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  • 1.  Serving as museum staff and board

    Posted 09-25-2022 01:28 PM
    Can you be on one museum staff and serve on the Board of Directors for another museum, or is there a conflict of interest?
    Can you serve on an advisory committee to avoid COI?


  • 2.  RE: Serving as museum staff and board

    Posted 09-26-2022 09:16 AM
    Dear Rene - Much depends upon the mission of each museum.  If they are actively collecting and have similar acquisition goals, there may be a COI.  If they have significantly differing missions or those that overlap in content and can support one another's  promotional efforts, a COI is less likely.  Each museum should have a clear, documented policy with declaration forms regularly updated.

    Vivian



    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Serving as museum staff and board

    Posted 09-26-2022 11:19 AM
    I agree that there should be policies written in your employee handbook/guidelines. I would reach out to the HR department if you have one and check!

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    Lauren T. Furey
    Director of Visitor Services
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Serving as museum staff and board

    Posted 09-26-2022 11:49 AM

    Not only should there be employee policies, but every board should have a documented, reviewed regularly, conflict of interest policy and procedures document.  This falls heavily on the board as a whole and any COI declared by board members should be seriously considered.



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  • 5.  RE: Serving as museum staff and board

    Posted 09-26-2022 11:56 AM
    Thank you all for the feedback. Below is the statement from our code of ethics. Makes me wonder how this applies to graduate work through a University?

    From Code of Ethics:

    "Other employment, including consulting and/or volunteer service, must not conflict with the interest of the Museum."



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    René Ballesteros
    Community Engagement Officer
    Museum of South Texas History
    Edinburg, TX
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Serving as museum staff and board

    Posted 09-26-2022 12:00 PM
    That is very, very broad.  Perhaps intentionally.  But if there is review by peers, I believe transparency should help to prevent anything appearing in conflict.



    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Serving as museum staff and board

    Posted 09-26-2022 12:25 PM
    This is a super interesting and important question. The answer likely is held within the policies of your employing museum and its status (private non-profit, municipal, etc.)  Some museums may see that as a conflict, while in other cases, your participation on a board could be part of your obligations as paid staff. In any case, you should tell your supervisor that you've been asked to serve on a board and discuss the pros, cons, and related policies within your employing institution. You also have to ensure that your participation on another museum's board doesn't conflict with your regular work hours. It's a delicate dance, but serving on a board, commission, or advisory panel does give you a varied perspective of the field.

    Serving on an Advisory Panel is a bit different than a board as that involves less of a formal commitment and is usually based on your providing expertise or insight (similar to a board but usually in a more focused and specific way). 


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    Stephanie Lile
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Serving as museum staff and board

    Posted 09-27-2022 12:57 PM
    [please keep in mind that, although I am an attorney, the following is not legal advice and should not be construed as such!] The issue of a staffperson serving on the board of another museum is an employment policy consideration.  What is the position that the employee holds?  There are differences between the appearance of a conflict of interest and an actual conflict of interest.  A staffperson COI issue/policy differs from the ethical issues of a board member.  A board member has a  "Duty off Loyalty," which, in theory, might create a conflict of interest for a board member to serve on the board of multiple non-profits.  The staffperson issue is  not dissimilar to, for example, an employment contract that have a non-compete clause for a development staffperson who otherwise might take a subsequent job at a museum that looks to the same donor base.   A requirement of disclosure is a start -- for employees and for board members.  Certainly, in some instances, involvement in multiple nonprofits (even similar ones) can lead to collaborations rather than competition.

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    Daniel Ellison JD
    Durham NC
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    Original Message


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