Power of Committee Chairperson

[Guest Brenda]

I'm currently on a committee where the chairperson basically controls the entire committee. They dictate everything about meeting times, what meetings will contain, what can cannot be put on the agenda, as well as the format of the meetings.

Has been decided by him that nobody votes in our committee. He seems to make most of the decisions on his own. If an idea comes up that he doesn't like, he usually dismisses it and it goes no further than that. Seems to be no parliamentary procedure whatsoever.

What can be done about this?

Do all of these conditions seem like the normal amount of power and responsibility that the average committee chair person has?

[jstackpo]

In answer to your two questions in your penultimate and ultimate sentences...

 

1)  Don't bother to go to the meetings, or just resign from the committee.

 

2)  That's a trick question.   It certainly is not "normal" for someone versed in RONR and how things are done in a democratic society, in theory; but in real life.....

[jstackpo]

If you are not so happy with my first two answers (who would be?) an approach would be to seek out the documentation that established the committee (presumably somewhere in the minutes of the parent organization) and see how much power the chairman (of the committee) was given in establishing the committee and its job.  If he/she is exceeding his authority (committees can do only what the parent body tells them - p. 500, line 22 ff. ) bring that up as a (or many!) points of order at the next meeting of the parent body.

 

Good luck!  And bring or recruit friends who agree with you.

[Richard Brown]

What can be done about this?

The other committee members need to stand up to him and put him in his place and insist that things be done in a democratic way.  Raise points of order when he says something or does something that you don't agree with.  Appeal from his ruling if you raise a point of order and he rules against you.  And get the right books:  RONR (11th edition) and RONR in Brief.

 

Complaints to your president from all of the other members of the committee might work.  He can also be removed as chairman and/or from the committee.  The method of doing so depends on your bylaws and how and by whom (which person or group) he was appointed chairman.

 

Generally, the person (the president?) or the body (the assembly?  the board?) that appoints a chairman has the power to remove him.  If he was elected chairman by the other members of the committee, they have the power to remove him and elect a new chairman.  The procedure for removing a committee member (or chairman) is covered on page 177 of RONR.

 

It is up to the members of the committee to take action to put a stop to what is going on.  It might be that a heart to heart talk with him from the president will be enough for him to change his ways. 

[Guest Brenda]

Also there is one more thing:

They have a specific opinion about a thing that they should actually be neutral about. This person brings the committee reports and recommendations to the board, and is also on the board. If they have an opinion about something that differs than the other committee members (like a maintenance or landscape issue) what if the chairperson sort of 'vetos' everyone else's voice in the matter and only bring their own ideas about that subject in the report or either inserts their own recommendations or simply fails to mention what the 'majority rule' was in the matter?

[Hieu H. Huynh]

... what if the chairperson sort of 'vetos' everyone else's voice in the matter and only bring their own ideas about that subject in the report or either inserts their own recommendations or simply fails to mention what the 'majority rule' was in the matter?

 

Then what is the point of having this committee? Or at least what is the point of having other members on this committee besides that board member? I think the previous responses provided good suggestions on how to handle this situation.

[Richard Brown]

There is nothing wrong with a committee chairman having strong views and advocating for those positions.  In fact, it is quite normal with committees.  However, the chairman is only one member and MUST reflect the collective will and wishes of the committee in his reports.  If he is in the minority, he can give a "minority report" just as any other committee minority could.  But the official report and recommendation of the committee should be that of the majority of the members of the committee....no exceptions.  His report, as chairman, should make that clear.

 

If he believes he cannot in good conscience deliver the majority report of the committee, he should designate someone else from the committee or the committee should elect someone from among its members to deliver the majority report. 

 

I'm going to repeat what I said in my first response:  It is up to you and the other members of the committee to see that something is done about this..... or resign from the committee.  It sounds to me like he should be removed as chairman, but that is a call for your organization or your board to make....or your president if he (or she) is the one who appointed this person as chairman.  The person or body that selects the chairman has the power to remove the chairman unless your bylaws or special rules provide otherwise.

[Guest Brenda]

Thanks everyone...