The Board of Trustees of the Omicron Delta Kappa Society and Educational Foundation includes three student members elected by the collegiate circle delegates normally in advance of the annual national conference. In 2020, the schedule has been adjusted since this year’s National Leadership Conference was cancelled in light of the COVID-19 situation.
One student trustee, the National Student Vice Chair-Elect, will be elected from a slate of three student trustee candidates each year. Student trustees normally serve a three-year term beginning on July 1 of the year elected to the board. In 2020, the National Student Vice Chair-Elect will come on the board in advance of its October meeting.
Student trustees are divided into three staggered classes based on their terms of service. Student trustees must be enrolled in or admitted to a degree program at the time of their initial election to the Board. In the second year of service, the student trustee shall serve as the National Student Vice Chair and as chair of the Student Advisory Board. All student trustees will serve as members of the Mission Committee.
Nominees will be evaluated by the Board Nominations Subcommittee on the basis of the aforementioned qualifications as well as their (a) local, regional and/or national visibility in the Society, (b) participation in the Society at the local, regional, or national level, and (c) other contributions to the Society that relate to the advancement of O∆K’s mission and ideals.
Duties and Responsibilities of Student Trustees
Specific responsibilities of student trustees include:
• Advocating on behalf of the collegiate members of the Society;
• Serving as a trusted advisor to the President/CEO as he or she develops and implements O∆K’s long-range plan;
• Reviewing outcomes and metrics created by O∆K for evaluating its impact and regularly measuring its performance and effectiveness using those metrics;
• Reviewing agendas and supporting materials prior to Board and committee meetings;
• Approving O∆K’s annual budget, audit reports, and material business decisions; being informed of, and meeting all, legal and fiduciary responsibilities;
• Contributing to an annual performance evaluation of the President/CEO as conducted by the Executive Committee with a formal written evaluation completed on a biennial basis;
• Partnering with the President/CEO, National Headquarters staff, and other trustees to ensure that Board resolutions are carried out;
• Serving on committees or task forces and taking on special assignments;
• Representing O∆K to stakeholders and acting as an ambassador for the organization;
• Ensuring O∆K’s commitment to a diverse Board and staff that reflects the communities O∆K serves; and
• Making an annual contribution that is commensurate with the individual’s capacity.
Preferred Qualifications and Additional Information
Ideal candidates will have the following qualifications:
• At some level, past or current service to O∆K;
• A commitment to and understanding of O∆K’s stakeholders, mission, and ideals, preferably based on experience;
• A sense of tact and diplomacy and a natural affinity for cultivating relationships and persuading, convening, facilitating, and building consensus among diverse individuals; and
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a passion for improving the lives of O∆K’s beneficiaries.
The timeline for the student trustee elections process is located here. To submit a self-nomination, click here. To submit a nomination on behalf of another individual, click here.
