AACRC AD HOC COMMITTEE
BOARD GOVERNANCE
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS WITH ACTION STEPS IDENTIFIED
Ad Hoc Committee on Board Governance formed to address a variety of issues at the request of the full Board. Following a discussion of Committee’s recommendations, Committee completed tasks assigned. Summary of discussion and action items listed below. Board members participating in call on July 1, 2015 were: Margaret Vimont, Joe Ford, Jenn Ryan, Gayle Wiler, BrentonDiers, Tim Davis, Keith Polan, along with Kari Sisson.
Structure
Size/Categories of Members:
Recommendation: Keep the overall size the same with the implementation of two additional voting seats so that the number of voting members goes from 15 to 17. The Officers, Directors and Directors at Large would all stay the same with five members a piece. The 16th seat would be for a youth advisor and the 17th seat would be for a parent advisor. Job descriptions for board members need to be written to include qualifications for each position. Seats would be appointed by the Board President just like the Directors at Large.
Proposal for qualifications: Minimum of one year of active service in a Parent Advisor or Youth Advisor role. Modify the definition of Youth Advisor in Bylaws to include ages 18-29 and to specify that life experience in a residential program is necessary to qualify. While no modification of the Parent Advisor role description in the bylaws is recommended, guidance given to the President to only consider parents or long term caregiver of youth for this role.
Process
Onboarding:
Recommend orientation session held with new board members coordinated by the Immediate Past President or his/her designee as a permanent fixture. Each new board member would be assigned a current Board Member mentor for their first year who would attend to their ongoing integration into the Board.
Finance:
Recommendation: The Treasurer convene an actual meeting separate from the full board meeting twice annually (one close to the annual conference) to review finances and provide oversight to the fiscal management of the Association. Treasurer to walk the full Board through the financial report at all in person meetings. Financial reports to be issued to full Board in advance of in person meetings to allow review.
Nominating Process:
Recommendation: The Immediate Past President (currently the designated Chair of the Nominating Committee) should solicit nominations for Board positions from the full board and use a “committee” composed of the current, past and incoming Presidents to determine the voting slate each year.
Participation requirement:
Recommendation: The Executive Committee reviews the activity and participation of each Board member annually and intervenes appropriately in instances of inactivity. When a voting member has not met the minimum standard of participation the Board President will remove the member from
Action:Vote on change postponed until Committee developed qualifications for each role for consideration at Fall Board Meeting.
Action: Immediate Past President given permanent role of ensuring the Board Orientation occurs and that mentors are assigned. Time Frame: for April Board meeting in Chicago.
Action: Treasurer charged with tasks listed.
Action: Immediate Past President to ensure inclusion on agenda for full board and will convene committee for slating.
Action: Proposal for participation requirements submitted for endorsement by full Board Charge the President with enforcement.
the position unless any special circumstances exist that warrant a suspension of the requirement in his/her judgement. Advisors will be encouraged to meet the requirement also and the President will make determinations about these appointments based on contribution level of each Advisor.
Proposal for requirements :
:
--In person twice annual Board meetings mandatory, with only very occasional misses accepted for extreme personal/ work demands communicated to President.
Committee Participation- One has to participate in at least onestanding committee
Membership-while this committee endorses that dues collection is the responsibility of the Executive Committee, recruitment, retention and engagement activities are required of every member as there are multiple ways to participate in this effort. Suggestion made that these efforts should be reported annually to ensure that attention is sustained.
Summary completed by Margaret Vimont, July, 2016