subcommittees

[Leo]

When a standing committee establishes a subcommittee, the subcommittee reports to the standing committee that established it and not to the assembly.

What information should the standing committee's report to the assembly contain with respect to the details of the establishment of the subcommittee and with respect to the acts of the subcommittee?

 

[jstackpo]

I would say that the committee responds to whatever request was in the motion (or bylaw) that established it.

I'll bet that motion did not tell how the committee was to go about its business.

[Chris Harrison]

I think that depends on how closely the assembly wants to keep tabs on what the Committee (and Subcommittee) are doing and if the assembly really cares how the sausage is made or they only care that the sausage is being made. To start off the reporting member could give a middle-of-the-road report noting that he or she can supply more detail as requested.  Of course, if the Committee knows the assembly likes to keep their finger on the pulse of what they are doing or have a "just get it done and let us know when it is" approach to management they should tailor their report accordingly.

[Josh Martin]

1 hour ago, Leo said:

What information should the standing committee's report to the assembly contain with respect to the details of the establishment of the subcommittee and with respect to the acts of the subcommittee?

Whatever the committee wants to include (subject to any instructions from the parent assembly).

[Leo]

The XYZ standing committee at a properly called meeting, at which a quorum is present, adopts a motion, by majority vote,  establishing the PDQ subcommittee to perform the function of ABC.

In my opinion, at the next assembly meeting, the XYZ standing committee's report should indicate the fact that it established a subcommittee to perform the function of ABC.

My concern about the issue is that the establishment of the subcommittee should be traceable in the association's documents, in this case the minutes of the assembly meeting, recording the committees report signifying a subcommittee was properly established under the rules of the association.

And, this subcommittee is not just some spoken of subcommittee with no supporting documentation.

 

 

[Josh Martin]

7 minutes ago, Leo said:

The XYZ standing committee at a properly called meeting, at which a quorum is present, adopts a motion, by majority vote,  establishing the PDQ subcommittee to perform the function of ABC.

In my opinion, at the next assembly meeting, the XYZ standing committee's report should indicate the fact that it established a subcommittee to perform the function of ABC.

My concern about the issue is that the establishment of the subcommittee should be traceable in the association's documents, in this case the minutes of the assembly meeting, recording the committees report signifying a subcommittee was properly established under the rules of the association.

And, this subcommittee is not just some spoken of subcommittee with no supporting documentation.

“A committee (except a committee of the whole, 52) can appoint subcommittees, which are responsible to and report to the committee and not to the assembly. Subcommittees must consist of members of the committee, except when otherwise authorized by the society in cases where the committee is appointed to take action that requires the assistance of others.” (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 497)

As I understand this rule, a committee is free to appoint whatever subcommittees it wishes, and the committee is not required to inform the parent assembly that it has done so. Even if the subcommittee did inform the parent assembly of the establishment of the subcommittee, this still should not be included in the parent assembly’s minutes, since it is an action of the committee, not of the parent assembly. The only exception is if the committee wishes to appoint non-committee members to the subcommittee. In that case, it must seek the parent assembly’s approval to do so, and such approval would be recorded in the assembly’s minutes.

[Leo]

Thank you Josh. That helps quite a bit.