can attend virtually by going to https://hchsaa.org/2022AnnualMeeting/ after June 1st to obtain instructions.
Do I need to register to vote to attend the Annual Meeting?
No. All members are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Where can I find out more about the Annual Meeting?
Please see the Annual Report in the spring issue of AlumNotes or visit our website.
What is the HCHSAA’s COVID Policy?
Our event will observe a mask optional policy, subject to change if standards issued by the CDC, NYC, or CUNY are MORE stringent. However, if any community member requests that masks be worn in their presence, all
community members will comply with that request. To read more, click here.
Will I be able to ask questions at the Annual Meeting?
Of course. We have scheduled a Q&A for the end of the meeting and – technology willing – plan to have a way for all in-person and virtual participants to ask questions. If you were unable to ask a question at last year’s meeting, please pop us an email at membership@hchsaa.org so we can make sure you get to the front of the line this year (if you attend the Annual Meeting).
Registering to Vote and Record Date
Why do I have to register to vote? Wasn’t it much less complicated before last year?
You are correct that the process is more complicated than in the past. Before 2021, only members who paid dues could vote ballots, so there was no need to register to vote. Once the AA set membership dues at $0 in May 2021, just a few weeks before the Annual Meeting, the AA had to find another way of determining who could vote. The short timeline in 2021 ended up generating two separate and confusing processes. The first process had members register by paying $0 on the AA portal; once it was clear that this process was confusing, the second process was implemented, combining claiming membership with the Proxy & Ballot, which struck many members as heavy-handed. This year the Board adopted a Membership Confirmation Policy in March 2022 and set up a way to register to vote online or by printed form.
Why don’t you just let all alums vote?
HCHSAA needs a finite number to figure out if has a quorum for the Annual Meeting. It is not possible to figure out how many people currently alive either graduated from HCHS or attended it for at least three years.
Why was there a deadline for registering to vote?
That deadline, called the record date, was set by the Board in March. The New York Not-for-Profit Corporation Law (NPCL) requires HCHSAA to set a deadline to create a list of registered voters that it is required to maintain and provide to members who request it.
When is the record date?
May 13, 2022 at 5:00pm ET.
Couldn’t you have extended the record date?
Yes, but in the interest of equity, the Board decided not to extend the deadline. Making changes to the published process provides more opportunities to sow inequity. The only way to truly fix the process is by continuing to improve our practices. Over the next two weeks, we need to devote our limited resources to preparing the list of registered voters for inspection, generating the Ballot & Proxy, and otherwise preparing for the Annual Meeting and Reunion.
Why didn’t I get more notice of the record date deadline?
The new voter registration process and Membership Confirmation Policy were explained in several emails sent out by HCHSAA weeks ahead of the deadline. They were also explained in detail in the both the print and electronic versions of the Annual Report and on the website.
Why did it take so long to set up the new voter registration process?
Unfortunately, the folks who built the voter registration process this year did not have access to many of the systems used last year and had to rebuild much of them from scratch. These new systems then needed to be tested before we could publish the process for use by the members. The resulting delays were especially acute with the print version of the Annual Report, which did not get to alums until two or more weeks later than the electronic version.
Isn’t there anything we can do to make registering to vote simpler?
Yes, we want a system that is transparent and easy to use. We are sorry that we were not able to achieve all of that in a single year and know that we clearly have more work to do. Now that we have a functioning voter registration system, we plan to open it months before next year’s annual meeting. We also plan to send out more single message email and social media reminders about registering to vote because the many reminders in HCHSAA’s regular communications were overlooked by alums.
What can I do to help?
Your feedback always helps and will be used to inform future processes. Please consider helping us continue to improve by joining our planning committee for next year or joining one of our other committees.
Ballot & Proxy
What is the difference between registering to vote and casting a ballot?
Registering to vote by the record date allows you to receive a Ballot & Proxy. You then can use the Ballot & Proxy to vote on the items to come before the members at the Annual Meeting. Everyone who registers to vote by the record date will receive an electronic Ballot & Proxy.
What if I don’t want to use an electronic ballot? How can I get a printed ballot?
If you would like to receive a printed or pdf Ballot & Proxy, please contact membership@hchsaa.org on or before the record date.
Do I have to give my proxy to the HCHSAA officers named in the Ballot & Proxy?
No. You may – but are not required to – grant your proxy to an agent to vote on your behalf at the Annual Meeting. If you do decide to grant a proxy, you can either choose the HCHSAA officers as your agents or write in the name of another person to act as your agent. If you select the second option, we ask that you please choose someone who plans to attend the Annual Meeting.
How did the Board choose its slate of nominees for the Board of Directors?
The Nominating Subcommittee of HCHSAA’s Governance Committee started soliciting nominees in the winter. After interviewing all of those who submitted applications, it proposed a slate of eight (8) of nominees to the Board for approval. To learn more about each nominee on the slate proposed by the Board visit https://hchsaa.org/2022AnnualMeeting/.
Can I choose my own candidates for the Board of Directors?
Yes. In addition to the slate of nominees proposed by the Board, you may also write in the names of up to eight (8) candidates of your choice. Pursuant to Article II, Section 2.01 of the HCHSAA By-Laws, all directors must be a member of the Association, so please only write in the names of candidates that meet this requirement. Please include the name while at Hunter College High School (HCHS), if different, and HCHS Class for all write-in candidates so that the Association can confirm that they meet the requirements of Article II, Section 2.01 of the HCHSAA By-Laws.
Why is the Board recommending that we amend the definition of membership in the By-Laws?
The Board felt it would be helpful to amend Article I, Section 1.01 of the HCHSAA By-Laws to clarify how membership is determined if and when dues are set at $0 or eliminated. Last fall and winter, the Governance Committee of the Board worked with legal counsel at White & Case to make this update to HCHSAA’s By-Laws. As a result of that work, the Board has proposed the following amendments to Article I, Section 1.01.
Section 1.01 Membership; Dues. There shall be one class of members. The members of the Association shall consist of (a) graduates of Hunter College High School and (b) former students of at least 18 years of age who shall have attended Hunter College High School for at least three (3) years, and in each case of the preceding clauses (a) and (b) who have paid dues to the Association during the then current fiscal year. during each Fiscal Year (as defined in Article VII, Section 7.01) (i) confirmed their membership with the Association and (ii) paid dues to the Association. The dues structure of the Association and process for confirming membership and registering to vote shall be as determined by the Board of Directors (as defined in Article II, Section 2.01) from time to time. In the event that the Board of Directors sets dues at $0.00, no payment of dues shall be required pursuant to clause (ii) above to be a member.
The dues structure of the Association shall be as determined by the Board of Directors from time to time.