Eagle Scout Board of Review Process for Cross Timbers District (29). May 2013, Prepared by Mikel Shelton, XT District Advancement Committee Chair District Objective for Eagle Scout Boards of Review (EBOR): To provide the candidate Life Scout an opportunity to present himself to an Eagle Board of Review, and discuss his scouting experiences. The Board Members should determine the quality of his scouting experience, and decide whether he is qualified to advance to the rank of Eagle. The overarching purpose is to determine whether what is in the Scout s heart and head qualify him for the Eagle. References to the Guide to Advancement are noted where necessary. i.e., (8.0.0.1). This document is intended to provide guidance to Cross Timbers District, Longhorn Council on the Eagle Board of Review Process. In all cases of conflict between this document and the BSA Guide to Advancement, the Guide to Advancement shall prevail. Some districts have a single Eagle Board of Review Night each month. In Cross Timbers District, the tradition is to respect the unit s role in helping the Scout advance and to hold the Eagle Board of Review at the individual Scout s home unit in much the same fashion as all his other boards of review. Occasionally, this may not be sufficient and District level boards may be called. PART 1: BOARD PLANNING, SCHEDULING & REFERENCE CHECKING District Representatives: The Advancement Committee, through the EBOR Coordinator, maintains a list of Scouters and volunteers who have expressed an interest in serving on Eagle Boards of Review. All must be at least 21 years old. Generally, two District Representatives are assigned to each EBOR. This is to ensure a higher probability that the EBOR will commence as scheduled; infrequently, circumstances result in one of the District Representatives not being able to attend the EBOR. The EBOR Coordinator will determine which District Representative will be the lead on the EBOR. The Advancement Committee will determine who is included on the list. Eagle Board Requests: An Eagle Board of Review can be scheduled only after the council certified application is received (9.0.1.6). The Scout should request an EBOR through the same process within his unit he used for all other rank advancement boards of review. The appropriate unit committee personnel should contact the District EBOR Coordinator (name, email, and phone number to be published on the District Web site). The request should be made at least two weeks before the desired date to allow for the request to be fulfilled. Information provided to the Coordinator should include: Candidate s name, unit number, board location, suggested date and time of the EBOR, unit committee contact email and phone number. The Board of Review must be granted when the requirements are met. (8.0.0.2) Once requirements are met it is up to the unit leader and committee to assure a board of review is held. If the scout fails to request the board, the unit is still responsible for initiating a board of review.
Preferred Location, Date and Time: Generally, the unit determines location, date and time. There may be reasons to negotiate an alternative date or time. An example would be trying to schedule an EBOR on the evening of the Commissioners meeting. The Guide to Advancement provides for the EBORS to be held at the council, district or unit level. The process within Cross Timbers District is to hold the EBORS at the unit level where the scout has had his scouting experiences. EBOR Staffing: Once a request is received and a location, date and time have been agreed to, the EBOR Coordinator will send an email to the District Representative list requesting two volunteers. The District Representatives will respond to the email if they are willing and able to serve on the EBOR. The Coordinator will then determine who will represent the District on the EBOR and publish this information to the Representative list and the requesting unit via an email. Pre board Reference Checking The Guide to Advancement section 9.0.1.7 References Contacted states: Council advancement committee members or others designated contact the references appearing on the Eagle Scout application. In Longhorn Council, this responsibility has been delegated to the District Advancement Committees. Once the District EBOR team has been selected, the EBOR Coordinator will request the Unit Advancement Chairman send to the District EBOR team the first page of the Eagle Application or an email with the references, and the contact information listed. The EBOR team is then responsible to make contact with the references. Some units send reference letter requests to the references listed. If this is the case then the unit Advancement Committee should let the District EBOR Team know this and that the reference letters will be available at the beginning of the Eagle Board of Review. If the unit has not already contacted the references, the EBOR team should attempt to contact them prior to the Board date. According to the Guide to Advancement, communication may be through letter, form or phone call; electronic submissions are discouraged. It is up to the council s designated representatives to make every effort to collect the responses. If after a reasonable effort no response can be obtained from any references, the board of review must go on without them. Prior to the board of review, if phone contact is attempted, the District Representatives should call the references listed to see if a short conversation can be held concerning the scout. Questions asked should include ones such as: how do you know the candidate whether the reference believes the scout is a person of good character whether the reference recommends the scout for the Eagle rank. Notes on the conversation should be made and comments should be shared with the rest of the board members in the pre board review of documents and can be used as part of the process; however, reference responses of any kind are the property of the council and are confidential, and only review
board members and those officials with a specific need may see them. The responses are not to be viewed by, or returned to, the scout. Any written notes of the discussion should be maintained until the Board approves the Eagle rank or the appeals process is concluded (9.0.1.7). Failure to make contact with a reference cannot cause a postponement or change in the board process or denial of the rank. The scout cannot be asked to provide additional or replacement references.
PART 2: EAGLE SCOUT BOARD OF REVIEW Overview: The Eagle Board of Review should last no longer than approximately one hour and generally consist of the following parts: A) Pre board documentation review, B) Introduction, C) Question and Answer, D) Deliberation, E) and Results Communicated. The Scout is in attendance during the Q&A and Results parts only. Uniform: Although it is preferred that candidate wear their units official scout uniform, the wearing of one is not required and cannot be used as a reason for rejection by the board. The scout should wear as much of it as he owns and it should be as correct as possible. If a uniform is impractical for whatever reason, the candidate should be clean and neat in his appearance and dressed appropriately according to his means. (8.0.0.4) Board Composition: The Board should contain three to six members. The District Representatives, troop committee members, interested non scouters (e.g., pastors, educators) comprise the voting board. The scout cannot request specific board members (8.0.0.3). Although not recommended, the unit leader may attend as non participating unless called upon by the Board. Family members, even if they are a committee member or unit leader, may not attend the board. Particulars Board details for the Eagle Rank are located in the Guide to Advancement Section 8.0.3.0. A) Pre board documentation review (8.0.3.0 point 8) This part should last between 15 and 30 minutes. During this time, the board will gather and go through the Eagle Scout Application, Life s Ambition document, Eagle Scout Service Project documentation, documents from the reverence checking (notes or letters), other documents provided related to activities outside of scouting such as awards and organizations the scout has participated in, and generally get to know the scout through the documentation. The lead District Representative will determine when this part is complete and request the candidate be presented to the board. B) Introduction This part should only last a few moments under normal circumstances. The Unit Leader, or an assistant should introduce the candidate to the board and the board become acquainted with the scout and the scout with the board. This time is the opportunity for the board to set the stage for the Q&A part. A certain level of formality and meaningful questioning should exist, but it is important the atmosphere be relaxed. (8.0.1.0) The Board should let the scout know that he is among friends and are interested in his success in Scouts and life.
C) Question and Answer This part should last approximately 30 minutes (8.0.3.0 Point 9). The EBOR is not an Exam or Retest. This includes not having the scout recite the Scout Law or Scout Oath. In most cases, it should be a celebration of accomplishment. Remember, this about the journey on his trail to Eagle (8.0.1.1). The board may refer to the presented documents, the Boy Scout Handbook, Scoutmasters Handbook or any other reference material thought to be useful. The Board should question the scout in ways to determine the quality of his scouting experience and whether he has earned the Rank. His scouting experience should include scout skills, opportunities, adventures, leadership and what he has enjoyed, did not enjoy, learn or otherwise take away from the experience. As part of the questions, the board should ask what he would change in the program to improve the experience. According to the Guide to Advancement, a Scout may be asked where he learned his skills and who taught him, and what he gained from fulfilling the selected requirements. The answers will reveal what he did for his rank. It can be determined, then, if this was what he was supposed to do. Discussion of how he has lived the Scout oath and Scout Law in his home, unit, school and community should be included. We must remember, however, that though we have high expectations for our members, as for ourselves, we do not insist of perfection. A positive attitude is most important, and that a young man accepts Scouting s Ideals and sets and meets good standards in his life. (8.0.1.2) As the Q&A comes to a logical conclusion or exceeds the recommended time frame, the lead District Representative should wrap up the part by thanking the scout for his time and responses and dismiss him for the board to deliberate. D) Deliberation The Board Members Must Agree Unanimously on the Decision (8.0.1.4). An Eagle candidate may have only one board of review. (8.0.3.0 Point 10) Once a vote is completed then the results cannot be changed. If there is an indication that the vote will not be unanimous, immediately suspend the vote, discuss the improvements the scout has to do to complete the rank requirement and then suspend the deliberation and communicate the results with the scout. Refer to E) Results Communicated for the next steps. If all board members agree to award the Eagle Rank the Eagle Application should be signed in the appropriate places. The unit committee members will sign on the line labeled Signature of Eagle Scout Board of Review Chair and the District Representatives will sign under the line labeled Signature of Council/District Board representative. The signatures are presented in this order to keep with the idea that the Eagle Board of Review within Cross Timbers District is held at the unit level with District representation.
E) Results Communicated If the rank is approved, congratulate the scout on his accomplishment. He is the United States most recent Eagle Scout! His certificate will show the Eagle Board of Review date as the official rank date. If the results are not positive the District Advancement Committee Chair should be contacted at the earliest possible time to discuss the next steps and ensure compliance with the Guide to Advancement. When the vote is suspended, the board should provide, verbally and in writing, the actions the scout has to complete prior to a positive outcome. If the scout agrees to make the improvements, the candidate should be given a time frame for when the EBOR will reconvene. If the Scout does not agree to the additional work or is over 18 years old, then the board must make its decision at that point. (8.0.1.5) If a scout is denied the rank advancement, a letter must be written to the scout explaining the decision, including the deficiencies, actions advised and an explanation of appeal procedures. (8.0.1.5) For Cross Timbers District, the EBOR members should discuss with the District Advancement Committee Chair the situation, the draft letter and next steps. The District Advancement Chair will discuss the situation with the District Key Three (District Executive, District Committee Chair, District Commissioner) and the unit s Advancement Chair and Key Three (Committee Chair, Unit Leader, Chartering Organization Representative). The letter to the scout should be signed by the District Advancement Chair. Application Returned to Council Service Center (9.0.1.8): If a board of review approves a candidate, the signed application, reference letters and other confidential information are returned to the local council. Unless otherwise directed, the service project workbook and statement of ambition and life purpose can be returned to the Scout. If approval is denied, all materials are returned to the council. It is the Scout s or Unit s responsibility to forward the signed Application to the Council Office (Hurst Location). It is recommended the unit make a copy of all documents submitted to council in case they are lost or otherwise misplaced.
PART 3: MISCELLANEOUS EBOR after age 18: All requirements, including the Scoutmaster Conference, must be completed prior to the scout s 18 th birthday but the Board of Review may occur after that date. (9.0.1.1). The Eagle Scout Application can also be completed after the Scout s 18 th birth day (Eagle Scout Requirement No. 7, revised January 2013). An Eagle Board of Review may be conducted without special approval within three months of the scout s birthday. For an EBOR to occur between three and six months of the scout s birthday, the candidate, parent or guardian, unit leader or a unit committee member must attach to the application a statement explaining the delay. After six months, the national Advancement Team must be petitioned. Refer to the Guide To Advancement 8.0.3.1 for specific actions. Appeal Process: The Guide to Advancement has a specific process for Filing and Processing an Appeal. Section 8.0.4.1 of the Guide should be referred to. Any letter written to a scout should include this reference and if possible, include the applicable pages from the Guide. District Representatives: The District greatly appreciates the service this group of men and women provide to scouting. Although being an EBOR member is the greatest job in Scouting it is an ad hoc commitment above and beyond any other scouting or community volunteering they do. Many of these folks either have children who have aged out of scouting or never had a child in Boy Scouts. They do this because they believe in Scouting s purpose and they want to see individual scouts succeed. It is at the discretion of the District Advancement Chair who is added or deleted from the list of volunteers.