Community and business leaders, revered alumni, and distinguished individuals are often asked to serve on Advisory Boards. Most such Boards are essentially honorific—established by schools to keep in contact with people whose names, experience, and funds can be of assistance on occasion. Members might include Trustees who have served your school long and faithfully, major donors of the past, and people of outstanding talent who may refuse full Board membership.
Despite the form and membership of the Advisory Board, the potential for good or bad is about the same. Members of such groups must be constantly cultivated and their ideas solicited. If this does not happen, the Advisory Board becomes meaningless, the “honor” nonexistent, and feelings turn negative. In fact, this is the prevailing pattern at many schools. Use the following strategies to avoid this pitfall.
- Gather the Advisory Board at least once a year, with the school as the host. Use the occasion to summarize institutional growth and development, and seek members’ reactions to plans for the immediate future.
- Prior to asking for a commitment to a major gift campaign or other important project, ask for the opinions of the Advisory Board members and incorporate them whenever you can.
- Keep them informed about the school, but don’t send regular Board minutes. These are too detailed for people who lack current perspective. Instead, produce a special letter, perhaps twice yearly, that uses terms the Advisory Board members can easily understand.
- Invite them to significant events, such as graduation, and give them preferential seating.
- If members of the group have important expertise, ask them to serve as members of active Board committees.
- ·Make appointments for no more than five years so that members can be cycled off and “new blood” elected.
An Advisory Board—and every member—should have a clear raison d’etre. If members are not responsible or are not given significant roles, it is better to disband such organizations and recognize individuals via citations and plaques as circumstances dictate.
Additional ISM resources:
ISM Monthly Update for Trustees Vol. 10 No. 8 Encouraging Ideal Trustees to Serve Again
