Dear AAVSO Members,
Thank you for participating in the AAVSO’s election process for FY 2025, held during the 113th Annual Meeting in the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL on November 7-10 2024. This important gathering not only provided an opportunity to celebrate our community’s contribution to variable star science, but also to elect new leaders and approve updates to our governing documents.
During the Annual Board Meeting on November 8, the Board elected new Officers to guide the organization in the coming year. At the Annual Member meeting on November 10, members cast their votes to elect new Directors and decide on a series of proposed bylaw modifications. I am pleased to share the outcomes of these key decisions.
AAVSO Board Officers
At their November 8th Annual Board Meeting, the Board elected the following individuals to serve as our Officers:
- President - Richard Berry
- 1st Vice President - Walt Cooney
- 2nd Vice President - Mark Munkacy
- Secretary - Arne Henden
- Treasurer - Robert Stephens
With the exception of Richard, who is now on his second term as President, and Robert who is now on his 8th term as Treasurer, all other individuals are on their first term.
AAVSO Board of Directors
Member votes were tallied at 9:01 AM on Sunday, November 10 during the Annual Member Meeting. The following individuals were elected to serve as the Class of 2027 Directors:
- Tom Maccarone (re-elected)
- Molly Wakeling
- Diogo Teixeria (re-elected)
With the election of Officers, there are currently four vacancies on the Board of Directors. These vacancies will be addressed by the Board in accordance with AAVSO’s bylaws.
Bylaw Modifications
The members also voted on several proposed bylaw amendments with the following results:
- Should the AAVSO modify its bylaws to remove the “Organizational Member” member type? | Passed
- Should the AAVSO amend its bylaws to establish a new 'Associate Member' category? | Passed
- Should the AAVSO amend its bylaws to decouple membership start and end dates from the fiscal year and introduce 12-month rolling memberships? | Passed
- Should the AAVSO amend its bylaws to explicitly state that dues cannot be paid more than 60 days in advance? | Failed
- Should the AAVSO amend its bylaws to permit the Annual Meeting of the Members (our annual business meeting) to occur in person, virtually, or in hybrid format? | Passed
- Should the AAVSO amend its bylaws pertaining to Elected Directors to consolidate information pertaining to Elected Directors into a single section? | Passed
- Should the AAVSO amend its bylaws pertaining to Elected Directors to clarify that Elected Directors must run for re-election at the end of their term if they wish to continue to serve as an Elected Director on the Board? | Passed
- Should the AAVSO amend its bylaws to extend the time frame for holding the Annual Meeting of the Board from one week before the Annual Meeting of the Members to one month before? | Passed
- Clerical Edits to the Bylaws | Passed
The updated bylaws have been posted to our website for your review.
Thank you for your engagement in shaping the future of AAVSO. Your commitment ensures that our organization continues to thrive as global leaders within the field of variable star astronomy.
Dr. Brian Kloppenborg
Executive Director
American Association of Variable Star Observers