Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities for the NAIS Board

Election to the NAIS board of trustees carries with it a responsibility of stewardship.  By definition, trustees are the custodians of the integrity of the organization; they hold in trust the organization's reputation as created by its founders, and as developed by those who have shaped the organization in the past.  Current trustees accept the obligation to not only preserve, but also add to this organization.  In this way trustees help form not only the present, but also the future composition and direction of the organization.

Trustees are called upon to contribute their time, thought, and energy to support the viability and growth of the organization.  Among the many responsibilities that all trustees are asked to accept are the following:

Board Meeting Attendance

Since the periodic board meetings are the occasion at which all important board policy and decisions are proposed, discussed, and acted upon, it is imperative that board members attend regularly so that they can be informed of board business and vote knowledgeably on issues brought before the board.  Trustees should come to meetings prepared, having read the minutes of previous meetings and any background papers prepared in advance, and they should participate fully in discussions, having no hesitation to ask pertinent questions. They should plan travel arrangements to avoid having to leave early. Poor attendance at board meetings warrants a request for resignation from the board.

Involvement in Committee Work

Typically each trustee is asked to serve on one of the following board committees:

1.       Finance

2.       Governance

3.       Government Relations/Public Policy

4.       Member Services

5.       Equity & Justice

6.       Executive Committee 

Most of the work of the board is first discussed by these standing committees.  From the discussions within these committees, recommendations are made on policy issues that will eventually be decided upon by the entire board.  Thus, attendance and participation in committee meetings is essential.

On occasion, the board also forms task forces with specific projects and timetables, and both board members and non-board members are invited to serve on these. Recently, "task forces" have included groups working on diversity issues, dues re-structuring, accreditation, relations with the ISAnet group (state and regional associations), global issues, and board development. Currently, the Task Force on Accreditation (NAIS and several other ISAnet group members) has evolved into the NAIS Commission on Accreditation.

As a national board that meets three times per year for 2-3 days at a time, most committee work is accomplished by teleconference and email except for the face-to-face meetings in conjunction with the board meetings.

Fiduciary Responsibility

The organization's existence and future growth depends upon prudent budgetary planning and projecting. Annually, the board as a whole will adopt a budget for the organization and review the full-opinion audit. Although the organization does not solicit individual donations from trustees, it does expect trustees to support NAIS fund-raising among foundations and corporations whenever there are linkages that can be helpful to the organization.

Role as an Ambassador

Members of the board of trustees are expected to have and display an abiding interest in the welfare of the organization and a strong desire to help widen its basic support.  Trustees should become well informed about the organization's history, goals, accomplishments, current operations, and concerns so that they can act as knowledgeable advocates of the organization.  Each trustee should take every appropriate opportunity to increase the public's awareness of the organization and to support the organization within the larger independent school community. One example of this role is for board members to become completely familiar with the resources of the NAIS website (www.nais.org), pointing others to it. Another is to be a spokesperson within one's own region for joining and supporting NAIS, by championing its themes of Independence, Interdependence, Inclusivity, and Innovation.

Preserve the Confidentiality of Meetings

A trustee must agree to respect the confidentiality under which discussions take place during board and committee meetings, especially regarding sensitive issues. That being said, NAIS believes in modeling good governance and "open book management," making the minutes of its meetings available for all on its website.

Participate in Organization Activities

Beyond attending all three board meetings, as active leaders of the organization our trustees are expected to support major NAIS events: the Annual Conference every year, the People of Color Conference (PoCC) at least periodically, and our various Summer Institutes, occasionally.

Modeling

Finally, NAIS in all ways, not the least in its own governance, should model principles of good practice.