Ad hoc committee

[SusanKCloutier]

I am the Parliamentarian for a small chapter of a National society. A question was raised at the last meeting and voted down. The President then requested an ad hoc committee to study the question. I then acted as a convener and named a Chair. Now one of the members of the committee is telling me I cannot do that and challenging my position of Parliamentarian. Did I have the authority to do this? Or is this lady just trying to assert some authority that she thinks she has.

[Joshua Katz]

This would appear to be a question about your bylaws. Certainly nothing in RONR allows a Parliamentarian to "act[] as a convener and name[] a [committee] Chair," or engage in any substantive business at all. That's aside from the question of whether the President's "request" had any meaning, i.e. whether the President may form committees on his say-so. 

As a general matter, a Parliamentarian should be doing no such thing, even if the committee is validly formed. If the Parliamentarian names the chair of a committee, can there possibly be an appearance of impartiality when the committee reports? If your rules call for such a thing, well, fine, but I don't think it's a very good idea.

[Guest Zev]

Perhaps I read too much into the OP's question, but I fail to understand how a question can be referred to a committee once the motion has actually been rejected.

[Joshua Katz]

6 minutes ago, Guest Zev said:

Perhaps I read too much into the OP's question, but I fail to understand how a question can be referred to a committee once the motion has actually been rejected.

I think there's much here we do not yet understand. This is a good point as well, although I imagine it was something like "look into the topic." 

[SusanKCloutier]

 

The President felt that there was a need to revisit the question due to much confusion when it was voted on.  She wanted to see if the question could be clarified or put in less confusing manner

[Hieu H. Huynh]

The president only has such powers that the bylaws provide.

[Guest Who's Coming to Dinner]

5 hours ago, SusanKCloutier said:

I am the Parliamentarian for a small chapter of a National society. A question was raised at the last meeting and voted down. The President then requested an ad hoc committee to study the question. I then acted as a convener and named a Chair. Now one of the members of the committee is telling me I cannot do that and challenging my position of Parliamentarian. Did I have the authority to do this? Or is this lady just trying to assert some authority that she thinks she has.

Of whom did the President make this request? The assembled members? Perhaps there was unanimous consent to form the committee. As to your power to convene and name a chair, that would have to be a matter of consent as well. In the absence of consent or local rules authorizing you and the President to take these actions, you are acting on your own and not in the name of the organization.

[Josh Martin]

On 10/19/2018 at 3:48 PM, SusanKCloutier said:

I am the Parliamentarian for a small chapter of a National society. A question was raised at the last meeting and voted down. The President then requested an ad hoc committee to study the question. I then acted as a convener and named a Chair. Now one of the members of the committee is telling me I cannot do that and challenging my position of Parliamentarian. Did I have the authority to do this? Or is this lady just trying to assert some authority that she thinks she has.

Unless your rules provide otherwise, the power to create and appoint the members (including the chairman) of the committee rests with the assembly, although it may delegate this power in a particular case if it wishes. If the assembly authorizes the Chairman to appoint the committee, and does not specify a Chairman, the first-named member serves as chairman. If the assembly appoints a committee, and fails to specify a Chairman, the first-named member serves as convener, and the committee elects its own Chairman at its first meeting.