VISION MATTERS 
College of Opticians of British Columbia Newsletter
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October 2009
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What It’s Like To Be a COBC Board Member? By Lutz SprecherWhen you are first elected as a board member to the COBC, you will receive a notice to your first meeting at the College. It is really a Board orientation with only new Board members and the COBC lawyer. You are presented with a large white orientation binder containing Opticians regulations and the facts of life are explained to you - the COBC is a regulatory body working under the B.C. Health Professions Act and as a Board member you are now responsible to protect the public from harm. This responsibility is so important that new board members now have to take an “Oath of Office.”
Soon, the notice to your first board meeting arrives in your e-mail inbox with passwords to access the online board meeting agenda. Working your way through the agenda involves a few hours of reading and a familiarity of the background material. If you have questions about any issues, the COBC staff is an excellent resource of information, especially the Registrar, who has been personally involved in many of the regulations and organizations that exist today. All Board members are also assigned to a Committee and over the course of time; you will become familiar with all facets of the College.
As a Board member I experience a front row seat to the changes that are affecting B.C. opticians and as a voting member, have opportunities to effect change by participation in board debates and discussions. The opportunities for personal growth are many - the public members all have previous board experience and bring a wealth of outside knowledge to the table, the elected members all have their own viewpoints and come from businesses that run differently than yours. Even though you are technically working for the public there are many opportunities to support Opticians by working on issues that benefit both parties.
“Experience a front row seat to the changes that are affecting B.C. opticians and as a voting member, have opportunities to effect change by your participation in board debates and discussions.”
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