Committee creation

[bjhelms]

I have a question as to the proper way to create and appoint committees if a procedure is not specified in the by-laws.

My organization has several standing committees and the President appoints the chair and the chair appoints members.

Can the President also unilaterally form ad hoc committees.

[jstackpo]

Appoint members (and chair) and form ad hoc (AKA "special") committees? Only if the bylaws give him authority to do so.

[Rob Elsman]

If the bylaws do not prescribe the method of appointing committees, the parent assembly is free to choose any one of the five methods listed in RONR (10th ed.), pp. 475-479.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

I have a question as to the proper way to create and appoint committees if a procedure is not specified in the by-laws.

So, your following text, which describes your current practice, has no support in your bylaws? Is that right?

My organization has several standing committees and the President appoints the chair and the chair [of the committee] appoints members.

No!

• If, as you say, your bylaws do not specify that your president appoints the chair of committees, then your president cannot appoint chairs of committees.

• If, as you say, your bylaws do not specify that your committee chairmen appoint members of their committees, then your committee chairmen cannot appoint members of their committees.

Can the President also unilaterally form ad hoc committees?

"Also"?

No.

• If, as you say, your bylaws do not specify that your president can create ad hoc committees, then your president cannot create ad hoc committees.

By default, the power to (a.) create a committee; (b.) populate a committee; (c.) name the chairman of a committee, likes with the assembly, executed via an adopted motion, short of an existing rule already in place covering #a or #b or #c.

[bjhelms]

Thank you. This has been done for ages by convention. I will address it at our upcoming meeting.