Advocacy

4(1) The Chair shall

• (a) assure the integrity of the Board’s process, and,
• (b) represent the Board to outside parties.

(2) The Chair is the only Board member authorized to speak for the Board unless

• (a) the delegate is simply reporting Board decisions, or,
• (b) specifically authorized instances.

(3) The Chair will be responsible for,

• (a) guiding the Board to behave consistently with its own rules, and those legitimately imposed upon it from outside the organization,
• (b) ensuring meeting content will only include those issues, which, according to Board policy, clearly belong to the Board to decide or monitor.
• (c) avoiding information which is outside the focus of the Board as established in Section 4 or minimize this content to an information note.
• (d) ensuring deliberation is timely, fair, orderly, and thorough, but also efficient and on topic.
• (e) following Robert’s Rules of Order as the procedural authority in case of dispute.

(4) The Chair has authority to interpret Board policies on Governance Process and Board-GM Relationship, except for,

• (a) employment or termination of a GM, and,
• (b) instances where the Board specifically delegates portions of this authority to others.

(5) The Chair is empowered to chair Board meetings with all the commonly accepted power of that position, such as, ruling and recognizing.

(6) The Chair has no authority to make decisions about policies created by the Board within Policy and Priorities and Executive Limitations policy areas. The Chair has no authority to supervise or direct the GM.

(7) The Chair may represent the Board to outside parties in announcing Board-stated positions and in stating the Chair’s interpretations within the area delegated to the Chair pursuant to policies in Global Governance Process and Board-GM Relationship.

(8) The Chair may delegate these authorities and responsibilities but remains accountable for its use.

Approved: July 10, 2014

From Part 3 – Governance Process of ABP’s Policy Manual