Committee Functions

When the Executive Committee agrees that a committee is needed for a particular purpose, the usual next step is to state tentatively that committee's function--its charge.  Sometimes the entire Executive Committee works on this statement; at other times a subcommittee or a single member prepares the statement of function, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.  Sometimes the final statement is postponed until the chair and perhaps the membership are selected so that the special knowledge of committee members may be used in defining the committee's function.
 
A function, once created, is not necessarily unchangeable.  A committee may request that the Executive Committee change its function; however, drifting away from the statement of function is usually confusing, unproductive, and ill advised.  Liaison officers and committee chairs should from time to time evaluate the work of a committee in terms of its charge.  If the original statement appears to need major alteration, the chair should ask the Executive Committee for authorization to change it.
 
Each committee is assigned an Executive Committee liaison and a staff liaison, whose roles are described later in the Handbook. Additionally, the office of one of the staff Associate Executive Directors is designated by the Executive Director to oversee the work of all committees and to communicate with the chairs about in-common functions and procedures.