The JLD uses the Council System as its organizational structure. This system creates a center of interaction and exchange among committee chairs with related interests; allows the Council to advise, interpret and recommend action and provides a support system for committees.
The Board of Directors is comprised of the President, President-Elect, and Council Directors (see chart). The Recording Secretary serves as Communications Council Director and the Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer serve as Finance Council Director and Trustee. The officers of the JLD are the President, President-Elect, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer.
The Board of Directors is responsible for six major areas of operation:
The Councils are responsible for advising the Board in the major areas of operation, exluding Personnel. Working as a management team comprised of the Council Director and committee chairs, a Council plans, generates alternatives, solves problems, makes recommendations, makes decisions, and implements. Councils meet quarterly.
Because the charge of the Board of Directors is vast and failure to carry its charge can lead to legal problems, the workload of the Board must be divided through the appointment of committees. Committees are responsible to the Board. An organization that has effective operating committees benefits from the breadth of ideas taht those committees offer. If committees work properly, Board meetings become more efficient.
The responsibility of a Committee is to advise the Board in a specific area of expertise (i.e. publications, public affairs, funding, project research and development, etc.). Committees are essential to the JLD’s operation because they are the working bodies of the organization. Comprised of JLD members working as a team representing specific areas of expertise, a committee plans, generates alternatives, solves problems, makes recommendations, makes decisions, and implements.