The Board of Trustees works to fulfill the Mission Statement of the F# Software Foundation. They are responsible for the oversight of the business and affairs of the Foundation. The Board of Trustees is elected annually by the voting members of the FSSF.
The Officers of the F# Software Foundation are elected by the Board of Trustees, and are responsible for the operation of the FSSF.
The current Board of Trustees and Officers of the FSSF are listed on the Officers and Trustees page. Nominations for a position on the Board of Trustees can be made by any Sustaining Member or Sponsor Delegate.
Requirements for serving on the Board of Trustees
The bylaws state that any nomination, in order to be considered, must be at least 18 years of age and a Member of the F# Software Foundation in good standing. Board members do not need to be Sustaining (voting) members, but they must be a Member. Board members must also agree to the Conflict of Interest policies as specified within the Bylaws.
A member of the Board of Trustees has the following legal duties:
- Duty of care: This duty is very broad, requiring Board members to exercise ordinary and reasonable care in the performance of their duties, exhibiting honesty and good faith. Officers and directors must act in a manner which they believe to be in the best interests of the FSSF, and with such care, including reasonable inquiry, as an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances.
- Duty of Loyalty: This is a duty of faithfulness to the FSSF. This means that Board members must give undivided allegiance to the FSSF when making decisions affecting the FSSF. In other words, Board members cannot put personal interests above the interests of the association. Personal interests may include outside business, professional or financial interests, interests arising from involvement in other organizations, and the interests of family members, among others. Board members should be careful to disclose even potential conflicts of interest to the Board of Trustees, and should recuse themselves from deliberation and voting on matters in which they have personal interests.
- Duty of Obedience: This duty requires Board members to act in accordance with the organization's articles of incorporation, bylaws and other governing documents, as well as all applicable laws and regulations.
The current Board of Trustees has set the following goals and policies, which should provide a guideline for overall expectations and time commitments for potential Board of Trustee nominations:
- Hold a regular meeting with the other Board of Trustees roughly once per month, for 1 to 1.5 hours
- Participate in internal Board discussions and mailing lists to further the business of the FSSF
- Agree to hold themselves to the highest ethical standards, as described in the F# Software Foundation Board of Trustees Code of Ethics
For more details on the basic roles and responsibilities of a Board member, please refer to What Are the Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards?