Transition between outgoing and incoming boards
When new people take on board positions, we often see that important information is not transferred from previous board members. This can result in the new board spending unnecessary time obtaining access and locating routines that should have been available from the start.
To make the transition easier, we have created an overview to help ensure a smooth and efficient handover between boards.
If the organization has its own organization number—which we recommend all organizations to have—board information must be updated in the Brønnøysund Register Centre (Brreg) whenever changes occur.
The update is done through a coordinated register notification in Altinn. Before logging in, you should have the following ready:
🔸 Signed annual meeting minutes showing who has been elected to the board
🔸 Names and national ID numbers of all new board members
🔸 Name and national ID number of the contact person, usually the chair
Here you can read how to update the information.
When a new board takes office, both authorized signatories and online banking access must be updated. It is important that only people who are actively involved in the organization have access to the organization’s bank account. Most banks provide information in their online banking services on how to do this, but if you are unsure, we recommend contacting the bank for guidance.
Note:
Most banks require that board changes are first updated in Brreg before approving new signatories or access changes in online banking. This should therefore be done in the correct order to avoid delays.
If the organization has access to its own offices, these must be cleaned and access must be granted to the new board.
If the offices are located in the student corridor at Bodega, you must contact the Student Parliament to obtain keys and access. If the offices are located elsewhere on campus or at another study location, you must contact the facilities department or service desk to arrange key transfers and access.
Remember to transfer and update login information for all digital platforms used by the organization—such as social media, email accounts, and any websites. Once the new board has gained access, passwords should be changed so that only those who actually need access have it.
We recommend that all organizations use a shared platform for storing important documents. This can include:
🔸 annual meeting minutes
🔸 statutes (bylaws)
🔸 budgets and accounts
🔸 access information
🔸 other relevant documents
For example, you can create a dedicated Teams, Dropbox, or Google account for the organization, where all board members are granted access. This makes collaboration easier, improves oversight, and ensures that important information is not lost when boards change.
Check that the information listed about the organization in our "Find your student organization" is correct.
If you wish to add or change anything, please contact studentliv@samskipnaden.no.
Visit the page and fill out the “+ Add student organization” form if your organization is not already listed on our website. This is a great opportunity to increase visibility and reach potential new members.
Even though newly elected board members are likely to have some familiarity with the organization, it is important that they receive a thorough review of key documents related to the organization. This ensures that they are always up to date on guidelines, purpose, and—most importantly—planned activities.
Make sure these documents are stored in a way that makes them easy to find when needed.
Documents that should be reviewed:
🔸 statutes (bylaws)
🔸 approved budget
🔸 accounts
🔸 any annual report
🔸 internal meeting documents (minutes, member meetings, etc.)
It is important to review internal board roles and clarify expectations during the handover between outgoing and incoming board members. This ensures that new board members have realistic expectations of their tasks and areas of responsibility.
All board positions should have written role descriptions that clearly explain the tasks and responsibilities associated with each role. A thorough review between outgoing and incoming board members is the best way to ensure effective transfer of knowledge and competence.
If your board does not already have such role descriptions, we recommend creating them. They serve as a practical tool for task distribution and as a reference when recruiting a new board. If you would like assistance in developing role descriptions, feel free to contact us.
The board is the organization’s second-highest authority and is responsible for running the organization between annual general meetings. The board’s tasks vary depending on the type of organization, but a board member will always be expected to contribute more than an ordinary member.
Early in a board term, we strongly recommend discussing what expectations apply to board work and the period ahead. When everyone understands each other’s expectations, it becomes easier to be considerate of one another and to establish good cooperation.
Board members’ roles are defined and shaped by task distribution, structure, and what the board aims to achieve during its term. Therefore, it is important to spend time clarifying expectations and understanding roles so that everyone feels confident in their ability to do a good job.
Questions that may be useful to ask the outgoing board:
🔸 How much time was allocated to board work, and would they make any changes to this?
🔸 What expectations did the outgoing board have for the organization?
🔸 What methods were used for internal communication?
🔸 What goals were set, and what was achieved?
🔸 What priorities did the board set for its term, and were they able to carry out what they planned?
🔸 Was there anything that worked particularly well in the outgoing board that should be continued?
The role descriptions that (hopefully) have been prepared for the various board roles will indicate defined recurring tasks. In general, however, you should ensure the following are under control:
🔸 Leading the organization’s activities
🔸 Organizing social gatherings, activities, meetings, etc.
🔸 Storing important documents such as applications, minutes, etc., so it is possible to review what previous boards have done
🔸 Maintaining oversight of and responsibility for the organization’s finances
🔸 Ensuring good information flow to the organization’s members
🔸 Recruiting new members
The board’s primary responsibility is to maintain control of administrative matters. A good way to work is for board members to divide tasks among themselves during board meetings and, when appropriate, involve other members of the organization to assist. This works especially well when planning and carrying out events.
Although the board holds ultimate responsibility for the organization’s activities, collaboration with other members is essential to maintain operations. As a member, people usually appreciate being involved in the organization’s work.
Agree early on which platforms you will use for internal communication. Not everyone prefers or has access to social media, and using platforms like Facebook chat for important decisions or document storage can quickly become confusing.
We recommend using platforms you are already comfortable with in everyday life. For example, you can create a Microsoft Teams space for the organization, where the entire board has access to both communication and storage of minutes, documents, and other important information.
Regardless of which platform you choose, it must be used actively so that all board members are always up to date on what is happening in the organization.
Updated 16.12.2025
Til toppen
