Qualifications for trustee
OA’s bylaws state a number of prerequisites for members to be eligible to serve on the board, such as seven years’ membership in the program and having attended at least two World Service Business Conferences.
The point of an amendment heard this morning was to specify what sort of experience at the Region level was required. Previously, this was left to the Region to determine.
The sides broke down this way: Some feel that Region experience is necessary preparation to succeed on the board. Others felt that this was too restrictive, in a time when we’re having trouble filling the Board of Trustees. (For example, the conference elected six trustees this morning — all the candidates who stood. But ten vacancies existed.)
After three amendments were proposed, the measure was referred, by rule, to the reference subcommittee. When it came back to the conference, another type of service was added to those considered necessary for board qualification. Then it read, in part:
“… including at least two years of service as a region representative, region committee chair, region board member, region trustee liaison, or having served as a board member of a national board.”
It then passed.