Greater Vancouver Interactive Arts Society Committee Policy
In accordance with our current bylaws, constitution, principles, and BC Society Act, we adopt the following policy governing committee operations. All existing and future committees will review this policy and sign a copy acknowledging acceptance.
Contents
Forming committees Initiated by the BOD Initiated by members
Purpose
Powers
Roles and Functions
BOD liaison
Chair
Committee Secretary
Becoming a Committee Member Tech Admin
Removal of committee member Grounds for removal
By committee
By BOD
Committee Operations
Open Discussion
Research
Proposals and applications.
Formation of action or recommendations. Voting
Committee Reporting Conflict of Interest. Committee Wrap up
Forming Committees
Initiated by the BOD
BOD defines the powers, functions, rules of operation and membership requirements (if any) for committee.
Committee forming process:
a. Appoint BOD liaison.
Invites society members to join the committee and submit statement of application.
b. BOD can appoint at least three founding members of a committee, and thereafter, refers future applications to BOD liaison for review by the committee.
c. Committee members review applications for new members,
d.Committee votes on application.
e. BOD sets expiration date of committee ie, a standing committee or ad hoc
Initiated by members
Member or any group of members can request to form a committee. Formation of proposed committees, their purpose and their powers, are subject to board approval.
Committee forming process:
a. Submit name, purpose, goal and completion date for committee, whether a standing or ad hoc.
b. Submit up to at least three names for committee to BOD.
c. Completion of committee formation to follow ‘c’ to ‘e’ of ‘Initiated by the BOD’ directions above.
Joining A Committee
Any GVIAS member in good standing may apply to join a committee
Submits an application to join a committee with statement of intent.
Committee members review applications for new members.
Applications to join will be accepted or denied at the discretion of the Committee. BOD liaison communicates committee response.
Accepted applicants will sign a statement of principles of organization, agree to improvement of society above all else, and adhere to the Committee Policy Agrees to committee time commitment.
Purpose
Committee must have a well defined purpose. Defined by BOD if initiating a committee, or proposed to BOD, if defined by members.
Powers
BOD defines powers of committee. Example of powers
awards grant
produce event
research and recommendation
- Power of committee does not exceed power of the board.
Roles and Functions
BOD liaison
In absence of committee chair, the BOD liaison acts as chair
Ensures compliance of powers delegated to and rules imposed on the committee, by the BOD
Communicates information on decisions, actions and requests between committee and BOD Receives new membership applications
Distributes statement of intent to committee member
Verifies applicants society membership
Communicates committee response to applicant
Updates committee member roster with BOD secretary and committee list
Chair
Decided by the committee.
Prepares agenda, calls meetings and leads meeting.
Focuses discussion in all communications.
Moderates discussion list activities
Maintains an action item list.
Communicates committee recommendations to BOD and any other parties involved.
Committee Secretary
Holds all documents related to the committee.
Records minutes during meeting.
In the absence of the secretary not present, committee member must take minutes and transfer to secretary.
Makes documents available to:
BOD
Committee members
Post to GVIAS website for members
Transfers documentation to next secretary, or BOD at wrap up.
Committee Members
participates in committee discussions
assists in tasks and responsibilities of the committee
Tech Admin
Does not have to be a committee member
Familiar with technology and maintains administration
Adds and removes members from distribution list, at the direction of the chair
Set moderation privileges for discussion list, as instructed by BOD and/or Chair
Removal of Committee Member
Prior to removal of a committee member, the chair or the BOD should make reasonable attempts to resolve issues, before resorting to removal.
Removal By Committee
2/3 majority vote
subject to approval by the BOD
Removal By BOD
2/3 majority vote
Communicate to committee and member reason for removal
Grounds for Removal (including but not limited to)
Termination of society membership. (absolute, no vote required)
Actions in opposition to committee purpose
Ongoing disruption on list or in meetings
Continued violation of code of conduct
Abuses and/or misrepresents committee’s functions and powers
Breach of confidentiality
Refusal to take part in mediation
Nonparticipation
Members facing removal shall be given the opportunity to answer the charges.
Any member who has been removed from a committee, must consult with the board of directors, prior to application to any other committee.
Committee Operations
Open Discussion
Committee discussion benefits from open collaboration with all parties
All member contributions are valued
All members will conduct themselves respectfully and with consideration to their fellow committee members
A member who is disruptive may be subject to moderation by the Chair. Failure to comply may result in moderation of communication. Ongoing disruptive behaviour is grounds for removal.
Research
Members may accept a task of conducting research
Research collected will be presented back to committee
Proposals and Applications
Committees can request proposals and applications from outside entities
Committees will devise their own methods and criteria by which they evaluate proposals and applications
Discussion of competing proposals and applications will be evaluated individually on their own merits.
Members will refrain from interjecting expressions of personal bias
Formation of Action or Recommendations
Committee formulates actions or recommendations through collaborative process.
The goal is to create actions and recommendation with unanimous support.
Voting
Chair calls for vote.
Each member has one vote.
All actions or recommendations voted on by committee are recorded in minutes.
Members with a conflict of interest must abstain and their presence does not count towards quorum.
Committee Reporting
All communications and reports between committee and the board of directors will happen through the committee’s Board Liaison and/or Chair.
Posted to GVIAS website
Meeting minutes, including decisions, recommendations, actions made or deferred, posted within 30 days of meeting.
Communication with BOD
Committee minutes sent to BOD within 7 days of meeting
Membership list will be held by committee chair and BOD secretary
BOD Liaison will present committee report at each BOD meeting
Communications in Public Forums
Committee work is performed on the part of the BOD and GVIAS. As such, committee members who post on social media and public forums about GVIAS matters, represent the thoughts and opinions of GVIAS. It is expected that committee members will conduct themselves with dignity and respect while representing GVIAS. Disparaging comments about other committee members or members at large will not be allowed. Additionally, in order to allow open communication in committee discussions, internal workings of the committee, and individual opinions and actions of members within the committee, are not allowed to be posted in the public realm. Failure to adhere to these standards will result in disciplinary action.
Intellectual Property and Other Proprietary Information
GVIAS shall retain all right, title and interest in its intellectual property and other proprietary information, including, but not limited to, its name, trademarks,
speaker materials, contact lists, phone numbers, email lists, and similar private information, policy documents, and all other proprietary information, whether or
not translated into other languages. The Committee Members shall not acquire any right, title and/or interest in or to any proprietary information except as expressly granted in writing by the GVIAS BOD.
Committee Wrap up
Most committees will be ad hoc and formed for a specific purpose to complete by specific date.
Upon reaching expiration date committee shall prepare wrap up documents to include:
Overview of completion of purpose.
Tasks completed.
Challenges.
Uncompleted tasks and current status.
Recommendations for future.
