Governance

Duties and Principles

The AGD Board of Trustees consists of 28 active members, comprised of the immediate past president, 20 trustees representing the 20 AGD regions, the seven elected officers: president, president-elect, vice president, secretary, treasurer, speaker of the House of Delegates (HOD), and editor. 

As the governing body between HOD meetings, the Board can amend the AGD Constitution and Bylaws, as prescribed in Article X of the Constitution and Chapter XIX of the Bylaws, and determine the policies to govern the AGD in all its activities except those which are specifically delegated in these Bylaws to other AGD agencies. Additional duties of the Board include:

  • To annually review the AGD's core purpose and strategic plan and recommend appropriate modifications to the HOD;
  • To direct the AGD and its resources toward the achievement of the AGD's core purpose;
  • To approve the overall strategic plan, including the definition of the core competency and culture, to review the summary of the internal and external analysis, and to approve the fiscal goals, objectives, and plans for the future;
  • To oversee the development of organizational structures, processes, and systems that will ensure that the resources of the AGD are utilized to meet documented member needs.

Read more about the description and duties of an AGD Board member.MS Word

For more information and resources specific to your role as an AGD Trustee, contact executiveoffice@agd.org.
Governance Principles

The AGD Board of Trustees developed the Eleven Principles of Board Governance to use throughout their meetings. Consider adopting these principals to guide you throughout your delegate experience.

  1. Trusteeship: Sitting in trust for others is the role of the Board. This Board is accountable to those others who could be corporate owners, the community as owners, or members of an association.
  2. Authority resides in the group, not individuals.
  3. A Board decision is speaking with one voice.
  4. Speak positively about the strategic outcomes; stay out of strategies except to restrict or set boundaries for what is acceptable in activities or circumstances. Limitations are stated in the negative.
  5. Decide the most general issues in each area before deciding more specific issues in any area. In creating restraints, the Board is more and more specific when it wants to constrain the choices of the executive director and chairperson. Read all eleven principles.