Membership

In order for committee work to be accomplished, the committee chair, committee members and staff need to work together, with each fulfilling their respective roles. Below is a guide for determining the responsibilities of a committee chair, staff, and committee member. This should be adjusted to be applicable to each individual component.

 

Role of a Committee Chair 

• Facilitates the meeting or conference call.
• Encourages committee members to provide their thoughts.
• Provides leadership to assure that the committee charge is met.
• Collaborates with the treasurer and/or staff to develop and monitor the program of work or goals for the committee.
• Provides input for setting meeting and conference call agendas.
• Communicates with other committee chairs or the component president regarding committee issues.
• Assists in the development of committee reports as required by the committee.
• Mentors his or her replacement to ensure continuity to the next program year. 

 Role of Committee Members

• Provides support services and resources (i.e., agendas, minutes, reports, research.)
• Implements committee decisions.
• Participates actively in all meetings and conference calls, but does not monopolize the discussion.
• Respects different points of view.
• Considers what the members of the organization would think or want.
• Respects time limits -- they are necessary to achieve what the committee needs to accomplish.
• Asks for clarification when needed.
• Provides written or verbal feedback on issues or documents under discussion by the committee.
• Serves as a spokesperson for issues related to the work of the committee in an effort to assist members in understanding committee decisions.