The board of directors shall meet at least once a month and shall have the general direction and control of the affairs of the Federal credit union. Minutes of all meetings shall be kept. Among other things, the board of directors shall—

(1) act upon applications for membership or appoint membership officers from among the members of the credit union, other than the board member paid as an officer, the financial board officer, any assistant to the paid officer of the board or to the financial officer, or any loan officer;

(2) provide adequate fidelity coverage for officers and employees having custody of or handling funds according to regulations issued by the Board;

(3) fill vacancies on the board of directors until successors elected at the next annual meeting have qualified;

(4) if the bylaws provide for an elected credit committee, fill vacancies on the credit committee until successors elected at the next annual meeting have qualified;

(5) appoint the members of the supervisory committee and, if the bylaws so provide, appoint the members of the credit committee;

(6) have charge of investments including the right to designate an investment committee of not less than two to act on its behalf;

(7) determine the maximum number of shares, share certificates, and share draft accounts, and the classes of shares, share certificates, and share draft accounts;

(8) subject to any limitations of this subchapter,¹ determine the interest rates on loans, the security, and the maximum amount which may be loaned and provided in lines of credit;

(9) authorize interest refunds to members of record at the close of business on the last day of any dividend period from income earned and received in proportion to the interest paid by them during that dividend period;

(10) if the bylaws so provide, appoint one or more loan officers and delegate to these officers the power to approve or disapprove loans, lines of credit, or advances from lines of credit;

(11) establish the par value of the share;

(12) subject to the limitations of this subchapter and the bylaws of the credit union, provide for the hiring and compensation of officers and employees;

(13) if the bylaws so provide, appoint an executive committee of not less than three directors to act on its behalf and any other committees to which it can delegate specific functions;

(14) prescribe conditions and limitations for any committee which it appoints;

(15) review at each monthly meeting a list of approved or pending applications for membership received since the previous monthly meeting together with such other related information as it or the bylaws require;

(16) provide for the furnishing of the written reasons for any denial of a membership application to the applicant upon the written request of the applicant;

(17) in the absence of a credit committee, and upon the written request of a member, review a loan application denied by a loan officer;

(18) declare the dividend rate to be paid on shares, share certificates, and share draft accounts pursuant to the terms and conditions of section 1763 of this title;

(19) establish and maintain a system of internal controls consistent with the regulations of the Board;

(20) establish lending policies; and

(21) do all other things that are necessary and proper to carry out all the purposes and powers of the Federal credit union, subject to regulations issued by the Board.