AIESEC Local Committee
Board of Advisors Best Practices Guide
Peter J. Stewart
Michael M. Flood
v1.2
Original August 7, 2009
Updated October 14, 2016 (contact info)
Please send us feedback on this document so that we can improve it!
Peter Stewart [email protected]
Michael Flood [email protected]
BOA Purpose
 An AIESEC Local Committee (LC) Board of Advisor’s (BOA) purpose is to provide guidance,
support, and feedback to the strategies, operations, and goals of the LC officer team. The BOA is
not a Board of Directors (BOD), whose purpose is to have direct governance and control of an
organization’s finances, policies, and personnel. AIESEC International and AIESEC in the United
States have a BOD. LCs have BOAs.
 The BOA should be aware of the current high-level strategies, goals, and policies of AIESEC
International and AIESEC in the United States so that they can ensure the LC’s activities are in
alignment with the rest of the organization.
 A BOA is as useful to an LC as the level of effort the LC puts into selecting the BOA, keeping them
informed, and providing good opportunities for advisors to contribute their time and talent.
 The BOA can be immensely valuable…for many LCs is has been one of their secrets to success
and ability to survive and thrive for 25+ years.
BOA Structure
 Have 25-50% alumni on the BOA. AIESEC is a distinctive organization with unique mission,
structure, and processes. Alumni can help to ensure consistency from year to year and to make
sure that the activities of the LC are true to the vision, mission, and purpose of the organization.
You don’t want everyone to be an alumnus as diversity is important on any board and team.
 Have a diverse BOA membership from different segments and industries:
o Corporate: Large Fortune 500
o Corporate: Small & Medium Businesses
o Entrepreneurs
o Not-for-profit
o Education & Government
 Also aim for diversity in functional area expertise. Ideally you will have financial, marketing,
sales, project management, university relations and human resources expertise represented.
 The size of the BOA should be between 10-20 members. It is difficult for professionals to attend
every meeting and event, so you want the BOA to be big enough that the average turnout is
enough to ensure good discussions and support at meetings.
 If you are starting a new BOA, start with 10 members and then grow. Relationships need to be
developed between the BOA members as well as between the LC. Keep in mind that the LC
leadership turns over every year, so it is important that the BOA remains as a stable element to
help balance out all that knowledge and experience that graduates every year.
 Each BOA should have a Chair. The Chair should be selected by the BOA. The Chair should be in
close communication with the LCP and VP External Relations. Generally speaking it is good to
rotate this position every 3-4 years. Once a new Chair is selected, there should be a transition
period of 2-3 meetings between the incoming Chair-elect and outgoing Chair.
 The LC Faculty Advisor should be a member of the BOA but not the Chair. The Faculty Advisor
plays a crucial role for the LC in working with their university and should not be over-taxed.
BOA Meetings
Before the Meeting
 There should be at least 3-4 meetings per year. Have one as early as possible in the year so
that the LC can share their strategies and goals with the BOA. The LC exec team has 12
months to accomplish their goals, so you want to make the most of your year and leverage
the BOA as much as possible.
 The final meeting of the year should have both the outgoing and incoming LC Executive
Teams (after elections and EB selection). Because this increases the size of attendance plan
the location and agenda accordingly.
 Meetings can be either first thing in the morning or in the evening after work. After years of
both, we recommend evening meetings as it allows for more networking time and for
dinner & drinks after the meeting – frankly, this is where you can really get to know the BOA
and get some one-on-one advice.
 Keep in mind that the BOA are professionals. They have jobs, families, and probably kids.
Their time is very valuable to them. Be prepared! Make the most of your time with them.
 Send out the BOA Packet at least 3-5 days before the meeting. You’ll be surprised, many of
the BOA will actually read it before the meeting. Don’t use the meeting to READ the report
line by line…business professionals can ready very quickly…focus on the most important
items. Allow time for the BOA to contribute.
 Have some coffee, soft drinks and light snacks for the meetings.
 Host the meetings either at your school or at a BOA member’s offices.
During the Meeting
 Encourage BOA members to arrive 15-30 minutes prior to the start of the meeting for social
and business networking with each other and LC members.
 The BOA Chair should run the meeting, assisted by the LCP.
 Key point: Allow time for the BOA members to talk. Don’t rush through the agenda and
only leave 5 minutes for the BOA to give feedback. Not only will you not get good advice,
but you’ll probably not keep the BOA very engaged. A good meeting is a highly interactive
meeting.
 Don’t try to cover every issue and need with the BOA in 2 hours. Remember that you can
always reach out to the BOA between meetings. Focus on the most important items.
 The LC Executive team should attend BOA meetings. Restrict attendance by general
members to those with specific projects or potential for future EB positions.
After the Meeting
 Send out meeting minutes within one week of the meeting. Thank the BOA for their time.
 Follow up, follow up, follow up! Absolutely nothing is worse than having a BOA member
promise to help out and then missing out because you didn’t follow up with them.
 Don’t let the BOA meetings be just idle “talk”…follow-up with action!
Example BOA packets:
BOA Packet April
2008 -- Final.pdf
GT_BOA_packet_Ma
y27_2009.pdf
Example BOA minutes:
BOA_Meeting_Minut
es,_December_3,_2008.doc
LSN Meeting Notes
2006.doc
About the Authors
Peter J. Stewart
President, Cyviz Americas
(Georgia Tech LCP ’96, CCP IC ’97, GT BOA Chair ‘00-‘09,
AIESEC U.S. National Sponsor ‘05-present, AIESEC Life Steering Committee ’06-‘09)
Michael M. Flood
VP Strategy, Kajeet
(Georgia Tech LCP ’97, OCP Americas EXPRO ‘99,
GT BOA Member ‘02-‘09, GT BOA Chair-Elect ’09, AIESEC Life Member)