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Ex-Officio Committee Membership - Delegable?


ParliamentaryBuff

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Our bylaws specify that our president is an ex-officio member of all committees [1]. They also say he can delegate powers [1]. If he is unable to attend a committee meeting, can he send a replacement e.g. another officer?

Thank you!

1. From Bylaws (my emphasis added), Article 7: Duties of Officers:

Quote

"Section 1. The President shall be the Executive Officer of this Association. It shall be his duty to preside over all meetings, enforce all laws and regulations of the Association, shall attend all legislative matters or delegate such powers to other members of this Association as necessary He shall be Ex-Officio member of all committees."

 

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If Robert's Rules applies, then the answer is "No."

***

In reading your cited bylaw, I still answer "no", because (a.) "attend [...] matters" is not the same thing as (b.)  "attending meetings".

Committee meetings are not "legislative" in nature. So your rule would not apply.

Also:

To delegate "power" is not the same thing as to delegate "membership" (of a committee).

Also:

The word "ex officio" implies "via the office", and no appointee holds the named office.

***

But that is my opinion of your text, and my opinion is based on syntax and grammar, more so than parliamentary principles.

 

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I agree with both responses above and would add that I personally do not interpret the quoted bylaw provision as giving the president the authority to designate someone else to participate in a committee meeting on his behalf.  The bylaws make him a member ex officio (by virtue of his office) of committees.  The bylaws do not, in my opinion, give him the power to appoint someone else to take his place as a member of a committee or to act as a member or to vote in the committee. 

However, if a particular committee is willing, it may allow a representative of the president to attend a committee meeting as a guest and even to speak and debate, but not to vote.  It is up to each committee unless there is a superior rule regarding who may attend committee meetings.

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