COSA Board Member Service and Nomination Process
Approved by Nominating Committee October 2013
Thank you for your interest in serving on the NSBA Council of School Attorneys’ Board of Directors. Board membersmust be COSA members. COSA elects its board and officers during its Annual Business Meeting, which takes place on Saturday, March 21, 2015 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel, just prior to the closing general session of the 2015 School Law Seminar.
About COSA
The Council of School Attorneys is an integral program of the National School Boards Association, whose mission is, “working with and through our State Associations, to advocate for equity and excellence in public education through school board leadership.” As the onlymembership organizationexclusively made up of attorneys representing K-12 public school districts, the Council is uniquely positioned to offer its members programming and networking opportunities specifically targeted to their school law practices. As stated in the COSA bylaws, “The Mission of the NSBA Council of School Attorneys is to support school attorneys in their representation of public school boards by providing leadership in legal advocacy for public schools.”
COSA currently has just over 3,000 members, the majority of whom join through COSA’s 37 affiliated state councils. About 270 members join individually in states where there is no state council.
The COSA Board of Directors provides vision and direction for NSBA/COSA staff, who endeavor to implement that vision within the framework and mission of NSBA. Each year, the Nominating Committee is charged with selecting a slate of nominees for open positions on the Board of Directors and four officers who are skilled leaders in the school law field in their state, and who are dedicated to the work of the national organization.
Nomination and Election Process
The COSA bylaws outline the nomination and election process and can be found on the COSA website at Nominations are due to the 2015 Nominating Committee Chair, Allison Schafer, on or before Monday, December 15, 2014. Nominations must come from the COSA Nominating Committee or over the signature of ten (10) COSA members 30 days in advance of the election; no nominations are accepted from the floor.
The Nominating Committee is comprised of the COSA Chair and the three immediate Past Chairs. COSA members will elect officers and four new directors in 2015. Board members are elected for a two-year term and may serve up to two two-year terms. Officers are elected for a one-year term. The COSA Board has 22 members and is comprised of four officers, three immediate Past Chairs, and fifteen members at large.
When selecting officers and directors, the Nominating Committee strives to “maintain a wide geographical and diverse representation on the Council Board of Directors to ensure that the professional interests and concerns of all members throughout the United States are represented,” as stated in the bylaws. In addition to careful review of nominating materials submitted on behalf of each candidate, the Committee may conduct interviews of candidates at its discretion. The Nominating Committeewill consider the continuing qualifications and commitment of existing board members and officers eligible for nomination, in addition to those of new nominees. The Nominating Committee may consider and select any COSA member in good standing, including previous or “retired” Board members. In addition to the considerations described above, the Committee will consider the following guidelines:
- Diversity.
- Contributions to COSA at the national level.
- Contributions to the state COSA group (whether affiliated or not) and the state school boards association.
- Attendance at COSA events.
- Personal commitment to COSA.
- Commitment to the NSBA Legal Advocacy Agenda.
- Support from the candidate’s state association.
- Support from the nominee’s employer.
- Leadership skills.
- Availability and commitment to serve as a board member/officer.
Board Responsibilities
As the Council’s governing body, the COSA Board of Directors conducts the Council’s business between annual meetings, including advising NSBA staff on programs and services to be provided to COSA members. COSA is an NSBA program; therefore, its annual budget is subject to final approval by the NSBA Board of Directors each June for the following fiscal year, which begins on July 1.
COSA Board members are expected to attend two meetings per year. The fall planning meeting is held in conjunction with the School Law Practice Seminar, usually in mid-October. The spring meeting is held in conjunction with the School Law Seminar, just prior to the NSBA Annual Conference and Exposition in the spring. COSA reimburses travel expenses for Board members attending the fall planning meeting. Board members are responsible for travel expenses to attend the spring meeting. Unless a Board member is a part of the faculty at the School Law Seminar, Board members are responsible for their own registration fees to attend COSA seminars.
COSA Board members also will be asked to serve on at least one Board committee and to advocate in their state and other states on behalf of COSA to encourage membership. COSA Board committees primarily meet by conference call.
COSA Board members are active and vital participants in COSA programming and publications. NSBA staff will communicate with the COSA Board to obtain input on programming, to solicit assistance with publications, and, from time to time, to author an article or present a talk or webinar.
Perhaps most importantly, COSA board members serve as COSA ambassadors internally to the NSBA community, as well as to the legal community and to the public at large. They are expected to engage actively in their public role as promoters of COSA programming, membership and practice of school law.
Please contact me if you have additional questions about serving on the COSA Board of Directors.
Sonja Trainor, Director, Council of School Attorneys
National School Boards Association
1680 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.838.6155
2015 NSBA Council of School Attorneys Board Nomination Questionnaire
Dear Council Member:
By completing the 2015 Board Nomination Questionnaire and submitting it to the COSA Nominating Committee Chair byMonday, December 15, 2014, you will indicate your willingness to accept a nomination to serve on the Council Board of Directors for a two-year term. Please attach a short biography, letter(s) supporting your candidacy, and additional information as desired. The information you provide will assist the Committee in evaluating your candidacy based on a wide range of criteria. The same or similar information will be gathered from each candidate. Please mail, e-mail or FAX the form directly to my office. My address and e-mail are provided at the end of this form.
Thank you.
Allison Schafer, Chair, 2015 NSBA Council of School Attorneys’ Nominating Committee
Director of Policy/Legal Counsel
North Carolina School Boards Association
P.O. Box 97877
Raleigh, NC 27615
PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE
NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE, FAX AND E-MAIL ADDRESS OF CANDIDATE*:
*Must be a member in good standing of the Council of School Attorneys.
NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE, FAX AND E-MAIL ADDRESS OF NOMINATOR*:
*If you are nominating yourself, please ask another member to “sponsor” your self-nomination. Nominator(s) should forward a letter of nomination outlining the accomplishments of the nominees and reasons for support of the nomination.
The following information should be completed by the nominee.
How long have you practiced school law? ______What percentage of your professional time is spent practicing school law? (Please check one)
100% 75-99% 50-74% 26-49% 0-25%
What are the primary school districts that you represent?
1. / 2.
3. / 4.
5. / 6.
What type of school law practice do you have?
Solo practice
Small firm
Large firm / State association counsel
In-house school district counsel
Other: please specify
How many years have you been a member of the NSBA Council of School Attorneys (COSA)? ______
What presentations, publications or other types of volunteer work have you done for COSA or in
collaboration with the NSBA Office of General Counsel? Please list below.
Over the past 5 years, how many times have you attended: The COSA School Law Seminar ______
COSA Fall Seminar ______
If you have a state council of school attorneys, how many years have you been a member? ______ Not applicable
Is your state council affiliated with the NSBA Council of School Attorneys? Yes No
Don't know/NA
What leadership positions have you held in your state council?______
______
What presentations, publications or other types of volunteer work have you done for your state council and your state school boards association?
Please list.
What volunteer service, including leadership, have you provided for other local, state or national professional
associations, e.g. ABA, local bar, etc.?
Please indicate your employer’s knowledge and support of your potential candidacy as a member of the COSA Board of Directors, including the employer’s acknowledgement of the time commitment. (May be attached
in a separate document.)
Please indicate your acknowledgement of the time necessary to fulfill the expectations of COSA Board membership, and your commitment to the expectations of service as described in the attached COSA
Board Member Service and Nomination Process document. (May be included in the letter supporting your candidacy.)
OPTIONAL Demographic Information:
Sex: Male Female
Race:
Caucasian Hispanic
African-American Native American
Asian/Pacific Islander Multi-Cultural
Please add any description you feel is relevant: ______
Please attach a short biography and provide any additional information that would support your nomination.
Thank you for completing the questionnaire. Please e-mail or mail the questionnaire to:
Allison Schafer, Chair, 2015 NSBA Council of School Attorneys’ Nominating Committee
North Carolina School Boards Association
Director of Policy/Legal Counsel
P.O. Box 97877
Raleigh, NC 27615
919/841-4040
The deadline for receipt of nominations is Monday, December 15, 2014.
If you have questions about the nominating process, please contact Sonja Trainor, Council Director, at 703/838-6155 or at .
COSA Board Member Service Process and Nomination Questionnaire.docOctober 6, 2014