New BoardMember Orientation

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Orientation Goals• Welcome You To The Section’s

Board

• Preparation for Board Roles

• Provide Information

• Meet Volunteers & Staff

• Answer Questions

• Have Some Fun

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Getting To Know One AnotherIn 1 minute or less:

1. How did YOU get into tennis?

2. What’s your tennis background?

3. Why are you so passionate about tennis?

4. What is your day job?

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USTA’s Mission

To promote and develop the growth of tennis.

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USTA STRUCTURE – 17 Sections

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USTA STRUCTURE –Section Leadership

17 USTA Section Presidents

17 USTA Section Delegates

17 USTA Section Executive Directors

THE GANG OF 51

Role Of The Board

• Board Participation

• Primary Responsibilities

• Board Protocol

• Strategic Planning

• Fiduciary Responsibilities

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Board ParticipationThe USTA is a Not-for-Profit Organization

Section’s Governing Body

WE EXIST TO SERVE OTHERS

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Primary Responsibilities• Vision – Future Focus and Direction• Provide Strategic Thought Leadership and Oversight• Volunteer Development• Policy Setting and Deployment• Not Micro-Management or Administrative Operations• Governance• Fiduciary Duty / Duty of Loyalty

“The Board governs - The Staff manages.”

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Board Protocol• Attendance and Participation• Timeliness• Preparation – Read Your Board Book• Full Engagement• First Seek to Understand, Then to be Understood• Ask Questions to Fully Understand• Watch Out for Repetitiveness• Maintain Confidentiality – No Leaks• Candor and Diversity of Opinion Are Valued• Unity – We Are One Board

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Board Protocol

DEALING WITH THE PRESS

• Important Who Speaks for the Section

• Unless Authorized, Refer Questions to Section ED or Designee

• Coordinate Interview & Articles with Section ED or Designee

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Strategic Plannning

• The Board is responsible for helping to shape the Strategic Plan

• This includes, but may not be limited to: - Establishing a set of Strategic Priorities- Defining the Resources Allocation Plan for accomplishing the Strategic Plan- Providing strategic implementation oversight- Evaluating progress and course-correcting as needed

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Strategic Planning(Continued)

NOTE: Insert Section’s Strategic Goals & Key Priorities/Initiatives, etc.

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Fiduciary Responsibilities• The Board should carefully review all

financial reports. • The Treasurer should prepare and

propose an annual budget.• The Treasurer - with staff assistance - will

present a financial report at each board meeting.

• An annual audit should be performed by an independent accountant.

Practical Board Tips

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Practical Tips For Enhancing Your Volunteer Board Experience

Being on a Volunteer Board brings a variety of opportunity and challenges. To help enhance your Board experiences, there are three key areas to focus on from a practical standpoint:

– Key Board Member – Do’s And Don’ts– Board Meeting Management– Board-Staff Relationship

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Key Board Member – Do’s

• Listen to and respect the opinions of my fellow board members.

• Respect and support all decisions of the Board.

• Keep well informed of developments relative to issues that may come before the Board.

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Key Board Member – Do’s(Continued)

• Try to relate the needs of all those we serve to the Board.

• Participate actively in board meetings, decisions and attend sectional events.

• Bring to the attention of the board any issues I believe will have a significant effect on the organization.

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Key Board Member – Do’s(Continued)

• Represent all those whom this organization serves, not a particular geographic area or interest group.

• Acknowledge conflicts of interest between my personal life, business life, and my position on the Board.

• Consider yourself a “trustee” and work to ensure financial sustainability and operating with focus on those we serve.

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Key Board Member – Don’ts• Discuss elsewhere what I am

unwilling to discuss in board meetings.

• Attempt to influence issues in which I have a conflict of interest.

• Discuss the confidential proceedings of the Board outside the board room.

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Key Board Member – Don’ts(Continued)

• Use the organization or my position for my personal advantage or that of my friends, relatives or associates.

• Vote on an issue before hearing the discussion and becoming fully informed.

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Key Board Member – Don’ts(Continued)

• Interfere with the duties of staff or undermine the authority of the Executive Director to perform his/her duties.

• Speak for or on behalf of the association unless specifically authorized to do so.

• Criticize fellow board members or their opinions, in or out of the board room.

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Board Meeting Management

• Procedural rules are used to maintain order at meetings.

• All persons must be recognized by the chair before speaking.

• Time limits may be set on certain topics.

• Learn the basics of rules of order to be sure motions and procedures are understood to your benefit.

The Rules of Order

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Board Meeting Management

• Notice and materials will be distributed well in advance of meetings.

• Review the agenda to determine how you should prepare for the discussions.

• Prepare any written reports and provide to staff in advance of the meeting.

• Whenever possible, formulate and ask your questions before the meeting.

The Preparation

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Board Meeting Management

• The agenda is prepared with the input of the chief elected office, staff, with consideration of current issues, member needs and pending business.

• If you have input for the agenda, be sure to provide it to the chief elected officer, or staff, well in advance of the meeting.

The Agenda

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Board Meeting Management

• Minutes are a legal record of the meetings.

• They are not a record of side conversations or a reminder document for leaders and staff.

• No audio recordings should be maintained once the minutes are approved.

• The minutes are to be approved at the next convened meeting of the board.

Minutes

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Board – Staff Relationship

Two Elements, One Team -

• Board focuses on governance; being visionaries; strategically moving forward.

• Staff manages the day to day operations.

• Consider it a partnership, alliance, collaboration between board and staff to achieve the goals of the organization.

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Board – Staff Relationship (Continued)

• The role of the Executive Director (ED) is to carry out the goals and objectives of the Section as assigned by the President.

• The ED reports to Board President (and the Board) while the staff report to the ED.

• You will interact with the Staff in your role as Board Member- giving feedback and asking questions. The Staff has the responsibility for executing the strategy the Board sets.

The Officers

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The Officers - Overview• The Officers of the Board typically include: President; Vice-

President; Secretary; Treasurer; and Immediate Past-President

• The officers have special duties described in the bylaws.

• In many associations, the officers make up an “Executive Committee.”

• Meets to conduct business between board meetings.

• Authorized by the bylaws and restricted by established policies and precedents.

• Allows important business to be conducted as issues arise with short notice.

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Role Of The President

• Serves as chief elected officer of the organization.

• Presides over all meetings or designates a person to do so.

• Interfaces with the chief staff officer (executive director).

• Leads performance reviews of (1) board and (2) chief staff officer.

• Appoints committees in accordance with bylaws.

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Role Of The Vice President

• Serves in the absence of the president.

• Performs such duties as identified in the bylaws or assigned by the president.

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Role Of The Secretary

• Oversees the custody of all corporate records, except financial records.

• Monitors the accuracy and timely distribution of meeting minutes.

• Performs such duties as identified in the bylaws or assigned by the president.

• Often chairs a bylaws committee.

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Role Of The Treasurer

• Oversees all funds and financial records.

• Prepares an annual budget for approval.

• Keeps records of all income and expenses.

• Responsible for filings required by law associated with finances.

• Performs such duties as identified in the bylaws or assigned by the president.

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Role Of The Past-President

• Adds continuity to the board, especially during transition.

• Assists the elected president as needed.

• Often chairs the nominating committee.

Section Committees

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Rationale for Committees

• They help the board get work done.

• They identify potential leaders.

• They serve as a way to segment and serve the interests of subgroups of members.

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Committee Composition• They should be in alignment with national, state and

community groups when appropriate to facilitate interaction and communication.

• Each committee should have a board liaison and a staff liaison.

• Committee composition should be based on the purpose of the committee.

• State or District Associations should petition to be represented on committees.

• Each committee chair shall direct the group and communicate with the staff and board liaisons.

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Committee Staff Relations

• The staff liaison does not have a vote.

• The staff should be contributing ideas and expertise to specific areas.

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Committee Member Etiquette

• Be curious—not certain• Be open• Be respectful• Be honest• Listen—think first• Be engaged• Turn off cell phones, PDAs, etc• Empathize• Have fun

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Committee Types• Standing Committees - found in the bylaws, ongoing. Examples:

Nominating, Ranking Review, Ex Presidents, Grievance

• Ongoing Committees - mission board approved

• Ad Hoc & Task Forces - a group that performs at “one time” a specialized function at the request of the Section President and disbands upon completion of task.

• Work Groups, Knowledge Networks and Special Interest Groups (SIGs) - specific in nature.

• Virtual Committees - solves a problem without meeting in person.

-Board approves the existence of committees

-President appoints the members of all committees

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Sharepoint• What it is

• Role & Uses

An Internet-Based Communication

Tool for Working Together

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Office Operations• Hours of Operation

• Meeting the staff and their roles.

• Phones, addresses, websites, etc.

• The publications.

• How to enroll members.

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Questions And Answers

New BoardMember Orientation

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