iSchools Organisation establishes new governance structure.

The iSchools Organisation has unveiled a new governance structure that is expected to make the Organisation more responsive to the needs of its membership. To facilitate the change, the new membership structure more distinctly reflects each member’s involvement with the Organisation. In the works for more than a year, the new governance model was formally adopted at the annual iSchools business meeting, which was held March 27, 2018 in conjunction with iConference 2018 in Sheffield, UK.

Under the new model, (opens in a new window)all iSchools members will participate in the election of a (opens in a new window)Board of Directors. This new Board consist of two groups: an Executive Committee, and an additional group of regionally elected Board members. The Executive Committee is made up of the current iSchools chair, the chair-elect, the immediate past-chair, the treasurer, the chairs of each of the three regions, and ex officio the executive director. The remainder of the Board consists of regionally elected chairs, calculated using a formula that factors the number of schools and the financial contributions in each.

The newly adopted membership structure offers a wider array of levels reflecting each member’s ongoing relationship with the organisation. All members may self-select the membership level that represents the level of support they wish to provide; this includes the iCaucus level, which formerly required institutional approval to join.

The new iSchools membership levels are as follows: iCaucus; Enabling; Sustaining; Supporting; Basic; and Associate. Members at all levels have a vote factored for their level of support, with the exception of those who select the non-voting Associate level.

“I am very pleased with the new governance structure adopted at our recent business meeting,” said iSchools Chair Sam Oh. “These changes enable member-institutions of all sizes to have a direct impact on the Organisation’s mission of leading and promoting the information field in the 21st century, while at the same time recognizing the level of Organisational support that each of our members graciously provides.”

Moving forward, the Executive Committee will continue to handle the ongoing day-to-day business of the Organisation. The Board of Directors must approve broader decisions such as changes in the budget and membership. In addition, a majority of all members must vote to approve any change in the dues or fundamental structural alterations, and will also elect the chair.

You can read the full article on the (opens in a new window)iSchools website.