Branch Leadership Committee

The Branch Leadership Committee (BLC) exists to provide leadership and direction to The Mountaineers by connecting the interests of the individual branches to each other and to the current organizational priorities. They support the branch activity and course leaders in carrying out the primary activities conducted by The Mountaineers by approving  policies that govern Mountaineers activities and provide peer support amongst branch leaders. The Branch Leadership Committee  will abide by the bylaws, policies, and support the overall purpose and fulfillment of the mission of The Mountaineers.

BLC is an Advisory Committee of the Board and derives its authority from and reports to The Mountaineers Board of Directors.

Responsibilities include:

• Make recommendations to the Board of Directors about policy, programmatic, financial, and other matters that impact volunteer operations.
• Coordinate branch representation in the development, implementation, and update of the strategic plan.
• Act as a point of contact between the branches, Board, staff, and publishing.
• Ensure that organization-wide activity council charters and standards are developed and maintained, for applicable activities, and audited on a defined schedule.
• Align and approve activity and course standards and charters to provide consistency and innovation in outdoor education throughout the Mountaineers and its branches.
• Hear and resolve complaints/issues related to events, classes, courses, etc. that cannot be resolved at the branch level.
• Encourage the exchange of ideas and methods through such means as regular summit meetings of activity councils.
• Ensure that a documented leadership structure and administration manual exists for each branch, that branch elections comply with The Mountaineers Bylaws, and that the annual budget process is properly executed by branches.

Activity Councils

Activity Councils are cross-branch decision making bodies for each activity at The Mountaineers. These group meet at regular Activity Summits. The purpose of Activity Councils is to write/review/audit relevant Clubwide Activity Standards and to share ideas and resources across branches.

View Activity Councils

Meeting SChedule

Meetings take place on the 3rd Wednesday of every month, usually skipping July. Meetings begin at 6pm and conclude at 7 or 7:30pm. Zoom link is shared through the BLC Basecamp. 

BLC Members

Branch Leadership Committee consists of:

• The VP of Branches
• The Chair, Chair-Elect/Vice Chair, and Immediate Past Chair of each Mountaineers Branch
• The Chair of the Global Adventures Committee
• The Chair of the Safety Committee
• Additional members of the Board of Directors
• The group is supported by non-voting members, including 1-2 relevant Mountaineers program staff, whose roles include:
  • programs
  • operations
  • budget oversight
  • leadership development