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Alumni Association Board Charter

September 2007

OSR-Northwest is the legal entity that sponsors and supports the work of the OSR Alumni Association and any use of the OSR name. In this Charter, the OSR-Northwest Board affirms and supplements the OSR Alumni Association Board’s Charter of January 2007.

Alumni Association Mission

The OSR Alumni Association is a community of OSR graduates committed to life-long learning, leadership, service, and the legacy of OSR.

In this mission, the OSR Alumni Association seeks to serve the community of OSR graduates, current and future students, and friends of the programs.

Alumni Association Board Purpose

Revised September 13, 2007, the purpose of the OSR Alumni Association Board is to advance this mission through:

• Providing leadership to the Alumni Association community by engaging alumni to become involved in supporting and participating in initiatives designed to fulfill the Alumni Association mission
• Sponsoring or supporting events that contribute to ongoing professional and personal development;
• Communicating with OSR graduates, current students, friends, and future OSR students about opportunities being sponsored;
• Managing OSR resources in service of Alumni Association sponsored opportunities; and
• Partnering with the OSR-Northwest Board to ensure the legacy of OSR.

Alumni Association Board’s Authority

The Alumni Association Board is authorized to make all decisions necessary to assure its effectiveness as a board, fulfill its purpose, and implement Alumni Association opportunities.

The Alumni Association Board coordinates its efforts with faculty of the OSR programs to assure that Alumni Association events support, and are supported by, the programs.

The Alumni Association Board also coordinates its efforts with OSR-Northwest by raising to the OSR-Northwest Board any new programs it is considering, e.g., community service activities that would bear the OSR Alumni Association name.

Sponsorship Relationship

The spirit of this relationship is collegial and collaborative in nature as both groups work to enhance the health and well-being of the

• OSR graduate programs
• OSR graduates, current students, and future students
• The larger community of colleagues and friends

Specifically this means that both Boards conduct their business with an eye toward how any initiative or set of decisions might:

• Create opportunities for active collaboration or joint action
• Positively or negatively affect the work or reputation of the other Board

Regular updates and ongoing communication between both boards is facilitated by the board member who has a joint appointment to both boards

Suggested guidelines for Alumni Association Board membership

As part of its sponsorship responsibilities, the OSR-Northwest Board recommends that the Alumni Association Board consider the following Board composition and individual Board member qualifications, in order to develop a sustainable and well-regarded Board:

• We suggest that the Board consist of 7–10 OSR graduates who represent a number of different cohorts, ideally from various times in the program’s history. 

• We encourage rigorous attention to the selection of members, board development, board roles, and terms of appointment.
  
• One member of the Alumni Association Board has a joint appointment to the OSR-Northwest Board, serving a two year term

• All Board members should possess:
• Recognized credibility and positive reputation for high quality work and/or community contribution
• Visionary and strategic thinking skills
• Skill sets in areas such as:
• Leadership
• Interpersonal and group work
• Organization
• Follow-through
• Diverse perspectives and backgrounds
• Passion for fulfilling the Alumni Association Mission
• Connection to local, national, or international networks, professional communities, or groups

Decision Making and Operating Guidelines

Note:  These would be taken from the Charter drafted in January 2007.

Page updated Tue, May 26, 2009