Board Member Responsibilities
The AAfPE Board of Directors is responsible for governing and leading the association. AAfPE expects that all board members will
- Be informed (and follow) about AAfPE's mission, goals, position statements, strategic plan, bylaws and policies
- Attend all board meetings and functions
- Assist the board in carrying out its fiduciary responsibilities
- Complete all assigned tasks
- Serve on committees or task forces and offer to take on special assignments
- Suggest possible nominees to the board who can make significant contributions to the work of the board and AAfPE
- Expand AAfPE's reach
- Keep up-to-date on developments in the field of paralegal and legal studies
Board members also have responsibilities specifically associated with their positions on the board.
- President
- President-Elect
- Immediate Past President
- Treasurer
- Secretary
- Regional Directors
- Director, Associate Programs
- Director, Baccalaureate Programs
- Director, Certificate Programs
- AAfPE Representative to ABA Standing Committee on Paralegals Approval Commission
President
- Serve as the chief executive officer of the Association and Chair of the Management Committee (more commonly known as the Executive Committee)
- Carry out all purposes, policies and activities established or specified by the Board of Directors and as set out in the bylaws
- Schedule Board meetings
- Preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Board of Directors
- Serve as the ex-officio member of all committees, except the Nominating Committee
- Appoint chairs to the standing and special committees, unless otherwise provided for in the bylaws
- Function as the primary contact between the Association, Board of Directors and the Management Company
- Approve all disbursements of the Association funds in the event the treasurer is unable to approve such disbursements
- Appoint a parliamentarian who is familiar with the Association bylaws and the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order to provide expert advice on parliamentary procedure at the annual business meeting
- Serve as a voting member of the Board
- Speak on behalf of AAfPE and as appropriate respond to requests for information about the Association from any publications
President-Elect
- Serve as an officer of the Association and as a member of the Executive Committee
- Perform all duties of the president in the absence of the president for whatever cause, and otherwise assist the president in implementing the established policies of the Board and bylaws
- At the conclusion of the National Conference, set the date and time for the first Board Meeting
- Serve as a voting member of the Board
- Oversee all membership activities for a one-year period, including:
- Interface with Management Company to approve new applications
- Submit a written membership report at each regular meeting of the Association and of the Board of Directors
- Develop, amend, delete, and revise membership categories and membership qualifications as needed by and through the board and voting members
- Complete other tasks related to membership as warranted
Immediate Past President
- Serve as an officer of the Association and as a member of the Executive Committee
- Serve as a voting member of the Board
- Oversee and handle nominations for open positions as well as processing of submissions for Honorary Member nominations unless the president appoints a chair sixty (60) days prior to the annual meeting of the Association pursuant to Paragraph 4.6.a of the bylaws
- Oversee all membership activities for a one-year period, including:
- Interface with Management Company to approve new applications
- Submit a written membership report at each regular meeting of the Association and of the Board of Directors
- Develop, amend, delete, and revise membership categories and membership qualifications as needed by and through the board and voting members
- Complete other tasks related to membership as warranted
- When necessary or the year prior to the completion of a contract period, chair the RFP process for management companies at the request and under the direction of the serving president
- Prepare a written report to the Board prior to each Board meeting
Treasurer
- Serve as an officer of the Association and as a member of the Executive Committee
- Serve as a voting member of the Board
- Approve all funds and disbursements subject to the approval of the Board of Directors (when necessary) and as provided in the budget
- Chair the Finance Committee
- Assist the management company in preparing a draft budget for the ensuing fiscal year for presentation to the Board of Directors for its consideration and approval at the January Board meeting
- Oversee the processing of an tax returns and related paperwork
- Submit a written financial report at each regular meeting of the Association and of the Board of Directors
- Serve as the primary point of contact on behalf of the Board of Directors and the Association with the accounting department of the Management Association
- Ensure all disbursements of Association funds are by Association check
- Notify the management company of any adjustments to financial report
- Suggest additional sources of revenue and advise of means to curb costs
Secretary
- Serve as an officer of the Association and as a member of the Executive Committee
- Serve as a voting member of the Board
- Prepare the minutes for all meetings
- Assist the president in any way, including giving notice of meetings
- Create and maintain “to do” lists for Board members and Headquarters
- Track all policies and procedures passed at any Board or Business Meeting
- Oversee drafts of proposed amendments and distribution to the voting membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the annual Business Meeting
Regional Directors
- Communicate with members of the region being represented
- Fulfill all duties and obligations contained in the Board approved Regional Conference Manual
- Bring issues of concern from regional members to the attention of the Board of Directors
- Work closely with the president-elect, the management company and the Directors of the various programs to recruit new members and encourage the renewal of existing members
- Assist the Membership Committee in communicating with an Association member when a school in the region falls out of compliance regarding membership
- Assist the Publication Chair with acquiring articles from the Director’s region for inclusion in any Association Publications
- Assist the President-Elect and Headquarters as needed in acquainting new program directors/members with the benefits of membership in the Association
- Assist the Membership Chair and Headquarters in ensuring current information regarding a member is listed at the Association website
- Provide any other membership follow-up as requested by the President-Elect
- Attend Board meetings
- Assist in the implementation of directives from the AAfPE Board meetings
- Preside over the regional luncheon at the regional conference and conduct the regional business meeting at the Annual Conference
- Recruit regional members to serve on committees and task forces as either chairs or members to ensure adequate regional representation and fairness to all regions
- Recruit members or volunteers to host a regional meeting
- Meet with the host of the regional conference and review the expectations of the Board for the regional conferences
- Work with the regional host and the Executive Director, serving as the liaison for the regional conference
- Oversee the regional conference as the Association’s Board representative
- Promote the regional conferences to regional members and encourage attendance
- Thank vendors for attending the regional conference and supporting the Association
- Prepare a written report to the Board prior to each Board meeting as requested by the president
Director – Associate Programs
- Attend Board meetings
- Assist in the implementation of directives from the AAfPE Board meetings
- Serve as a member of the Membership Committee as needed, actively recruit new members and assist in the renewal of existing members
- Chair the Associate Program Meeting at the Annual Conference
- Communicate with members who offer an Associate Program on any relevant matter
- Bring issues of concern from constituents to the attention of the Board
- Prepare a written report to the Board prior to each Board meeting as requested by the president
Director – Baccalaureate Programs
- Attend Board meetings
- Assist in the implementation of directives from the AAfPE Board meetings
- Serve as a member of the Membership Committee as needed, actively recruit new members and assist in the renewal of existing members
- Chair the Baccalaureate Program Meeting at the Annual Conference
- Communicate with members who offer a Baccalaureate Program on any relevant matter
- Bring issues of concern from constituents to the attention of the Board
- Serve as Chair of the Publications Committee
- Assist as needed in the publishing of The Legal Educator and any other Association publications
- Prepare a written report to the Board prior to each Board meeting as requested by the president
Director – Certificate Programs
- Attend Board meetings
- Assist in the implementation of directives from the AAfPE Board meetings
- Serve as a member of the Membership Committee as needed, actively recruit new members and assist in the renewal of existing members
- Chair the Certificate Program Meeting at the Annual Conference
- Communicate with members who offer a Certificate Program on any relevant matter
- Bring issues of concern from constituents to the attention of the Board
- Serve as Chair of the LEX Committee
- Assist as needed in the application and approval process for the creation of new LEX Chapters
- Assist as needed in the application and approval process of LEX Inductees
- Generate, disseminate and review the LEX Scholarship essay
- Chair the committee responsible for the selection of the LEX Essay winner
- Prepare a written report to the Board prior to each Board meeting as requested by the president
AAfPE Representative to ABA Committee: The ABA Approval Commission position is for a one-year term beginning in August of the year following nomination with reappointment to a maximum of three years.
- Communicate scheduled discussion topics to the AAfPE President and [email protected] within one week of receipt of the commission meeting agenda
- Appear at the meetings of the AAfPE Board of Directors to be held immediately before and after each commission meeting to determine what input, if any, shall be shared with the commission on behalf of AAfPE
- Attend all commission meetings, taking comprehensive notes and seeking clarification from ABA staff as needed
- Prepare a report to the AAfPE Board of Directors, using its approved report template, and submit it to the AAfPE President and [email protected] within two weeks following each commission meeting
- Other reasonable duties as requested by the AAfPE Board of Directors
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