Background:
One of our pack committee members (MC), who is also on the board of the chartered organization (CO), was recently promoted to president of the CO board. I know the typical process for updating the Executive Officer (IH) is to use the New Unit Application. But, we were so close to internet recharter opening, I decided to wait and see.
Sure enough, Internet Recharter let me edit the MC’s position and make her IH. But when it did that, it removed the check marks for YPT and CBC. Then, when I tried to create a multiple, I got a pop up that said I need to submit a Paper Adult Application. It gave me the same warning when I tried to change the position back to MC. No problem, I had expected an issue but knew from a different forum post I could contact my council registration department and have them do a fresh reset on my internet recharter.
Problem:
After several emails and calls with the council registration clerk, I have been told that someone in the IH position cannot serve in any unit positions. Even if I send in a New Unit Application, she would search the BSA database for a matching name and DOB and would terminate the MC position before assigning this person as the IH. She went on to tell me that the only way to have an IH in an adult leader role was to first register the adult as the Chartered Organization Representative (CR) and then create a multiple to IH because IH is an allowed secondary position for a CR.
References:
The 2019 edition of the Registration Guidebook of the Boy Scouts of America does not list IH as an approved second position.
“There are no restrictions on the number of positions one person may hold as long as the individual serves in only one position per unit with the exception of the chartered organization representative (CR), who is the only individual that can be registered in more than one position within the same unit. The CR may also serve in a multiple capacity as the committee chair (CC) or as a member of the committee (MC, NM, or PT) within that unit.” https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Registration-Guidebook.pdf
I believe that because the IH is not a paid leader in the unit, I shouldn’t even need to create a multiple registration. It makes no sense that someone who has passed the background checks, been YPT and BALOO certified, and has paid annual program fees can all of a sudden be prohibited from official participation in BSA activities. What happens if they had just paid for their Wood Badge training when the CO promoted them?
I can find absolutely no information supporting the registration clerk’s position. The only information I can find relating to IH unit roles is from a 2016 Scouting Magazine article where BSA Program Specialist Peter Self is quoted as saying:
“The only exceptions are for the head of the chartering organization, known as the Institutional Head (IH), and the Chartered Organization Representative (COR). Either of these individuals may register in one other position within the unit.” Can a volunteer serve in multiple positions within a unit?
My asks:
I have a strong level of confidence that the council registration clerk is wrong. However, she does not seem inclined to ask national, and national doesn’t have numbers for units to contact.
If the registration clerk is correct, please provide references or a logical argument that a IH has to resign from a CO in order to officially participate in a unit.
If the registration clerk is wrong, how do I get in touch with someone who can help her?
If we don’t know the answer, who can I contact that would know the answer?
Thank you!
