Sub Committee Guidelines

CHAIR ROLE

 It is your job to see that the committee accomplishes its objectives in an expedient and professional manner.

CHOOSING MEMBERS OF YOUR SUB-COMMITTEE

You cannot have a successful meeting without proper individuals on your committee ("committee" herein refers to an established sub-committee).  As chair of your committee, you will work with the HIOSH Advisory Committee Chair and DLIR, HIOSH staff in selecting new committee members. Quality, not quantity, is most important. Most people will accept if asked; yet experience shows that not all of those who accept the role will dive in and work at it.  Look beyond your friends; look primarily for people who have the knowledge, experience, talent and dedication to the success of the particular aspect of the task that your committee serves. Don’t look only for “agreeable” persons—harmony is not “everybody singing the same note”. If you are “conservative”, make sure you have a “liberal” on the committee, and vice versa.

COMMITTEE WORK

Divvy up the jobs. Experience has shown that if everyone on a committee is concerned with all the committee matters equally, nobody is concerned with any committee matter especially. Although all committee members should have a voice in and interest in all committee matters, it is best to assign each committee member to a certain concern to be “in charge of”.  Many committee members, assigned to a certain job or event, drag their feet. A committee member may initially accept a “leadership role” for an event, but do nothing about it until the last minute, which creates unnecessary and unfair haste on others involved. Often, this inaction is a result of the assigned member not knowing what he is expected to do; so BE SURE THAT PEOPLE YOU ASSIGN TO A JOB KNOW WHAT IS EXPECTED.

PLANNING THE MEETING

The problem of planning a meeting will always confront the chair. To follow are a few things to consider when planning a successful meeting:

  1. Develop an agenda and distribute it to your committee members well in advance of the meeting so they will be familiar with the subjects that are to be discussed and can offer suggestions regarding others that should be considered.

    Be sure your agenda plainly states the time and place of the meeting. Follow this with a carefully drawn list of subjects to be discussed and the goals you must reach.

    The importance of an agenda cannot be overstressed. Attempting to hold a meeting without one is like trying to find your way in a strange city without a map. To call a meeting with an attitude of, “Well boys, here we are, what are we going to talk about?” will buy you a meeting that will accomplish nothing.

    To call a meeting without an agenda and to open a subject to discussion among people completely unfamiliar with it is a total waste of time and you may well end up with no solution at all.
  1. Know in advance precisely what you want your meeting to cover and do sufficient research to enable you to predict the probable answer.
  1. You should plan to solve a problem, not hold a meeting. Treat your committee members as resources that will help you to reach the solution, and the meeting as he bridge that gets you there.

RUNNING THE MEETING

Your success as chair of a sub-committee will largely depend upon your ability to preside and guide the meeting to a definite conclusion.

  1. Always start the meeting with a definite agenda. An agenda keeps a meeting on the beam. Don’t digress from it without good and sufficient reason.
  2. State the purpose of the meeting at the outset and read the agenda. Odd as it may seem, members of a meeting are not always sure just why they are there. They should be informed. It helps them concentrate on what the meeting is to accomplish and directs their thinking.
  3. Keep the meeting moving - interest lags when action lags. Get as many as you can to participate.
  4. Speak clearly. If you can’t be heard, you can’t exercise control. If you have a low speaking voice, rap for silence before you speak.
  5. Prevent general hubbub. When everybody talks at once, nobody can be heard. When nobody can be heard, nothing can be accomplished. Insist on order.
  6. Talk to the group, not individuals. Side conversations are bad; they disrupt a meeting.
  7. Keep the speaker talking clearly and audibly. Interrupt him if you must and have him repeat what he has said if you suspect that some have not heard him.
  8. Sum up what the speaker has said and obtain a decision.
  9. Stop aimless discussion by recommending further study.
  10. Keep control, but don’t stifle free comment. Invite constructive criticism and even disagreement. Ask for support. Clarify issues by obtaining majority support.
  11. Don’t argue with the speaker. Ask questions if you disagree, but remember that you are supposed to be a neutral.
  12. If you have a comment, ask for the floor as a participant.
  13. Don’t squelch a troublemaker. Let the meeting handle it. Yet, you must maintain discipline.
  14. Check at the end of the meeting to see if your members feel particular subjects have been properly covered. As good as you may become, you are still subject to oversights.
  15. Keep your committee informed so they may perform better and help you do your job better.
  16. For decisions and voting, use the attached “Guidelines for Conducting Business in a Meeting” that are an adaptation of Parliamentary procedures from Roberts Rules of Order revised edition.

MEMBER ROLE

As a sub-committee member, you are an important part of the Advisory Committee’s operation. You may be sure that what you do and say during your meetings can have considerable bearing on the success of HIOSH and the safety of workers in Hawaii .

Essential decisions on policy are framed in committees. Being a committee member gives you a voice on what and how important things are to be done.

PLEASE NOTE: SUB-COMMITTEES ARE STRICTLY ADVISORY TO THE COMMITTEE AND MAY NOT OBLIGATE THE COMMITTEE FINANCIALLY, NOR HAVE THEY ANY DIRECT “COMMAND” FUNCTION OVER ANY STAFF.

We hope that the following will be of help to you in your committee work as a Sub-committee member.

SUB-COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Presiding at your sub-committee meetings and guiding them to a successful conclusion is not an easy job for your chair. You can help him considerably, and at the same time save yourself the agony of attending a pointless and chaotic meeting, by observing the following suggestions:

1.       If an agenda is issued prior to the meeting, study it carefully. If there is any item you don’t completely understand, contact your chair and ask him to familiarize you with the subject.

2.       Learn the exact purpose of the meeting and determine in advance what you are going to do about it.

3.       During the meeting, stick to the agenda. Offering additional subjects for discussion not contained in it impedes the meeting. Wait until the “new business” portion of the meeting, when the chair will probably provide time to consider other matters.

4.       Keep your responses short and to the point; you are not there to deliver an oration.

5.       When you speak, do it clearly and in a voice everyone can hear. Make certain everyone is listening; you cannot offer your remarks against a half dozen side conversations.

6.       Side conversations are in poor taste and slow the meeting. You are there to speak before the group.

7.       When speaking, talk to the group. Remarks addressed to your friend across the table exclude the rest.

8.       If you think some of your remarks escaped the others, repeat them.

9.       If your remarks are lengthy or involved, sum them up at the end of your discussion. Somebody may have forgotten your objective before you have finished.

10.   Aimless discussion may arise on subjects requiring further information. Stop them with a motion that a group be appointed to study the subject. This is one of the best methods of cutting a meeting short and adjourning on time.

11.   Don’t hesitate to comment, criticize constructively, or disagree. Know your subject and ask for support from members who believe as you do.

12.   If you disagree with the speaker, ask questions. Make him completely clarify his remarks - pinpoint them with a resume everyone can understand.

13.   If you have a comment, ask for the floor. Don’t enter into a general hubbub.

14.   Whatever you have to say is a genuine contribution; don’t lose it in confused conversation.

15.   There may be dissenters on some subjects. Ask them to summarize their convictions. This permits a more thorough examination of an idea that could be highly constructive when completely understood.

16.   Hurriedly passed motions (to get the thing over with) usually don’t receive the consideration they deserve. Better leave them until the next meeting than to pass a motion you will regret later.

17.   After the meeting, ask yourself if you made a genuine contribution to the advancement of your committee.

 

appendix (1)

Guidelines for Conducting Business in a Meeting  

The use of parliamentary procedure should enhance your organization's meetings, not frustrate the membership. There are many adaptations of parliamentary procedure that are quick and effective. It's important to find one that works smoothly for your group. As your membership discusses what parliamentary procedure ideas will work for them, remember that the procedures shouldn't interfere with group decision-making or stifle group discussion. All members should have the opportunity to speak and be heard. Meetings should be democratic.

Quorum
A quorum is the minimum number of eligible voters that must be at the meeting to conduct business. The number of members of a subcommittee and a quorum should be determined at the time the subcommittee is set up. Many groups use one-half or one-third of the voting members as quorum. If a quorum isn't present, the chairperson should determine if the business of the sub-committee can be accomplished without a quorum and may dismiss the group. The group may proceed informally, understanding that any decisions made must be approved at the next meeting. They may also discuss items of interest, but make no decisions.

Making a Motion

1.       After recognition of the member by the chairperson, the member makes the motion, "I move that . . . "

2.       The chairperson asks for a seconder.

3.       Another member seconds the motion, "I second the motion."

4.       The chairperson states the motion and calls for any discussion on the motion.

5.       The chairperson restates the motion.

6.       The chairperson asks, "All those in favor of the motion?" "All those opposed?"

7.       The chairperson states the results of the vote - carried or defeated.


Generally, to have a motion carried, a minimum of half of the voting members present plus one must vote in favor of the motion.

Amending a Motion
An amendment to a motion occurs after a motion has been moved and seconded and before it has been voted on. Amendments may change or modify a motion, but don't change the intent of the motion. They add, subtract or substitute words of the original motion. If an amendment is offered to a motion and the maker of the motion likes the amendment, the maker may say, "If there are no further objections, I will accept the amendment." If no one objects, the amendment doesn't have to be voted on as it automatically becomes a part of the original motion.

Or

A member makes the motion - "I move to amend the motion by (adding, subtracting, substituting) (state each word clearly)
The chairperson asks for a seconder.
The chairperson states the amendment and calls for any discussion on the amendment.
The chairperson restates the amendment.
The chairperson asks, "All those in favor of the amendment?" "All those opposed?"
The chairperson states the results of the vote on the amendment - carried or defeated.
If the vote is defeated, the original motion is restated and voted on, or a new motion for another amendment can be brought forward.
If the vote on the amendment is carried, the original motion is modified to fit the amendment. It's restated by the chairperson and a vote is taken.

Withdrawing Motions
The mover may withdraw their motion if they do so before the chairperson states the motion to the membership.

  1. Mover states they would like to withdraw their motion.
  2. The chairperson announces, "The motion has been withdrawn."

Through the chairperson, anyone may ask the mover to withdraw a motion, but the mover doesn't have to do so. If the mover wants to withdraw the motion the above steps are used.

Sometimes a mover wants to withdraw a motion that the chairperson has already stated to the membership.

  1. The mover asks the permission of the chairperson to withdraw the motion.
  2. Permission is granted or refused by the chairperson.

A seconder can only withdraw a second if a motion has been changed after it was seconded. A withdrawn motion isn't recorded in the minutes.

Call for the Question
When a member feels that discussion on a motion has been exhausted, they can ask the chairperson to call for the question.

A member says, "I move we close debate and vote on . . . "
A seconder is required.
A vote is taken. A two-thirds majority is required to pass the motion.
If the motion is passed, the first motion is voted on. If the motion is defeated, discussion is resumed on the first motion.

Or

1. A member says, "Question."
2. A vote on the motion is taken.

Tabling Motions
Sometimes it's necessary to lay aside business so that it may be renewed at a later time.

The motion has been moved and seconded. Discussion may or may not be taking place on the motion.
A member says, "I move to table the motion until . . . "
A seconder is required.
Discussion is allowed.
A vote is taken.

To reactivate a tabled motion -
6. A member says "I move that we resume discussion on . . . "
7. The motion needs a seconder.
8. Discussion is allowed.
9. A vote is taken on whether to resume action on the original motion.
10. If carried, discussion on the original motion is resumed.
11. If defeated, the matter is ignored.

Rescinding a Motion
Sometimes the membership wants to rescind a motion once the motion has been voted on and carried.

  1. 1After recognition of the member, the member makes the motion, "I move to rescind the motion relating to (previous motion) adopted at the ________meeting."
  2. The chairperson asks for a seconder.
  3. The chairperson states the motion.
  4. The chairperson calls for any further discussion on the motion.
  5. The chairperson restates the motion.
  6. The chairperson asks, "All those in favor of the motion?" "All those opposed?"
  7. The chairperson states the results of the vote - carried or defeated.

    Generally, a two-thirds majority vote is required to rescind a previously carried motion.

Adopting Meeting Reports

Secretary's report - The secretary reads or hands out previous meeting minutes. The chairperson asks, "Are there any errors or omissions?" "Will someone move the minutes be adopted as read (or received or amended)?" This requires a seconder and a vote.
When to make a motion - Make a motion when there's a decision of significant importance or impact to the committee.
Other  Member Reports - The reports are read or handed out. Reports that are for information only don't require a motion.

If a member of a member wants action from their report, they should make a motion for that action.

Voting
A vote may be taken by -

Show of hands - The chairperson makes the count and announces the result.
Ballot - secret votes on paper that are used for controversial motions.
Voice - used at large meetings on routine matters that are unlikely to cause an argument. The chairperson says, "All those in favor say "Aye." "All those opposed, say "Nay." The chairperson judges the vote by the volume of sound.

The organization should decide on the voting rights of the chairperson and put the decision out at the inception of the sub-committee.

Two methods are recommended -

Generally, a simple majority (one-half of the voting members present plus one) in favor of a motion passes the motion. Therefore, a tied vote defeats a motion.

Summary
Parliamentary procedure should be used to the advantage of the sub-committee and shouldn't interfere with the work of the group. Whatever methods are chosen, they should ensure that a democratic process is in place.