Departments (or other subsections) of an Association

[Guest Howlin-Jay]

I am interested in the proper procedure and nomenclature for establishing a mostly-independent division within an association that completes a separate task, mostly with autonomy, but reports to the board. The 12th Edition mentions some societies may be 'divided into departments' (56:57), but I can find no other mention of departments. How do departments within an association work? Or is there another way to add a subgroup with more prestige and power than a standing committee? Thank you!

[Alicia Percell, PRP]

The function you describe sounds like a committee to me.  Special committees perform a particular task and dissolve when the task is done.  Standing committees provide some class of functions on an ongoing basis.  If it's an issue of prestige, you could name it the Super Prestigious Committee and set high standards for who can be on it.  What sort of power do you want them to have that a committee wouldn't have?  See RONR (12th ed.) 13:8(d) for appointing a committee with "full power" to do what you need it to do.  I suggest you not try to create some other kind of undefined, not-a-committee entity, because then you lose the benefit of all the rules your parliamentary authority sets for how that entity would operate.