Committee on Regional Activities: Charter

USAID ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

COMMITTEE ON REGIONAL ACTIVITIES

CHARTER

[adopted March 3, 2022]

 

This charter (“Charter”) defines the purpose, organization and responsibilities of the Committee on Regional Activities (the “Committee”) of the UAA Board of Directors.

I.  PURPOSE

The Board of Directors of the USAID Alumni Association (“Board”) hereby establishes a Committee on Regional Activities. The Committee will oversee and support the formation of regional chapters of USAID alumni residing in distinct geographic regions beyond the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. The purpose of regional UAA chapters is to: 1) provide opportunities for local, in-person social and networking gatherings, 2) encourage public outreach activities to increase U.S public support for foreign assistance and USAID’s role therein, and 3) expand dues paying membership in the UAA. The Committee’s activities and responsibilities are more fully described in Part III below.

II.  ORGANIZATION.

A. General.

In all matters relating to internal governance, the Committee is subject to the District of Columbia Uniform Unincorporated Nonprofit Association Act of 2010 (the “Act”) and, if and to the extent consistent with the Act, to the UAA’s Articles of Association, Bylaws and Statements of Policy, and to resolutions adopted by the Board.

B.  Structure.

The Committee consists of co-chairs (Part II.C) and members (Part II.D), and coordinates its activities with the Board through a Board liaison (Part II.E).

C.  Co-Chairs.

  1. Committee co-chairs are appointed by the Board; each co-chair serves until he/she resigns or is removed or replaced by the Board.
  2. There may be up to three (3) Committee co-chairs at any one time, unless the Board decides by resolution to change the number.
  3. Committee co-chair(s) must be contributing member(s) of the UAA, and must reside outside the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. The Board will, to the maximum extent practicable, assure that no two Committee co-chairs reside in the same region.
  4. The Committee co-chairs are entitled to attend and speak at meetings of the UAA Executive Committee.

D.  Members.

  1. Membership in the Committee is open to any contributing member of the UAA in good standing.
  2. Committee members residing in the same region who wish to organize separately may petition the Committee for recognition as a chapter. If the Committee concurs, it shall present the petition to the Board, which may approve the establishment of the chapter under such terms and conditions as the Board may hereafter prescribe. See further detail in Section III.C.

E.  Board Liaison.

  1. The Board will designate one of its Directors to serve as official liaison between the Board and the Committee.
  2. The Committee co-chairs will assure that the Board liaison receives timely notice of all Committee meetings, and concurs in (i) the list of planned activities and proposed budget presented each year to the Board, and (ii) any proposed changes to the Committee’s approved activities and budget.

F.  Meetings.

  1. The Committee will meet at least once per quarter . Meetings may be held more often at the discretion of the Committee co-chairs.
  2. Committee meetings may be held in person, by telephone, video link, by any combination thereof, or by any other means of communication so long as each participant is able to hear the other persons present, and be heard by them.
  3. A majority of the Committee co-chairs then in office constitutes a quorum for the transaction of Committee business; the vote of a majority of the Committee co-chairs present at a meeting at which a quorum is present constitutes action by the Committee.
  4. Except as provided in this Part II.F, the Committee co-chairs may conduct Committee meetings as they may reasonably deem appropriate.
  5. The Committee co-chairs will report to the Board on the Committee’s discussions, decisions and past and planned activities at each meeting of the Executive Committee.

III.  ACTIVITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES.

A.  Annual Budget.

Each year, during the preparation and review of the UAA annual budget, the Committee co-chairs will prepare a list of planned activities and a proposed budget for presentation to and approval by the Board, and inclusion in the overall UAA annual budget.

B.  Activities

Regional activities may include, but are not limited to:

  1. Social and networking opportunities for USAID alumni, as determined by Committee members. Such activities could include, but are not limited to: picnics, happy hours, coffee meet ups, sporting get togethers, book clubs, watch parties, and other events;
  2. Public outreach activities that seek to educate disparate American audiences about the role of USAID and the importance of development assistance to the economic, security, economic and humanitarian interests of the United States. Such activities could include, but are not limited to: presentations to local organizations such as Rotary Clubs, World Affairs Council chapters, Great Decisions study groups, US Global Leadership Conference (USGLC) state chapters, etc.;
  3. Recruitment of candidates for careers with USAID, including underrepresented minorities, through outreach to local colleges, universities, community colleges, high schools and minority affinity groups;
  4. UAA membership promotion by encouraging USAID alumni ‘beyond the beltway’ to become dues paying members of the UAA; and
  5. Such other activities as may be proposed by the Committee co-chairs and approved by the Board from time to time.

C.  Responsibilities.

The Committee’s responsibilities include support and oversight of chapter formation, including but not limited to:

  1. Defining the geographical reach of each regional chapter;
  2. Recruiting of 1 or more leaders for each UAA regional chapter;
  3. Expanding lists of USAID alumni by state/region, beginning with a disaggregated list of UAA registrants and members;
  4. Conducting a mapping exercise to identify ‘like-minded’ local organizations/institutions that have existing platforms for public outreach;
  5. Conducting a similar mapping exercise of local/regional educational institutions as potential partners for public education activities;
  6. Preparing a ‘roll out plan’ for getting regional UAA chapters off the ground;
  7. Developing a budget to support regional chapter formation and activities for the UAA Board review;
  8. Creating a calendar of events for regional chapter activities, to be published in the monthly UAA newsletter and website;
  9. Reviewing and assessing this Charter on a periodic basis, and recommending changes to the Board as appropriate to ensure that the Committee fulfills its responsibilities; and
  10. Such other responsibilities as may be assigned to the Committee by the Board from time to time.

 

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