Board Service FAQs

The ASIS&T Nominations Committee will accept nominations for openings on the Board of Directors from the membership and other stakeholders. Once the call for nominations has closed, the Nominations Committee will review all nominations submitted by the membership and those generated by the Committee and develop a slate of nominees for each open position. The committee is required by the Bylaws to present at least two names for each open position. The Committee will determine the slate by discussing each nominated candidate and determining which nominees possess the qualifications most closely aligned with the respective Job Descriptions, and which would be best suited for Board service with a view to creating a Board that is diverse in all aspects, including geography, profession, and perspective. All nominees will be informed of the decision of the Nominations Committee before the election is announced.

The Nominating Committee is eager to hear from anyone who is interested in serving or wishes to put forward the name of a candidate. The Committee is particularly committed to ensuring the diversity of the Board. For this reason, it is eager to hear from individuals who represent the geographic diversity of our membership as well as those that may work in professional settings of all kinds and those who both study and practice in information science/technology disciplines.

While all nominations are welcome, the Board would be best served by individuals with some of the following experience and competencies:

• industry/practice experience;
• consulting experience;
• leadership;
• program management and administration;
• budget and financial management; and
• global growth and development.

Further information can be found in the Board Job Descriptions.

If the Nominations Committee invites you to run for election, you will be asked to provide a recent high-quality photo and a brief bio. You will then be interviewed via Zoom to provide the membership with more information on your thoughts about the future of ASIS&T.

ASIS&T conducts its Board elections using an anonymous online ballot process specially designed for this purpose. The system ensures each current active member of ASIS&T that is eligible to vote may cast one vote for each open position in the election. The candidate with a plurality of the votes for the position for which they are nominated wins the election for that position.

All candidates that are on the slate will be notified of the outcome of the election before it is announced to the membership. The candidate that has been elected will be contacted by ASIS&T staff and invited to participate in an online New Board Member Orientation which will take place in the month before the Annual Meeting and provided substantial documentation to review prior to taking office. They will be invited to attend the Board meeting preceding the Annual Meeting, as an observer. That meeting takes place the day before the start of the Annual Meeting (typically a Saturday). They will also be expected to attend (either in person or by video conference) the first Board meeting of the new Board year as a voting member. That meeting takes place the day after the end of the Annual Meeting (typically a Wednesday).

All Board Members are expected to attend at least four meetings during the year and serve as a liaison to at least one Committee. The Board meets at least once face-to-face and at least three times by video conference. The meetings take place as follows:

• ASIS&T Annual Meeting: This is two half-day meetings for Members-at-Large and an additional 2 hour meeting for the Executive Committee which includes the President-Elect and Treasurer.
• Video Conferences are scheduled throughout the year as determined by the President. Given the challenges of finding a time that can accommodate the time zones of an international Board, often these meetings take place very early in the morning or late in the evening for some participants.
• There may be an additional face-to-face meeting (retreat) held mid-year, typically for two full days.

Committee work will vary from committee to committee and year to year depending on the charge, but it is reasonable to anticipate at least 4 video conference meetings per year and a face-to-face meeting during the Annual Meeting for each committee. In addition, Directors-at-Large serve as ambassadors for the association and may be asked to represent ASIS&T when they attend the meetings of other organizations. There often is considerable discussion carried on between Board meetings via iConnect. Occasionally, matters will come before the Board for vote in this format. Additional ad hoc assignments and roles may materialize in the course of Board service, but generally speaking, an ASIS&T Board Member-at-Large spends an average of about an hour a week on ASIS&T business over the course of a year outside of the scheduled meetings. Please see the Board Liaison Job Description for further detail as to the Liaison role.

For specific time commitment expectations for officer positions, please visit the ASIST Board Job Description page on our website.

ASIST Directors may request reimbursement of expenses related to attending meetings of the Board of Directors.

Expenses will be reimbursed on a sliding scale based on the distance traveled by the Board member to attend the meeting.

Eligible expenses include train / airfare, ground transportation, parking, up to 3 hotel room nights (variable by term start and end date—see below), and meals in transit.

Board members taking office after the Annual Meeting are not required to attend the Wednesday Board Meeting in person but may attend via video conference. They are not eligible to receive travel reimbursement as outlined above. However, if a new Director does attend the Board Meeting following the Annual Meeting, one night’s hotel will be reimbursed.

Board members leaving office after the Annual Meeting are not required to attend the Wednesday meeting and may claim the reimbursement cap less one room night + taxes and fees (based on the prevailing rate at the conference hotel).

Per the ASIS&T Bylaws, the powers of the Board are as follows:

• Establishing and implementing Association policy and determining membership criteria, qualifications, rights and privileges, and the grounds and procedures for termination of membership in the Association
• Establishment of the Association’s dues structure and rates
• Adopting rules and regulations for the conduct of the business of the Association as shall be deemed advisable
• Pursing the non-profit goals and objectives of the Association
• Exercising discretion in the disbursement of Association funds and appointing of such agents as it deems necessary

• Approve vision/mission and ensure they are carried out through programs & services.
• Review results as compared w/ annual and long-range goals, and similar institutions.
• Review/approve plans for funding strategy…ensure financial structure is adequate for current needs and its long-range strategy.
• Approve major policies.
• Approve major actions (capital expenditures/major program & service changes)
• Hire, monitor, advise, support, evaluate, reward, and, when necessary, change the chief staff officer, and insure proper management succession.
• Review the performance of the Board and take steps to improve.
• Enforce conflict of interest policy.
• Inform others about the organization.
• Engage in succession planning.

For specific duties, criteria and qualifications for officer positions, please visit the ASIST Board Job Description page on our website.

ASIS&T carries Directors & Officers insurance which indemnifies Board members from being held personally liable for the actions of the Association or any member thereof.