“Uncommon Courses” is an irregular series from The Conversation US that focuses on unconventional teaching approaches.
Course title
“Non-profit leaders”
How did the concept for the course come about?
If nonprofit board members don't know what they're purported to be doing, they might be unable to be sure that the organizations they're legally chargeable for governing are well managed. Individuals who don't have a very good understanding of the responsibilities and logistics of serving on a board could have a less rewarding experience when given the chance.
The late Sherry Wagner-Henry conceived and designed this course during her tenure as director of the Bolz Center for Art Administration on the Business School of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
With the assistance of an area consultant who works with nonprofits, Wagner-Henry developed a course designed to arrange graduates to serve on nonprofit boards. The university's Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies, which I direct, added the course to its repertoire in 2020.
What does the course examine?
Students will gain a basic overview of the structure and regulation of nonprofit organizations. They can even find out how their boards and their roles support the transparency and compliance of those organizations that must serve the general public.
Trainers provide clarity in regards to the Loyalty duties – oversee the organization at large and manage its assets – and other responsibilities while coping with various features of board operations. Students will learn the fundamentals of monetary oversight, fundraising, and revenue models for nonprofits. They can even be exposed to legal obligations and the importance of diversity and inclusion policies, and learn lead meetings.
What sets this one-year course aside from most others of its kind is the chance for college kids to serve temporarily on a committee while they’re still in school.
In the autumn, each student is assigned to a nonprofit board and attends board meetings. Students proceed to research and apply what they’ve learned in school while participating in and observing their respective boards.
In the spring, students complete a final project for his or her assigned organizations. These projects, requested by the committees, incorporate the perfect practices taught within the course.
Some good examples of those projects include: compiling handbooks and orientation materials for board members, developing recent board recruitment strategies, and revising board evaluation processes.
Why is that this course relevant now?
Non-profit organizations play a serious role in American society – about 1 in 10 American jobs. The board members who oversee these organizations be sure that they stay true to their mission, comply with local, state and federal laws, and are sustainable for years to come back.
Many of the individuals who serve on nonprofit boards have never received formal preparation for the role, leaving them ill-equipped when a nonprofit fails on account of fraud, declining revenue, mismanagement or personnel problems.
What is a vital lesson from the course?
Participants on this course will gain a practical understanding of the importance of nonprofit boards and the common issues board members face. They will learn the roles required, how boards make decisions, learn to discover gaps in board leadership, and gain expertise and skills that may strengthen the work of a board.
What materials does the course contain?
“The Handbook of Nonprofit Governance”, published by BoardSource, is a core text. Students also read a variety of other sources selected for their relevance to sections and lessons of the course. These materials range from Quarterly magazine for non-profit organizations Articles on financial reports prepared by an accounting firm, Wegner CPAs, for their nonprofit clients. We sometimes attribute relevant podcasts, such as episodes of “The Daily” on the The financial situation of the National Rifle Association and legal problems.
What does the course prepare students for?
Upon completion of this course, students are prepared to be responsible, effective board members with high standards. Several students have officially joined the boards they worked with through this course – including a college and a company that supports Black fathers. Others have been hired by a company after temporarily serving on their board while taking this course.
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