YAA Board of Governors: Purpose & Practices

• Alumni leaders selected by fellow alumni to serve as advisors to Yale and the YAA.

• Serve as ambassadors between the alumni body and the University. 
• Set the slate for the Alumni Fellow Trustee election and award the Yale Medal.
• Promote and guide alumni engagement and enhance the work of alumni organizations around the world.

• Partner with the YAA to represent the diverse voices and ideas of Yale alumni globally, and to create a sense of belonging that transcends and builds on the Yale student experience.

• Board members demonstrate the highest standards of ethical behavior both as individuals and as part of the organization, disclosing any perceived conflicts of interest and avoiding direct personal or professional advantage that might derive from Board service.

• Board members demonstrate collegiality and professionalism in all Board-related interactions.
• Board members put the group’s judgment ahead of individual views, valuing diverse perspectives and committing to speak with one voice once a decision is made.

• Board members demonstrate mutual respect and consideration in discussions with each other, with other alumni, with YAA staff, and with other Yale administrators. 
• Board members encourage diverse viewpoints, listen carefully to colleagues, acknowledge the ideas of others, and contribute their own thoughts.
• The Board provides feedback and opinions that are constructive and respectful of the lived experiences of fellow members.
• The Board serves as models for the alumni community in Yale-related social media engagements by being courteous, respectful, and positive. 

• The Board recognizes that the alumni body spans many generations, schools, geographies, and ways of working and is committed to incorporating and welcoming the varied values of all alumni in all board-related activities and decisions. 
• The Board actively challenges biases and promotes alumni leaders reflecting different experiences and perspectives.
• The Board is dedicated to serving, understanding, and engaging with the alumni community across identities, experiences, and life stages.

• The Board welcomes new ideas from all alumni and encourages open dialogue about incorporating new initiatives in the context of current priorities and resource constraints. See Guidelines for Volunteer-Led Events, Initiatives & Programs.

• The Board must honor the confidentiality of sensitive or private information to which members may have access as a result of board work, whether it pertains to each other, other alumni, YAA staff, or University matters.
• The Board must be attuned to any information that is shared in writing, especially emails since these are easily forwarded.

• Board members are free to express personal opinions apart from their board member responsibilities; however, they must be careful not to represent personal opinions as views of the Board.
• Board members should focus on projects that serve Board goals and priorities rather than areas of personal interest.
• Board members utilize affiliation with the Board within the parameters authorized by the Board.
• Board members manage their own technology usage during meetings to maximize participation in Board business.

• Board members are expected to be familiar with the Board’s governing documents and understand the scope, direction, goals, and values of the Board. 
• Board members are expected to attend meetings with an open mind and to be fully prepared, having read agendas, minutes, and reports on the board shared site.
• Board members are expected to actively contribute to the work of the committees and follow-through their work between meetings.

• Board members respond promptly to invitations and requests for action.
• Board members attend all scheduled in-person and online board activities, meetings, and events, and participate constructively in board committee work, including volunteering for committee tasks.
• Be present during meetings; practice good meeting etiquette.
• Board members consider the opinions of others respectfully.
• Board members maintain open communication and an effective partnership with other Board members and YAA staff.
• Board members are open to providing and receiving constructive feedback.

• The Board represents the highest standards of alumni engagement and leadership and strives to be exemplary role models within the YAA, the Yale community, and their own local communities.
• Board members model leadership by fully participating in the annual YAA Assembly and Convocation and make themselves available to mentor new delegates of the YAA Assembly and new members of the YAA Board of Governors.
• The Board actively supports efforts to build an inclusive leadership pipeline.  Board members connect, engage, and nominate candidates for at-large delegates, YAA board, Alumni Fellow, Excellence Awards, Yale Medal, and other programs as requested.

• Board members serve as active ambassadors of the organization, fostering meaningful connections between the Board and the alumni communities they represent. 
• Board members should try to be present and participate at flagship events in their communities, e.g., Day of Service, Regional Club signature events, Shared Interest Group anniversaries or conferences, and Class reunions.
• Members are expected to engage in at least three community-based activities annually, listening to alumni perspectives, sharing Board priorities, and strengthening trust, visibility, and mutual understanding.

• Board members participate in periodic assessments of the Board’s effectiveness and performance.

• Board members shall communicate concerns about any Board member, Executive Officer, or YAA staff member to the Board Chair and/or the Executive Director. 
• Concerns about the Board Chair should be communicated to the Executive Director. 
• Concerns about the Executive Director should be communicated to the Board Chair and/or the Executive Director’s manager, currently the University’s Vice President for Alumni Affairs and Development.
• Board members are expected to communicate concerns seen or heard on social media, email, or news outlets to the Board Chair and/or the Executive Director. 

Chair, Vice Chair, Immediate Past Chair, Three Executive Officers, Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director

• Provide leadership, governance, and strategic oversight of the work of the Board.
• Periodically assess/evaluate/reflect on the work of the Board and its committees and working groups.
• Immediate Past Chair, three Executive Officers, and Deputy Executive Director serve as an advisory group to the Chair and Executive Director.

Chair, Vice Chair, Immediate Past Chair, Three Executive Officers

• Actively participate to advance and support the Board Chair’s goals for the year.
• Liaise with Committee Chairs to understand the role(s) they need the Executive Officers to play as resources, mentors, or advisors and adapt as needed to meet their specific needs.
• Serve as a resource for Committee Chairs and members, including resolving conflicts or surfacing them to the full Executive Committee.
• Model collegiality and best practices for the rest of the Board.
• Be mindful of either creating extra work for or trying to do the work of the board committees or YAA staff.
• Lead/own specific initiatives aligned with and approved by the Board Chair and Executive Director.
• Connect with student ex-officio members of the board to ensure their onboarding and understanding of the board.
• Promote the YAA Board Event and Program Guidelines.
• Reach out to Yale constituencies to introduce/provide updates on the work of the Board, also to address or at least note concerns that may not yet have bubbled up to the YAA to bring back to the Board.
• Speak at scheduled alumni community meetings.

Established best practice is two co-chairs for each committee or working group

• Serve as the liaison between the Executive Committee and the committee/group members.
• Focus on setting agendas, scheduling meetings, and ensuring the committee/group work aligns with the Board’s goals. 
• Implement the Executive Director’s strategic priorities while ensuring that alums with varying backgrounds and perspectives are served.
• Work closely with staff liaisons and are respectful of their time and institutional knowledge.

24 members, 6 selected via the Board of Governors Nominating Committee and two Board appointed members

• Actively participate in three in-person Board meetings (September, November, April/May) and two virtual Board meetings (January/February, June) per year.
• Actively participate in virtual committee meetings throughout the year, with frequency varying by committee.

Be familiar with and adhere to the:

• YAA Constitution & Board By-Laws
• Available in Teams and the Board Handbook:
  • YAA Board Values & Expectations
  • YAA Board Email Communications Guidelines
  • YAA Board Media Guidelines