Board of Directors

[Guest Richard]

Does Robert's Rules of Order give a Board of Directors authority to approve changes to policies and procedures? I know a board can not make changes to their constitution and bylaws without approval from the membership.

[Chris Harrison]

Boards only have the authority the bylaws or membership by adopted motion give to them.

[Rev Ed]

I'll go out on a limb and state that the Board most likely has the authority to set specific policies and procedures, although the overall policies and procedures should remain with the general membership.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

Does Robert's Rules of Order give a Board of Directors authority to approve [x]?

No.

RONR tells us that boards have no authority to do anything, by default, except those things a humble, lowly committee can do. - Which is little beyond making recommendations to the superior body.

Any authority a board has MUST come from a source other than the parliamentary authority (i.e., outside of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, tenth edition 2000).

Thus, the answer to the question, "Can my board do X?" will be in your bylaws, your constitution, your articles of incorporation, your adopted motions of the general membership, etc. - all above and beyond Robert's Rules of Order, except whatever powerless "deliberative assemblies" can do. - Debate, maybe? Recommend some action, maybe?