Board Duties

President

• Act as a spokesperson for the Harvard Club of Singapore.
• Liaise with the Harvard Alumni Association (“HAA”).
• Liaise with other Harvard Clubs and Shared Interest Groups in Singapore.
• Liaise with the Schools & Scholarships Committee as needed.
• Succession planning and ensuring the success of the successor.
• Oversee all board and executive committee meetings.
• Serve as the ex-officio member of all HCS committees as set out in the relevant terms of reference.
• Monitor committee chairs to ensure they are delivering.
• Call special meetings as necessary.
• Ensure all board and committee members are appointed in accordance with the Club’s Constitution.
• Work with the secretary to prepare the agenda for board and general meetings.
• Assist the vice president to conduct new board member orientation.
• Work with the Nominating Committee to recruit new committee members.
• Consult with board members on their roles and assess their individual performance.
• Work with the Treasurer on budget and expenses.

Vice President

• Attend all board meetings.
• Preside over board meetings in the president’s absence.
• Serve on the executive committee and participate as a vital part of the board leadership.
• Serve as chair of one or more committees.
• Carry out special assignments as requested by the president and/or board.
• Understand the responsibilities of the president and be able to perform these duties in the president’s absence.
• Onboard new board members.
• Share with the President the responsibility of liaising with HAA (including filing the annual report required by HAA) and other alumni entities (Harvard and otherwise) in Singapore.

Treasurer

• Oversee the budget process.
• Submit budget report at each board meeting and at the annual meeting.
• Develop budget plan for the following year.
• Responsible for the Club’s fiscal records and ensure that financial statements pass the annual audit.
• Together with the president, approve payments in accordance with constitutional limits and board approvals.
• Process payments.
• Signs checks and contracts as assigned by the board.

Secretary

• Prepare the board meeting agenda, writing meeting minutes and get them approved.
• Record attendance at board meetings.
• Prepare paperwork to be filed with the Registrar for Societies including the annual submission, the audited financial statements and changes to the Constitution, updates to registry of officers, taxes, etc.
• Maintain and understand the Bylaws and Constitution.
• Maintain official records of all board business activities.
• Maintain and update the registry of members for compliance to regulatory requirements.

All Board Members (Including Officers)

• Spend about 2-3 hours per week on board work for the Club.
• Attend all board and general and extraordinary meetings of the members. There will be at least 10 board meetings per year, with the board meetings in January, February and March to take place in person, and other times of the year to alternate between 100% virtual and in-person meetings. No hybrid meetings will be entertained. Under the Constitution, absence from three (3) consecutive board meetings will result in termination of board tenure. Board attendance and board minutes are available for inspection upon the request of members.
• Read the agenda and prior meeting meetings before each board meeting.
• Execute on tasks / actions outlined in meeting minutes.
• Take on a key role within the Club, such as PR, communication, memberships, webmaster, IT, bookkeeping, etc.
• Be a member, at all times, of at least one board-approved committee (e.g., Engagement Committee, Event Committee, Awards Committee (or one of the sub-committees) or ad-hoc committees formed by the board. Each board member serving on committees will act as the liaison between the board and these committees and are expected to provide regular updates on committee activities. When positions are available, board members are expected to chair at least one such committee. The terms of references for existing committees are available here.
• Be host or co-host for at least two (2) events, including at least one Club major event (e.g., Annual General Meeting, Annual Dinner, Welcome To Your City, Global Networking Night, August Alumnus, etc.) taking on full accountability for delivering these events. (Note: Board members are expected to plan, execute and host the entire event, including providing all logistical and administrative support necessary). The hosting board members are accountable for ensuring their event breaks event.
• Attend at least six (6) Club-organised events in any calendar year. These include the Annual General Meeting, the Annual Dinner and the two (2) that the Board member hosts / co-hosts. Board members are expected to pay for the tickets to the events, including those for which they act as the host / co-host.
• Represent HCS to other alumni, potential students and community at large.
• Provide inputs on evaluating the activities, projects and actions of the board.
• Look out for potential successors / next gen leaders for the Club.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the president or the board.