Last Updated: October, 2023
The EAST Board provides the primary governance of EAST and represents the diverse voices of the membership. The Board has fiduciary responsibility for EAST as well as oversight of EAST’s strategic directions and is typically composed of library deans/directors or other senior staff. Directors serve staggered 3-year terms. For more information, see the EAST General Governance Policies.
As EAST’s membership includes a growing number of members from library consortia as well as from non-traditional academic/research institutions, the Board encourages senior representatives from these libraries to consider serving on the Board to best ensure their voices are represented in EAST’s governance.
Representation on the Board
As of June 2023, the EAST Board includes 9 members, whose representation is as follows:
- Eight representatives from Institutions that are EAST Retention Partners, based on the Carnegie Classification:
- Doctoral Universities – 4
- Masters Colleges – 1
- Baccalaureate Colleges – 3
- In addition, a representative from the EAST Supporting Partners is included in the makeup of the Board to ensure a voice in EAST’s governance. This can be an individual Supporting Partner or a Consortia Supporting Partner and can be from any Carnegie Classification.
Candidate Qualifications and Meeting Frequency
With EAST’s new 501(c)3 status, continued growth of its membership, collaboration with other national and international organizations, and additional collection analysis work, the Board will be called upon for their expertise and guidance. Ideally, nominees for the Board will bring experience of or interest in nonprofit management, familiarity with the shared print landscape and its growing role in academic and research libraries, and an interest in contributing to the long-term sustainability of shared print programs such as EAST. As indicated above, the Board is particularly interested in ensuring a diverse and representative composition.
The Board meets monthly for hour-long virtual meetings, with minimal work conducted via email between meetings.
Election of Board Members
Per the Bylaws, Directors may not serve more than two consecutive complete three year terms. Terms separated by 12 or more calendar months shall not be considered consecutive terms.
At an annual meeting of the Board, the successors to those whose terms expire are elected by majority of the Directors. As terms commence in January, this will typically be the December meeting.
Prior to this Board meeting, the EAST Voting Members will be surveyed for nominations to replace the Directors whose terms are expiring. The results of this survey will be made available to the Board as they consider electing the successors.
Once completed, the results of the election will be announced to the full EAST Membership and the new Directors will begin serving as of January 1st.
Should any of the Directors whose terms expired hold an Officer position, the Board will, at the January meeting, vote to fill the position or choose to leave it vacant until the next round of staggered elections.
Board of Directors Executive Committees
EAST Board Members may serve on one of the two EAST Executive Committees detailed below.
See full Committee Charges
The EAST Finance Committee
A standing executive committee of the Board of Directors, the EAST Finance Committee’s role is to provide financial oversight of EAST in areas relating to budget and financial planning, reporting, internal accounting controls, the annual audit, and any EAST investments. The Treasurer is the Chair of the Committee, along with one other Director elected by the Board. Both are full voting members. The President serves as an ex officio member, voting only in the case of a tie.
The Past Treasurer serves as a non-voting member of the Committee for the first year after a new Treasurer is elected.
The EAST Program Director and a representative from the EAST financial services organization shall be non-voting members of the Committee.
2024 Finance Committee Members: Boaz Nadav Manes (Chair), Marta Brunner (Board), Brian Kindorf (NPCM), Susan Stearns (Program Director)
The EAST Personnel Committee
A standing executive committee of the Board of Directors, the Personnel Committee oversees the annual reviews of the EAST Program Team staff, recommends compensation and benefits for the staff, advises the Director on personnel matters, and recommends personnel structures, policies and procedures. The Vice President is the Chair of the Committee, along with one other Director elected by the Board. Both are full voting members. The President serves as an ex officio member, voting only in the case of a tie. The EAST Director is a non-voting member.
2024 Personnel Committee: Matthew Sheehy (Chair), Tony Fonseca (Board), Scott Warren (Board President), Susan Stearns (Program Director)