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April 2007
If a museum is to succeed in a community, it must have behind it an organized, dedicated, enthusiastic, and energetic group of people with a purpose—in short, a viable board. Theoretically, this diverse group shares a common goal: to provide a museum of the highest quality. Few board members, however, begin with any idea of the complexity of their task or of the nature of their relationships with the professional museum staff and the community they serve. If such a group is to achieve its goals, its authority and responsibilities must be clear.
A board member’s first duty is to understand the purposes, programs, and priorities of the museum in order to represent the museum to the public and to make the right recommendations to the board’s executive committee (and ultimately to the director). To fulfill these obligations, members of the board must do their homework, which includes:
- an awareness of the museum, its policies and programs;
- knowledge of the museum’s mission and long term goals;
- assisting in the identification of potential museum friends and donors;
- adhereing to museum ethical standards and board bylaws;
- attending board meetings and participating on board committees; and
- helping the executive committee maintain forward progress in their endeavors.
The board’s executive committee is composed of 12 members, collectively known as the “Trustees”. The Trustees function for the board between meetings. When boards become too large to manage, trustees often have to assume additional duties and authority. This can create a downward spiral of events, whereby board members can often become disenfranchised, leaving the executive committee to carry out an ever larger portion of the workload. To correct this common problem, board size must be made manageable and the trustees must be given specific chores that are vital to the museum’s success, such a reviewing bylaws, carrying out strategic planning initiatives, and providing for and participating in committees and their membership.
In sum Board membership and the duties and responsibilities it carries is an important facet of the museum. Board members need to attend meetings, they need to be informed about the museum and they need to work with the Trustees and with the staff to better serve our community.
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