The role of the Douglas College Board
The Douglas College Board acts on behalf of the public and oversees the affairs - including property, revenue and expenditures - of the College, performing functions consistent with the College and Institute Act which the Board considers advisable for the proper administration and advancement of the College.
Board Governance Framework
The Board focuses on policy and strategic leadership rather than administrative detail. It develops and maintains a clear distinction between Board and presidential roles. The Board meets seven times annually, between September and June, and holds a strategic/educational retreat each year. Each regular Board meeting date represents more than one distinct meeting: the evening begins with an Open Session meeting, followed by a Closed Session meeting attended by senior management. The evening concludes with an In Camera Session meeting, generally limited to Board members.
INTERESTED IN ATTENDING A BOARD MEETING?
College students, employees and the public are welcomed at all open session meetings of the College Board. See the left of this screen to access the meeting schedule.
Guests are asked to record their names on sign-in sheets, as all attendees' names are recorded in meeting minutes.
Government Mandate Letter
The Mandate Letter and predecessor GLEs reflect agreements between the Government of British Columbia and Douglas College, represented by the College Board. They reflect both parties' respective accountabilities, roles and responsibilities.
Board Members' Meeting Attendance and Remuneration
Board members also fulfill committee and liaison roles, and reports on Board members' meeting attendance and honoraria/remuneration are prepared annually and published to this page. Commitments of expertise and time are significant; a number of Board members attend more than a dozen committee and Board meetings each year, in addition to College events. Board members who are not College employees are provided $2,000 per annum in honoraria, with the Board Chair provided a total of $2,500 in honoraria each year.
Douglas College Board Composition and Accountability
The composition of the Douglas College Board is legislated under Section 9 of the College and Institute Act. Elected or appointed, all Board members share the same duty and responsibility to act in the best interests of the College. As outlined in the College and Institute Act, each Board member, except the College President and the Chair of Education Council, has one vote on the Board. Board composition is as follows:
- eight or more members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council
- one person on the faculty of the institution and elected by the faculty members
- two students elected by the students
- one person who is part of the support staff and elected by the support staff
- the College President, who is an ex-officio, non-voting Board member
- the Chair of Education Council, who is an ex-officio, non-voting Board member
Appointment Process
The provincial Crown Agencies and Board Resourcing Office (CABRO) is responsible for establishment of guidelines for all provincial appointments to agencies, for ensuring that all provincial appointments are made on the basis of merit following an open, transparent and consistent appointment process, and for ensuring that appointees receive appropriate orientation and ongoing professional development with respect to agency governance issues. Click here to access the CABRO website.
Board Competencies Matrix and Succession Planning
The Board has relied, since 2008, on a Board competencies matrix to support its succession planning. The College Secretary maintains the matrix to reflect members' individual and collective skills and areas of expertise. The Board Executive and Governance Committee (BEGC) reviews the competencies matrix as part of the Board's succession planning process. The matrix is used to identify needs associated with future Order In Council (OIC) vacancies.
The College Registrar coordinates elections in which faculty, staff and students elect their respective peers to the Board.
A Paperless Board
The Douglas College Board is a leader in sustainability, having shifted in March 2010 from hard copy agenda packages to an electronic portal. While hard copies of meeting agendas are provided in the boardroom, Board members access agendas and all supporting documents electronically.
Board Evaluations
Board members engage in regular evaluations of the effectiveness of the Board and its committees.