Survey of volunteer leadership

Help Shape the Future of Our Board Structure


As part of the planning to consolidate the Alumni Association and Foundation, a Steering Committee is gathering feedback on the proposed structure of a new, unified board.

The survey below is designed to provide feedback on the Steering Committee’s preliminary thoughts on board structure for the new, consolidated organization. Your participation is important.

Term Limits

We are exploring term limits. The Steering Committee believes some type of term limit leads to a healthier board, allowing for the addition of new people and new perspectives.

At present, the Alumni Board of Directors has term limits. The Council of Trustees has 3-year terms, but no limit on the number of years an individual can serve. 

Would you support term limits for the new volunteer body?
If we move toward term limits, which of these seems best suited to support the new volunteer body?

Attendance

We are also exploring an attendance expectation. The Steering Committee emphasized a need for an engaged board. Attendance is a strong indicator of engagement.

At present, the Alumni Association has an expectation that members attend three of the four quarterly meetings, either in person or virtually. The Council of Trustees meets twice a year; it does not have an attendance requirement and does not offer a virtual participation option. We expect the new board would meet a minimum of twice a year, in the spring and fall. 

Do you believe an attendance requirement should be implemented?
If yes, what is an appropriate expectation?

Service

You are a member in good standing. Interest in board service can change over time. We recognize that a consolidation – with potential changes in service expectations – could impact interest for continued board service. 

At this time, with exact terms and expectations not yet finalized, would you be inclined to continue or end your service on the board?

For those who decide to end your board service, the new organization would be committed to keeping former board members involved with the organization and university through invitations to events, mailings, and electronic communications.