Committee chair membership requirements

[Guest Jdeck]

I am the President of an association. Our by-laws only state executive committee members must be members for 1 year and 1 day prior to being elected to be eligible hold a position. 

My questions is do standing committee chairs need to be members of the association to hold that position? 

There are no specifics to committee chairs having a requirement of membership in our by-laws.

 

[jstackpo]

Membership required? No, although that is a bit unusual. 

RONR notes, page 174 and elsewhere - check the index, that non-association members can be appointed to standing and special committees, including as chair, but the assembly has to approve (majority vote) such appointments before the non-members can participate in the committee's work.

Edited January 15, 2019 at 09:28 PM by jstackpo
added "as chair"

[Hieu H. Huynh]

Any such requirement would have to be in your bylaws.

[Richard Brown]

It is ultimately up to your organization to interpret its own bylaws.  However, based on what you quoted from your bylaws, I would  say that the restriction you quoted does not apply to members of ordinary standing or special committees.  RONR provides that non members of the association may be appointed to committees, but that if the appointment is made by the chair, the appointment of a non member requires the permission of the assembly by majority vote (or unanimous consent).

Edited to add:  To further answer your question about committee chairs, RONR contains no membership requirement for committee chairs, either.  The appointment of a committee chair would be subject to the same provisions as for the appointment of other committee members unless your own rules contain a contrary provision.

Edited January 15, 2019 at 09:37 PM by Richard Brown
Added last paragraph

[Guest Jdeck]

Let me say this, first most of us don't know what we're doing when it pertains to Ronr. 

Is a committee chairperson considered an officer of the association or does the title of officer only apply to elected positions? 

 

Our by-laws state all officers must be members.

 

[Richard Brown]

5 minutes ago, Guest Jdeck said:

Is a committee chairperson considered an officer of the association or does the title of officer only apply to elected positions? 

Committee chairs are not considered officers unless they are made officers by your bylaws.

[jstackpo]

20 minutes ago, Guest Jdeck said:

Let me say this, first most of us don't know what we're doing when it pertains to Ronr.

Here's a starter suggestion:

RONRIB:

"Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief", Updated Second Edition (Da Capo Press, Perseus Books Group, 2011). It is a splendid summary of all the rules you will ever need in all but the most exceptional situations. And only $7.50! You can read it in an evening. Get both RONRIB and RONR (scroll down) at this link: 

http://www.robertsrules.com/inbrief.html

Or in your local bookstore.