Board Committee Principles

Board Policy 104

Board committees, when used, will be assigned so as to interfere minimally with the wholeness of the Board's job and so as never to interfere with delegation from the Board to the President. Committees will be used sparingly, only when other methods have been deemed inadequate.

1. Board committees are to help the Board do its job, not to help the staff do its jobs. Committees ordinarily will assist the Board by preparing policy alternatives and implications for Board deliberation. Board committees are not to be created by the Board to advise staff.
2. Board committees may not speak or act for the Board except when formally given such authority for specific and time-limited purposes. Expectations and authority will be carefully stated in order to not to conflict with authority delegated to the President.
3. Board committees cannot exercise authority over staff. Because the President works for the full Board, the President will not be required to obtain approval of a Board committee before taking executive action.
4. Board committees are to avoid over-identification with organizational parts rather than the whole. Therefore, a Board committee which has helped the Board create policy on some topic will not be used to monitor organizational performance on the same topic.
5. This policy applies only to committees which are formed by Board action, whether or not the committees include non-board members. It does not apply to committees formed under the authority of the President.