Officer Position Descriptions

CHAPTER PRESIDENT

The Chapter President is the chief executive officer of the chapter. This volunteer is responsible for the general and active management of the business and affairs of the chapter. The President serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors and presides at all membership meetings. The President should supervise the operations of the chapter, making sure that the various officers and directors are performing their jobs properly, and offering them assistance whenever necessary. A good TU Chapter President is a good administrator, because many of his or her responsibilities will be overseeing the work of chapter committees, coordinating their activities and assisting them with various special projects from time to time. The President is responsible (with the Chapter Treasurer) for the chapter filing its financial report with National on time, in addition to ensuring that chapter contact information is kept current on www.tu.org. The President also must assume the responsibility for leadership development, to insure the chapter’s continued success when the current leadership moves on.

While keeping in mind the larger context of TU’s state, regional and national goals, the President must coordinate the four core areas of the chapter:

  1. Conservation
  2. Education
  3. Service to members
  4. Effective chapter business practices

A good Chapter President must also be a good listener, constantly aware  of the mood and direction of the chapter. Without becoming a dictator,  the President must steer a basic course for the group. A President  should encourage members to approach him or her when they have a  question or a problem. The President serves as spokesperson for the  chapter at public gatherings and hearings, and should maintain good relations with local press, conservation commissions, environmental  organizations and government officials. The President is a key  connection between the chapter and state council. In addition, the  President represents TU and the chapter to the general public. One of  the President’s most important duties is identifying and grooming his  or her replacement.


VICE PRESIDENT

The Vice President of a TU chapter is second in command. The position of Vice President is often used as training for a leader to step into the President position.

The Vice President is responsible for:

  1. Maintaining a high profile in the chapter.
  2. Presiding over meetings from which the President is absent.
  3. Providing support and assistance to the President in order to achieve the core functions of the chapter.
  4. Performing duties as assigned by the President or the board directors.


SECRETARY

The Secretary is responsible for:

  1. Keeping the minutes of all Board of Directors and membership meetings.
  2. Coordinating with the Newsletter Editor or President to write and send all meeting notices of the chapter.
  3. Other duties as assigned such as important correspondence with outside organizations, individuals and partners.
  4. The Secretary may also serve on the Membership Committee, or in the case of a small chapter, may serve as Membership Chair.


TREASURER

The role of a Treasurer is without a doubt one of the most important in the chapter. It is critical that the Chapter Treasurer be conscientious and have good systems in place, otherwise the chapter is at serious risk.

The Treasurer is responsible for:

  1. Collecting and handling all moneys for the chapter including making disbursements as needed.
  2. Timely filing of Financial Reports with the national office (before November 15th of each year).
  3. Keeping accurate financial records - including all banking transactions.
  4. Maintaining the ledger of the chapter’s finances.
  5. Making a report of the chapter’s financial status and activity at each Board of Directors meeting.
  6. Maintaining tax IDs and, if applicable, file a federal form 990 or 990-T for the chapter (if gross revenues exceed an average of $25,000 over three years or if Unrelated Business Income exceeds $1,000 in a single year).
  7. Serving as a liaison to the state council and the national office to comply with TU’s financial policies.