NCURANational Council of University Research Administrators
NCURA - National Council of University Research Administrators
NCURA - National Council of University Research Administrators
An organization of individuals involved in the administration of sponsored programs at colleges, universities and teaching hospitals.
Member Login
Available Sections

Secretary

Board of Directors, Executive Committee

DESCRIPTION OF POSITION:
Serve as National Secretary, as a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors.


DURATION:
Two years, beginning on January 1st in even years

  1. Function of Position - Serve as parliamentarian, and recording Secretary for the organization. Serve as a member of the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors.
  2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities & % Time Devoted

SECRETARY (100%)

    1. Take minutes at Annual Business Meeting, Executive Committee Meetings, and Board Meetings; transcribe those minutes, solicit feedback, and submit the minutes for approval by the relevant body. Time commitment for this particular function has been approximately one to one and a half hours of effort for every one hour of meeting time.
    2. Manage voting process of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. Help prepare text of motions or items under consideration as requested; tally votes, announce outcomes, maintain historical records. In the past this has included approximately 16 electronic votes outside of the votes taken at in-person meetings. Time commitment can be approximated to not more than one hour per electronic vote (includes time spent reminding Board members to vote.)
    3. Certify elections of Executive Committee members and at-large Board members. No significant time commitment.
    4. Serve as parliamentarian at the Annual Business Meeting and, as necessary, at other meetings. Note that this does not include interpretation of the by-laws and administrative policies if this need arises, as this function is part of the responsibilities of the President. No significant time commitment.
    5. Participate in or lead the drafting of changes to Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation, and Administrative Policies as recommended by the Executive Committee or the Board. Time commitment will vary depending on circumstances.
    6. Upon request, draft correspondence for review by the Board or the President. No significant time commitment.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
Participate as a member of the Executive Committee. Review and respond to issues that arise between Board meetings (several times per week, average.) Identify potential new issues and bring them forward to the correct parties for discussion and resolution as needed.

  1. Qualifications/Requirements
    1. Knowledge and/or Skills - Working knowledge of Robert's Rules of Order. Ability to impartially record proceedings and to write concise, accurate summaries of complex discussions. Writing skills sufficient to craft language for correspondence, administrative policies and bylaws (if needed) that clearly and unambiguously conveys the intent of the Executive Committee, Board and the Membership. . Ability and willingness to deal with individuals at all levels of the organization with sensitivity, tact and professionalism. Ability and willingness to prioritize topics, thoroughly and actively construct and analyze alternatives, openly consider alternatives presented by others, and make decisions in the organization's best interests.
    2. Education and/or Experience - Solid knowledge of the organization is helpful to be able to perform the position successfully (particularly as it relates to the Executive Committee) No other specialized background or experience is required for this position.
  2. Training and Support - The Secretary works closely with the other members of the Executive Committee, the NCURA Office and reports to the President. There is no formal training for the position, though the previous incumbent is available to serve as a resource. A binder codifying the procedures, templates, and past forms will be available for use by the next incumbent.
  3. Additional Information (Benefits, Cost Reimbursement, Travel Requirements, etc)
    1. Travel required to Executive Committee and Board of Directors meetings. In the past, meetings and corresponding travel time amounted to 7 business days away from the office and a total of 14 days overall.
    2. Reimbursement is provided for travel associated with attendance at Executive Committee and Board of Directors meetings (except for those occurring at the Annual Meeting)
    3. Annual Meeting registration and lodging are covered by NCURA
    4. $500 per year is provided to the incumbent's institution to partially defray out of pocket expenses (e.g., phone calls)

      NCURA Awards: Current National officers (President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer) and current NCURA Standing Committee (FMC, NLDC and PDC) Chairs and Vice Chairs are ineligible for nomination for an NCURA Outstanding Achievement in Research Administration Award or for a Distinguished Service Award.
Clicky Web Analytics