October 6th, 2007 (Rev-2)
Code of Conduct

Following proposal is being submitted for your review and vote of approval. We look forward to your electronic vote of approval (to be organized and communicated by the Secretary).

Ajay Koul 

Director, KOA Zone-7

Pradumon Tickoo
Director, KOA Zone-8.

1. BOARD MEETINGS:

1.1 Logistics of Board Meetings:
1.1.1 Meeting Notice: For all planned meetings, a 14-day advance notice will be provided in writing (e-mail), by the Secretary. In case of a need for `emergency meeting', any member can initiate a request to the President and/or the Secretary to convene such a meeting. Upon receipt of such request, the secretary shall request a majority vote (6 members) of the board to schedule the requested meeting.
1.1.2 Meeting Agenda: All planned meetings shall be conducted specifically as per the prior published agenda. The draft agenda shall be sent to the board for approval and amendment 10-days in advance of the meeting, with all edits and changes finalized 5-days before the meeting date. If time permits, any board member's additional points may be taken up at the end, if agreed to by majority voice vote.

1.2 Content of Board Meetings:
1.2.1 Minutes of Meeting: Minutes of meeting will comprise of board members and guests in attendance, board members absent, the agenda items, prior-written brief description of the agenda items by the sponsoring member/s if needed, and the conclusion of the meeting vote (yes, no, abstain). These will be published within 3-days of the completion of the meeting.
(If the majority members like, the detailed notes of the proceedings may be published after either manual recording, or phone transcription. In case of manually recorded minutes, Board members will provide edits to the minutes, after which secretary will request a vote of approval. Such detailed board minutes should be approved within 14 days of the meeting.)
1.2.2 Communication of the Minutes: This will be done by the secretary for all the KOA zones. Board minutes will also be posted on the KOA Website at the same time. Additionally, if any director/s like, they can forward it to their zone constituents with their preface.
1.2.3 Action items in progress: Any topics that have yet not been concluded at the board shall not be shared by any board member with the KOA membership at large, unless it is for the intent of seeking suggestions or feedback. Sharing any work-in-progress items with the membership for any other purpose will be considered as breach of responsibility by that board member.

2. BOARD MEMBERS:

2.1 Dealings amongst the Board Members:
2.1.1 Board Members: Language and manner shall be adopted that does not evoke any objection by any participating member/s. If an objection is raised by any member, the Secretary shall intervene to correct the situation. It will also constitute as the last chance for that member to participate in that day's meeting. In case of a disagreement, majority voice vote will prevail. If this behavior recurs on part of a member in two meetings, then, it will be considered as breach of responsibility by that board member.
2.1.2 President and Vice-President: In terms of their privilege to discuss any agenda item, and the applicability of the above, they will be considered as equal to any other participating member.
2.2 The Secretary: The Secretary will play a neutral role in the setting of and guiding the discussion on agenda items.

3 COMMUNITY:

3.1 Board Member – Community Interaction:
3.1.1 To the Zones: Each Director may update their zonal membership in any way or form they consider appropriate. Any director may communicate with any other zonal membership via the Director of that zone. As a courtesy, the zone directors will comply with the requests by other zone director/s by forwarding such communications to their membership as long as it is clearly aimed at public good.
Communication by a Zone Director on any matter to other zone/s will be considered as breach of responsibility by that Director, except when forwarded by the Director of that zone, the President or by the Secretary.
3.1.2 From the Zones: Any feedback of appreciation or improvement from any community member to the zonal director may be encouraged and shared with other zones, at the discretion of the initiating zone Director and the cooperation of other zone Directors.
3.1.3 Threats: Any threat to a board member from another board member, or a community member, will be treated very seriously and pragmatically by the entire board. If any such event is reported by any board member, the Board will issue a confidential warning to that person with a clear statement of making the matter public if the behavior recurs. If the behavior does recur, the board will identify that person to the entire KOA membership with a statement of reprimand. The language of such communication will be proposed by the affected board member and approved by the board prior to release to the entire KOA membership.

4 RESPONSIBILITY & CONSEQUENCES:

4.1 Responsibility: Since the board and its members are a self regulating body, it shall be incumbent upon each board member to be cognizant of the objectives of the KOA, follow adherence to the agenda of the board meetings, and the comfort and dignity of fellow members.
4.2 Consequences: In the event of the `breach of responsibility' by any member, the board will issue a communication to the board member in question, censoring the member, with a copy to that member's zonal membership. In the event of its recurrence by the same board member,
4.2.1 the board will issue a public reprimand to the board member, and communicate that to the entire KOA membership, through the Zonal KOA forums.