Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!mtxinu!scherrer
From: scherrer@mtxinu.COM (Deborah Scherrer)
Newsgroups: comp.org.usenix
Subject: nominating committee
Message-ID: <1073@mtxinu.UUCP>
Date: 14 Dec 89 01:07:53 GMT
Reply-To: scherrer@mtxinu.COM (Deborah Scherrer)
Organization: mt Xinu, Berkeley
Lines: 36

The nominating committee is completely independent from the Board,
other than the Board appointing a chairperson (someone has to).   The
basic criteria is "who would do the best job."  Usually this means the
person is someone who has been around the organization for a while,
understands its workings, knows many of the people in the organization,
has an idea of the responsibilities of serving on a Board of Directors,
and is responsible enough to make sure the duties of the committee are
carried out.

The chair then selects as many people for the committee as they deem
appropriate, based on whatever criteria they choose.

The Board gives no other directions to the nominating committee other
than they must produce a slate of at least enough competent candidates
to fill the slots.  How many candidates to nominate, and what criteria
to judge them by, are completely at the discretion of the nominating
committee.

Other than meeting certain timing requirements, nothing else is required
by the bylaws.  However, the committees generally perform their duties
by interviewing existing board members, staff, and potential
candidates.  They generally discuss the responsibilities of the Board,
what the issues are facing the organization, what any current problems
might be, who in the organization might be appropriate candidates, and
the like.

Note in this particular case that the person chosen by the Board to be
nominating committee chair had previously expressed an interest in
running for the Board (BEFORE being asked to chair).  The Board was
very aware that, by asking this person to chair the committee, they
were putting him in a difficult spot.  The Board discussed it with him
and. after the discussions, felt comfortable enough that the person
could do a good job in spite of the uniqueness of the situation.

Deborah Scherrer
USENIX Vice President