GOVERNANCE POLICY: GP-6  Council Committee Principles

Council may establish Committees to help carry out its work.  Council committees, when used, will function to reinforce the wholeness of the Council’s job and will not interfere with delegation from Council to Registrar.  Committees will be used sparingly and only when other methods are deemed inadequate.

1. Council committees are to help the Council do its job, never to help or advise the staff.  Committees will assist the Council by preparing policy alternatives and implications for Council deliberation.

2. Council committees may not speak or act for the Council except when formally given such authority for specific and time-limited purposes.  Expectations and authority will be carefully stated in order not to conflict with authority delegated to the Registrar.

3. Council committees cannot exercise authority over staff.  The Registrar works for the full Council:  he or she will not be required to obtain approval of a Council Committee before an executive action, except where the committee has been delegated specific authority to act on behalf of the Council.

4. All Committees will be supportive of the wholism of the Council and its policies.  Council committees are to avoid over-identification with organizational parts rather than the whole.  The Council, not its committees, retains responsibility and authority to monitor organizational performance.

5. This policy applies only to committees which are formed by Council, whether or not the committees include non-Councilors.  It does not apply to committees formed under the authority of the Registrar.

6. All committee members shall abide by the same Code of Conduct as governs the Council, set out in GP-9.

7. Except as defined in written Terms of Reference, no Committee has authority to commit the funds or resources of the College.