Resolution 1998-09-24.iwj.5: Procedure about resolutions

September 24th, 1998

In order to further the efficient working of Software in the Public Interest, Inc., it is hereby agreed that in future, until resolved otherwise by the Board, resolutions of the Board may be made by unanimous agreement by electronic mail according to the following procedure:

  1. A board member sends an electronic mail message to the Board mailing list, giving the title and text of a draft resolution.

  2. The resolution will then be discussed if necessary.

  3. When the discussion is complete the Proposer shall send a mail to the Board mailing list containing the final version of the resolution for voting.

The Proposer should state in their message "I hereby propose the following resolution Resolution:"

The resolution number should be in the form YYYY-MM-DD.PROP.UNIQ where PROP is an indication of the proposer[1], who allocates the number, and UNIQ is a number added for uniqueness. The same resolution number may not be given to two different resolutions or texts.

[1] such as their initials.

The message should be digitally signed by a key recognised by the other board members.

  1. The other board members each send signed electronic mail quoting the resolution's number, title, and text, and state "I hereby vote in favour of the resolution below" in the message body.

These messages should be digitally signed by keys recognised by the other board members.

Such an exchange shall constitute notice of and the business of a meeting of the board for the purpose of acting in the name of the organisation according to article 7 of the bylaws. A resolution which has been agreed to by, and to which consent has been indicated by, all the members of the Board, shall have equivalent force to a resolution passed by proper procedure during a physical meeting of the Board.