Slow Food Urban San Diego
Call for Board Nominees - CORRECTED & UPDATED

There was an error in the previous announcement, which has been corrected. Anyone wishing to submit an application for the Board of Directors is encouraged to do so by replying to this e-mail or through the link provided in the "Election Process" section below.
 
Slow Food Urban San Diego is looking for dedicated and committed volunteers to fill board positions. Nominations are currently being accepted for the following positions: 
  • President* 
  • Vice President*
  • Secretary 
  • Treasurer (Finance) 
  • Education  
  • Farm Liaison 
  • Food Justice
  • Fund Development
  • Leadership Development
  • Membership
  • Volunteer Coordinator

We seek enthusiastic, passionate, dedicated persons to join our board of fun-loving professionals that embrace the Slow Food mission. We invite you to join our team.
To apply, please reply to this email and send a brief statement of interest and bio.  Indicate the position or committee you are interested in.  If interested in more than one, please list them in order of preference.  

 

*President and Vice President require a minimum of one year service on the Board of Directors. All other Board positions are open to current Slow Food members. 

  Committee Descriptions
Each committee has basic responsibilities and requires certain qualifications of its collective membership. The chair is  expected to ensure those are met through effective management. Links for each are provided below. Minimum time commitments for directors are 2-1/2 hours for the Board meeting on the first Tuesday of the month and a monthly committee meeting.

Education  --  providing education and enrichment opportunities for the community in alignment with Slow Food principles

Farm Liaison -- reinforcing urban ties to local growers, more than putting a face on your food


Finance  --  treasurer; fiscal management and financial reporting

Food Justice  --  collaboration around shared resources promoting food access and security

Fund Development  --  develop and implement fund-raising campaign 

Leadership Development  --  strategic planning and Board training


Membership  --  engage membership through programs and  membership benefits


Volunteer Coordinator  --  recruit and train volunteers

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Election Process

The nomination and election process for new Board members shall be completed by December 1. Below is the timeline for this five-step process, followed by a more detailed description of the election process:

The Application
Applications accepted through Sept. 3 -- interested candidates submit a statement of interest and short bio, one page each

The Interview
Following application submission, candidates will be asked to complete a short questionnaire and schedule an interview with current Board members during the month of September, but no later than Oct. 5.

Review and Recommendation
Upon completion of the interview process, the Candidate Interview Committees shall provide their recommendations, creating a slate of candidates to fill the open Board positions.  The Board has the month of October to complete the review process.

Ratification
The Board-approved slate of candidates shall be presented to the membership of Slow Food Urban San Diego during the month of November for ratification.

Seating the New Board
Upon approval by the membership, the new directors shall be announced and invited to attend the December meeting of the Board of Directors (on the first Tuesday). The new Board shall be seated in January.

 
The elections process is established by the chapter bylaws, amended and ratified in March 2011. A detailed description of how new director elections work and what potential candidates should expect is provided below.

Application Period - SFUSD actively solicits applications for current Board vacancies  through September 3, 2012. Any Slow Food member in good standing interested in being on the Board needs to submit:
  1. A statement of interest outlining your interest in Slow Food, agriculture, farmers, food justice, food, wine or any other areas related to food. Please include why you are interested in a leadership role with Slow Food and highlight any relevant experience.  
  2. A brief bio outlining your background and experience. The bio will allow SFUSD to match candidates to the Board openings that best match their talents
Both 1 and 2 above should be no more than one typed page, single spaced, 12 point font, minimum 1-inch margins. Completed applications should be submitted to applicant@slowfoodurbansandiego.org

 
Interview Period - Candidate interviews will be scheduled during the month of September. All nominees who submit both statements listed above will be contacted by the Leadership Development Committee chair in order to schedule an interview.

Each candidate will be asked to complete a short questionnaire prior to his or her interview. Candidate Interview Committees shall be comprised of a minimum of three current active Board members.

Candidate interviews are a learning process for the current leadership as well as the applicants. Successful candidates will take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about the organization, its leadership, and how it fulfills its mission.  

The interview process is expected to be completed by October 5, 2012. 

 
Election Period (Candidate Reviews and Recommendations) - The Candidate Interview Committees shall make recommendations to the Leadership Development Committee, which shall present a slate of candidates to the entire Board  at its October Board meeting.  

The Board shall review the recommended slate of candidates during the month of October. Any changes to the original recommended slate must be submitted and approved prior to the November Board meeting on November 6.


Ratification - The Board is required to approve the entire slate in order to submit it to the membership for ratification during the month of November.  The membership ratification period shall open no later than Nov. 9 and remain open for three weeks, but no later than Nov. 30. Members vote to accept or reject the entire slate.

If the slate has been approved by a majority of the voting membership by the close of the ratification period on Nov. 30, the new directors shall be announced and invited to the December 4 Board meeting. They shall be seated at the January Board meeting.   

Any questions about the elections process may be directed to Bill Riedy, chair of the Leadership Development Committee, which oversees the elections process. 

 
Slow Food Urban San Diego seeks to create dramatic and lasting change in our local food system.  Our mission is to reconnect Urban San Diegans with each other, rediscover food traditions and cultural heritage and educate our community about the plants, animals, fertile soils and waters that produce our food.  In addition, we support the mission, tenets, programs and values of Slow Food USA.  We seek to inspire a transformation in food policy, production practices and market forces so that they ensure equity, sustainability and pleasure in the food we eat.