Step 8: Slam Decision Through Board of Trustees
Build an iron clad case and jam it down the board’s throat.
There are board members and there are Executive Committee board members. There are board meetings and there are Executive Committee board meetings.
Like most university boards around the country, the Executive Committee generates the ideas, gathers the data, and makes recommendations to the broader board who votes on resolutions.
You will exert your influence at the Executive Committee level. This is where the action is. This is where the control is. Your inner circle members, Ayers and Prime Donor, already occupy two of the six Executive Committee member seats. This is a good start.
You will use the Sports Mix study as the objective analysis that allows you to build a case for varsity lacrosse with the other four Executive Committee members. This is where your efforts to Stack the Deck pay off. The study will say what you want it to say.
You will begin to build your case with the six-member Executive Committee members during the Executive Committee board meetings that take place monthly. You will then use this power base to influence the remaining 16 members of the board of trustee at the broader quarterly board meetings.
Following the completion of the Sports Mix study, you will present your findings at the April 2012 board meeting. You will recommend bringing on men’s varsity lacrosse and dropping men’s soccer and track. If there isn’t resounding support for that proposal, do not formally vote on the resolution in April. You’ve worked too hard to be shut down now. Be patient, you still have time.
Gather any objections in from board members in the April 2012 board meeting and strengthen your case. You will have two more Executive Committee board meetings (July 19, 2012 and August 23, 2012) to do so, before the broader board meets again on September 20, 2012.
If one of the objections coming out of the April 2012 board meeting is funding, you’re in great shape. After all, a member of your inner circle, who happens to be a member of the Executive Committee, who happens to be the driver for men’s lacrosse at the University is very wealthy.
You will take the $3M donation he will spearhead to fund lacrosse and gather additional information to bolster your case. You will solidify your case with the Executive Committee in the July 19 and August 23 meetings. You will walk into the September 20, 2012 board meeting with an iron clad case and you will jam it down their throats.
Congratulations, in 8 easy steps, you have established a varsity lacrosse program at the University of Richmond.
There are board members and there are Executive Committee board members. There are board meetings and there are Executive Committee board meetings.
Like most university boards around the country, the Executive Committee generates the ideas, gathers the data, and makes recommendations to the broader board who votes on resolutions.
You will exert your influence at the Executive Committee level. This is where the action is. This is where the control is. Your inner circle members, Ayers and Prime Donor, already occupy two of the six Executive Committee member seats. This is a good start.
You will use the Sports Mix study as the objective analysis that allows you to build a case for varsity lacrosse with the other four Executive Committee members. This is where your efforts to Stack the Deck pay off. The study will say what you want it to say.
You will begin to build your case with the six-member Executive Committee members during the Executive Committee board meetings that take place monthly. You will then use this power base to influence the remaining 16 members of the board of trustee at the broader quarterly board meetings.
Following the completion of the Sports Mix study, you will present your findings at the April 2012 board meeting. You will recommend bringing on men’s varsity lacrosse and dropping men’s soccer and track. If there isn’t resounding support for that proposal, do not formally vote on the resolution in April. You’ve worked too hard to be shut down now. Be patient, you still have time.
Gather any objections in from board members in the April 2012 board meeting and strengthen your case. You will have two more Executive Committee board meetings (July 19, 2012 and August 23, 2012) to do so, before the broader board meets again on September 20, 2012.
If one of the objections coming out of the April 2012 board meeting is funding, you’re in great shape. After all, a member of your inner circle, who happens to be a member of the Executive Committee, who happens to be the driver for men’s lacrosse at the University is very wealthy.
You will take the $3M donation he will spearhead to fund lacrosse and gather additional information to bolster your case. You will solidify your case with the Executive Committee in the July 19 and August 23 meetings. You will walk into the September 20, 2012 board meeting with an iron clad case and you will jam it down their throats.
Congratulations, in 8 easy steps, you have established a varsity lacrosse program at the University of Richmond.