GOVERNANCE
policy parameters set by the Board. Te size of the current board is larger than
optimal for the new duties we will be asking the board to fill. In addition, our current board is an operational board, and many of its members are oriented to operational issues. We envision that board members interested in operations will in the future gravitate to the Members Assembly, and be able to assist the staff through service on the many operational committees. We have a plan to shrink the board down to twenty three directors, while retaining both regionally elected directors and nationally elected directors (see Appendix 1.) It is anticipated that the directors will choose
a Chairman of the Board with authority to call meetings, set agendas, and appoint chairs of the Board elected committees (see Appendix 2 be- low) and otherwise direct the Board in its busi- ness. Te Corporation will not have a President or Vice-Presidents. Te CEO will recommend individuals, subject to Board approval, to serve as secretary and treasurer to carry out the func- tions handled by those officers under our current structure. Te secretary and treasurer need not be directors, and will not vote on the Board if they are not already directors. Te Staff
Our staff has grown significantly as we have
asked them to do more over the years with ad- ditional championships and increased member services. When curling became an Olympic sport, the USCA took on the role of National Governing Body for the sport. We benefit from significant funding for our High Performance Program, but also assume responsibility and accountability for our stewardship of the pro- gram. Te multiple layers of responsibilities to a variety of stakeholders and constituencies create greater complexity to the functions of a national organization than ever before, and the modern approach to governance of non-profit organiza- tions (not specifically sport-related entities) is to enable a CEO/Executive Director to have greater authority over operations. Currently we have a Chief Operating Officer with no defined opera- tional authority. We would change to a Chief Ex- ecutive Officer with clear operational authority. Te duty of administering the high perfor-
mance budget, and selecting a high performance director and coaches has been assigned to the staff by a Board resolution, but the bylaws have not been amended to define and approve the staff authority in this and many other operational areas. One concrete proposed change is to have the staff direct the operational committees such as championships, member services and opera-
tions. Over the years, our committees have pro- liferated to 33, with very little review of whether this committee structure best meets our needs. Te CEO should be empowered to review the committee structure and make changes. Tere likely will still be volunteer chairs of the opera- tional committees, performing functions similar to our current vice presidents, but the staff will be in charge of the committees, which will be ad- visory to the staff. Tis will be particularly true for high performance. Tere will also be com- mittees that will be intentionally independent of the CEO, such as the nominating committee or committees that handle grievances. Tese com- mittees will report directly to the Board. Tere is some confusion and concern about
what it means to have a policy-setting board and an operational staff. Te Board’s primary jobs are to set the goals and priorities of the organization and give policy direction to the CEO. It is impor- tant to keep in mind that the Board still defines what is policy and what is operational. Teoreti- cally the Board could set very detailed policies, and find itself sinking back into an operational role. An effective Board would refrain from do- ing that. Policies are about goals of the organi- zation; operational decisions are about how we achieve those goals. Having the ultimate power to make decisions does not mean that the Board should exercise that authority. Te owner of a sports team has the power to bench players and send in plays, but doing so would be a losing gov- ernance formula. An effective organization hires qualified people and gives them the space to do their job. Te relationship between the CEO and the Board should be one of trust, respect, collab- oration, and team work as each fulfills their par- ticular role in building a strong future for USA Curling. Evaluation of results, rather than mi- cro-management of plans, becomes the operative Board ethic. Te person in charge then owns the results and can be fairly judged on the outcome. Te staff needs to be able to design and build
its programs without fear of being overruled and second guessed by the directors or the members’ assembly. Tere are numerous difficult decisions and judgment calls in high performance and they require observation and keeping records over time, careful evaluation of tangibles and intangibles, and expertise that no committee of part-time volunteers can provide if we want to be competitive at the highest level. Our Board has already voted to give the COO and the High Performance Director a high degree of autono- my over the direction of the program under our present structure. We have also voted as a matter of policy to preserve a path to world competitions
for teams who are not in the high performance program and to preserve play on the ice as our selection method. Our board believes this is good policy for keeping us competitive in the long run. Te board retains the power to define policies, but it should consider carefully before setting policies that unduly restrict the professionals’ ability to conduct an effective program, and to deliver the results for which they are held ac- countable. In other areas, like member services, the same principle applies: when we hire some- one to work full time to improve the services we deliver to our members, we ought to give them the authority to design and carry out the pro- gram. Otherwise they will have no incentive to take the initiative and cannot be fairly judged on the results achieved. Meeting the Responsibilities of Being an NGB Being an NGB carries with it responsibilities
of compliance with Federal Law, USOC By-laws, and good governance practices. Our organiza- tion intends to continue as the NGB for curling and accepts the responsibilities that go with that designation, as stated below: (a) Te USCA is currently the national govern-
ing body for the sport of curling within the ter- ritorial limits of the United State of America and shall be operated in such a manner to maintain such a status. (b) In furtherance of that purpose, USCA shall
comply with the requirements for recognition as a National Governing Body as set forth in the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, 36 U.S.C. § 220501 et seq. and as mandated in accordance with federal law by the United States Olympic Committee as such requirements are promulgated or revised from time to time. In fulfilling those requirements USCA shall: i. be a member of only one (1) international
sports federation, which is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the world- wide governing body for the sport of curling; ii. be autonomous in the governance of the
sport of curling by independently determining and controlling all matters central to such gover- nance, by not delegating any of that determina- tion or control, and by being free from outside restraint; iii. maintain the managerial and financial
competence and capability to establish national goals for curling relating to the development and wellbeing of the sport, to implement and admin- ister a plan for the attainment of those goals, and to execute its obligations as the National Govern- ing Body for the sport of curling; iv. provide for individual and organizational Continued on next page *
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