Advisory board

Why an Advisory Board?
An Advisory Board can serve many valuable purposes, and can help greatly to further the messages and mission of AIGA as a whole. An Advisory Board adds legitimacy to a working board, clears the air of any cronyism, projects a professional light on the organization, helps to relieve stressors on the working board, allows the organization to grow in new directions, and provides a means for those who want to be involved to do so. Additionally, members of an Advisory Board are able to pursue goals and initiatives that members of the working board simply do not have the time or resources to contemplate.

Selection of the Advisory Board
Advisory Board members shall be elected to a two-year term by the working board and president. Candidates will be selected based on their respective qualifications, experience, passion for the ideals of AIGA, and specific initiative plan (see below). There will be three Advisory Board members at any one time. There are no term limits for Advisory Board members; however, even existing Advisory Board members must re-apply to serve an additional term, and compete against all applicants for a position.

Application Requirements of Advisory Board members
In order to apply for a position on the AIGA Nebraska Advisory Board, you must meet the following qualifications:

• Active membership in AIGA.
• A minimum of 5 years practical experience working in or with the field of design.
• The ability to contribute 15-30 hours a month (regularly during standard working hours) to the activities of the Advisory Board.
• A solid reputation in the design community as exemplified through professional references.

Ongoing Requirements of Advisory Board members
In order to maintain a position on the AIGA Nebraska Advisory Board, the following qualifications must be met:

• Active membership in AIGA.
• Attendance at four quarterly meetings annually.
• Attendance at a majority of public AIGA Nebraska events.
• Active pursuit of all duties and responsibilities detailed below.

Chairperson of the Advisory Board
One member of the Advisory Board shall be selected as the official chairperson. The three members of the Advisory Board (with assistance from the chapter president if necessary) shall elect the chairperson annually to a one-year term.
The chairperson will act as director of the Advisory Board, keep the Advisory Board on task, coordinate the efforts of the Advisory Board, and act as the primary liaison with the working board and president. The chairperson shall also be responsible for scheduling the Advisory Board’s quarterly meetings.

Duties of the Advisory Board
A. Guidance
The Advisory Board shall act as an oversight committee to the working board, providing guidance, insight, conflict resolution, and strategic recommendations:

• Keep abreast of chapter happenings.
• Provide counsel and guidance on critical chapter decisions.
• Provide leadership perspective to the future goals and events of the chapter.
• Provide organizational direction on tough strategic matters.
• Be reasonably accessible to the executive board for feedback, direction and input.

B. Individual Initiative
Each member of the Advisory Board shall be required to plan and implement an initiative, which furthers one of the core goals of AIGA. A brief overview of the intended initiative must be included with an application for a position on the Advisory Board. Within 30 days of the beginning of each year of the member’s term, a detailed plan of the initiative shall be presented to the board president and the other members of the Advisory Board for discussion and approval. Initiatives may be one- or two-year plans; if an Advisory Board member completes a one-year initiative in the first year of their term, they must also submit, have approved, and complete a plan for the second year of their term. Two or more Advisory Board members may choose to combine their efforts and resources on a more ambitious group initiative, or all members of the Advisory Board may engage in individual plans. The detailed plan for each initiative should describe:

• The overall goal(s) of the initiative, and how it furthers the mission of AIGA.
• The intended audience of the initiative.
• How the initiative will be implemented.
• How the initiative will be funded.
• The intended timeline of the initiative.
• How the resources necessary for the initiative will be secured.
• How the success of the initiative will be measured.

Initiatives shall not require any time or efforts of working board members, or add to their duties. They shall be carried out under the oversight of the rest of the Advisory Board and the president of the working board. The working board will be kept abreast of the active initiatives of the Advisory Board.

C. Bylaws
The Advisory Board shall conduct an annual review of the AIGA Nebraska bylaws, presenting recommended revisions to the working board for official action.

D. Outreach to the Business Community
It is of vital importance that the Advisory Board works diligently to foster, build, and improve relations with the local business community in order to further the mission of AIGA. The Advisory Board will act as the voice of the chapter, and become the face of the organization to the outside community. The Advisory Board will communicate and network with all applicable resources, such as the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, and other related industry organizations (Omaha Federation of Advertising, American Marketing Association, Public Relations Society of America, design alliance OMAha, etc.). During the first quarterly meeting of each year term, the Advisory Board shall develop a specific outreach plan of action for the year, complete with well-defined activities and measurable goals. This planning process should include evaluating where to connect for outreach, where the greatest needs and opportunities might lay, which organizations and individuals to contact, how to make AIGA available to the business community, etc.

Timeline
Public notice of a call for applications to the Advisory Board shall be made approximately 01 May of each year in which one or more advisory board positions will be filled. Applications shall be due approximately 01 July of the same year, and the working board shall make public their Advisory Board selections on approximately 01 August. The selected Advisory Board should hold their first quarterly meeting of the year, and officially begin their terms, no later than approximately 01 September of that same year. This timeline may be adjusted as necessary.

Application Procedure
Please submit a letter of application, your resume and an outline of your proposed initiative, as stated above in point "B." APPLICATIONS DUE TO president@nebraska.aiga.org NO LATER THAN NOON ON JULY 1. APPLICANTS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF SELECTION ON OR BEFORE JULY 15.