HomeMy WebLinkAbout16.a. (Handout) Draft discussion outline provided by Member Lauritzen April 20, 2023
To: Central San Board of Directors Draft E
From: Mariah Lauritzen
Re: Process for Improving the Effectiveness of the Board Member Appointment/Selection Process at
Central San
Purpose of Proposal: Suggest a process to ensure a fair, equitable, position relevant, legally defensible
appointment/selection process for selecting future Board Members at Central San
Goal of Appointment Process is to ensure an appropriate decision making process that:
• Considers the District's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Commitments
• Ensures clarity, alignment and shared understanding of the Decision Making Process for each board
member
• Ensures a consistent, transparent and appropriate communication process to all affected stakeholders
in the appointment decision
Step One: Develop Appropriate Reference and Selection Documents for the Decision Making Process.This
includes:
• A Candidate Criteria Template that outlines the process steps in the selection process
• Structuring Effective Behavioral Interview Questions Process consistent with the core competencies,
characteristics and other relevant success factors required for the Board appointment
• Ensure questions selected are vetted by HR, legal counsel, HR consultant and the DEI committee as
appropriate
• Agree on basic appointment process and write guidance document for board members to reference for
future appointments
Step Two: Draft Appointment Process Guidance (required further discussion of course)
1. Decision Making Criteria. Board members write out their decision-making criteria based on the
Candidate Criteria template developed above. Recall the template should provide defensible clarity on
the positional success factors listing core competencies, characteristics, skills, experience and other
knowledge critical to success in the role being assessed
2. Candidate Outreach. If board members have met with or know any of the candidates:
a. Recommend that board member arrange to meet with the other candidates
L Option to meet with all the candidates before the screening
ii. Option to meet with all the screened candidates before the interview
3. Transparency. To promote transparency of decision making to both the public and to facilitate
communication among the board members, a copy of each board member's Candidate Criteria
Template will be posted with the agenda packet
a. this may need legal review, District Secretary of HR review to ensure this process is consistent
communication protocols in the District to its publics
Step Three: Board Members Screen Candidates
4. Screen Candidates. Board members will rank candidates using an approved standardized form that
fairly captures criteria developed in step two of this process above
a. An approval voting process will provide an overall ranking TBD.
(Continued on next page)
b. Screening:
i. Target of approximately the top 1/3 of candidates or the top 5 candidates will be
selected for interviews that meet the minimum required criteria established in the
Candidate Criteria Template
ii. Screening standard will be based on an approval voting criteria set by the Board.
E.g. all candidates that received X number of votes will be selected for interviews.
Step Four: The Board Interview Process.
5. Questions. Each board member will develop 1-3 questions each based on 4 themes but must all be
clearly related and legally defensible criteria as outlined in position success factors documents. Once
received the questions should be vetted by legal or HR for relevance and alignment. Areas of inquiry
may include but not limited to:
• Environmental
• Financial Responsibility
• Personal
• Policy
a) Structure an Effective Interview Questions Handout
E.g. How to structure interview questions to reveal a candidate's problem solving and thought
process. This will be developed and agreed to in Step Two of this process so there is clear
understanding on how to interpret the comments, examples, and experiences of the candidates
into a fair assessment process based on the positional criteria of the role.
6. Interview.
a) Duration recommendation: 45 minutes per candidate
b) Each board member will ask their questions in succession from left to right
c) Board members have the opportunity to ask follow up questions
Note: List of Recommended follow-up questions (developed by DEI committee, vetted by HR,
Legal. Follow-up questions are off the cuff and spontaneous. It is useful for Board members to
have access to modeling of high quality follow up questions.
d) Consider having a staff member part of the DEI committee who could pass notes to the board
President to raise potential DEI issues during the interview
Note: Currently it is up to the board members to hold each other accountable during board
meetings. This could add an additional layer of accountability. However, it does have the
potential to put employees on the spot.
Step Five:The Appointment Decision
7. Candidate Criteria Template. Final version's provided for each board member
a) To promote transparency of decision making to both the public and to facilitate communication
with each other, a copy of each board member's Candidate Criteria Template will be posted with
the agenda packet (verify this with legal)
b) Alterations from the last time the criteria were posted will be pointed out for both the public and
to facilitate communication with fellow board members
8. Discussion. A discussion of candidates will be conducted
• Board might consider hiring a facilitatory for the discussion part of the interview.
• Each board member will rank their top :!�X-1 number of candidates using a standardized
assessment form finalized in step three of this process.
• Rank choice vote will be conducted to obtain a consensus choice instead of a plurality choice
Draft fOr di 'scussion