While I agree in principle with the cautions sounded by
John Martinson and Harry Needham about Board micro-
management of museum operations by being personally
involved, and I certainly agree that responsibility AND
authority (often forgotten) needs to delegated to staff as
appropriate, it still seems inescapable that the director is

accountable to the Board for the museum's welfare. In
that sense, with the power to hire and fire the director,
and
with responsibility for overall policy and mission, the
Board
IS ultimately responsible for museum operations.

My question is: what are some of the means Board members
can use to get independent feedback on museum operations
without getting personally involved. I don't need to go into

the list of names of directors and other high-ranking museum

officials who have hoodwinked their hands-off Boards about
illegal or unethical activities until a scandal erupts that
brings
the whole outfit into disrepute. Surely any worthy Board
member worth his/her salt wants to prevent such disasters,
but how do you find the line between due care for the
museum's operation and butting in where you shouldn't be?

I should add that this problem of oversight is not limited
to
museums; I've encountered it in other organizations, too
(specially nonprofits).

tom
--
Tom Vaughan    "The Waggin' Tongue"
<[log in to unmask]>   (970) 533-1215
11795 Road 39.2, Mancos, CO 81328  USA
Cultural Resource Management, Interpretation, Planning, &
Training