Commissioners

Commissioners—In the Boy Scouts of America

Commissioners are district and council leaders who help Scout units succeed. They coach and consult with adult leaders of Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops, and Venturing crews. Commissioners help maintain the standards of the Boy Scouts of America. They also oversee the unit charter renewal plan so that each unit reregisters on time with an optimum number of youth and adult members.

Roles the Commissioner Plays

A commissioner plays several roles, including friend, representative, unit "doctor," teacher, and counselor.

The commissioner is a friend of the unit. Of all their roles, this one is the most important. It springs from the attitude, "I care, I am here to help,what can I do for you?" Caring is the ingredient that makes commissioner service successful. He or she is an advocate of unit needs. A commissioner who makes himself known and accepted now will be called on in future times of trouble.

The commissioner is a representative. The average unit leader is totally occupied in working with kids. Some have little if any contact with the Boy Scouts of America other than a commissioner's visit to their meeting. To them, the commissioner may be the BSA. The commissioner helps represent the ideals, the principles, and the policies of the Scouting movement.

The commissioner is a unit "doctor." In their role as "doctor," they know that prevention is better than a cure, so they try to see that their units make good "health practices" a way of life. When problems arise, and they will even in the best unit, they act quickly. They observe symptoms, diagnose the real ailment, prescribe a remedy, and follow up on the patient.

The commissioner is a teacher. As a commissioner, they will have a wonderful opportunity to participate in the growth of unit leaders by sharing knowledge with them. They teach not just in an academic environment, but where it counts most—as an immediate response to a need to know. That is the best adult learning situation since the lesson is instantly reinforced by practical application of the new knowledge.

The commissioner is a counselor. As a Scouting counselor, they will help units solve their own problems. Counseling is the best role when unit leaders don't recognize a problem and where solutions are not clear-cut. Everyone needs counseling from time to time, even experienced leaders.

How are commissioners selected?

Selection process and criteria vary depending on the position.

Commissioner Positions

• Have excellent people skills
• Have a Scouting background or be fast-track learners
• Know and practice Scouting ideals

Roundtable Commissioners are appointed by the district commissioner with the approval of the council executive board.

Roundtable commissioners should—

• Be congenial and enthusiastic performers
• Have the ability to recruit a roundtable staff
• Have a good Scouting program background in the program for which they will run roundtables
• Be a good planner

Assistant District Commissioners are appointed by the district commissioner with the approval of the council executive board.

Assistant district commissioners should—

• Be able to recruit and work through a team of unit commissioners.
• Have excellent people skills
• Have a broad Scouting background or be fast-track learners
• Know and practice Scouting ideals

District Commissioners are approved and appointed by the council executive board, with the concurrence of the Scout executive, on the recommendation of the district nominating committee.

District commissioners should—

• Be widely respected in the community
• Be an enthusiastic leader of adults
• Have the ability to recruit a complete team of commissioners for their districts
• Have the ability to guide and motivate commissioners to visit units regularly, identify unit needs, and help unit adults to meet needs
• Be a role model of Scouting ideals

A Council Commissioner is elected at the annual meeting of the local council after selection by the council nominating committee.

The council commissioner should—

• Have the ability and proven experience to lead and meet objectives through a large structure of other people
• Become a role model of exceptional Scouting service to units throughout the council
• Be a person with a vision of how a good unit program helps youth stay in the program long enough to learn Scouting values
• Have the ability to develop a good working relationship with the Scout executive and professional staff advisor, characterized by mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual recognition of each other's role and competency

Commissioners must not be registered simultaneously as unit leaders. Some commissioners may be registered on a unit committee because they have a son in the unit or because of previous personal history in the unit, but their principle Scouting obligation should be with commissioner responsibilities. Commissioners may be currently registered in only one commissioner position.

Internet Rechartering

Use the Internet to Recharter Your Unit!

The annual charter renewal process will be processed by local units using the new Internet Rechartering process. Internet Rechartering is a new method for units to renew their charters from any online location such as the office, home, or public library. It's easy, convenient, and accurate because you enter the information yourself!

A representative of your unit can now complete the paperwork for renewing a charter online. Using Internet Rechartering, you can indicate returning members, add new members, and update information for an individual or the chartered organization.

What are the benefits of Internet Rechartering?
There are two key benefits from using Internet Rechartering

1. More accurate member data, and
2. Freeing up of scarce council resources.

These benefits are really two sides of the same coin. Moving some of the data entry for charter renewal from the council to the unit leads to more accurate member data (because a unit member is entering the information). Also, the council will need to only double-check and potentially edit the submitted Internet Rechartering data before it is posted.

What do users need to use Internet Rechartering?
Internet Rechartering was designed to accommodate the widest variety of users without a need for specific training. The users of Internet Rechartering should have a basic knowledge of Boy Scouts of America terminology and familiarity with a computer and the World Wide Web. Internet Rechartering contains an optional tutorial that will walk users through each step.

Internet Rechartering will require that the user have access to a computer with a 56 KB or faster Internet connection and a browser that is IE 5.5 or greater

What can I NOT do in Internet Rechartering?
Internet Rechartering is only for charter renewal. New charters cannot be established through Internet Rechartering.

Internet Rechartering is for traditional units only – Packs, Troops, Teams, Crews, and Ships.

How to Use Internet Rechartering
Help and Training on Internet Rechartering is available from the National Council via the links below. Each unit will receive its Charter Renewal Package as usual. The recharter packet will include information on Internet Rechartering, including an access code unique to each unit. Once received, the unit selects an adult to complete the online process. This renewal "processor" uses the access code to log onto the Internet Rechartering Web site, selecting whether to start the process with current ScoutNet data, or data from unit-management software. At anytime, the renewal processor can suspend the electronic rechartering process and return later to the last complete screen.

The system lets you enter new members, renew current members and update information for any registrant. When completed, the new unit roster is submitted to ScoutNet and a Unit Charter Renewal Report Package is printed. This package includes the unit charter application. Acquire the signatures for the application, attach applications and fees and take entire package to your district's "Recharter Turn-in Meeting".

Internet Rechartering
Although the process can be completed using a browser via the internet, many units have and use unit-management software that is ScoutNet compliant. Listed below are the software packages which we understand have been certified and approved for Internet Rechartering:

• Troopmaster Millennium Edition provided by Troopmaster Software, Inc., version 2.00a and higher
• Packmaster Millennium Edition provided by Troopmaster Software, Inc., version 2.00a
• Troopmaster 2000 provided by Troopmaster Software, Inc., version 1.11
• Packmaster 2000, version 1.06a and higher
• Rank N File provided by Hart C. Enterprises, Cub Scout version 2.06, Boy Scout version 4.07
• Scoutmate provided by Scoutmate, version 5.12
• Scoutsoft provided by SBF Publication Company, Inc., version 3.5

Note: Versions earlier than these WILL NOT work with ScoutNET interface, please check with your software vendor's web site to confirm this information and for updates. Information on the exact process to be followed is available from your software vendor.

Help and Training
Anyone who wants to learn more about how Internet Rechartering works can take the interactive Internet Rechartering tutorial below and view the Online Help. Please note that you will need to have Internet Explorer 5.5 or better to use this new Internet Rechartering feature.

Approximate Timeline:

• Sixty days before your unit's expiration date, select an adult renewal processor.
• The renewal processor attends the October roundtables to receive training and the unit access code.
• Sixty to 45 days before the unit's expiration date, the renewal processor clicks Recharter Now and begins the process.
• When the online process is completed, the renewal processor prints the completed charter renewal application.

The unit leader and the chartered organization representative sign the charter renewal application. Bring the application along with the material you received in your recharter packet (such as the Quality Unit application), and all appropriate fees to your district's charter turn-in meeting.

Useful Links:
Internet Rechartering
Internet Rechartering Help Information

According to reports from the National Council, the Internet Rechartering Web site and application work best with Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser. Click here to leave the Council Web site and download the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser.

Roundtable

Roundtable is for you, the adult Scout leader.  Scouters* involved with all BSA programs will be challenged and encouraged by the great info at Roundtable.  At Roundtable you'll get the latest info on District and Council activities, discuss topics of interest, pick up great ideas to use in your unit, network and exchange information with other Scouters, and discuss solutions to common problems.

*Scouter
A registered adult member of the Boy Scouts of America who serves in a volunteer or professional capacity.