The requirement for Council members to attend Council meetings has been in our policies for years. However, adding it to our Bylaws aligns it better with the Health Professions Act and makes it easier for us to enforce. It also demonstrates that attending and participating in Council meetings is important to being effective in the role.
Your Feedback About Our Draft
Your comments echoed the message that Council members need to attend Council meetings. But you also asked that we consider the reasons for the Council member’s absence. We agree that there are good reasons for missing meetings. However, when those reasons lead to missing several meetings, it’s best for everyone if the person is no longer on Council so they can focus on their personal needs. They will be welcome to apply for Council again when they are able to commit to the responsibilities of the role.
We thank everyone who took time to review our draft Bylaws and share their thoughts.
What has changed in Bylaw 4?
In Bylaw 4 – Council Members Ceasing to Hold Office, under Automatic termination, we added item (e). This is how Automatic termination now reads:
Automatic termination
(1) A Regulated Member of Council automatically ceases to be a Council member if:
(a) the member resigns in writing to the Chair or the Registrar;
(b) the member’s practice permit is suspended or the member is no longer a Regulated Member;
(c) the member is found guilty of unprofessional conduct under the Act or makes an admission of unprofessional conduct that is accepted by a hearing tribunal under the Act;
(d) if the member becomes an officer, director, executive member or similar position in a professional association, union or bargaining organization representing dental assistants; or
(e) the member is absent from three (3) Council meetings in any Council year.
Reason for the Change
In section 6, the Health Professions Act states:
A council manages and conducts the activities of the college, exercises the rights, powers and privileges and carries out the duties of the college in the name of and on behalf of the college and carries out the powers and duties of the council under this Act and the bylaws.
Our Council governs our College. To be effective, Council members must attend meetings and contribute effectively to oversight, policy development, and all other corporate responsibilities. Our communities, including the public, government, dental assistants and other stakeholders expect Council to be engaged meaningfully in governing the College. To do this, Council members need to participate fully in all Council responsibilities.
A scan of the bylaws of other Alberta colleges reveals it is common practice to have a bylaw supporting automatic termination from Council when a number of meetings are missed. Many colleges will terminate if three meetings are missed in a council year. Keeping our requirement at three meetings and moving it from our policies to our Bylaws is consistent with other colleges.
This requirement does not prevent anyone from applying for Council in the future when their personal circumstances align better with the commitment required to serve on Council.