I have to agree with Nicholas. I think having a defined dollar amount
written into the by-laws is pretty tacky. Also it discourages a diverse
Board. With this approach you will almost guarantee a homogeneous board
with only those able to afford the specified dollar amount. But what about
people with valuable experiences or knowledge that could be priceless to
the working of a particular museum? These same people might not be able to
financially afford the "dues" but could be able to provide hours of
selfless work on the behalf of the institution. I've heard of countless
stories of Board members at many institutions who gladly give X amount of
money to an institution for the "bragging" rights of claiming to be on a
museum board but can't be bothered to show up at meetings or provide much
needed guidance and advice to a museum staff. There is also the issue of
having minority groups or underserved groups in your area represented on
your board. People from these groups might be willing to give all they can
but that might not be enough for the dues.

The flip side to this debate is you might be undervaluing your institution.
Many people might be willing/able to give more but as you only asked for
$800 that’s all they’re going to give.

As for collecting from board members if a dollar amount is not stated –
that’s the job of the board president, as they are the other board member’s
peer. It’s always best if a peer asks for money and not an “underling”.

All in all, I don’t think inserting a dollar amount into the by-laws has
any upsides.

My 2 cents,
Michelle

Michelle Gallagher, Collections Manager
Palm Springs Desert Museum

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