CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES Page 1 of 18 2/17/2009
BOARD ROLE Page 2 of 18 2/17/2009
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Board directors are trustees who act on behalf of the alumni association s constituents, including service recipients, funders, members, the government, and taxpayers. The board of directors has the principal responsibility for fulfillment of the alumni association's mission and the legal accountability for its operations. This means that as a group they are in charge of establishing a clear organizational mission, forming the strategic plan to accomplish the mission, overseeing and evaluating the plan's success, ensuring financial solvency of the organization, and interpreting and representing the community to the organization. Board members have a duty of loyalty to the organization and other board members. While differences of opinion are sure to arise, board members should seek to keep disagreements impersonal. By practicing discretion and accepting decisions made on a majority basis, board unity and confidence will be promoted. Board members accomplish their functions through regular meetings and by establishing a committee structure that is appropriate to the size of the organization and the board. Ideally, board members arrive at meetings prepared and ready to engage in thoughtful dialogue, and there is a group process which generates and uses the best thinking of its members. Boards should be open to self-evaluation and regularly review their own composition to ensure constituent representation, and board expertise and commitment. Nonprofit directors are responsible for management of the business and affairs of the corporation. In carrying out their responsibilities, the law imposes on these directors specific fiduciary duties of care, loyalty, and obedience to the law. Page 3 of 18 2/17/2009
BEING AN EFFECTIVE BOARD MEMBER Because board members are in a critical position to shape and influence board decisions and actions, it is important that each member keeps informed and up-to-date on issues affecting their board. Attendance A board member my forfeit his or her position on the board as a result of poor attendance. The bylaws of our alumni association defines attendance requirement. Preparation Adequate preparation is another requisite for effective membership on the board. Your board will provide reports, proposals, and other information to help you make informed decisions. Do not hesitate to request any additional information you need in order to make thoughtful and appropriate decisions. Board Member Job Description 1. Regularly attends board meetings and important related meetings. 2. Makes serious commitment to participate actively in committee work. 3. Recognize that serving the public interest is the top priority. 4. Encourage and promote the participation of all fellow board members in Cleveland High School events and activities. 5. Volunteers for and willingly accepts assignments and completes them thoroughly and on time. 6. Stays informed about committee matters, prepares themselves well for meetings, and reviews and comments on minutes and reports. 7. Gets to know other committee members and builds a collegial working relationship that contributes to consensus. 8. Communicate well, and actively participate in group discussions. 9. Are aware that authority to act is granted to the board as a whole, not to individual members. 10. Possess a willingness to work with the group in making decisions. 11. Recognize that compromise may be necessary in order to reach group consensus. 12. Do not let personal feelings toward other board members or staff members interfere with their judgment. 13. Participates in fund raising efforts for the organization. Page 4 of 18 2/17/2009
BOARD OFFICERS AND NON-OFFICER ROLES The Cleveland High School Alumni Association board is made up of twelve elected board members. The board elects its own officers following the annual meeting from its own ranks. Board Officers: 1. President 2. Vice-President 3. Recording Secretary 4. Treasurer 5. Membership/Database Secretary Non-Officer Roles 1. Newsletter Editor 2. Web Master Standing Committees 1. Alumni Relations 2. Finance/Budget 3. Forest 4. Scholarship Ad-Hoc Committees 1. Audit 2. Bylaws Review 3. Nominations/Election External Committee 1. Golf Page 5 of 18 2/17/2009
COMMITTEE ROLE Page 6 of 18 2/17/2009
COMMITTEE CHAIR JOB DESCRIPTION As a small non-profit organization, the success of our alumni association is accomplished through the work of our standing and ad-hoc committees. This requires each committee to be adequately staffed with volunteers with a commitment to meet regularly as a group to carefully plan, execute, and complete its work in a timely manner on behalf of the alumni association. 1. Serves as a member of the Board. 2. Sets tone for the committee work. 3. Ensures that members have the information needed to do their jobs. 4. Oversees the logistics of committee's operations. 5. Reports to the full Board on committee's decisions/recommendations. 6. Assigns work to the committee members, sets the agenda and runs the meetings, and ensures distribution of meeting minutes. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS: When presenting recommendations to the board it is essential that the committee keep the following in mind: All recommendations should be stated clearly and in written form. Proposed solutions should be viable and cost-effective. Recommendations should identify the reasons for the changes suggested. The advice should reflect a consensus of the committee. Page 7 of 18 2/17/2009
CHSAA ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE In addition the roles assigned to the Board Officers, the Cleveland High School Alumni Association is organized and supported by the work of its 1) standing committees, 2) ad-hoc committees, and 3) external committees. Each committee has been delegated specific duties and responsibilities for carrying out the work of the alumni association. Standing Committees 1. Alumni Relations Committee is specifically responsible for recruitment and retention of alumni members. One of the primary roles of this committee is recruiting and retaining members. It should also develop new strategies for ongoing means for nurturing past, current, and future contributors. 2. Finance/Budget Committee is responsible for overseeing and developing financial policies and procedures used by the Treasurer in managing and disbursing the funds of the alumni association. Assist the Treasurer in developing an annual budget for approval by the membership at their annual meeting. 3. Forest Committee is responsible for overseeing the alumni association activities associated with the Cleveland Memorial Forest. This committee works closely with the Forest Oversight Committee of the Seattle School District and keeps the board and membership advised of emerging issues, programs, services, and activities related to the Memorial Forest. 4. Scholarship Committee is responsible for soliciting, reviewing, and granting scholarship awards to Cleveland High School student who seek to continue their education at a post-secondary educational institution following their graduation from Cleveland High School. Ad-Hoc Committees 1. Audit Committee as needed, the President may appoint an audit committee to review the financial condition of our organization. The audit committee shall determine whether an audit is necessary. If so, selects and meets with the auditor in conjunction with Finance and Budget Committee and Treasurer to complete the audit. Page 8 of 18 2/17/2009
2. Bylaws Review Committee as needed, the President may appoint a bylaws review committee to review any recommendations presented to the Board or by an alumni member. If warranted, the Bylaws Review Committee will prepare written material outlining the proposed change for the membership to consider at the next annual meeting. At minimum, the committee will clearly state what impacts of such change will make, its affect on the alumni association or its membership. Such written material may include statements from both the proponents and opponents. 3. Nominations/Election Committee the President shall annually appoint a nominations/election committee to be chaired by alumni who is not serving as a board member. The nominations/election committee will work with the Board and alumni to identify and recruit interested members to fill board positions at the annual meeting of the membership. The committee will prepare a candidate s bio and appropriate ballot for the annual meeting. It is the responsibility of the nominations/election committee to ensure that class representation on the alumni board is not unduly over-represented and that every effort is made to achieve a balanced distribution of class representation. External Committee 1. Golf Committee, as an external operation, the golf committee is responsible for overall planning, scheduling and conducting the alumni associations annual golf scramble. This committee shall determine the date, location, and annual fee for this event. This committee also is empowered to determine how the proceeds shall be distributed at the end of each annual event. The alumni association shall work closely with the golf committee to ensure adequate participation and success. Page 9 of 18 2/17/2009
JOB DESCRIPTION OF KEY POSITIONS Page 10 of 18 2/17/2009
PRESIDENT The president is the chief executive officer of the alumni association and is its chief spokesperson. Duties of the President: 1. Convene and preside over all regular and special board meetings of the alumni association board, executive committee, and annual membership. 2. Unless delegated to another individual, represent and serve as the chief spokesperson for the alumni association with Cleveland High School, and with other external audiences, e.g., Seattle School District, Forest Oversight Committee, other Seattle High School alumni associations, etc. 3. Develop agendas for all meetings in concert with the recording secretary, the board and members. 4. Appoint the chairpersons of committees, in consultation with other Board members. Seeks volunteers for committees and coordinates individual board member assignments. Makes sure each committee has a chairperson, and stays in touch with chairpersons to be sure that their work is carried out; identify committee recommendations that should be presented to the full board. 5. Signs on behalf of the alumni association all legal documents or correspondence related to the business of the alumni association, except in cases in which such action has been delegated or is assigned by the board to another officer or representative of the alumni association or as defined by the alumni association s bylaws; maintain records of and, when necessary, certify proceedings of the board and the members. 6. Monitor financial planning and financial reports. Provide leadership in establishing organizational goals for the alumni association with emphasis on board development, membership, public relations, and organizational effectiveness. 7. Ensures that board matters are handled properly, including preparation of pre-meeting materials, committee functioning, and recruitment and orientation of new board members. Page 11 of 18 2/17/2009
8. Evaluates annually the performance of the organization in achieving its mission. 9. Communicate regularly with alumni association membership to keep members informed about the alumni association and its activities. 10. Serve as an ex-officio member of committees and attends their meetings when invited. 11. Performs other responsibilities assigned by the Board. Page 12 of 18 2/17/2009
12. VICE-PRESIDENT In the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall assume the President s duties and chair board meetings. Duties of the Vice-President: 1. Performs President s responsibilities when the President cannot be available (see President s Job Description) 2. Reports to the President. 3. Assist the President and may take on special assignments at the request of the President in areas such as membership, media, facility, or personnel. 4. Serve as the primary liaison between the Cleveland High School Activities Coordinator and the Alumni Association. 5. Serves as the board s parliamentarian and become sufficiently familiar with legal documents (e.g., articles, by-laws, tax-exemption status, etc.) to note applicability during meetings. 6. Participates closely with the President to develop and implement board officer and committee chair succession plans. 7. Perform other duties as assigned by the President or Board. Page 13 of 18 2/17/2009
RECORDING SECRETARY The Secretary is the official recording officer of the alumni association and the custodian of its records, except those specifically assigned to others, such as the treasurer s books. Duties of the Recording Secretary: 1. Keeps a record of all board proceedings usually called the minutes. Assistance with minute-taking may be employed as deemed appropriate by the Board. 2. Ensures minutes are distributed to board members shortly after each meeting. 3. Maintain records of the board and committee reports to ensure effective management of organization s records. 4. Notifies officers and committee members of their election or appointment, to furnish committees with whatever documents are required for the performance of their duties, and to have on hand at each meeting a list of all existing committees and their members. 5. Signs all certified copies of acts of the alumni association, unless otherwise specified in the bylaws. 6. Maintain the official record book(s) in which the bylaws, special rules of order, standing rules, and minutes are entered, with any amendments to these documents properly recorded, and to have the current record book(s) on hand at every meeting. 7. Sends out a notice of each board meeting, known as the call of the meeting, and to conduct the general correspondence of the organization that is, not a function or responsibility of another other board office or organization committee(s). 8. In the absence of the president and vice-president, to call the meeting to order and preside until the election of a chairman protem, which should take place immediately. Page 14 of 18 2/17/2009
MEMBERSHIP/DATABASE SECRETARY The Membership/Database Secretary is responsible for maintaining the membership records of the alumni association. Duties of Membership/Database Secretary: 1. Maintain the alumni association s membership information database. 2. Answer alumni inquiries related to membership status. 3. Maintain privacy standards on behalf of the alumni association s membership regarding the sharing of member information 4. Coordinate alumni searches for fellow classmates. 5. Assist class reunion committees in updating class lists and contacting missing alumnus. 6. Assist class reunion committee efforts in advertising reunion events. 7. Assist the Newsletter Editor and Web Master in the presentation of selected membership information, e.g., Eagle 100 listing, alumni member passing (obituaries), and other general membership information deemed of general interest to our membership. 8. Provide membership data analysis to the board and the alumni relations committee to help design programs and services to meet the needs of our members. 9. Coordinate annually with Cleveland High School registrar to obtain current senior class list to be added to our alumni association s membership rolls. Page 15 of 18 2/17/2009
TREASURER The treasurer is the chief financial officer responsible for receiving and disbursing the funds of the alumni association. Duties of treasurer: 1. Endorse and deposit money, drafts, and checks in the name of and to the credit of the alumni association in the banks and depositories designated by the board. 2. Disburse funds and issue checks and drafts in the name of the alumni association as directed by the board. 3. Ensure that all bills are recorded and are paid in a timely manner. 4. Ensures that appropriate financial reports are made available to the board. Regularly reports to board on key financial events, trends, concerns, and assessment of fiscal health. 5. Serve as chair of the Finance and Budget Committee. Provide leadership to the Committee in the development of an annual budget proposal to be submitted to the Board and the membership at its annual meeting. 6. Provide leadership in the handling of State and Federal reporting requirements for the alumni association, e.g., Secretary of State Nonprofit filing, IRS Income Tax filings. 7. Review fiscal policy issues regarding CHSAA financial affairs and work with Finance and Budget Committee in recommending modifications to the membership. Note: The treasurer, and any other officers who handle funds of the alumni association, should be bonded for a sum sufficient to protect the alumni association from loss. Page 16 of 18 2/17/2009
NEWSLETTER EDITOR The Newsletter Editor is responsible for the coordination, production, editing, and distribution of the Alumni Association s newsletter. Duties of Newsletter Editor: 1. Establish the annual alumni association newsletter publication schedule. 2. Sets deadlines for submission of contents. 3. Responsible for design layout, production, editing and distribution of newsletter. 4. Has full authority as delegated by the Board to review and evaluate whether contents of articles is acceptable for publishing. Newsletter Editor is empowered to edit content to fit the format of the newsletter. 5. Is delegated the authority to arrange for publishing, printing, sorting, and mailing of the newsletter. 6. Provide the board with recommendations for improvements to newsletters. Page 17 of 18 2/17/2009
WEBMASTER The Web Master is responsible for coordinating, planning, and implementing the overall web development and layout of the Alumni Association s web site. Duties of Webmaster: 1. Responsible for the overall design, layout, production, editing and maintenance of the alumni association web site. 2. Establish applicable standards for web content, e.g., HTML validity, Word, PDF, etc and link liveliness. 3. Develop and enforces house style. 4. Provides first level user support and advice. 5. Optimize the web architecture for navigability. 6. Is delegated the authority to review and edit quality and appropriateness of content submitted for the web site in accordance with policies adopted by the alumni association, Seattle School District, and Internet Service Provider (if applicable). 7. Finds, creates and installs tools to create web content and check consistency. 8. Sets deadlines for submission of contents. 9. Serves as a mediator between web authors and system administrators. 10. Assure web services are always available and adequate fault tolerance is provided. 11. Provide the board with recommendations for improvements to the web site. Page 18 of 18 2/17/2009