Board Chair

This is a draft of a new or in-progress document, and is likely to have a few people specifically working on it. You may wish to check in on the discussion page to see what the purpose of the document is and who's working on it; then feel free to give this article love and attention if have extra of those things.

---

The chair of the board will enable continuity and efficiency in the board's operation. These tasks may be delegated, but it is the chair's responsibility to make sure that they are completed.

• Ensure board meeting facilitation. The chair does not have to facilitate the meetings, but must make sure that meetings are facilitated appropriately. This may involve facilitation, cofacilitation, training other board members in facilitation, recruiting volunteer facilitators, or even bringing in outside skilled facilitators for potentially difficult discussions.
• Ensure preparedness for meetings. Make sure that materials for meetings are available ahead of time, there are people prepared to present for each item.
• Agenda calendar planning. The chair will make sure that the board's meetings are planned ahead of time, creating and maintaining a calendar (approved by the board) that includes all necessary reports and policy reviews.
• Make sure that important issues are not dropped. This may entail keeping a record of items deferred to later meetings or scheduled checkins.
• Ensure board follows its own rules.
• Occasionally represent the organization to the outside.
• Oversee and manage board training. Help board members find necessary information, arrange for training, etc.

About this draft

This document is being developed by the Board recruitment committee pursuant to board instructions, April 2011 and the approved 2011 governance proposal. It will be submitted to the board for approval on May 18.