A Democratic Organization

Above all else, DSA is a democratic organization. That means that our highest level of decision making is done by the popular vote of membership on motions or resolutions at general meetings and the chapter convention. These resolutions are translated into actions by our working groups, committees, and other member-led bodies.

Chapter Convention

Held once a year in June – the Chapter convention is the organization’s highest decision making body. This convention is the opportunity to elect the executive committee members and any other elected chapter officers, to renew committee charters, to review the past year’s activity, and to adopt an Annual Goals and Priorities resolution for the coming year.

General Meetings

Held once a month, general meetings are the opportunity for the chapter to gather together and make decisions about how the chapter should move forward as an organization. General meetings are usually held at 6:30PM on the fourth Thursday of the Month, rotating between Port Angeles, Sequim, and Port Townsend.

The Executive Committee

The executive committee is made up of the five elected officers of the chapter, each with their own powers and duties as laid out in the bylaws in addition to their membership on the executive committee. The executive committee meets monthly on the second Thursday from 6:30-7:15.

The executive committee sets the draft agenda for general meetings, acts on the organization’s behalf between general meetings when necessary, and helps prepare program activities for the chapter.

click here for the current officer list!

Working Groups

A working group is a collection of members who have decided to work together on a specific set of issues. These members do not have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the organization, and must present their final product to the membership for approval before it can be implemented or adopted.

Working groups are often formed at general meetings and directed to accomplish some specific task – such as writing a formal resolution, creating a draft product, or researching and preparing a presentation on a particular topic. However, working groups can also form and act on their own cognizance as long as they do not require the use of chapter resources.

Working groups can be as big or as small as needed to accomplish a particular task – and could even be a single individual contributor!

Committees

Unlike a working group, a committee has the authority to act on behalf of the chapter under explicit circumstances laid out in the committee charter. These can be minor actions such as being granted the ability to independently draft and post messages on social media, or major actions like the ability to spend chapter funds or direct member volunteer work. Committees are formed by the membership at a general meeting by passing a resolution establishing their charter, and are renewed each year at the chapter convention.