Chair and Co-Chair

[Tomm]

If the bylaws specify that all committees "shall" have a Chair and Co-Chair is it correct to assume that both have equal powers unless otherwise specified?

Had an incident where a Co-Chair sent out an e-mail prior to a committee meeting reminding the members of a certain task they were to have performed prior to the next meeting and the Chair abruptly sent out a follow-up e-mail stating to ignore the Co-Chair's e-mail because she was required to clear sending that e-mail with the Chair first!

I believe the Chair had overstepped his authority and this is a perfect example as too why RONR frowns on Co-Chair's!

[Josh Martin]

On 7/18/2022 at 2:11 PM, Tomm said:

If the bylaws specify that all committees "shall" have a Chair and Co-Chair is it correct to assume that both have equal powers unless otherwise specified?

I would not assume this. The general assumption is that the words in the bylaws are written as they are for a reason. If it had been intended for these persons to have equal powers, I would assume they would have referred to both persons as "Co-Chairs."

If the bylaws refer to a "Chair" and "Co-Chair," my assumption would be that the "Co-Chair" is really a "Vice Chair," but the drafters preferred the term "Co-Chair."

On 7/18/2022 at 2:11 PM, Tomm said:

Had an incident where a Co-Chair sent out an e-mail prior to a committee meeting reminding the members of a certain task they were to have performed prior to the next meeting and the Chair abruptly sent out a follow-up e-mail stating to ignore the Co-Chair's e-mail because she was required to clear sending that e-mail with the Chair first!

I believe the Chair had overstepped his authority and this is a perfect example as too why RONR frowns on Co-Chair's!

Notwithstanding the above response, I concur that the chair "overstepped his authority" in this instance, because there is nothing in RONR preventing any member of the committee from sending an email "reminding the members of a certain task they were to have performed prior to the next meeting" or requiring committee members to clear such an email with the chair. (I am assuming the task itself was assigned by the committee, and not by the Co-Chair acting alone.)

Edited July 18, 2022 at 07:24 PM by Josh Martin

[Gary Novosielski]

On 7/18/2022 at 3:23 PM, Josh Martin said:

If the bylaws refer to a "Chair" and "Co-Chair," my assumption would be that the "Co-Chair" is really a "Vice Chair," but the drafters preferred the term "Co-Chair."

I agree.  It resembles the terms Pilot and Co-Pilot, with the pilot having the higher authority.  (Although these terms seem to be deprecated in commercial aviation nowadays in favor of Captain and First Officer, both of whom are referred to as pilots in various contexts.)

[Richard Brown]

On 7/18/2022 at 2:11 PM, Tomm said:

 

If the bylaws specify that all committees "shall" have a Chair and Co-Chair is it correct to assume that both have equal powers unless otherwise specified?

 

I personally agree with Mr. Martin’s interpretation and response but will point out that this seems like it is ultimately a question of bylaws interpretation which only the members of this organization can do.

if the committees had two co-chairs, I would agree that both co-chairs have equal power, but in this case there is a chair and a co-chair. I personally interpret that as being the same thing as having a chair and vice chair.