NAFSA's annual leadership election is now open, giving members the opportunity to vote on candidates for positions on the Board of Directors and chairs of national committees. While the election features a range of leadership positions, members occasionally seek more clarity about the board selection process.
To help clarify the process, The NAFSA Blog spoke with Elena Anderson, Board of Directors secretary and chair of the Governance Committee, and Jenny Bowen, board member and co-chair of the Governance Committee. The Governance Committee is responsible for overseeing the process by which the slate of candidates for board positions is developed. As a part of this process, the Governance Committee reviews applications, conducts interviews, and presents the final slate to the full board for approval.
Anderson and Bowen share insights into how the committee approaches its work—and what every NAFSA member should understand about board elections. If you haven't already, cast your vote by October 31!
Can you give us a short summary of your role on the governance committee?
Elena Anderson: As chair of the Governance Committee, my role was to lead the team through all of its designated tasks for the year, and to be specifically accountable for the integrity and timeliness of the board selection process.
Jenny Bowen: One of the primary responsibilities of the Governance Committee is building each year's slate for the election of board members. Collaboration with NAFSA stakeholders, including NAFSA staff and Governance Committee members is key in this effort, since we need to work together to review position descriptions, suggest updates, and fine-tune the overall process.
Because this work is so critical to the NAFSA membership, we spend a lot of time on it, ensuring that we are acting holistically, thoughtfully, and in alignment with NAFSA's vision and strategic plan. In my role, I supported the Governance Committee in assessing the needs of the board (looking at short- and long-term needs) in preparation for the election season; recruiting and selecting of applicants for the full board's review; and onboarding newly elected members.
What do you want NAFSA members to understand about board elections?
Anderson: There's an intentional and thoughtful process in place to select candidates for the election slate. Before the nominations process begins, the Governance Committee prepares for the process by taking a number of steps:
- reflecting on the state of the association and the field;
- conducting a gap analysis of the current board;
- revising the text of the position descriptions;
- confirming the timeline of the process;
- developing a matrix and scoring process to rank applicants; and
- updating the scripts used for the interview process.
On the other end of the process, the candidates who members see on the election slate have humbly applied for the role—a process that involves responding to prompts on the application; sharing their résumé or CV; and engaging in an hour-long interview with at least two members of the Governance Committee. The process is time intensive and invisible to most NAFSA members. The goal is to prepare the association for an uncertain future by equipping it with board members—both from within the association and outside of the field—who have the skills, acumen, and heart to support NAFSA with foresight, partnership, and other contributions.
Bowen: The board elections entail a fairly rigorous process—but not so rigorous as to be a barrier! The Governance Committee takes time and care to consider a number of different factors when determining whom to interview. We're looking at what the board needs (skill sets and experience) or is likely to need in the years ahead. We review applications, carefully assess each candidate based on a rubric the Governance Committee agrees on earlier in the year, narrow down the field accordingly, conduct in-depth interviews, and finalize the candidates to share with the full board. I know that some boards accept each person who applies, but NAFSA takes a more strategic and intentional approach. We thoughtfully and carefully consider each candidate based on their individual attributes and on the needs of the board and the NAFSA membership.
We all agree that transparency is important. How is this value taken into account or incorporated into the slate selection and election processes?
Anderson: Transparency is paramount in our approach to selecting board members for the slate. It starts with creating steps to reduce unconscious bias in the process. This is done when the Governance Committee spends time to review the needs of the current board and the criteria before reviewing any applications. When position descriptions are updated, we strive to be very clear about the expectations of the roles for which we are requesting nominations and applications. Different organizations have different board structures, so during the interview process, we are very transparent about the fact that NAFSA's volunteer board is a highly engaged working board. Even after the Governance Committee makes its selection, we present the slate to the full board (excluding any board members whose terms are up for renewal) and respond to questions about the candidates and the committee's selection process.
Bowen: The goal is to communicate openly while maintaining appropriate confidentiality—and to ensure that all candidates receive clear information about the interview process. In my experience as a candidate and board member, I can say that the process is reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis, to ensure that transparency remains an essential part of the election cycle.
In confidential processes, we can't always share as much information as we might prefer. However, it's critical that we continue to look for the best ways to communicate with potential and active candidates so that they can be as informed as possible. To this end, we are glad to have feedback to incorporate into our ongoing discussions.
Once the candidate review and selection process is complete, it becomes a balancing act to maintain confidentiality while striving for transparency. While confidential processes can make it difficult to share as much information as we might prefer, it remains critical that we continue identifying effective ways to communicate with potential and active candidates so they can stay as informed and engaged as possible.
Why does NAFSA conduct single-slate elections?
Anderson: The single-slate election, which is nothing new for NAFSA, prevents our election from becoming a popularity contest. Strategically, NAFSA needs board members who bring skills and experiences from outside of the association—and these candidates may be less known in the field but have specific attributes and perspectives that will help the association navigate uncertain times. Having contested slates does not support a thorough vetting and review of these candidates to ensure that they fit the association's current and future leadership needs.
Bowen: I'd be remiss, as a member of the Governance Committee, if I didn't note that the single-slate election is part of NAFSA's standing rules. The single-slate election process ensures that candidates are not pitted against each other. We don't want to set it up so that an unelected candidate chooses not to lend their talents to NAFSA's volunteer opportunities in other ways, or chooses not to apply again in the future. The candidate selection process is comprehensive and allows the Governance Committee to meet the requirements of the standing rules, and allows the board to deliver a robust slate to the membership.
Are there any misconceptions you frequently encounter or hear that you'd like to address?
Anderson: There's a common misconception that certain NAFSA members have a guaranteed seat on the board. While you may see familiar faces on the election slate, every candidate has gone through the application and interview steps. Even when a board member is applying to renew their term, they must still apply for the role and go through an hour-long interview process with Governance Committee members. The selection of board candidates for the election slate is a competitive process, and the Governance Committee makes a solemn commitment to seeing this process conducted with diligence and integrity.
Bowen: Over the years, people have often told me that applying to join the board or pursuing any other elected or appointed position within NAFSA isn't something they could see themselves doing—or that these opportunities are only for some people. I would encourage anyone who might think that to talk with a current board member or other member-leaders. There are so many ways to get involved and contribute your talents and skills! As with other NAFSA elected and appointed positions, there's work to be done, and we are here to make it happen in support of our international education colleagues around the world. So if you're thinking about getting involved, please do! •