A new Board of Governors (BOG) member is only as effective as their onboarding. This guide gives you, the BOG Chairman, a repeatable process for bringing a new alumni volunteer onto the Board with intention — from vetting fit through defining exactly what their contribution should look like — so they're contributing with confidence, not guessing at their role.
For: BOG Chairmen
When: Any time you're bringing a new alumni volunteer onto the Board
In this article
The onboarding flow at a glance
Before you extend the invitation
The three onboarding meetings
Getting them access
The first 30/60/90 days
Checking your own read on their engagement
The onboarding flow at a glance
Onboarding a new BOG member is a short sequence you repeat every time — not a one-off welcome email. Each step builds on the last, and skipping one (especially the chapter deep-dive or the role conversation) is the most common reason for low-levels of engagement...or ultimate disengagement altogether.
Before you extend the invitation
Do this before the person is formally on the BOG. A rushed invitation is the root cause of most disengaged BOG members.
Talk through their interests, skills, and realistic time availability
Identify which open seat or portfolio genuinely fits them (finance, recruitment, academics, alumni relations, risk, house/facilities, etc.) rather than adding them at-large by default
Set expectations on meeting cadence, chapter visits, and response times
💡 Tip — Don't fill an open seat with a willing name just to fill it. Match the person to a portfolio they'll actually enjoy owning, and the rest of onboarding gets much easier.
Meeting 1: Explain the BOG's structure and role
One dedicated conversation, not a group email. Cover:
The BOG's purpose - it advises & supports; it does not run the chapter day-to-day
The full BOG roster and what each member currently owns
How the BOG relates to the CEO, chapter officers, and the chapter's members
Meeting cadence and how decisions actually get made
Meeting 2: Walk through the chapter's current state
This is the meeting most onboarding skips, and it's the one that turns a title into real understanding. Give them the honest picture, not the highlight reel.
Review recent membership, academic, financial, and risk history
Share the chapter's current strategic priorities and where they came from
Be candid about what's going well and what's genuinely at risk
Introduce key chapter contacts
⚠️ Watch out — Skipping this conversation is the single biggest reason new BOG members disengage. Without context, "help the chapter" has nowhere to attach.
Meeting 3: Define their specific contribution
This is the conversation that separates an engaged volunteer from a name on an email list. Don't rush it — talk through, in real detail, what success in their role looks like over the next year.
Talk through their portfolio in depth — a specific area they own, not "help out where needed"
Set 2–3 concrete goals for the year tied to the chapter's current priorities
Agree on how, and how often, they'll report progress
Getting them access
Resource Center (Fin) — walk through how to search it, not just told it exists
Relevant SharePoint folders or other places the BOG keeps files relevant to their specific portfolio
ChapterBuilder and/or Portal & Plaid access, if their role touches those systems (including ensuring they complete their BOG Education if/as appropriate)
Add to the BOG email list, group chat, and meeting invites
The first 30/60/90 days
Checkpoint | What to do |
30 days | Shadow the Chairman, meet key chapter leaders, review their goal worksheet |
60 days | Attend a chapter meeting or event, even virtually |
90 days | Deliver their first concrete contribution; check in on fit |
Checking your own read on their engagement
Onboarding isn't finished once access is granted. Build in a moment, alongside each 30/60/90 checkpoint, to honestly reflect on how the new BOG member is actually settling in — not just whether the paperwork is done. Ask yourself:
Are they showing up prepared, or scrambling to catch up before each meeting?
Are they reaching out with questions and ideas on their own, or only responding when prompted?
Do they seem to understand how their portfolio connects to the chapter's actual priorities, or are they still operating in the abstract?
Is their energy building or fading compared to when they started?
Is there one thing you could clarify, hand off differently, or check in on to help them engage more?
📅 Deadline — Put these reflection prompts on your own calendar alongside the 30/60/90 checkpoints so they don't get skipped.
FAQ
What if the person I'm bringing on doesn't have a clear "lane" yet?
If a new BOG member doesn't have a clear lane yet, use Meeting 3 to explore their skills against the chapter's current gaps rather than defaulting them to an at-large seat — a defined lane, even a narrow one, drives far more engagement than an open-ended one.
How many separate meetings does onboarding actually take?
You can combine Meetings 1 and 2 into a single longer conversation if needed, but keep Meeting 3 — defining their specific contribution — as its own focused conversation.
What if a new BOG member seems disengaged after 60 days?
If a new member seems disengaged by the 60-day checkpoint, revisit Meeting 3 first — a fading volunteer is often one whose role was never made specific enough to act on.
Questions? Contact your Chapter Services Consultant
Last reviewed: September 2026