[22862] in APO-L
Re: [APO-L] Thoughts about the future of APO
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (J. Busby)
Mon Aug 12 14:19:44 2002
Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 11:37:54 -0500
Reply-To: "J. Busby" <jcb2181@TEXASONLINE.NET>
From: "J. Busby" <jcb2181@TEXASONLINE.NET>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
Here are a couple of more thoughts for strengthen the future of APO.
The idea is this:
If our chapters are primary resources for volunteers for several community
based organizations... why don't we exhibit our Leadership side and ask to
be on the Executive Boards or the Executive Committees of these
organizations?
Now I know that several Alumni (myself included) are on different boards of
different organizations and I know that most if not all of our National
Board Members are on the boards of Local, Regional and National
Organizations.. but how is that translated to the Chapter Experience?
How many chapters even think to ask for a position on the local food bank
executive committee or board? On the local habitat board? or the boards of
the organizations the chapter has a long and good history with.
How to implement this is a bit tricky, but from my experience I think it
would be welcomed by these boards, and would introduce the chapter to the
"movers-and-shakers" in the community.
First off, the chapters need to research the structure and powers of the
boards they would benefit from being on. Boards with elected members or
boards with terms greater then a year may be thought to be on for a
student... HOWEVER there are some options.
1) if the board can't accept a member for a semester by semester term, or if
the positions are elected or appointed by some entity... ask about Advisory
or Honorary membership on the board.
2) if you get some kind of slot on the board, make sure the organization
knows it's an APO position and that the Chapter or the Chapter Executive
Committee gets to appoint the student to that position and that the member
may change on a semester by semester basis.
3) if you're going to get an APO slot on a board (either full, advisory or
honorary) fulfill the chapters commitment to participate on that board.
If the chapter can get a position on the board, who should fill the
position?
First off, I do not think it should be the President of the Chapter or the
Service VP (or chair or whatever your chapter call them). I know that many
chapters have a chairman or a leader who coordinates most of the projects
with that organization. I would suggest appointing that person to that
board.
I personally think the President and other top officers should be working
the administration of the university and the project chairs and project
leaders should be gaining leadership experience not only in the realm of
project coordination, but as members of advisory boards for the
organizations they coordinate projects for.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
1) Networking. A lot of times the work of a chapter for an organization is
shielded from strong community allies by Executive Directors for
Organizations. Executive Directors love chapters and give them praises, but
their bosses (the boards) don't always see the Chapters. The boards are
generally populated by Local Government Officials, Wealthy Citizens,
Philanthropists, and Community Activists. Additionally, these people LIVE
in the community and have lived in the community for years and can be an
ANCHOR for a chapter in the sea of college life and university politics.
2) Influence. Colleges and Communities have a unique relationships that at
times seem separate and at other times highly intertwined. Oddly enough,
the leaders on most community organization boards also have ties to campus
administration in ways that are not always obvious. These non-obvious ties
can sometimes foster relationships with Administrators that transcend the
bureaucracy and make it easier for the chapters to "have the ear" of the
administration.
3) Expanded Leadership Opportunity. Having an opportunity for a non-officer
to serve on the board can be a great leadership experience. Not everyone
can be chapter president or serve on the E-Board of a chapter.... so this is
a good way to expand the leadership opportunities for these students.
Additionally, the boards I have been on love the opportunity to educate new
leaders in the goings on of their organizations.
4) Skills for the Future. Serving on different community boards is an asset
to your life after college. Besides the networking and leadership
opportunities similar to those gained in college, there is noting like being
involved in these organizations to make a person a MEMBER of that community,
not just a person living there.
DRAWBACKS?
Sure there are some drawbacks...
1) there is the commitment from the chapter to faithfully execute the
obligations to the boards they serve on.
2) Chapters run the risk of their service program being monopolized by the
organizations they serve as board members of... (this could be good or bad,
depending)
3) Local Politics. You just have to live with it... you can't avoid it in
American Society.
4) The bigger the town the college is in (Houston, D/FW, N.Y.C., Washington
D.C., etc.) the more difficult this task can be. I didn't say impossible,
but the bigger the town the more #3 plays into the picture and the harder it
is to serve on a board in general.
-James Busby
