UC DAVIS: OFFICES OF THE CHANCELLOR AND PROVOST
August 24, 2009
RE: Invitation to Nominate Candidates for the UC Davis Foundation Board of Trustees for three-year terms beginning July 1, 2010
On behalf of the Nominating Committee of the UC Davis Foundation (UCDF), I am pleased to invite your nomination of candidates for the UCDF Board of Trustees. In this year’s election cycle ten positions are expected to be open for three-year terms to begin July 1, 2010.
For your convenience, a nomination form and a copy of selection criteria are attached. In addition to the nomination form, you may also submit letters of recommendation in order to provide additional information about the nominated candidate’s engagement with UC Davis. Please submit your nomination by September 30, 2009 (please see nomination form for submission details).
Thank you for taking your valuable time to nominate an individual to be considered for membership on the UCDF Board of Trustees. The success of the philanthropic and relationship building efforts of the UCDF are directly related to the quality, visibility, dedication and diversity of the trustees of the Board of the Foundation. As you identify a potential candidate, it may be helpful to work on the nomination with the Development staff in the area in which the candidate is most involved.
When considering a nomination you may or may not choose to discuss the nomination with the nominee. Aspects you might consider include:
Each nomination requires thoughtful care and time on the part of the nominator, and is then carefully considered by the Nominating Committee. It may be helpful to ascertain the interest of the individual in being considered for Board membership. Ascertaining that the potential nominee is open to the nomination and providing that information to the Nominating Committee would be very helpful. Such a discussion with the nominee will also provide an ideal opportunity to further cultivate the individual’s continuing interest and involvement with UC Davis.
An important aspect to consider in any discussion with a nominee is the fact that there are always more nominations than there are openings on the Board. This is an especially important fact to share with a candidate in order to avoid disappointment and to maintain our strong relationship with all nominees.
The Committee relies on the judgment of the nominator in determining whether or not to discuss the nomination with the potential nominee. If you choose to have a conversation with a nominee, the following information may be helpful background for you to share with that individual:
Election to membership on the Board is one of the highest honors UC Davis can bestow upon a donor/volunteer. Trustees play a leadership role in assuring the university’s success in fundraising and advocacy. They include distinguished alumni, parents, community members, business leaders and faculty representatives – who bring vital expertise and community relations that help UC Davis achieve its goals. Membership on the Board requires an on-going commitment to serving as a liaison to one or more academic units and supporting UC Davis through the Foundation with their financial contributions, time, and talent.
There are a limited number of positions available. For the current election, we have ten positions potentially available. The By-laws allow a total of 48 elected trustees.
Factors considered include the nominee’s current or past support of, commitment to, and engagement with UC Davis, as well as unique attributes or skills the nominee has that would be of assistance to the mission of the Board in support of UC Davis.
In order to be maximally effective the Board needs diverse representation of the communities UC Davis serves. Members of the Board support the needs of a wide variety of academic units; provide financial and investment advice; represent diverse geographic regions; assist in developing relationships with individuals, foundations, corporations and other organizations; they provide special expertise in fund-raising and a host of other skills.
Given the excellent caliber of the nominees each year, selection of candidates to be invited to serve on the Board is always difficult. The final selection does not reflect the quality of the individual nomination, but is based on the dynamic needs of the Foundation and the balance of the Board at the time.
The Committee hopes that all nominees will recognize that the nomination itself is an honor and is reflective of our gratitude for their commitment to UC Davis. The Committee trusts that those nominees not selected will continue their support of UC Davis and know that in the future their unique skills and attributes may more closely align with the needs of the Board at that point in time.
On behalf of the Nominating Committee, I thank you for considering the nomination of a strong candidate for Trusteeship, which is truly one of the highest honors UC Davis can bestow upon highly engaged donors. I am deeply appreciative of and thank the members of the Committee for their service this year.
Linda P.B. Katehi
Chancellor
Directive #09-029