Executive Director's role on Board Committees

[Guest Vicky Rose]

Hello!  Is it true that an Executive Director is always an ex officio member of all board committees?

Who decides what role the Executive Director will assume on the committee?

 

[Bruce Lages]

No - that's only true if your rules make the executive director an ex officio member of all (or any) of the committees.

Unless your rules say otherwise, whatever body has the authority to place the ED on a committee will also have the authority to define the ED's role. If the ED is just made a member of a committee - ex officio or otherwise - he or she will function the same as each of the other committee members.

[Weldon Merritt]

8 minutes ago, Guest Vicky Rose said:

Is it true that an Executive Director is always an ex officio member of all board committees?

No. No one is an ex-officio member unless the bylaws make them one.

8 minutes ago, Guest Vicky Rose said:

Who decides what role the Executive Director will assume on the committee?

He has no role at all unless the bylaws make him a member. And if they do, he will have whatever role the bylaws specify. If the bylaws make him a member, but don't specify a particular role, he has the same role as any of the other committee members.

[Richard Brown]

I agree with my colleagues but will go a bit further:  If he is not an actual member of a committee (or executive board) but is just invited to attend the meetings, which is quite common, then his role will be whatever that committee or executive board wants it to be.  Usually it is to give a report and to be available to answer questions, but unless the role is defined in the bylaws or some other rule, it is whatever the committee or board wants it to be.

[Josh Martin]

9 hours ago, Guest Vicky Rose said:

Is it true that an Executive Director is always an ex officio member of all board committees?

No.

9 hours ago, Guest Vicky Rose said:

Who decides what role the Executive Director will assume on the committee?

Whether a particular position is an ex officio member of the committee will be determined by the rules establishing the committee.

In the event the Executive Director is not an ex officio member of the committee, the Executive Director could still be appointed as a member of the committee in the same manner that other members are appointed.

If the Executive Director is not a member of the committee at all, the committee (subject to any instructions from its parent assembly) will determine the extent to which the Executive Director may participate in its meetings. Nonmembers of the committee cannot be permitted to vote, but the committee may otherwise permit nonmembers to participate in its proceedings to the extent desired. Depending on exactly how much participation is desired, this may require only a majority vote, or it may require a suspension of the rules (which would require a 2/3 vote).