Board members
Dr. Roerich:
What do you think about inviting graduates from school to be members of the advisory board?
I think they can contribute with a different but importante perspective. They were school students and now they graduate and are working in the industry.
I think it is a good idea to have one former graduate on your advisory board. Graduates are in a unique position to know the effectiveness of your program in the profession. They can offer suggestions for improvement. I always have one former graduate on my advisory board. I think it is good for them to have at least two years of experience in the profession before serving on the board.
Our advisory board contains a school graduate to represent student input to both school administrators and other board members in increasing effectiveness. Their perspective from the other side of the podium is both fresh and insightful. The student body also realizes they have additional opportunities to effect positive change at the school for future generations.
We also include an instructor on the board to represent the faculty, as well as an assortment of employers, professional association members, and also past state board members that have regulated the profession for their unique insight and commentary.
But I also agree with other forum responders in their opportunities for professional growth, enhancing the vitality, engaging their boards and giving recognition to board members:
1) Allowing them to monitor courses at the school gives them a student's prespective on how the school operates. 2) Using topics in this and other sections of this course to instruct board members at retreats helps them understand their role in being effective to the school and the profession. 3) Asking board members to assist in some of the other business courses such as Marketing, Professional Ethics, Accounting/Taxes, in addition to the mock interviews in Communications class. 4) And lastly, hanging a photo panel at the school in a prominent location to identify to students and staff current board members, years of service in that capacity, as well as a list of accomplishments/contributions to the school as an alternate method of board member recognition.
I think alumni make wonderful board members although if they are young you might want to start them out on a committee or an advisory board first.
Charles,
I concur with your statement about alumni, but recognize "young" is a relative term. The focus of one's selection and contribution should be based on their experiences in and out of the classroom.
R. Roehrich
I believe it is great to have some graduates on the board. However, I don't think they should be the majority since the board needs to bring in ideas from the outside world. I would limit it to one or two and they should be selected very carefully.
Craig
Craig,
I couldn't agree more.
What is the composition of your board?
R. Roehrich
I think it is a very good idea to invite graduates of the school to be a member on the advisory board. They provide pertinent knowledge, skills, and education. They also have a strong emotional tie to the school. Certainly, they would want to see the school be successful and be recognized in the community. This lends credence to their decision to attend the school and to their career abilities.
Wayne Barber
Wayne,
One of the keys to gaining valuable input from a graduate representative on your advisory board is to conduct a mini-orientation session with them before their first meeting. Explain the types of information you're seeking from both their perspectives as a former student and as a (new) member of the workforce. Seek their candor and contributions that can improve your operations and communicate the confidential nature of some of the information they hear at meetings.
R. Roehrich
I think as long as the graduate have been in the field at least three years, then that person will be in a better position to critique the curricula and equipment in the school. Inviting them too early after their completion of the program may not be very beneficial in that they have not been exposed to the field for a good amount of time.
We have experienced this in the past and have received feedback from accreditation that although it is welcomed to include alumni in the advisory boards, the composition of group membership should not be dominated by alumni, nor by recent alumni.
Engaging graduates as board members has great value. I would invite graduates to become part of an Alumni Advisory Board and perhaps establish a liaison role for one / two members to the larger institutional advisory board.
Elizabeth,
Agreed, providing you have clear expectations for their role and share them prior to bringing them on the board. Graduates can be valuable if they are top graduates and passionate about their Alma Mater; however, if not properly selected and vetted among faculty and staff, they can be disruptive and distracting. Approach selection of graduates with as much care as you would select other board members.
Dr. Robert Roehrich
I am glad you mentioned the graduate should have some real world experience before being invited to an advisory board. I was hesitant to agree with everyone as I was reading the posts. My concern was there are so many experienced people that can lend great experiences and information, especially in the medical field. My reservation would be a recent graduate may not have experienced enough to give insight on much. I do see how they can advise on how applicable the curriculum is to a real life scenario though.
Mary,
Having a mix is good, but I would caution again on having someone who is fresh out of their program, they just don't have the perspective that a more experienced graduate would have.
Dr. Robert Roehrich
