NDSA:Principles of Collaboration

Notes from the NDSA Organizing Workshop, Module 3: Organizational Structure

• Barrie Howard made contextual comments regarding the Subcommittee’s intent:
  • One category of membership embraces broadness in membership
  • NDSA general assembly will vote on Coordinating Committee members, which partially answers the question, what are we governing?
  • Coordinating Committee maintains eligibility standard
  • LC’s role is more administrative than anything else
  • Taking into account the inherent diaspora of the NDSA membership, there is an allowance for virtual meetings
  • Document suggests an annual meeting, or convention, of the general assembly
• Breakout groups discussed the document, with the following reports:
  • Groups 3—focused on the role of the Library and Coordinating Committee, and recommended having a chair for that committee
  • Group 2—remarked how eligibility hasn’t yet been defined; strategic vision is important; Coordinating Committee should be a vehicle to move forward strategic vision, but not be a decision-making body; business transactions need to be transparent; ground rules for votes need to be established, e.g., a super majority for new memberships, and simple for all other business; Coordinating Committee members need to rotate, the committee needs a chair, and Working Groups need to coordinate with it
  • Group 1—Coordinating Committee should coordinate work of Working Groups, articulate the vision of the NDSA, and be composed of 9 people with each of the Working Group Co-chairs, one representative from the Secretariat, and 3 at-large members; At-large member numbers can fluctuate if Working Groups dip below 5; the Secretariat and Working Groups report to the Coordinating Committee; rather than having a chair with a term, the Coordinating Committee could have a presiding individual at each meeting, and the closing agenda item would be to choose one for next meeting
  • Group 3—discussed the importance of information exchange, the high value of using or being affiliated with the NDSA, and need to design an organization that allows for growth; recommended a rotating nominating committee to nominate Coordinating Committee members; Coordinating Committee members should have staggered, 3-year terms, and their number should cap at 12; their should be Working Groups representation on the Coordinating Committee, although not necessarily the Co-chairs, and this may be a problem if the number of Working Groups grows; strong support for a flat organization; agreement that there should be a Coordination Committee chair, elected annually
  • Group 5—one category of membership is good; 3 years is a short period of time; the language for number of Coordinating Committee members is fine, and Working Groups should be represented on that committee; when there are vacancies on the Coordinating Committee, replacements should be based on individual merit, not at the discretion of the institution affiliated with the exiting member; there should be no more than one individual from a given institution serving on the Coordinating Committee; the person who leads a Coordinating Committee meeting could be selected at the beginning of the meeting; Secretariat role should be administrative and logistical in character; the Principles of Collaboration doesn’t mention a quorum for conducting business; the informality of the document is welcome, yet it mentions Robert’s Rules

Comments from Laura Campbell

• Fiduciary legislation governs the Library’s role in NDSA in the permanent Secretariat, so that role has to be fulfilled by the Library
• All other recommendations on organizational structure are fine
• Martha and Laura are looking at the possibility of a Foundation, because the NDSA will eventually need additional funding to be successful

Comments from Michelle Gallinger

• The Secretariat doesn’t have to set the agenda for Coordinating Committee meeting; language can be changed to “facilitate”
• The foundation being poured is for the first three years
  
  

Bhow 17:06, 21 December 2010 (UTC)