Board of Directors Overview

 As the governing body of the UMass Amherst Alumni Association, the Board of Directors is comprised of alumni whose demonstrated service and leadership display a strong understanding and commitment to the mission of the Alumni Association and advancement of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Board Composition

The Board of Directors consists of 33 voting members including:

  • Fifteen (15) directors elected by the Alumni Association’s eligible membership
  • Fifteen (15) directors appointed by the President
  • Two (2) enrolled students who serve one-year presidential appointments, one of whom shall be a member of the Student Alumni Association
  • The immediate past president who serves a two-year term, concurrent with the President’s term

Elected and appointed directors serve three-year terms beginning each July.

The Vice Chancellor of Advancement and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Alumni Relations both serve as ex officio, non-voting members of the Board of Directors.  In addition, one (1) alumni representative from the University of Massachusetts Amherst Foundation and one (1) alumni representative from the University of Massachusetts Amherst staff or faculty bodies each serve as an ex officio, non-voting member of the Board of Directors.

Officers

The Officers of the Board include the following:

  • President
  • President Elect
  • Vice President – Volunteer Development
  • Vice President – Governance
  • Treasurer


Board and Committee Meetings

Three full Board meetings are conducted during the year: the first in the fall during Homecoming Weekend; the second in January or February; and the third in the spring to coincide with the Alumni Association's Annual Assembly. Board meetings typically convene on the Amherst campus, with a 2 – 3 hour session on Friday evenings and 6 – 8 hour session on Saturdays.

Newly elected and appointed Directors also attend New Director Orientation, which is usually scheduled on the Friday of the spring board meeting.

The Executive Committee meets 6 – 8 times per year, and other Board Committees meet 4 – 8 times per year as needed.  Executive and other Board Committees typically convene via video conference, but may at times meet in person on campus or in central locations within Massachusetts.

Board Committees

The work and recommendations of various board committees and task forces is integral in supporting implementation of the Alumni Association’s strategic priorities.  Board committees concentrate on issues of strategic importance to the growth and stability of the Alumni Association, and fall within one of three primary categories: governance, strategic initiative or task force.

All board committees are chaired by members of the Executive Committee and include Directors as well as alumni who have an interest or expertise in a committee’s specific area of focus.  All Directors serve on at least one committee. The primary responsibilities for each committee are outlined below:

Governance Committees
Identified as standing committees within the Association’s bylaws, governance committees are charged with oversight of the Association’s fiduciary and compliance responsibilities.

Executive

  • Work in partnership with the Executive Director to coordinate and monitor progress of the Association’s strategic priorities
  • Provide regular progress updates to the full Board of Directors; formulate recommendations for revisions to current or implementation of new initiatives for Board consideration and action
  • Foster purposeful discussion and efforts to incorporate culture of diversity across all programs, communications, and recruitment initiatives; monitor ongoing compliance with diversity and inclusion policy and evaluate success of associated initiatives  
  • Oversee regular review and revision as appropriate of the organization’s strategic priorities, bylaws, standing rules, governance documents, policies and procedures
  • Assist President in developing and facilitating Board meeting agendas to maximize director participation and satisfaction with Board meetings
  • Participate in new director onboarding process and contribute to leadership development efforts

Audit

  • Oversee selection, retention, evaluation and termination of the Association’s independent auditor
  • Coordinate preparation, certification and disclosure of audited financial statements and tax returns
  • Maintain internal control systems, including critical accounting policies and procedures, information system controls and security, and document retention and destruction policies
  • Monitor risk and liability assessment and management procedures
  • Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
  • Examine governance, ethics and whistle-blowing issues as appropriate

Board Development

  • Oversee impartial and transparent review and selection of director, officer and executive committee member-at-large nominees
  • Identify potential volunteer leadership talent and forward names to appropriate board committees for further consideration
  • Develop recommendations for presidential and committee appointments and other volunteer opportunities
  • Recommend standing rule revisions as appropriate to foster diverse Board Representation and ensure objectivity and transparency in nominations and elections process

Finance & Investment

    • Develop and manage fiscal and investment policies and operating procedures to ensure the organization’s short and long term financial stability
    • Regularly monitor investment portfolio performance, and coordinate selection and ongoing evaluation of the investment management consultant
    • Oversee administration, collection and disbursement of all financial resources and monitor related accounting transactions
    • Ensure timely and accurate preparation of meaningful management reports and financial statements
    • Prepare and monitor annual operating budget and revenue-generating initiatives to identify and address potential cash-flow or other financial challenges

    Strategic Initiative Committees
    Strategic initiative committees are charged with oversight of long-term or ongoing strategic and programmatic initiatives, and may be restructured as determined by the Board of Directors when assigned goals are achieved or when new or expanded goals are identified.

    Awards Committee

    • Oversee impartial review and selection of a diverse panel of alumni and student award recipients

    Board Assessment & Training

    • Develop metrics to assess and identify opportunities to grow director satisfaction, engagement, participation and effectiveness; collaborate with other committees to achieve these gains
    • Implement an assessment process and associated metrics to regularly evaluate overall effectiveness of Board and committee meetings, communications, and interactions with directors and staff
    • Coordinate ongoing training and development opportunities for new and seasoned directors
    • Evaluate director skills and expertise and recommend programs or other opportunities to eliminate identified gaps and strengthen Board and committee membership
    • Identify ongoing opportunities and practices to strengthen Board leadership and succession planning


    Task Forces
    Task forces may be authorized by the Board of Directors or Executive Committee, and are charged with oversight of one specific initiative with a clearly defined time horizon.

    Anniversary Celebrations
    Collaborate with campus leadership and AR staff to:

    • Share ideas and suggestions for potential renovations to Memorial Hall
    • Research and suggest possible celebratory activities and engagement opportunities for the Memorial Hall 100th anniversary and the Alumni Association 150th anniversary
    • Provide observations and insight related to UMAAA messaging and promotional assets for both anniversaries
    • Support associated donor outreach and fundraising initiatives for both celebrations as appropriate

    Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

    • Complete a full audit of all UMAAA policies and recommend updates as appropriate
    • Coordinate RFP process for hiring a DEI consultant to assist the Board with implicit bias assessment and long-term coordination of associated training and resources
    • Collaborate with BATC and EC in developing policies / procedures to operationalize DEI consultant recommendations and ongoing evaluation of same