Interested in doing a Board year? On this page you can find information on what it means to do this, as well as the specific tasks for each function. If you want to know more, contact us or a specific Board member, we are be happy to explain to you what we do or help you with any questions or concerns you have!
In the second semester, the Board organises some activities that are directed towards potential new Board members. Keep an eye out for these, we will talk about it in our Half-Yearly GA and in the Monthly Newsletter.
General Q&A
What is a Board year?
Every association needs a Board. A Board is, in short, in charge of and responsible for the association; they make the major decisions and manage the money, and make sure the association remains active and interesting for its members. When you do a Board year you take place in said Board for the entire academic year. You would either be the Chair(man), Secretary, Treasurer or Commissioner Internal Affairs.
How much time does a Board Year take?
Being a Board member is a year-round responsibility, so it is a real commitment and will take a lot (if not all, haha) of your time. However, the number of hours you work on Board-related tasks depends greatly on what time of the year it is, which function you have, how well committees are doing their work and how much extra work you are willing to do. Next to managing Board work, you are expected to join all activities organised by KNUS. Apart from that, being a Board member means committing to the so-called Board Life: there may be exclusive activities (organised by you, other associations, or maybe LETO or SOFv) you get to attend only as a Board member, and of course there are CoBos (Constitution Drinks) to go to at the beginning of the year! Expect about 10-15 hours per week to be put into being a Board member.
Is a Board year expensive?
Because there are so many events to go to and activities to attend, you will most likely spend more in a Board year than in a regular university year. However, Radboud grants every Board member a sum of money, called “Board Months”, at the end of the academic year. This sum is supposed to cover the (obligated) expenses made in your Board year, and will most likely leave you with a little extra to invest in yourself 😌.
How do I know if a Board year is something for me?
You like to show initiative, you like getting things done, you have ideas about how to make KNUS even better… Sounds like you? You would be perfect to join the Board! The most important qualities for a Board member are responsibility, motivation, perseverance, being communicative, mature (to an extent 😛) and most of all having passion!
Every position in the Board requires different interests and therefore characteristics, so even if you don’t consider yourself outgoing or assertive, you should still consider applying! During your Board year, you will learn how to connect with people and become more outgoing, and besides, the most valuable quality of a Board member is authenticity; being a so-called “people-person” isn’t as important as you might assume – we appreciate you for you.
Can you combine doing a Board year with studying?
Yes, you can! If you are a decent planner and know how to set priorities, you could even manage to not delay in your study progress at all during your Board year! If you are motivated, you won’t find trouble managing your courses next to your Board duties, but it will take more effort than usual. By the way, if you are struggling with the study at the moment, you can still do a Board year: just make sure to meet up with the Study Advisor to set up a plan. If you really want to do it, you for sure can!
Why should I do a Board year?
You will learn so much, and you will grow immensely as a person. You will develop your (formal) communication skills, and connect with organisations on a personal level. You will learn how to write a policy, as well as reports; you will learn how to discuss, solve problems, work together as a group; you will learn how to manage your time – you have weekly meetings with your Board so those skills will develop quickly 😁. Then, depending on the function you have, you may gain skill in accounting, administration and/or leading and mediating. Because of all this, having done a Board year wil definitely boost your position in the job market. You will learn a lot about yourself because you will inevitably come face to face with your strengths and weaknesses, insecurities and hidden skills. Being the face of KNUS you will definitely develop social skills, too. Doing a Board year will allow you to network a lot as well, because you will be working with organisations in your (potential) future field of work a lot, as well as connect with Boards from other associations. And, last but not least, doing a Board year is an experience like no other; it is so much fun. You will get to know so many nice people and maybe even make life-long friends!
Board Functions
The Chairman
What does being KNUS’ Chair(man) entail?
The chairman’s main task is to have an overview of what is happening and what needs to happen. Overall this means you take on the role of the leader and take initiative quite easily. You need to be firm and direct when needed. The chairman is also the face of the association. You will be the one who does the more official talks and presentations. This usually means that you are able to socialise with the members quite well and that you present yourself in an approachable and sympathetic manner. You mostly make sure that everyone is doing what they are supposed to do and are there to remind people when that is not the case. Lastly, you do what needs to be done. Sometimes other people are busy so you take over some of their tasks when needed. Overall, the job of chairman is very varied.
The Secretary
What does being KNUS’ Secretary entail?
As the Secretary, you get to take care of everything related to communication and administration. This means checking the KNUS mailbox regularly, keeping in touch with our external contacts, such as Dekker van de Vegt, and being the contact person of the association most of the time. You are also responsible for making the member’s mail every month to inform the members about all of the activities and any other business that may be important within the association. Being a secretary is very handy when it comes to practising your communication skills, as you will have to navigate between formal and informal communication styles on a regular basis. Another important task is making minutes during board meetings and general assemblies. You have to keep track of everything that is said during these meetings for future reference. Important documents need to be checked in terms of spelling, grammar, and general coherence before being archived, and oftentimes have to be translated from English to Dutch or the other way around. Furthermore, you are responsible for maintaining the website by updating it regularly.
In short, a Secretary is like the director of a film; always behind the scenes, but nevertheless an essential factor in keeping the association running. Are you precise, organised and do you have good linguistic skills? Then being the Secretary might just be the perfect move for you!
The Treasurer
What does being KNUS’ Treasurer entail?
Being Treasurer is a lot more fun than you might think. Next to – obviously – contributing to the decision-making of the association, you deal with everything related to the finances of the association, and that is very important. You decide how much money each committee gets, and you oversee KNUS’ balance. This is all relatively doable, especially if you are (a little) confident in dealing with numbers and customer service ;). Money is more important than I would personally like to admit, but that makes you as the Treasurer a vital part of the Board. You have a lot of say in how KNUS operates, as you have the last word in the budgeting and general purchases of the association.
Over the academic year, you prepare a Budget, are responsible for the KNUS debit card and handle Internet Banking, collect contributions, maintain a balance and state of income and expense in an accounting program, and are busy recruiting sponsors. Don’t worry if this sounds like a lot and you feel uncomfortable having these responsibilities: you will learn how to execute all these tasks quickly and effortlessly in no time.
You will also “oversee” some committees, namely the Travel Committee, the Hitchhike Committee, the Symposium Committee and the External Affairs Committee: they all deal with large amounts of money, and it can be very chaotic for them to have to go back and forth with you (trust me on this 😃), so being part of these committees actually makes all that easier.
If you are responsible, accurate, have sharp judgment, you dare to set limits, are able to handle money and are able to keep an overview (and are really cool 😎), Treasurer might be the position for you!
The Commissioner Internal Affairs
What does being KNUS’ Commissioner Internal Affairs entail?
The main thing you do when being a Commissioner Internal Affairs is to oversee and coordinate the committees from the association. Ultimately, you are responsible for these committees. The committees organise activities themselves, but you are present at meetings to be aware of the progress and help out when needed. The CIA is also present at all the activities which is very rewarding because you can see the end product of everything you helped to organise. This may all seem a bit much, but you get used to it very quickly because it becomes part of your daily routine very easily!
You are also a spokesperson between committees and the board, so you will engage in most of the communication. Apart from committees, the CIA is also seen as the first contact person for members. Apart from the internal affairs, you contribute to the decision making of the association in its whole, together with the other board members.
Being the CIA is a very social position, you talk with many people from inside and outside the association. You will get to know a lot of members 🙂 If you like working with people and organizing fun activities, becoming the CIA is perfect for you!