According to the Institute Bylaws, Members of the USITT Board of Directors manage the affairs of the Corporation. Each member of the Board of Directors shall be a member of USITT in good standing. The Board of Directors determines the Institute's strategic objectives and policies and monitors the Institute’s progress toward achieving those objectives and policies. Board Directors, including those elected as Officers, are the Institute's only elected officials “charged with the responsibility to advise, govern, oversee policy and direction, and assist with the leadership and general promotion of the Institute so as to support its mission and needs” (Article IV, Section 1).
Board Members are elected to serve the Institute and its Members by investing their time, expertise, and efforts to assist in the effective stewardship of the Institute. Board Members are the Institute’s fiduciaries who also assist in the development of sound, ethical, and legal governance, and financial management. The Board carries out these responsibilities through a sophisticated management structure rooted in active governance, which is how we discipline our own activities.
Board Members are expected to uphold the Mission and core values of the organization. They are as follows:
USITT Mission
The United States Institute for Theatre Technology, Inc. (USITT) connects performing arts design and technology communities to ensure a vibrant dialogue among practitioners, educators, and students.
Core Values of USITT
- Inclusion - Acknowledging the inequitable structures established by the dominant culture, and the industry's conscious or unconscious participation in these unjust systems, USITT commits to the ongoing struggle to create equitable spaces, to embrace diverse experiences, and to uplift and encourage multiple perspectives.
- Excellence - Recognizing the need for continuous pursuit of the very best in our profession, our industry, and our Institute, USITT cultivates innovation in education, research, and safety.
- Responsibility - Embracing a long-standing imperative to serve, USITT provides value through year-round activities, elevates the work of individuals and organizations, and heightens accountability to our Members and the industry.
USITT Board of Directors shall:
- Decide matters of Institute policy, direction, and strategy
- Determine the Institute’s public policy and government relations positions
- Identify and address short- and long-term Institute opportunities, threats, and issues
- Establish committees and task groups using approved guidelines and/or policies
- Ensure that adequate financial resources are available and allocated, and manage those resources by providing effective financial governance and oversight
- Review and approve the annual budget, review investment information regularly, and ensure that annual audit activities are carried out
- Oversee the Institute’s organizational governance structure
- Oversee the process of selection and hiring of the Executive Director
- Guide the nominations process in the recruitment, election, onboarding of new board Members, and plan for Board Members’ succession
- Conduct an annual self-assessment of the Board’s talent, skills, expertise, and experience regarding composition and performance
- Perform requirements established within the Institute’s bylaws, NY state laws, and regulations
BOARD OF DIRECTORS POSITION DESCRIPTIONS
- Fulfill duties as listed for a Director of the Institute
- Preside over all meetings of the Board and General Membership
- Coordinate meetings and agendas with the Governance Committee and Executive Director
- Ensure orderly conduct in the performance of the Board’s affairs
- Chair the Executive Director Review and Compensation Committee
- Provide regular reports to the Board
- Commit to a five-year sequence of elected office
- President-elect one (1) year
- President three (3) years
- Immediate Past President one (1) year
- Fulfill all duties as listed for a Director and serve as a non-voting member of the Board
- Serve as a non-Member for various committees
- Perform duties as assigned by the Board, bylaws, and policies and serve in this office for a term of one (1) year, immediately prior to service as President
- Fulfill all duties as listed for a Director and serve as a non-voting Member of the Board
- Perform duties as assigned by the Board, bylaws, and policies, and serve in this office for a term of one (1) year, immediately following service as President.
- Fulfill all duties as listed for a Director and serve as a voting Member of the Board
- Serve as secretary for all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Annual General Membership meeting
- Ensure that the minutes of these meetings are recorded, transcribed, checked for accuracy, and filed in the National Office
- Ensure notification of Members of the Institute of special and annual meetings
- Chair the Governance Committee and guide regular meetings to support the Board’s activities
- Coordinate the voting process with the National Office and the Nominations Committee chair
- Certify the results of the elections, and communicate the results to the Membership
- Chair the Bylaws Committee and guide regular updates of the bylaws through Board action
- Update and maintain the Policies and Procedures Compendium following Board action
- Guide ceremonial “Resolutions” for Board action
- Provide regular reports to the Board
- Perform duties as assigned by the Board, bylaws, or established policies
- Commit to a three-year term of elected office, subject to Article IV, Section 2, of USITT Bylaws
- Fulfill all duties as listed for a Director of the Institute
- Oversee the financial assets of the Institute
- Assure financial reports are provided to the Board for its review
- In consultation with the Director of Finance, arrange training for the Board to facilitate effective understanding of USITT’s financial structure and reporting practices
- Chair the Finance Committee
- Provide regular reports to the Board and present the annual budget to the Board for approval
- Perform duties as assigned by the Board, bylaws, or established policies
- Commit to a three-year term of elected office, subject to Article IV, Section 2, of USITT Bylaws
- Prepare for, attend, and actively participate in all Board of Directors’ meetings and information sessions
- Attend and actively participate in other Institute leadership meetings and annual conferences
- Accept, fulfill, and actively participate in Board committees
- Handle all assigned responsibilities professionally and dutifully
- Abide by the Institute’s Code of Ethics, Conflict of Interest, and Confidentiality policies
- Maintain a working knowledge of the affairs, policies, and activities of the Institute
- Actively, professionally, and enthusiastically advocate, support, and enhance the mission and public image of the Institute and the industry
- Professionally express one’s opinion during Board discussions and debates, but then speak with one voice regarding final decisions by the Board
- Ensure that confidential information is treated responsibly and is not disclosed
- Commit to a three-year term of elected office, subject to Article IV, Section 2, of USITT Bylaws
Faqs
All nominations are SELF-NOMINATIONS that go to a nominations committee made up of representative Members from across the Institute. This committee creates the final nominations slate for the election — which may or may not include every self-nomination they receive.
Through the annually approved process, all nominees:
- Must give approval in writing in order to have their names placed in nomination and indicate their willingness and ability to meet the obligations of the office/position as defined by the Board of Directors and the bylaws.
- Must read and indicate their consent to the following USITT policies: Policy on Ethics, Conflict of Interest, Whistle blower policy, and the Confidentiality Policy Agreement in order to have their names considered and placed on the ballot.
- In recent years self-nominations have included:
- Headshot (png files preferred)
- Bio (200-word max)
- Professional CV/Resume (2-page max)
- USITT-relevant resume/List of roles/participation
- Statement of Interest (150-word max) speaking on why you are nominating yourself for this position
- Optional: Letter/s of Support from other USITT Members
- If not self-nomination, the nominator shall include a letter of nomination.
- In order to run for the Board of Directors or hold an appointed leadership position in USITT, one of the requirements is that the individual must either hold an individual Membership or be the primary contact/company manager with voting rights of an organizational Membership in order to be considered a member in good standing. Please reference Article III, Section 1 of the USITT Bylaws.
Article III, Section l. MembersHIP. The Members of the Corporation shall consist of persons, corporations, partnerships, unincorporated associations, and other entities interested in furthering the arts of theatre and performing arts planning and design, construction, equipment, aesthetics, presentation, operation, and training. The classes, rights, and dues of Membership shall be developed by the National Office and presented to the Board of Directors for approval. Each Member shall be entitled to one vote on any matter requiring a vote of the Membership. If a member is not an individual, the organization shall designate a person to cast a vote on the member’s behalf.
- Voting Begins: Ballot is published for the Membership and voting begins no more than 50 days before the Annual In-Person Membership Meeting.
- Voting Ends: Balloting closes after the first part of the Annual In-Person Membership Meeting; the Election results are announced at the conclusion of the Annual In-Person Membership Meeting. Election results are reported, then ratified by the Membership present. The Secretary of the Institute stands in proxy for those Members not present.
ELECTIONS: A plurality vote shall decide all elections. The election results will be verified by two (2) Institute Members who are not candidates for election. The Secretary shall report the election results to the Board of Directors and to the Annual Meeting of the General Membership.
The Board is required to meet four times a year, including in-person at the Annual Conference and traditionally at the Annual Retreat (most often held in early August). The other meetings are held online, and last about 90 to 120 minutes. Additional meetings may be called, and if there is additional work and discussion to be had, those meetings will be scheduled ahead of time and be held online.
In addition to Board meetings, Directors will also serve on a Board Committee and a Committee of the Corporation. Some committees have larger time commitments than others, but most of those wax and wane with the fiscal calendar and/or event calendar.
With election to the Board, Directors relinquish other role(s) in volunteer leadership elsewhere within the Institute. Such leadership roles include, but are not limited to: Commissioner, Regional Section President, or Conference Committee Member. New Directors holding such leadership roles must meet with the Board President and Executive Director to discuss who will assume their responsibilities and develop a transition plan.
The reason for this is two-fold:
1) There are many Members who seek leadership roles within the Institute, and this is an opportunity for incoming Directors to onboard and train people for these positions as they transition.
2) The Board of Directors is 100% governance-focused, which means that they are strategically and fiscally responsible for USITT but specifically NOT responsible for planning or facilitating events. Because theatre and production people are natural, active problem-solvers, it is best to separate the priorities and time needed to support the Institute as a Board Member.
USITT retains a Nominations Committee made up of representative Members from across the Institute. This committee reads and processes every self-nomination and creates the final election slate. Their objectives when creating that slate are to make sure the Board maintains a representative balance from across USITT constituents — they consider regional affiliations, educational, professional expertise, etc., so that the slate offers our Membership the most balanced possibilities to fill the needs of the Board for the upcoming election.
When applying for grants, it can be important to demonstrate that USITT has 100% giving from its Board Members. The donation amount does not matter. However, being able to confirm 100% support from our Board of Directors makes a huge impact in our fundraising and development.
Yes, you should! As stated above, the Nominations Committee reads all the self-nominations and builds an election slate to balance the representation on the Board-- for that election cycle. Every year this evolves as Board Members roll off, so you should absolutely consider re-submitting your nomination. You may be the perfect fit for the next cycle.