What Quorum is required to remove members of the committee?

[Guest Charlie]

There are 20 members presently on a steering committee. 14 members make up our quorum. According to the bylaws, three unexcused absences removes you from the committee. if two (members) are to be removed, will a 14 member quorum be required to make the vote or is a 12 member quorum sufficient?

[Josh Martin]

There are 20 members presently on a steering committee. 14 members make up our quorum. According to the bylaws, three unexcused absences removes you from the committee. if two (members) are to be removed, will a 14 member quorum be required to make the vote or is a 12 member quorum sufficient?

The answer to this question depends on whether the policy results in automatic removal (or disciplinary suspension) or requires action by the committee to take effect, and more importantly, how the quorum is defined in your Bylaws. If it's defined as some fraction of the current membership, that's one thing, but if it just says, "14 members," well, 14 is 14.

Your wording of "quorum... to make the vote" also makes me wonder if you misunderstand the meaning of the term. The quorum is the number of members that must be present to conduct business, and it has nothing to do with the number of members voting on any particular question.

[Rob Elsman]

There are 20 members presently on a steering committee. 14 members make up our quorum. According to the bylaws, three unexcused absences removes you from the committee. if two (members) are to be removed, will a 14 member quorum be required to make the vote or is a 12 member quorum sufficient?

You need to look at the rule that establishes the quorum for the steering committee. If it directly says 14, then 14 it is.

[Guest Charlie]

thanks for the reply, Josh.

The answer to this question depends on whether the policy results in automatic removal (or disciplinary suspension) or requires action by the committee to take effect...

policy is to "action by the committee to take effect

how the quorum is defined in your Bylaws. If it's defined as some fraction of the current membership, that's one thing, but if it just says, "14 members," well, 14 is 14.

2/3 is the fraction of this 20 member steering committee to make quorum. is it or is it not 14?

Your wording of "quorum... to make the vote" also makes me wonder if you misunderstand the meaning of the term. The quorum is the number of members that must be present to conduct business, and it has nothing to do with the number of members voting on any particular question.

this committee ruled that in order to vote on any matter, the same number of members is required to be present as it would for "business to be conducted".

thanks again josh. i look forward to hearing more of your feedback.

[Ann Rempel]

Look at the bylaws. The committee members may have been appointed by a highter authority, and that authority may have the power of removal of members. A committee usually cannot make its own rules, but your bylaws may provide otherwise.

[Josh Martin]

2/3 is the fraction of this 20 member steering committee to make quorum. is it or is it not 14?

Based upon the facts provided, it seems that a quorum for the committee is currently 14, since the two members who have missed meetings are still voting members until action is taken by the committee.

this committee ruled that in order to vote on any matter, the same number of members is required to be present as it would for "business to be conducted".

Yes, that is absolutely correct. The reason for my caution was that some assemblies mistakenly believe that a certain number of members must vote on a given item in order for the quorum to be met, when the requirement is actually simply that they must be present.