From aa693 Tue Jan 23 15:33:16 1996 Date: Tue, 23 Jan 1996 15:33:03 -0500 Message-Id: <199601232033.PAA12823@freenet2.carleton.ca> From: aa693@freenet.carleton.ca (Brett Delmage) To: board Subject: Notice of Motion: Board recruitment NOTICE OF MOTION ---------------- I will be moving the following motion at the Board meeting today, as part of item #5, Planning for the AGM . I did not put this on the Agenda because I thought this was being brought forward as part of the AGM recommendations. The NCF Board has a responsiility to recruit good candidates to fill Board vacancies. NCF has put extensive effort and care into seeking and selecting qualified candidates for our other volunteer tasks; this has led to effective committees. It makes no sense that the Board would not support a similar, effective recruitment process for the Board itself. MOTION ------ That the NCF Board immediately appoint a Board Recruitment Committee consisting of 2 or 3 Directors and the Executive Director, to research and nominate candidates who can fill identified needs on the Board. (members to be selected at the Board meeting, following approval of the motion) BACKGROUND ---------- All candidates for election start the same way: with a mover and seconder of a nomination. The Board recruitment process in no way limits any NCF member who is interested in running for the NCF Board. This process will, however, help to ensure that the NCF Board continues to be effective and fully capable of serving the NCF membership, and that deficiencies in the Boards collective knowledge and skills do not go unrecognized. (Te following material is the same as was presnted last year, except for a few wording changes.) Elements of Successful Board Recruitment ---------------------------------------- The Recruitment Committee - standard definitions Manages the Board's membership. Monitors performance of individual Board members, including identification and recruitment of new members, orientation of new members and appointment to Board committees. May also be members of a any related Advisory Council that exists. "Nominations to the Board should be made through its Recruitment Committee whose job it is to seek the most desirable new members. Community stature alone is insufficient reason for nomination. Members should be elected for what they can do and not for what they have done. One or two prominent people are sufficient for public recognition. The Administrative Director should be a voting member of this committee as he must work with the Board and should have a voice in choosing those with whom he must deal." Boards of Directors: A Managerial Analysis, FEDAPT: 1982 Ideally, the NCF Board should be composed of community leaders from the following professions or backgrounds: Computer and telecommunications experts: Representative from educational institutions: Representative from a major community organizations with non-profit experience: Representative from a government group: A lawyer: An investment banker or accountant: A marketing or advertising executive: A business and strategy executive: Representative from the mass media: Persons with excellent planning and logistics skills: Current NCF Board Composition: Ranked: Low, Medium, High Computer and telecommunications experts: High Representative from educational institutions: High Representative from a major community organizations with non-profit experience: Low Representative from a government group: High Representative from the Library community: Medium A lawyer: Non-existant An investment banker or accountant: Medium A marketing or advertising executive:: Low A business and strategy executive: Low Representative from the mass media: Low Persons with excellent planning and logistics skills: High The NCF Board needs additional persons with: 1. Business, logistics and planning skills 2. Marketing and media skills 3. Banking, investment and accounting skills 4. Lawyer (knowledge in slander, defamation, commercial leasing) 5. Telecommunications knowledge on a national level Summary of expectations and responsibilities for Board candidates: 1. Be an Advocate of the Organization 2. Participate in regularly scheduled Board meetings 3. Serve on at least one standing committee 4. Exercise "fiduciary responsibility" which refers not only to financial matters, but also to overseeing organizations missions and objectives 5. Contribute expertise in order to further the objectives of the organization 6. Assist in the raising of contributed income in some appropriate way Simple questions to ask when choosing a Board candidate: -What professional qualifications will you be bringing to the NCF Board? -How much time do you have to commit? -How many other Boards do you currently sit on? -What experience have you had working with volunteers? -Have you been a member of a board before? -If so how did you serve? -Is he/she truly conscientious? -Is this person an NCF member? -Has this person been active with NCF in any prior manner (been an active user, been an IP, donated to or volunteered) -- Brett Delmage aa693@freenet.carleton.on.ca fax (613) 729-2207 Director, National Capital FreeNet President, Citizens for Safe Cycling