How your Connecticut delegates voted at the national convention

One of the big discussions at the national SPJ conference in Anaheim last week was whether to approve proposed bylaw changes to the national board.

The changes, which eventually passed 86-14 among the delegates, will bring the size of the governing body down to nine members from the current 23. It also removes regional directors from the national board.

Mike Savino, president of the Connecticut Pro Chapter of the SPJ, proposed an amendment bringing the board down to 11 members instead of 9, but the amendment failed. 

The Press Club of Long Island proposed an amendment requiring the board to fill one of the available appointed positions with a sitting regional coordinator (the new name for regional directors). That amendment also failed. 

The two delegates from the Connecticut Pro Chapter voted against the bylaw change due to concerns it would limit the amount of local voices that will be heard on the national level and potentially limit diversity on the board. 

The transition to the new board structure will take place over two years. 

You can read more about the bylaw changes here. 

Convention delegates also approved several resolutions, which your CT delegates voted in favor of:

• TRUMP & THE PRESS: The Society of Professional Journalists condemns in the harshest possible terms the corrosive actions and words of the Trump administration toward the news media and journalists; asks members of Congress and other public officials to remind the administration of the vital role the First Amendment and the press play in our system of government; encourages journalists not to rise to the social media bait distributed by President Trump and others who choose to mislead the public about the news media and to refrain from responding in kind
• MANDATED CLEARANCE: The Society of Professional Journalists calls on journalists to put the public’s need to know above the professional desire not to anger official sources and resist official efforts to make reporters nothing more than stenographers and openly oppose restrictions on access to information; calls on all journalists, journalism groups, publishers, editors, journalism schools and freedom of information groups to start and continue discussions on eliminating these restrictions and to explain to the public the hazards to society posed by these restrictions. 
• PRAISING NEW VOICES: The SPJ commends the work of the Student Press Law Center, its former executive director and new executive director for their fight for student free expression in all 50 states
• STORM COVERAGE: The SPJ commends the extraordinary journalists covering the impact of hurricanes Harvey and Irma for their fortitude, integrity and bravery 
• PUBLIC BROADCASTING: The SPJ recognizes the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Public Broadcasting Act; recognizes the dedication of all those who work in public media; and believes federal funding is necessary to the enhancement of the democratic and cultural well-being of the country
• THANK YOUS: The delegates thank Associate Executive Director Chris Vachon for her 14 years of dedicated service to the SPJ; thank Executive Director Joe Skeel for his 8 years of dedicated service to the SPJ; thank the SPJ staff for all its work to put together the convention; thank outgoing President Lynn Walsh for her service.