Organizational+Structure

Organizational Structure

The Co-op will have an executive board of 5 members that will report on an as need basis to the AS Board. An Advisory Board will consist of WWU Faculty and community members. The Advisory Board will collaborate only as an advisory board and council for The Co-op Board of Directors. The executive board will oversee the Co-op’ manager and make all of the final decisions for daily operation and event planning. The Co-op manager will be a full time position that oversees the event coordination, staff and volunteers.

Associated Students Board

The Associated Students board will collaborate with the Co-op’s board of directors. They will keep up to date on the operations of the Co-op and oversee financial aspects of the organization.

Co-op Executive Board

The Board will consist of five members, with four directors elected by members and one director elected by staff and volunteers.

Powers and Responsibilities: The business and affairs of the co-op shall be directed and controlled in the interests of members by the Board of Directors. Directors serving on the board represent members and are responsible for the performance and conduct of the cooperative. Their three major responsibilities are to set policies, employ and evaluate the general manager's ability to carry them out, and secure adequate financing for the cooperative. The board also has some specific management responsibilities such as setting goals, objectives, and general policies; adopting long-term strategic plans; employing a competent manager and evaluating performance; preserving the cooperative character of the organization; establishing an accurate accounting system; adopting an annual operating budget; controlling the total operation; and authorizing distribution of cooperative net earnings. The board delegates responsibility for daily operations to a hired general manager or chief executive officer.

Qualifications: Any person who is a member of the Co-op who is not a paid employee of the co-op may be elected to the Board of Directors.

Elections: The board will be determined yearly by an election.

Head of the Board of Directors: The first time the Board of Directors meets in a new year, they will elect someone to serve as the Head of the Board of Directors. This person must be elected through consensus minus one. They will serve as the main contact between the managers and the administration, though all board members will play some role.

Facilitator: At each board meeting there will be a facilitator. All board members will act as facilitators on a rotating basis. The responsibility of the facilitator is to ensure everyone is heard, that the discussion stays on track, that it is completed in a timely manner, and to determine when a vote can take place.

Secretary: Secretary will take notes and minutes of the meeting and record the results of votes. All board members will act as the secretary on a rotating basis. This week’s secretary will be next week’s facilitator.

Decisions: All decisions will be made by consensus minus one.

Voting: Any issue brought up before the board will first be discussed. Once the facilitator has closed the discussion the board will vote. It is an open vote. To vote each director will do a thumbs-up if in favor, a thumbs-down if in opposition, or cross their arms against their chest if they wish to abstain from voting. Results will be recorded by the secretary. For any decision to pass there must be consensus minus one with no more than one person abstaining. If consensus minus one is not reached, discussion will continue. Those who opposed and abstained will explain why, with those in favor responding. The Board will then revote. If consensus minus one is still not reached, and there are other matters to discuss, then the decision will be put on the table and come back to either later in the meeting or at the next meet