Advisory Board Charter

Scholarship Opportunities

University of Tennessee

Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences

College of Arts & Sciences

Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences
Advisory Board Charter

Contents

I. Purpose

The organization will be known as the Earth & Planetary Sciences Advisory Board (AB) for the University of Tennessee Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences (EPS).

The Advisory Board will provide opportunities for alumni and associated supporters to become better acquainted with the activities and accomplishments of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, and to use their combined professional experience, expertise, and resources to influence and promote the Department’s ongoing success.

The overall mission of the Advisory Board will be to provide external perspective, advice, recommendations, resources and related assistance as requested by the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences (students and faculty).

II. Responsibilities

Through coordination with EPS faculty and utilizing the departmental objectives, develop and maintain an EPS alumni/student mentoring network to benefit EPS undergraduate and graduate student groups. This includes setting up and maintaining a social networking site and at least one in-person networking event each year (most likely at the annual fall AB meeting).
Identify key advisors and mentors from industry and related constituent groups to provide advice on career development for EPS students and alumni within the mentoring network.
Develop practical goals and identify potential areas for alumni and professionally related corporate entities to foster philanthropy for the benefit of the EPS department and students.
Identify and foster mutually beneficial relationships between EPS and its stakeholders (various industries, other academic departments, government, professional bodies, staff and students).
Develop and maintain continuing liaison with faculty and staff of EPS to provide ongoing knowledge of opportunities for EPS students, including internships; programs, courses, and initiatives that provide competitive advantages to students; and various funding avenues.
Nominate alumni and/or other highly involved EPS individuals for EPS recognition awards. Nominations should be made annually by the AB and forwarded to the Department Head (DH) of EPS.
Convene for two meetings per year to coordinate Board efforts with updated departmental activities and objectives, to facilitate committee work, to re-establish priorities, and to network with students. One meeting will be held in the Spring and the other in the Fall. A quorum (35% of the AB membership) is required to meet.
Participate in the planning of the meetings of the AB with the Department Head.
Provide additional advice when requested by the Department Head.
Each member will contribute a suggested $500 contribution ($250 minimum) annually to the EPS Advisory Board Scholarship Fund to support students and instructional activities within the Department.

III. Membership

A. Composition

The Advisory Board shall consist of a group of up to 50 members and no fewer than 10, plus the Department Head (or designated representative), who shall be a member as of right. Board members shall select from among their members a Chair for a term of two years. The Chair will preside at Board meetings. In the absence of the Chair, the members then present shall elect a Chair for that meeting. The Board should seek to maintain broad representation in its membership with respect to employment backgrounds and a mix of graduation dates.

B. Board Members Qualifications and Selection

Members should come from areas where departmental graduates are being employed, including industry, academia, consulting and government, and should have a firm commitment to EPS. Desired capabilities include organizational skills, leadership, and a willingness to devote time to Board activities.

Potential members may self-nominate or be nominated by other Board members. Selection is by simple majority vote of Board members at a duly convened meeting or electronically. A membership committee actively reviews and suggests nominees and brings forward nominations with associated qualifications for evaluation and voting.

Board members are required to be in good standing, meaning they contribute time and/or resources to the Board.

C. Terms

There are no term limits for general members as long as they remain in good standing.

D. Contributions

Each member will contribute a suggested $500 contribution ($250 minimum) annually to the EPS Advisory Board Scholarship Fund to support students and instructional activities within the Department. Young career professionals (first five years of working career) have a suggested $150 contribution level.

Contribution categories for multi-member households:

$375 per year for two individuals;
$225 per year for young career professionals (first five years of career);
$150 per year hardship category.

IV. Organizational Structure

A. Officers

Board members shall select from among their members a Chair for a two-year term, approved by simple majority vote. A Secretary shall be provided by the Department for each AB meeting to take and distribute minutes and to support the Membership/Nominating Committee. A Treasurer shall be provided by the Department to oversee the financial management of dues and the disbursement of approved AB Scholarship Fund awards, and will be a de facto member of the Finance/Scholarship Committee. Committee chairs are selected from the membership and approved by simple majority.

B. Meetings

The Advisory Board will convene for a minimum of two meetings per year (Spring and Fall) to update departmental priorities and network with students. A quorum of 35% of AB membership is required.

C. Minutes

The Secretary is responsible for taking and distributing meeting minutes to the AB and Department Head.

V. Procedural Rules

A. Agendas

Meeting agendas will be prepared by the AB Chair (with Board input as needed) and the Department Head and circulated ahead of meetings.

B. Chairperson Duties

The AB Chair is the Chairperson of the Advisory Board and has general supervision of its affairs, subject to Board control. The Chair presides at all membership meetings and carries out policies established by the Board.

VI. Amendments of Charter

Amendments must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the Board. Amendment efforts must occur at a duly convened Board meeting (or electronically if discussion occurred during a meeting), provided the meeting notice sets forth in detail the amendment or rescission to be acted upon. Videoconferencing is an authorized venue for voting on amendments.

VII. Committees

A. Executive Committee

The Advisory Board may create an Executive Committee (EC), an advisory group to the AB Chair, upon Board consensus as to the need for an EC.

B. Special or Standing Committees

The Advisory Board may create special or standing committees as deemed advisable. Effort should be made to assign an EPS faculty member to each committee. Current committees (approved by the Board) include:

Executive Committee (membership: Chair, Dept. Head & heads of committees)
Membership Committee
Nominating Committee (membership: Previous AB Chair plus heads of committees)
Finance Committee
Awards Committee
Mentoring & Outreach Committee

The Department Head (or designee) is considered an at-large member of all committees formed.

Document History & Version Control

Version	Action / Revision	Date	Approved By	Approval Date
0.1	First Draft	11/29/2016	<name>	<date>
0.2	Second Draft	02/17/2017	Tom Cronin, Ron Tisdale, Mike Allison	02/17/2017
1.0	Final	02/22/2017	Tom Cronin, Ron Tisdale, Mike Allison, Dr. Larry McKay	02/22/2017
2.0	Revised Final (edits of original)	11/2017	Assembled board mtg.	11/2017
3.0	Revision of dues categories	11/2018	Assembled board mtg.	11/2018
4.0	Revision of dues categories	07/2019	Assembled board mtg.	07/2019
5.0	Revisions from 05/2020 mtg.	05/2020	Assembled board mtg.	05/2020
6.0	Revisions from 11/2020 mtg.	11/2020	Assembled board mtg.	11/2020
7.0	Revisions from 10/2022 mtg.	11/2022	Assembled board mtg.	10/2022