Article 4 - Duties of the Board of Directors
The role of the Directors is to act as stewards or trustees of the Association’s mission, promoting the Association’s values and anticipating the future. Specific responsibilities include:
4.1 Legal
a) To govern and direct the Association according to its Constitution, Bylaws and Special Operating Rules, ensuring that these are consistent with the purposes; and
b) To review and approve recommendations of revisions of its Constitution, Bylaws and Special Operating Rules, when necessary, and forward these to the Annual Meeting for ratification.
4.2 Culture and Values
a) To establish and review fundamental principles and beliefs that forms the foundation of the Association, to guide the Association’s behaviour, services and programs.
b) To communicate, encourage and monitor the application of these fundamental beliefs throughout the softball community.
4.3 Planning
a) To formulate the strategic plans and long-range corporate goals of the Association.
b) To ensure the maintenance of an effective planning process for strategic and operational planning.
c) To monitor the formulation and implementation of operational plans and ensure that such plans are consistent with the strategic direction of the Association.
d) To work in collaboration with Provincial/Territorial Association Members when National events are occurring within that province/territory.
4.4 Policy
a) To develop major functional policies which relate to the goals and objectives of the Association.
b) To make policies and procedures relating to discipline and have the authority to discipline members in accordance with such policy and procedures.
c) To make policies and procedures relating to how disputes within the Association will be managed, and all such disputes will be dealt with in accordance with such policies and procedures.
d) To monitor the development and implementation of operational policies and procedures to ensure they are consistent and compatible with the major functional policies of the Association.
4.5 Human Resources
a) To approve and monitor sound human resource management policies, procedures and practices.
b) To select and hire a Chief Executive Officer capable of assuming responsibility for implementation of the Board’s Policies and strategic plans through the efficient management of the Association’s operations. The Chief Executive Officer should be capable of identifying policy needs and developing and recommending policy to the Board.
c) To ratify and support volunteer and contract position appointments of people whom are capable of assuming operations responsibilities within the strategic direction and policies established by the Board, under the guidance and leadership of the Chief Executive Officer.
d) To counsel, support and assist the Association’s staff and appointed volunteers in the fulfillment of their operational responsibilities.
4.6 Financial
a) To ensure that the budget reflects the priorities and strategic direction of the Association through the approval and monitoring of the annual budget and within financial statements.
b) To plan for and acquire sufficient financial resources to implement the plans of the Association in prudent, financially responsible way.
c) To ensure that effective financial controls and management systems are in place to protect the assets of the Association.
d) To ensure auditing of the financial operation.
4.7 Advocacy
a) To develop community awareness of the purpose and mission of the Association.
b) To represent the Association to the national and international sporting community, government, foundations, funding agencies and other Associations.
c) To monitor government legislation and advise government officials on the impact of currently proposed policies.
d) To report to the membership on strategic plans and policy development and ensure the reporting to the membership on program services and future operational planning.
e) To participate as a responsible member of the Canadian and international sporting communities on issue identification and resolution.
4.8 Maintenance of the Board
a) To ensure that qualified candidates are recruited as required for electoral consideration.
b) To evaluate the Board’s performance annually.
4.9 The responsibilities of the President are to:
a) Preside at all meetings of the Directors and the Association’s Member’s Meeting(s);
b) Serve as ex-officio member of all Association committees;
c) Supervise the general administration and management of the Association;
d) Supervise the work of the Chief Executive Officer;
e) Supervise the performance of duties assigned to members of the Board and ensure that all Association Constitution, Bylaws, Special Operating Rules and policies are respected;
f) Provide the liaison between the Association and all external agencies except where assigned to the CEO;
g) Assign committee responsibilities to Directors; and
h) Designate a Director to be his/her replacement in the event that he/she is unable to act due to illness or other absence.
