top of page

Board Code of Conduct

The National Indian Head Start Directors Association has established its Code of Conduct to promote and maintain the highest standards of Association service and personal conduct among its members.  The Board and its representatives will adhere to these standards for they serve to assure membership confidence in the integrity and service of the Association.

General Conduct   

  1. Directors will maintain loyalty to the Association and willingly pursue its mission, principles and vision.

  2. Directors will recognize and discharge their responsibility and that of the Association to uphold all laws and regulations relating to the Association’s charge.

  3. Directors, acting together as a Board, have absolute power to determine all business, but individually, Directors have no more authority than any other member of the Association.

  4. Directors will be responsible for conducting activities in accordance with accepted professional standards of accuracy, truth, good faith and includes the treatment of Board information in a confidential manner.

  5. Directors will refrain from the dissemination of any malicious information concerning other Associations, Board of Directors, and the Association’s Management Consultant Service.

  6. Directors will make full disclosure to the Board of Directors potential donors and all relationships that might pose or appear to pose possible conflicts of interest.  They will neither seek, nor accept, fees or gifts as Directors of the Association. 

  7. Directors will hold confidential and leave intact all lists, records and documents, acquired in the service of the Association.

  8. A Director’s public demeanor will be such as to bring credit to the Association.

  9. Directors will utilize every opportunity to improve public understanding of the Mission and Principles of the Association.

  10. Directors will minimize discussing irrelevant topics and consistent disruptive behavior during all Board meetings.

Conduct During Board Meetings

  1. Give sufficient and proper notice if unable to attend the meeting.

  2. When unable to attend, notify the alternate in sufficient time to enable their participation.

  3. Arrive promptly, be attentive and help the President follow the agenda.

  4. Review the agenda, background materials and reports before attending the meeting.

  5. Organize comments and opinions on each topic/issue to be brief and concise.

  6. Ask meaningful and discerning questions about the topics and problems.

  7. Question whether proposals are in accord with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and the Association’s Bylaws and policies.

  8. Vote for what will be best for the membership as a whole.

  9. Provide full personal disclosure in situations in which your Board vote could be construed as a conflict of interest.

  10. Ask to have your vote recorded if you believe the majority’s actions might be inadvisable, improper, or illegal.

  11. Be willing to consider the Management Consultant Service’s point of view and discuss their suggestions seriously.

  12. Disclose details of any disagreements with the Management Consultant Service in the Board meeting.

  13. Minimize discussing irrelevant topics and consistent disruptive behavior during the meeting.

 

Meeting Attendance Policy

Purpose

This policy is intended to support full contribution of all Board members and will be reviewed once a year.

Definition of Attendance Problem

A Board attendance problem occurs if any of the following conditions exist in regard to a Board member or alternate’s attendance at Board meetings and assigned committee meetings.

  1. The Secretary will track attendance and make the President aware of the need to contact a member/alternate regarding their attendance.

  2. If a member/alternate has three (3) consecutive not notified absences from regular Board or assigned committee meetings, the member/alternate will be contacted.

  3. If a member/alternate has five (5) absences from regular Board or assigned committee meetings during a 12 month period, consecutive or non-consecutive, notified or not notified, the member/alternate will be contacted.

Policy Statement

If a Board or assigned committee attendance problem exists regarding a member, the President will promptly contact the member to discuss the problem.  The President will share the member’s response with the entire Board at the next Board meeting.  In that meeting, the Board will decide what actions to take regarding the Board member’s position on the Board.  If the Board decides to remove the Board member, removal will be conducted per this policy or the process specified in the Association’s Bylaws.  The Board will promptly initiate contacting the alternate to fill the member’s position.  If the alternate is unable or unwilling to serve, the Board will appoint an individual for the Region.

Procedure

  1. The President will call the member and notify the member of the Board’s decision to terminate the member per the terms of this policy and request a Letter of Resignation.  The President may also document a verbal resignation at the next Board meeting.

  2. The Board will ratify acceptance of the member’s resignation at the next Board meeting.

 

Privacy and Confidentiality

There may be circumstances when information should not be released internally (and externally) because such release may compromise individuals or the Association. The types of information that should be kept confidential (not released internally and externally) include but are not limited to: personal and personnel issues such as illness or medical information, grievances, personal legal proceedings, discrimination issues, salaries; and non-factual or unproven information.

bottom of page