I. Name
This organization shall be called the University of Oklahoma College of Arts and Sciences Board of Visitors.

II. Mission
The mission of the Board of Visitors is to advocate for the students, faculty, staff, administration and programs of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oklahoma. Active members shall personally support the College through gifts of time, talent and financial resources, and help expand the number of alumni and friends who are engaged with and support the College.

III. Membership
Membership of the Board of Visitors shall consist of two categories: Active and Alumni. The Board shall consist of at least 40 and no more than 75 accomplished alumni and friends of the College in the Active category. Members are appointed by the President upon recommendation from the Dean.
Active members shall serve a three-year term and, upon confirmation by the Executive Committee and the Dean, may serve additional three-year terms provided they remain in good standing as outlined in the Member Agreement.
Alumni members will continue to receive all information regarding the College and Board activities, and they are encouraged to participate as often as possible, but there are no further responsibilities expected of them.
Conflict of Interest - Active and Alumni members are encouraged to develop strong and beneficial relationships among themselves, but members shall not use membership as a means to market products or services to other members.
Removal from the Board – Members are expected to meet their individual responsibilities for membership and to conduct themselves personally and professionally in a manner that befits their role. Members may be removed by a vote of the Executive Committee if deemed appropriate.

IV. Active Member Responsibilities
Active members pledge to support the College with commitments of time, talent and financial resources.

Meetings - The Board of Visitors meets in both the fall and spring semesters of the academic year on the Norman campus. During the meetings, members may hear a State of the College address from the Dean, discuss on-going Board activities, interact with students and faculty and participate in other Board activities. Active members are expected to attend both meetings each year. Additionally, there may be other events or programs that Board members are invited to attend as representatives of the College, with attendance encouraged when possible.

Student Development – Active members are expected to help students in the College become successful students and alumni. Board of Visitors members are expected to serve as role models for students by modeling success personally and professionally. Members will be asked to “mentor” one or more Leadership Scholars by communicating occasionally via mail, e-mail, phone or personal visits. Opportunities for interaction between mentors and students will be provided during the two annual meetings on campus.

Development and Outreach - A fundamental responsibility of each Active member is to actively assist the College in expanding the number of interested alumni and friends who will help improve the educational experience for students. This can be done by personally modeling supportive behavior to others, such as attending events, providing financial support, providing internship and job opportunities to students and supporting faculty and staff initiatives. Members may also assist by referring other interested individuals or organizations to the College, hosting events in their hometowns and participating in the fundraising process in a manner with which they are comfortable. Members are expected to be annual donors to at least one program in the College at any financial level.

V. Committees
There shall be permanent committees and there may be ad hoc committees of the Board of Visitors. Board members are encouraged to select a permanent committee and actively support its activities.
Permanent committees – The permanent committees are: Development and Outreach, Kaleidoscope Evening, Student Development, and Recognition. A chair will be appointed by the Chair of the Board.
The Development and Outreach Committee shall work with the Dean and College staff to involve more individuals and organizations in the life of the College and to raise funds to further the goals of the College. This committee is active year-round.
The Kaleidoscope Evening Committee shall work with the Dean and College staff to plan the annual fundraising dinner, including obtaining silent auction items and selecting the theme, decorations, menu, etc. This committee is active at specific times of the year.
The Student Development Committee shall work with the Dean and College staff to develop opportunities for Board members to interact with students in the College, especially students selected for the Leadership Scholars Program. This committee is active year-round.
The Recognition Committee shall work with the Dean and College staff to nominate and recommend recipients of the four Distinguished Alumni Awards and Distinguished Service Award each year. The Dean shall have final authority for selection of recipients. This committee is active at specific times of the year.
Ad Hoc Committees – The Chair of the Board of Visitors or the Dean may establish committees that will address specific issues for a limited amount of time.

VI. Executive Committee
The Executive Committee of the Board of Visitors shall consist of the Chair, Past Chair, Development and Outreach Committee Chair, Kaleidoscope Committee Chair, Student Development Committee Chair, Recognition Committee Chair, an At-Large Representative and the Dean. The Director of Development and Outreach and the Assistant Director for Outreach shall serve as ex officio members of the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee shall act on behalf of the Board of Visitors between meetings of the Board, coordinate Board activities, schedule meetings of the Board, prepare agenda items for the meetings of the Board and develop recommendations for the permanent committee chairs.

VII. The Chair
The Chair of the Board of Visitors shall be recommended for approval to the Active membership by the Dean. The Chair’s term shall be for two years, after which he/she will serve as Past Chair for a term of two years. Upon completion of the two-year term as Past Chair, he/she may be selected to serve as Chair for one additional term.
The Chair shall:
1. Preside at the meetings of the Board of Visitors.
2. Act as a representative of the Board of Visitors.
3. Represent the Board of Visitors and alumni at the College of Arts and Sciences Convocation.
4. Appoint permanent committee chairs.
5. Appoint ad hoc committees of the Board of Visitors.
6. Chair the Executive Committee of the Board of Visitors.

In the absence of the Chair, the Executive Committee shall select an Acting Chair from its membership.

VIII: Amendments
This Charter can be amended with the approval of two-thirds of the Active members of the Board of Visitors present and voting and the endorsement of the Dean of Arts and Sciences and the President of the University.

IX. Adoption
This Charter shall be adopted with the approval of two-thirds of the Active members of the Board of Visitors present and voting and the endorsement of the Dean of Arts and Sciences and the President of the University.