Eric,
 
What an intriguing proposition. It would reduce the number of reporting layers from the membership to the Board. One wonders whether communications between the Society and its membership are sufficiently strong that appointing a liaison/go between between the Board and the membership is redundant.
 
It is worth keeping in mind, however, that Board appointments come with (at least at this point) an enormous commitment of time and energy on the part of each Board member. Far from merely representing the regional constituency, regional representatives are assigned a number of additional ongoing and ad-hoc Society responsibilities. It's true that increasing the size of the Board would lessen the individual burden on each Board member.
 
Yet one of the 'financial' responsibilities is attending the twice yearly Board meetings, a responsibility which often falls on the Board member's institution or, far too often, on the Board member herself/himself (with limited financial assistance from the Society). This has sometimes proven an impediment in finding members to serve on the Board. It would certainly be no less so with an expanded Board.
 
I have long advocated rethinking the role of regional representatives in the Board structure, perhaps in favor of at-large representatives with fixed duties and responsibilities. This would have the advantage of clarifying in advance for potential candidates their obligations during their term. (I haven't crunched the numbers, so I can't speak to the question of whether the regions as they now exist proportionately represent the overall membership.)
 

RD

-----Original Message-----

From: ART LIBRARIES SOCIETY DISCUSSION LIST [ mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Eric Wolf

Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 10:32 AM

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: [ARLIS-L] ARLIS/NA-Local Chapter communications

Dear ARLIS/NA Board and Membership,

 

First of all, I would like to thank the Board for sending out the survey and giving us a chance to give some feedback.  All in all, I think the organization continues to do a great job, many thanks.

 

As I filled out the survey, a thought occurred to me which might improve communication between the local chapters and ARLIS North America.  This would involve changing the structure of regional board representation.  Rather than maintaining the current system of regional reps, what if each local chapter elected its own representative to the ARLIS/NA Executive Board.  While this would increase the number of representatives, it would give each chapter its own representative, and these representatives would be known to all members of the local chapter she or he represented.  She or he would also be available to the local membership (not merely the board members through formal correspondences) at local meetings and events.  This would provide a much easier conduit for information to go back and forth between the local and NA organizations and would help make local members feel they have more representation at the NA level.  This representative would effectively serve on both boards and would represent the interest of both the larger organization and the unique needs and perspectives of a specific chapter, rather than a geographic region with competing chapters and interests.  While I realize such a change would require a by-laws change, I feel it is worth consideration. 

 

Further thoughts or input from other members is welcome!

 

Thanks,

EW

 

Eric Wolf

Director of the Library

New York School of Interior Design

170 E. 70th Street

New York, NY 10021

212-472-1500 x216

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__________________________________________________________________ Mail submissions to [log in to unmask] For information about joining ARLIS/NA see: http://www.arlisna.org/join.html Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc) to [log in to unmask] ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance: http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html Questions may be addressed to list owner (Judy Dyki) at: [log in to unmask]

__________________________________________________________________ Mail submissions to [log in to unmask] For information about joining ARLIS/NA see: http://www.arlisna.org/join.html Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc) to [log in to unmask] ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance: http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html Questions may be addressed to list owner (Judy Dyki) at: [log in to unmask]