Board member job description

Mission

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Alumni Association (UAFAA) connects and supports the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and alumni. UAFAA encourages excellence in all aspects of UAF and provides opportunities for alumni to engage in lifelong involvement with their university community.

Purpose

To provide strategic governance, fiscal and policy leadership to the UAFAA.

Roles and responsibilities

Support UAFAA’s mission;
Implement UAFAA’s programs and services and monitor their effectiveness;
Provide strategic guidance to UAFAA;
Ensure UAFAA’s financial health;
Support UAFAA’s executive director;
Improve UAFAA’s board effectiveness.
Model UAFAA's Code of Conduct

Expectations

Understand, articulate and support the mission, goals and priorities of UAF and the UAFAA;
Understand and uphold the board’s fiduciary responsibilities;
Prepare for and participate in board and committee meetings. Ask questions, be deliberative and express your point of view.
Share your professional time and expertise, especially as it relates to assisting students with internships, job mentoring, career connections, networking with graduates, etc.;
Actively participate in, and be an ambassador for, fundraising at UAFAA (i.e., Benefactor Fund, scholarship support, etc.);
Set an example with personal giving. Contribute annually to both UAF and UAFAA in a manner and amount significant and meaningful to you. In-kind donations (such as airfare to attend a meeting or event) are welcome and will be counted toward your personal giving. The UAFAA Board of Directors strives to be a 100 percent giving board. UAFAA board members embrace a culture of philanthropy in support of UAF;
Participate and encourage participation of others in UAF and alumni events and initiatives (i.e., chapter activities, athletic events, signature events such as the annual gala, Nanook Rendezvous reunion, major lectures and speeches, etc.);
Identify and cultivate alumni advocates, volunteers, prospective board members and potential alumni award winners;
Encourage alumni to be active members of the UAFAA; directors must not allow membership to lapse; consider becoming a lifetime member;
Avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest with UAFAA while on the board;
Maintain confidentiality of donor and alumni information, internal board business and personnel matters.
Be respectful, engaged and professional to all as a representative of the UAFAA board.
Be a leader in upholding and modeling the UAFAA's Code of Conduct.

Term of office and time commitment

Board directors serve three-year terms beginning at the spring board meeting. Board members may serve two consecutive terms.

Board members are expected to attend three board meetings per year. Typically, two meetings are held in person and are two-day meetings, and one is a one-day teleconference.

Board members residing outside of Fairbanks are expected to travel to Fairbanks prior to the start of the in-person meetings. Board members should take the necessary time off work to accommodate travel and attendance at board meetings. If attendance at board meetings is not possible due to a life event (funeral, wedding, birth of grandchild, etc.) or unavoidable work conflict, board members are expected to immediately inform the president and executive director.

Board members are expected to serve on at least two committees of the association and if possible chair or co-chair a committee. Time commitments vary by committee:

Finance Committee: Meets four or five times/year
Executive Committee: Three-five times/year
Board Governance Committee: Approximately twice/year
Legislative Committee: Three or four times/year
Scholarship Committee: Approximately twice/year
Awards Committee: Approximately three times/year
Ad-hoc committees: As needed.

Committee meetings are held via teleconference and usually last one hour; some committee work is handled via email.

Adopted by unanimous vote of the UAFAA Board of Directors, Sept. 23, 2016.

Governance