The current board has five members; each board member gets a central board function which includes President, Secretary, Treasurer, National Representative and IT coordinator. Besides these central board functions six portfolios are divided amongst the board members. This division is decided by the current board after their board announcement. The national board gets chosen every year at the third national platform which usually takes place in May.

Division of tasks for the central functions:

President

As a president you make sure that you have the overview of what is going on, not only in your board, but also in the entire Dutch network. Furthermore you lead the board meetings, are responsible for the multiyear strategic program. With respect to this program you also make sure that in the beginning of the year you set up a policy plan for the upcoming year.

• The president leads the General Assembly at the National Platform, the CLR Meeting and the National Board Meeting.
• The president has the overview of the tasks of his/her fellow board members.
• The president maintains the contact with external parties, such as ISO and AIESEC.
• The president attends the ‘covenant’-meetings. These are held approximately once every 4 to 6 weeks. Here, the national political situation is discussed and appropriate action might be taken in cooperation with other national student organizations.
• The president is responsible for the final version of the policy plan and the year report.
• The president should solve any problems that his/her fellow board members or sections have.
• The president sends a letter to the CFI to request ‘afstudeersteun’ (the bursary) for the board members. This happens in April every year.
• The president is to broaden the ‘set-up package’ for new sections with activities lists
•  The president takes care of the possibility of expanding the ESN name, by contacting institutions
• The president is responsible for the expansion of the network by looking for possible new ESN sections, by contacting international offices.
• The president guides the formation of new sections within the Network

The President of ESN The Netherlands of the year 2012-2013: Robert Broers

Secretary

As a secretary your communication skills are the most important skills that are required for fulfilling this function. The main information flow from the national board to the sections is your responsibility. As a secretary you have probably the most contact with the sections. It is also your task to handle the general communication in a structured way. There is always a discussion about if it is fun to write the minutes, but you can see it as a way to improve your writing skills. When you like communication, this is definitely a function for you.

• The secretary is responsible for the main contact with all the ESN sections and the CoA.
• The secretary is responsible keeping the e-mail up-to-date for info@esn-nl.org. All e-mail should be answered by the secretary or forwarded to the corresponding board member, committee or council.
• The post box of ESN the Netherlands is currently in Maastricht (until now each year there has been someone from Maastricht in the national board).
• It is the task of the secretary to read the incoming mail, when necessary answer the mail and keep the other board members up-to-date about important mail.
• The secretary is also responsible for taking minutes during the NPs, Presidents Meetings, CoA meetings and national board meetings. The minutes of the NPs and CLR meetings should be taken in English. The minutes of the CoA meetings and national board meetings can be taken either in English or Dutch.
• The monthly newsletter is written by the secretary. Twice a month, this newsletter is written.

The Secretary of ESN Netherlands of the year 2012-2013: Soline de Jong.

Treasurer

When asking what the core tasks of a treasurer are you usually here: ‘financial management’, ‘bookkeeping’, ‘accounting’, ‘financially responsible’. Of course all of these tasks do cover exactly what you do, but in the end (and how it seems to your board) you are also the guy/girl who decided on whether or not certain projects get funded, in other words: whether they happen or not. Also you keep in mind whether or not these expenditures are in line with your and ESN’s overall strategy.

1. The treasurer should prepare the budget for the upcoming year. The foundation is the budget and realization of last year. Besides, it is important the budget will be adapted to the policy plan which will be written in the beginning of the year as well. In this plan there will also be a financial part in which the goals are presented that wanted to be achieved during the year. Both the budget and the policy plan will be approved during the first National Platform.
2. Another main assignment at the beginning of the year is to make sure the account of ESN The Netherlands will be translated into his/her name. It is of great importance this takes place every year to make sure the account and name matches the data at the Chamber of Commerce (KvK).
3. Since the amount of transactions is not really high during a year, all things will be documented in Excel. Of course it is needed that this record will be documented on a regularly basis. Besides, it is important to keep an update of all amounts which still needs to be paid or received. The main transactions during a year are:

• Contribution of ESN International and National
• Declarations of board members
• Division of national sponsor deal fees (besides, making a (new) distribution code), if applicable
• Costs of ESN The Netherlands like constitution drink and representation costs
• Payments National Activity
• Participation fees of events
• Receipts of for example Chamber of Commerce, Internet provider and National Platform.

The responsibilities of the treasurer will be verified by the supervisory committee. This committee will be elected during the first National Platform. For the treasurer, it is important to make an appointment with this committee a while before the second and third National Platform. The committee will examine if all receipts, amounts etc. are correct. During the second and third NP they will give a short presentation about their findings. Possibly remarks or recommendations need to be taken into account for the next period.

A half year report is needed to be prepared before the second NP will be prepared by the supervisory committee in accordance with the treasurer. This report will not be officially approved during the meeting but it is still important to get an insight in the financial position of ESN. The budget prepared at the beginning of the year serves as a basis for comparison for the half year realization. Besides, another duty of the treasurer is to make a financial report before the third NP. In this report, the realization will be included of last year. This financial report will be approved during the third NP.
It is important that all receipts/invoices etc. will be kept and stored in a file. The files of last years are also kept by the treasurer and need to be given to the new treasurer when there is the change of board members.

The Treasurer of ESN The Netherlands of the year 2012-2013: Danny Jansen.

National Representative

The National Representative (NR) represents the Dutch network towards ESN International and it’s international stakeholders. During his or her mandate he or she will vote upon various measures, together with the NR’s of the other member countries, that will ensure that the long term strategies of our network are secured and improved.

As National Representative, hereafter referred to as NR, you act as the link between ESN on international level and on National level. Keeping your country up to date on what is going on at the International level and reverse keeping the International level up to date on what is going on at the National level are your main tasks, together with:

• NR makes sure that information about actions is spread between the International and national (and local) level.
• The NR is in current contact with the International Board of ESN and the other NR’s by skype.
• The NR needs to attend CNR’s, regional Platforms, CND and the AGM.
• The NR needs to get the Dutch ESN sections more involved in the International level of ESN, by writing a report after every international meeting and ask for feedback which the NR can take to the next international meeting
• The NR needs to write a country report before joining an international meeting
• NR makes the section members interested in taking initiative on international level
• NR needs to work on the task list every NR gets after a CNR meeting
• The NR needs to update the National board on international meetings and actions
• The NR needs to work together with organizing committees of international meetings being hold in the Netherlands and provide the OC’s with all necessary information
• The NR makes sure dutch sections attend the International student day and finds voluntary workers for this day.
• The NR makes sure Dutch sections will be present at the regional platform and AGM
• The NR keeps himself/herself informed of the situation in other countries by actively participating in the CNR mailing list of ESN International.

The National Representative of ESN The Netherlands of the year 2012-2013: Anouk van der Veeken.

IT Coordinator

The tasks of the IT Coordinator are, in general, to keep all the components of the ESN Website, and wiki up to date and running smoothly. This person also keeps track of the mails coming in concerning IT problems experienced by sections. 

• Make sure the content on the website www.esn-nl.org is up to date.
• Ensure all relevant documents are uploaded to the Sections Wiki at wiki.esn-nl.org.
• For the different parts of the websites, some knowledge of PHP and Drupal are recommended. Think of the website as a car, you can easily drive it without knowing all the ins and outs of the engine and the technology. However, when something goes wrong, it is much easier solved if you do have some technical knowledge.
• Keep up with e-mails coming in at it@esn-nl.org. 

The IT Coordinator of ESN The Netherlands of the year 2012-2013: Jurriën Stutterheim

Division of portfolios

Vice President

The vice president is a person within the board who can take over from the president in case he/she cannot make it to a meeting nationally or internationally. This person will assist the president with making the agenda, and keep up to date with the activities which are undertaken by the president.

The Vice President of ESN The Netherlands of the year 2012-2013: Danny Janssen

Vice National Representative

The vice NR is a person within the board who can take over from the NR in case he/she cannot make it to an international meeting called the CNR. Both the NR and vice NR can go to international meetings together, this might be nice especially to the first CNR as everything is new. It is common that with long meetings as the AGM that the NR and vice NR split these meetings up between them.

The Vice National Representative of ESN The Netherlands of the year 2012-2013: Robert Broers

PR & Acquisition Coordinator

As the PR&Acquisition responsible you work closely together with the external partners of ESN the Netherlands and the national affiliates of ESN International. That means making sure that not only your wishes are met (i.e. receiving the sponsor sum) but also that their wishes are met (i.e. amount of people that subscribe). Furthermore you try to gain more valuable sponsorships not only for your sections but also for your end consumer: the exchange/international(ly) (minded) student.

The main tasks will be described in this document

• Maintain contact with the existing sponsors. It is of great importance that there is regular contact with the existing sponsors. In this way, insight will be gained about the satisfaction of both parties and (potential) new possibilities can be discussed. It is therefore also important that during the National Platforms sections have the opportunity to discuss their satisfaction with the sponsor deals. Besides, it is essential to discuss with the existing sponsors the contract on a yearly basis and to make adjustments if necessary.
• Finding new potential sponsors. This is one of the most time consuming tasks. Last years, there has been a lot of contact with companies who might be a potential sponsor for ESN The Netherlands. However, every year new possibilities will emerge and these need to be closely examined. It is of great importance that a lot of potential new companies get aware of ESN. Then, it is important to be actively involved to get the interest of the company. Last years it appeared that a lot of companies are actually interested in ESN but they do not know the existence of ESN. An accompanying task (which also yields for the other board members) is to create name awareness in The Netherlands. Writing press releases or participating at national conferences are good opportunities.
• At the beginning of the year the policy plan will be written by the new board of ESN The Netherlands. In this report there will also be a section about sponsors. It is of great importance to describe the goals to be strived for.
• Setting up guidelines for sponsors. At the beginning of the year a guideline needs to be made in which all the requirements are stated regarding the national sponsor deals. By having this document it is clear for the local sections what their main responsibilities and requirements are in order to receive the sponsor fee. If new contracts will be signed during the year, this document needs to be updated.

The PR of ESN The Netherlands of the year 2012-2013: Danny Jansen.

General Meeting

Be the contact person with whomever hosts the OC. Also, in future occasions and , you will be in contact with the chairing team in order to make sure that everything is facilitated for a proper NP (including the social program).

National Social Erasmus coordinator

Most ESN countries have a Social Erasmus coordinator. In the previous years that national board didn’t focus much on this project. That is why there is still a lot possible with this portfolio. Your job is to motivate the Dutch ESN sections to be involved with this project. That will increase their value as an ESN sections, but not all sections know that in the beginning of the year. You are the link between the international Social Erasmus and Erasmus in Schools coordinating teams and the Dutch network. But, you can do so much more with this. It is up to the new coordinator to use his/her imagination. 

Responsible Party

Be in contact with Pernod Ricard and think of possible successful campaigns within the Netherlands within the Responsible Party framework. These events are immediately noticeable for not only the exchange students by promoting alcohol awareness but can also have an impact on the local sections reputation with their HEI.

ESNow Coordinator

Coordinating the event and committee is the most important part of this persons function. The National board member will only check the committee and not really arrange anything their selves. However the National board member should be present at the ESNow trip to help out.

The ESNow Coordinator of ESN The Netherlands of the year 2012-2013: Soline de Jong

National Activity Coordinator

Coordinator of the National Activity makes sure that once a year a national activity is held for all the local sections within the Netherlands. Since 2011-2012 the National Activity is the Erasmus Sound Festival. It has been cancelled the year of 2012-2013.

The National Activity Coordinator of ESN The Netherlands of the year 2012-2013: Danny Janssen

National Magazine Coordinator

The coordinator of the National Magazine guides the development of new editions of the National Magazine, a magazine providing an overview of all the sections of ESN The Netherlands. Each of the sections presents itself and some of its ESN Card-deals so internationals coming to the Netherlands can learn more about their new city and other cities in the country. It also provides an excellent overview for existing and new partners of ESN The Netherlands.