what do you think?

[Kali]

tried this in general discussion yesterday, not sure if nobody wanted to respond or if it just got buried too fast, so another try:

(maybe this belongs in lounge, not sure. Has its base in politics/democracy, that's for sure)

You have an organization. It has a Board of Directors. 9 on that board are elected by the membership at large, 9 are appointed (by themselves and the elected members, not soley by the elected members) and 1 other member who is elected, but not by the general membership. That one is elected as a representative of the volunteers that work INSIDE the organization (who are also members)
All have full voting power except the volunteer rep. on some spending matters.


first question: Does this seem Democratic to you?

Next: Would you call that structure a "Majority-Elected Board"?

Thanks in advance.

[Dookus]

1. NO

I wouldn't call it a majority-elected board, since only 9 of 19 are really elected by the members.

Not sure if it's terribly Democratic -why is almost half the board appointed by the board?

[Kali]

3. why is almost half the board appointed by the board?

the million dollar question!

Thanks for your replies, I am really planning to use this info, hope I can get some more replies.

[MuseRider]

2. I sit on our

symphony board as an officer of the orchestra, elected by my collegues. I have a vote but that is different I think. We do have a League who are volunteers and they have a president who sits on the board and I believe she has voting power. It would seem that would be the most democratic way. It would seem especially wrong if the reason for that volunteer group was to raise money that they have no vote on spending issues. I do not know how most boards function since I am mostly a committee type person but that is how ours works.

[oscar111]

4. same here

we have such a station, and the board must nominate any candidate to run for the next board.

Station does NO news, nothing LW at all ... begs the rich for grants to operate, and the director licks his lips when talking of how some rich company or other will likely give the stattion great carpets.

I quit in disgust.

[Kali]

5. can you contact me privately? -

I can put you in touch with someone that might be able to help. This is a problem that started in the mid ninety's called the "Healthy Stations Project" A lot of stations have managed to recover from it. Some, like mine, are still struggling. My example above it the compromise we've been offered to a memebership petition to return the board to majority elected. - it WAS 14 appointed 6 elected!