Interested in Becoming a National Delegate or Attending G.I.R.L. 2020?

The National Council Session is the business meeting held every three years during the National Convention.  The National Convention spans most of the week and includes exhibitions, guest speakers, the National Council Session, break out sessions and workshops, the exhibit hall, Hall of Experiences, etc.

Delegates of the National Council have to be citizens of the United States, registered members, and 14 years or older.

Source:  Constitution/ARTICLE IV THE NATIONAL COUNCIL/1. CORPORATION MEMBERSHIP & CONGRESSIONAL CHARTER/§ 80303. GOVERNING BODY/1.(a) National Council

National Delegates represent the membership of their councils when it comes to determining the general direction of our Movement.  They vote on proposals submitted by the National Board and participate in discussions about topics listed on the National Council Session agenda.  They also hear GSUSA’s stewardship report and informational speeches by the GSUSA CEO, the GSUSA Board chair; this type of information delegates are expected to take back to their councils.  There are also inspirational programs such as the opening and closing ceremonies, keynote speeches, panel discussions, etc.  In addition to receiving orientation from their council, National Delegates should study the proposals and workbook in advance of the National Council Session along with getting feedback from the membership of their council.  Unfortunately, past experiences shows that  some councils do not do a good job of educating their National Delegates, so sometimes it’s up to delegates to study their role independently.

If you are a National Delegate or thinking about becoming one, or just want to know more about our organization’s governance system, be sure to check out the National Delegate Primer.

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A National Delegate’s Duties

Posted: January 26, 2020

What are the duties and responsibilities of a National Delegate, and how are they accomplished?

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Some national delegates are automatically delegates because of positions or offices they hold or have held at the national level. These include members of the National Board, the National Board Development Committee, and past presidents of GSUSA, and all of these can be called ex officio delegates.*  USA Girl Scouts Overseas chooses delegates as specified in their governing documents.

Councils choose their national delegates as specified in their council bylaws; in many councils, there is an application process followed by election or approval by the membership at a council’s annual meeting.  Regardless of the process used by a council, our national constitution requires that all national delegates be citizens of the United states who are members of the Girl Scout Movement and 14 years of age or older.

The composition of a council’s delegation varies widely among councils, partially because of differences in the total size of the council’s delegation. National delegates from councils may be girl members 14 years of age or older, operational volunteers, governance volunteers, or executive staff.  Per the GSUSA Constitution, the number of executive staff may not exceed the number of volunteers in a council’s delegation.  In some councils, some national delegate positions may also be ex officio delegates. For example, some council bylaws state that the board chair and/or the CEO are automatically delegates.  Many councils, especially those with a large enough delegation, make a point to include girl members and operational volunteers in their delegations

*Ex officio is a parliamentary term that means “by virtue of the office.”  A common misunderstanding is that ex officio members are not allowed to vote; that is true only if the governing documents such as constitution or bylaws state that the ex officio member has no vote. Per our national constitution, all national delegates, whether ex officio or elected, have full speaking and voting rights as members of the National Council.

Source:  GSUSA Constitution/Article IV/Section 3 and Section 6

Related FAQ:

The GSUSA Constitution states that to be a member of the national council, one must be a citizen of the US, registered as a member of the Girl Scout Movement, and be at least 14 years of age.  The Constitutional further  requires that a majority of delegates must be volunteers (including but not limited to governance volunteers such as board members).  Remaining delegates may be executive staff provided the number of executive staff does not exceed the number of volunteers.  There is no requirement that councils select operational volunteers or girls.   Many councils choose to include operational volunteers and girls 14 years of age or over as part of their delegation, but that is not a requirement.   Check your council bylaws.

In addition to inspirational speeches and presentations, recognitions, discussion topics, and other agenda items deemed necessary by the planners, the following are things that can be covered and acted upon during a National Council Session by the National Council:

• Hold elections
• Amend the Constitution
• Establish requirements for credentials
• Determine the general lines of policy of the Girl Scout Movement and program by considering and acting upon proposals directed toward the fostering and improvement of Girl Scouting
• Receiving and acting upon reports of its National Board of Directors
• Giving guidance to the National Board upon general lines of direction of the Movement and program.

Source:  Constitution/ARTICLE V SESSIONS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL/Responsibilities 2.

Yes, anyone who has purchased a ticket for a National Convention can attend the National Council Session.  Attendees who are not National Delegates sit in the audience and are not allowed to speak or vote.