Usingyour field or employment agency oranother social services agencyrequest permission to interview theBoard President and attend aBoardofDirectors meeting(chooseonlyapolicyand notan advisoryboard).Your assignment is to observeameeting(you arenot to participatebut can ask questions at the end ofthe meeting) to learn how aBoard operates. Paycloseattention to thediversity oftheBoard (if possible obtain a listof Board members and their affiliations), who is runningthe meeting, topics of discussion (request anagenda), howdecisions aremade (votingorconsensus or both), length of meeting, etc. (Complete the readings on Governance beforeattendingyour meeting). Takecopious notes and prepareyourpaper and oral presentation onyour observations and experiences.Besureto comparewhat you observed in themeetingwithyour readings(s). Timeyour total presentation soyou do not run out of time. Dress professionally!

The followingquestions aresuggestions andcover broad topicsIwould likeyou to discuss with yourBoard President. Again, bepreparedand professional when posingyourquestions because this contact is also an important opportunityto meet individuals who maybeof assistancelater inyour career.Besuretoincorporateas manyof thePracticeBehaviors, Advanced Practice Behaviors and the Department's underpinnings(strengths, empowerment,and global perspectives) as possibleinyour questions to and analysis.

1. What is the role ofthe Board? HowdoesyourBoard function?Howoften doesyour

Board meet?Howmanyand what types committees existonyour Board?

2. How areyourBoard members identified, nominated and selected?

3. What arethe expectations forBoard members?How arethoseexpectations communicated to newand existing Board members?For example, are Board members required to sign aBoard Pledge?Aretheyexpected to serveon aset number of committees?Aretheyexpected to contributefinancially?

4. DoesyourBoard haveterm limits? If so, whatarethey?

5. Howdoyouas the President ensureadiverseBoard? DoesyourBoard currently represent the communityand the clients it serves?

6. Howdoes the Presidenteffectivelyutilizethestrengthsof the Board members?

7. Howis the board empoweredto realizethe missionand goals of the agency?

8. Howdoyou developyour Board members?Arenew and existing Board members developed differently?Please explain.

9. Howdoes theBoard select, monitor, evaluate, andcompensate theorganization's

CEO/ED?

10. What arethe priorities ofthe Board? How arethose priorities determined?What role does the staff playin determiningthose priorities?

11. Doesyour organization haveastrategic plan? Doesyour Board engageinthe organization's strategic planningprocess?Canyou explain the process?For example, do staff andBoard memberswork together to develop the strategic plan?

12. Canyouexplain how Board membersand staffinteract with each other?For example, what are board activities, staff activities, and board and staffactivities?

13. What is the Board's responsibilityforoverseeing the organization's financial resources?

14. What is the Board's responsibilityforfundraising?Canyou explainyour fund development model?How successful has the model been?DoesyourBoard havea sustainable fund development plan forthe organization?Canyouexplain it?

15. How areyourBoard meetingagendas set?

16. What are the liabilityissues the Board is concerned about?

17. As President, how welldoyou thinkyour organization is servingyourclients and community?