As you may recall, in 2016 I worked with Robyn Peterson, now Director of the Riverside Metropolitan Museum, in creating an “ideal” Board Orientation Handbook. Two years later, I decided to revisit this topic.

One of the key components of a successful onboarding for new board members is an orientation day on which the “new class” is introduced to all aspects of the museum. In the past, we have emphasized the importance of the Board Orientation Handbook, given to each new board member at the beginning of their term.

While the Board Orientation Handbook is a useful tool, it does not need to be restricted to a static physical document anymore. There have been a number of changes in the way that boards process information. Board portals and cloud based resources are becoming more and more prevalent, and as a result, the Board Orientation Handbook can be a dynamic document used long into a board member’s career. As you prepare to launch into your new board year, I would encourage you to evaluate how your staff disseminates information to your board.

A number of the documents listed in the sample table of contents below can exist as fluid documents with periodic updates. Sharing these documents with your entire board in a digital format, such as a portal or shared drive, allows for easy updates and eliminates the confusion of conflicting duplicate documents.

Have you used any interesting techniques in building your board orientation handbooks? Let us know in the comments below.

January marks the beginning of a new board year for many museums across North America. After months of effort cultivating and electing new trustees, the museum and board leadership must welcome the new board members to the museum family. One of the key components to a successful transition for new members is a board orientation day on which the “new class” is introduced to all aspects of the museum. MTA wrote in February about creating an effective board orientation process (Available Here). In this post, we emphasized the importance of the Board Handbook, given to each new board member. But what should this manual contain?
 
I asked an MTA member, Robyn Peterson of the Yellowstone Museum, this question during my July visit. She was preparing to welcome 4 new board members the following week. We decided to collaborate and create an “ideal” Board Orientation Handbook. Here is our version…Read More
Please send us your thoughts and comments!
 
    Table of Contents
I.          Trustee Role and Meetings

• Statement of Mission and Values
• Role of a Trustee
• Schedule of Board Meetings
• Committee Assignments
• Schedule of Committee Meetings
• Committee Charters
• Calendar of Museum Events 

 
II.        About the Museum 

• Guidebook Introduction
• Campus Map
• Fast Facts about the Collection   
• Financial and Education Fast Facts
• Top Five – Highlights of the Museum’s Collection
• Sample Exhibition catalogue
• FY16 Budget
• Strategic Plan 
• Organization Chart
• Organizational Description: stats on visitation, membership, local demographics etc.
• Museum Membership Information
•  Social Media - Web Site addresses    
•  Annual Report – FY15
• Capital Campaign or Special Fundraising Project (if any)
• Endowment Report

 
III.         Policies & Governing Documents

•   By-laws
  • IRS tax-exempt determination
• Code of Ethics & Conflict of Interest Statement

• Collections Management Policy 
•  Gift Acceptance Policy
•  Conservation Policy
• Investment Policy       
  
• Professional Practices in Art Museums from the American Association of Museum Directors
• Personnel Manual
• Other Administrative Policies Approved by the Board
• Proof of D & O Insurance

 
IV.        The People of the Museum

•  Board of Trustees
  •  Board List & Terms
  • Board Bios
  • Board Address List
    
  • Affiliate Groups
    
• Job Description of the Executive Director & his/her CV
  
• Staff Contacts  
  
• Volunteers (sample of handbook given to non-trustee volunteers)
  

 

You've just joined the board of a museum in your community, and you're full of enthusiasm, eager to learn, and ready to make a positive contribution. This is a time of great opportunity for you, the board and the museum. Equipped with information and supportive guidance of board colleagues, you'll be an active participant. Left to find your own way, you'll be unproductive, frustrated and even disillusioned with board service. A strong orientation program can make the difference and MTA recommends seven steps to creating an effective program:

1. The Nominating/Board Development Committee should oversee the orientation process working with the Executive Director and senior staff.
2. In-depth orientation should be held prior to the first board meeting of the fiscal year before the " new class" begins its term.
3. Incoming trustees are the principal audience, but the entire board should be involved. Seasoned trustees bring wisdom (and sometimes the battle scars) of experience. Orientation can be an invigorating, informative refresher course for them.
4. A board handbook sent in advance of the orientation session should include the museum's mission statement, by-laws, recent board minutes, policies and planning documents, financial reports, audience demographics and visitors statistics and board and staff lists with biographies.
5. A tour of the museum's facilities both public and back-of-house allow new trustees to get  a close-up look at the strengths and problems to be solved.
6. "The orientation process promotes the vision, communication, and clarification of ongoing goals, programming and planning that contribute to effective governance," observed Maureen P. King, MTA Chairman. The program structure should encourage open dialogue with ample time for questions.
7. Mentor programs match incoming trustees with experienced colleagues as a way to build institutional knowledge and share information throughout the first year.

  
In conclusion, orientation is a sound investment in the museum's future. You worked hard cultivating these new trustees.  Converting them to full engagement in board life is the next step in developing these valuable museum assets.