Three habits every caver knows, and three petitions to build them into the Society’s rules.
The NSS holds millions of dollars, much of it left to the Society by its own members. The rules that guard that money have gaps. Nothing in the Bylaws keeps the person who directs spending from also controlling the accounts. In 2026, minutes from six Board meetings were posted for members months past the Board’s own 30-day deadline. And an embezzlement ran for more than two years before it was caught. Members can close these gaps by petition. We are proposing three: separate financial authority, post minutes on time and give notice of rule changes, and background checks for people who handle the Society’s money. For more about how the Board is running our Society, see the FAQs.
Guardrails should work no matter who serves. Every claim on this site links to the Society’s own records.
Petition 1 · Bylaw amendment
No caver goes underground alone. No one should handle the Society’s money alone either.
The fix: Keep the Executive Director and Secretary-Treasurer roles in separate hands, written into the Bylaws.
Details and how to signPetition 2 · Board Act
Cave mappers record every survey shot at the station, not from memory a week later. Missing or wrong notes leave the map unfinished and the survey teams wondering about the status of their work and the map.
The fix: Post Board minutes on time in one known place, and tell members before any rule changes.
Details and how to signPetition 3 · Board Act
Everyone’s rigging gets checked before the drop. It’s routine, not distrust.
The fix: Add background checks for employees and NSS volunteers who handle the Society’s money.
Details and how to sign