APC council roles and responsibilities
Each APC member organisation appoints two representatives to APC Council. One is designated as the primary representative (the designated voting representative) and one as the secondary representative. Member organisations may change their designated voting representatives at any time by writing to the secretary of the board.
According to APC’s bylaws, members have the right to vote on:
• The election and removal of directors
• All amendments to the Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation (except for amendments permitted to be adopted by the Board alone)
• The disposition of all or substantially all of APC’s assets
• Any merger of the organisation
• Any dissolution of the organisation
• Defining APC’s broad strategic direction
Not all council’s rights and responsibilities are outlined in the bylaws. For example, it is customary and common practice within APC that council members:
• Play a leadership role in facilitating the relationship between the member organisation that they represent and APC, especially at the level of participation in APC programmes and projects
• Make every effort to contribute to the development of APC programmes and projects, to ensure that these are relevant to the member
• Report on the activities of the member they represent in APC meetings and ensure their organisation shares information about their organisation’s activities with the APC community
• Ensure that the governing body of the member they represent is aware of APC, its activities, and its relationship with the member
• Ensure that all other of the member’s staff are aware of APC’s activities
• Ensure the organisation they represent serves as a resource for APC in the member country and/or region
• Ensure their organisation promotes APC, and all other APC members as needed
• Ensure that the organisation they represent collaborates with other APC members whenever possible
• Ensure their organisation participates regularly in APC online space
• Participate in APC meetings of the membership and discussion spaces
• Represent the member’s point of view in meeting of the membership
• Ensure that the member organisation meets its financial obligations to APC.
Council meetings take place every three years, at a date, place and time determined by the board, for the purpose of electing directors and for dealing with other matters as needed. But, member meetings can take place more frequently, either globally or regionally or to address a particular topic.