Resolutions on DSA Governance Structure

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We, the North Star Steering committee are asked to discuss ( and potentially endorse) the convention resolutions transforming the size of the NPC, and of the Steering Committee of the NPC.
 
We share this excerpt for your consideration and interest. 
 
The Resolution is here. ( In two parts)
 
Proposal Compendium
The initial 2023 Convention Compendium is now available. DSA members can now review all of the Convention proposals in the Compendium and submit Amendments to proposals. Amendments are due June 28, 2023.
 
 
Proposed amendment. 
Article VIII. National Political Committee 
Section 1. 
The National Political Committee (NPC) shall be the collective leadership and the highest decision-making body of the organization between meetings of the Convention. It shall meet at least four times a year. 
Section 2. 
The members of the NPC shall be one three representatives of the Youth Section and 1648 delegates elected at the national convention. Of the elected members, no more than eight twenty-five shall be men and at least fiveseventeen shall be racial or national minority members of DSA. In the event that these minority positions are not filled at the Convention, the position(s) shall be filled by the NPC, except that only minority members of DSA may be elected to fill such vacancies. In case of other such vacancies, except a vacancy of the Youth Section Representative, the NPC shall appoint a member of the organization in good standing to serve until the next Convention. No person shall serve simultaneously on the National Staff and the NPC. 
Section 3. 
The National Political Committee shall elect a Steering Committee (SC) and may remove members of the SC or elect a new SC for any reason. It shall be constituted as follows: 

It shall be composed of the five thirteen people who shall be elected by the NPC from among its at-large members, and the including at least one Youth Section representative to the NPC. It shall include no more than three seven men and at least three people one person of color. The National Director and the Youth Section Organizer shall be ex officio members, without vote, of the SC. 
The SC shall be responsible for decision-making between meetings of the NPC and for the supervision of all offices and staff of the organization. It shall be responsible for planning meetings and agendas for the NPC and for coordinating the work of the committees of the NPC. 
A quorum of the SC shall be half of its voting members. It shall meet at least bimonthly, in person or by conference call. 
In person meetings of the SC shall be open to all members of the organization. However, the SC may hold executive sessions if 60% of its members vote to do so in order to discuss personnel and related financial matter 
Section 4. 
The at-large members of the NPC shall act as liaisons to the Commissions and the Regional, State and Local organizations as prescribed by the Bylaws. The NPC shall have responsibility for staff, finances, publications, and education. 
Section 5. 
A quorum of the NPC shall be more than half of its members. The NPC shall assume office immediately upon its election to serve a two-year term or until its successors are elected. 
Section 6. 
Meetings of the NPC shall be open to all members of the organization. However, the NPC may hold executive sessions if 60% of its members vote to do so in order to discuss personnel and related financial matters. 
Section 7. 
An NPC member may be removed for malfeasance or nonfeasance by a two-thirds vote of the NPC, with nonfeasance defined to include unexcused absences from two or more consecutive meetings. 
Section 8. 
The NPC SC shall be responsible for hiring and discharging staff as necessary 
no more than three men and at least one person of color. The National Director and the Youth Section Organizer shall be ex officio members, without vote, of the SC. 
The SC shall be responsible for decision-making between meetings of the NPC and for the supervision of all offices and staff of the organization. It shall be responsible for planning meetings and agendas for the NPC and for coordinating the work of the committees of the NPC. 
A quorum of the SC shall be half of its voting members. It shall meet at least bimonthly, in person or by conference call. 
In person meetings of the SC shall be open to all members of the organization. However, the SC may hold executive sessions if 60% of its members vote to do so in order to discuss personnel and related financial matters. 
The meetings of the SC shall be chaired by one of the National Co-Chairs of the DSA. 
Democratize DSA 2023 
Authors: Sam L., New York City & Renée P., East Bay 
Companion Constitution and Bylaws Change 
Whereas, the proposed “Democratize DSA” constitutional change would, if it passes, increase the size of the NPC from 17 to 51, which would create 34 new vacancies upon the adjournment of the 2023 DSA Convention, 
Whereas, in the event of NPC vacancies, DSAʼs constitution provides that the NPC should “appoint . . . member[s] of the organization in good standing to serve until the next Convention,” 
Whereas, the 2023-2025 NPC will be tasked by the DSA constitution with filling the vacancies that would be created by the passage of the “Democratize DSA” constitutional change if it is enacted by this Convention, 
Whereas, the purpose of the “Democratize DSA” constitutional change is to make DSAʼs national leadership more democratic, deliberative, accountable, and representative of DSAʼs membership, which purposes will only be served if the expanded NPC is elected in the same way as the NPC members elected at this convention; 
Therefore, be it resolved, in the event of the passage of the “Democratize DSA” constitutional change, within 90 days of the adjournment of the 2023 DSA Convention, the NPC shall fill the newly created vacancies in a manner as close as possible to that used by delegates at the 2023 National Convention to elect the seventeen sitting NPC members. This method shall be: 

1. Issue a call for chapters and national working groups to nominate NPC candidates in the same fashion as candidates were nominated prior to the convention. 
2. Reopen the form used prior to the 2023 convention for NPC candidates to nominate themselves for the new NPC vacancies. 
3. Organize Zoom forums featuring the candidates and open to all DSA members. 
4. Conduct an online vote by those DSA members who were delegates to the 2023 DSA 

national convention, using the same voting method as was used to elect the sitting NPC members at the 2023 convention, with a recorded ballot, and with votes and results public to DSA members. 

1. The NPC shall appoint those members selected through this vote to fill the NPC vacancies. 

Be it additionally resolved that in the event of the passage of the “Democratize DSA” constitutional change, DSAʼs Articles of Incorporation shall be updated to reflect that the Steering Committee of the NPC is the board of directors of DSA within the meaning of the Code of the District of Columbia.

Be it additionally resolved that in the event of the passage of the “Democratize DSA” constitutional change, the powers and duties given to the National Political Committee by Resolution 33 of the 2017 National DSA Convention, as amended by the 2021 National DSA Convention, shall be reassigned to the Steering Committee of the National Political Committee. 
The entire resolution is here.
Proposal Compendium
The initial 2023 Convention Compendium