This is an informal description of the responsibilities of members of the Board of Directors, the Advisory Board and the Honorary Board for The Human Potential Center. A legal description for members and officers of our Board of Directors is found in our bylaws.
The Board of Directors is the most influential and active of the three boards, and consequently requires the largest time commitment. Because the Board of Directors is charged with the responsibility of setting the direction of the Center, and because it has the authority to hire and fire staff and approve the budget and all major expenditures, membership on the Board requires a willingness to become knowledgeable and actively engaged in the programs and business of the Center.
We ask Board members to attend and actively participate in the monthly Board meetings. This generally amounts to about 3 hours per month, including driving and preparation time. They may also volunteer on various committees and/or agree to act as President, Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer of the Board, which involves additional time each month. We hope that Board members will ask enlightening questions leading to fresh ideas, and make sound decisions in keeping with our mission. In addition to giving time and talents to special committees and events, we ask that, when appropriate, members of the Board share their enthusiasm for our mission with the people they contact in their every day life.
A member of the Board of Directors is a person who understands and actively supports the Center's mission. We expect Board members to have experienced enough activities at the Center to understand on an experiential level what the Mission Statement means, and to be dedicated to the growth, prosperity, effectiveness, and mission of the Center. We ask members of the Board to make a substantive contribution to the mission of the Center. That contribution may be financial, or it may involve a commitment of time, a sharing of contacts and connections, or a willingness to tell people they know about the Center and encourage them to become involved. They are also expected to abide by our Conflict of Interest Policy.
There are many people who have plenty of helpful knowledge and enthusiasm for the goals and mission of the Center, but who have very busy lives and don't have much time to spare. These are usually the people who we would like to invite to participate on our Board of Advisors. Members of the Board of Advisors are expected to attend a single event each year, generally in November, where we provide information about what the Center has been up to during the past year and request your input on what our next steps should be. We might also call or email you during the year to get your opinion on some issue that is in your particular area of expertise.
For example, if we are having electrical problems at the Center and you are an Electrical Engineer, you might get a call from us! Or if you are interested in environmental causes and belong to some environmental organizations, we might ask you to help us find information and contacts on how to construct an environmentally-friendly parking lot that meets the standards required by the city of Austin.
A Member of the Board of Advisors is a special person who gives special and helpful gifts for the growth, prosperity and perpetuation of the Human Potential Center .A member of the Advisory Board has the same enthusiasm, interest, support, and dedication to The Human Potential Center and its mission as those who are members of the Board of Directors. Even though they have less time to devote to the Center, they nevertheless have useful talents, skills, and/or knowledge, and they are willing to share these.
A member of the Honorary Board is someone who lends us the use of their name as an indication of their support for our mission, but who is not directly involved in the running of the Center and is not required to donate any of their time. He or she is a person who feels enthusiasm, interest, support and dedication for the Center and is willing to allow us to use their recognizable and prestigious name when applying for grants and/or providing information to the public about the Center.