As the Ad-hoc Governance Team publishes its Draft Report -- recommendations for the future governance of CSCPF -- it is important to reflect on current governance. As a California nonprofit public benefit corporation CSCPF has an existing a governance structure. It is currently a "board", which is and has been in place since CSCPF's incorporation last year. That "board's" authority and responsibilities are defined in the existing bylaws, which are available to members on the Google drive (in a separate set of folders). This may not reflect what we all desire permanently for CSCPF relative to our broader values, but a structure currently exists as well as the means to do work, to consult broadly, and approve foundational materials with authority.
In point of fact, the team which is being assembled to tackle the very important Standards work -- like all other existing teams such as Certifications, Accreditation, Communications, Membership, etc. -- has no formal authority within either existing or proposed governance structures. Governance authority in the draft proposals will be vested in two councils (Fiduciary and Program) and the members. All of this already functions, albeit informally in the case of the Program Council (the "working group" has filled this role since last August). Team proposals should be developed and presented to the "Program Council" for discussion and feedback, and this can be done now.
The fact that CSCPF governance is a work in progress is not an obstacle to either work or consultation, nor should it be. Neither is it an obstacle to presenting standards (or certification or accreditation or ethics) material to the existing council and board for formal approval, nor should it be. Greg Colley will be happy to guide people with specific proposals through the process. We can approve tomorrow's standards with today's governance. Just produce the specific proposals -- properly vetted with extensive consultation as has been proposed -- and Greg will work with you to make it happen. And this can be done even before new governance structures are approved by the membership, if necessary and advisable (and in the case of standards, it is). As a community, we can work on new and better governance at the same time we can work on our first formally approved standards.
It is important to stress that the existing governance structures stand ready to ensure that foundational materials on standards, accreditation, and certification are formally adopted. Yet these structures do not produce the work, rather individual volunteers working on teams and consulting with their colleagues do so. Since consultation and openness are critical values for CSCPF, important proposals need discussion, comment, and ultimately, formal recognition. We have existing governance structures now, and with proper input from membership over the next couple of months these structures will be augmented to reflect our broader values. It is worth adding, however, that because this is NOT a top down organization, it is not governance which drives our progress, but community, consultation, dialogue, and relationship. And work. Governance is simply the means by which the result of these steps is recognized by CSCPF.
If you have any questions about how to accomplish important objectives within existing governance, please feel free to contact John Jeffery, or Roy Sanders, Paula Belleggie, or Greg Colley. You can also send an email to governance@cscpf.org.
