Board Briefs

Work Continues on the Development of the 2009–2012 Strategic Plan

Amy Strauss Tranin, ARNP, MS, AOCN^®, Secretary, ONS Board of Directors

The ONS Board of Directors met virtually in April for a conference call and face-to-face in May for the ONS Congress business meeting. The group also met in June for new board member orientation. Highlights from the meetings follow.

• The strategic plan for 2009–2012 continues to be revised and expanded. The Board is discussing the focus and direction for specific areas of the plan.
• The strategic plan’s preamble, pillar document, and visual descriptions were approved.
• The tactics to achieve the desired outcomes of the plan are still being delineated.
• The Board formed a task force to look at the naming of ONS awards. The task force has already developed a list of recommendations for the entire Board to discuss at the July meeting.
• During the Congress business meeting, ONS President Georgia Decker highlighted the accomplishments of the past year and introduced the new board members for 2008–2009. Decker also thanked the board members and the leaders of ONS’s affiliated organizations who retired after Congress. The 2008 Congress chair was formally thanked for her leadership and hard work on the committee.
• The executive Board approved ONS serving as an outreach partner in the 2008 Frosted Pink With a Twist program, which will air on October 12 from 4–6 pm EST on ABC, and participating with VM Television to produce an oncology nursing video to be narrated by Hugh Downs. These efforts will allow ONS to reach a broad audience to disseminate information about oncology nurses and ONS.
• The Board continues to discuss governance policies and philosophy.
• The Board is developing a work plan for 2008–2009, which will aid the Board and ONS staff in the year’s agendas and workflow priorities.
• The Board had a generative discussion about core member benefits. These are benefits that ONS must provide, regardless of budgetary fluctuations. 
• ONS investment policies were reviewed and discussed following an investment risk assessment of each Board member. Changes to the policy were approved. Plans to alter the budget committee to more of a finance committee structure also were approved. In future meetings, our financial mangers will provide education for the Board regarding nonprofit investments.
• The Board will also be reaching out to ONS members for feedback through a random survey. This is an effort to make sure the Board is available and listening to member needs and opinions.