Committee Meetings

Conducting the First Meeting and/or the First Meeting of the Academic Year

The initial committee meeting is critical, as it provides the foundation to engage the interest and support of committee members. The program representative facilitates the meeting until the co mi tee selects a chairperson. It is essential that the program representative contact members and organize an agenda well in advance of the meeting. In addition, the program representative may want to have discussions with new members to ensure that at least one individual is willing to serve as chairperson.

Organizing and Conducting Meetings

Following the initial meeting, committees may fluctuate in the number of times they meet throughout the academic year. Contributions of advisory committee members depend to a great extent on how they are prepared for, and oriented to, their roles. For the committee to be effective, program of work responsibilities should be divided among all members so that no one individual has total responsibility for the committee’s success.

The Chairperson

The chairperson collaborates with the program representative and facilitates member participation. The chairperson should be familiar with Roberts’ Rules of Order and should have the ability to lead.

The chairperson’s responsibilities include:

• Coordinating with committee secretary (program representative) to establish meeting dates and call the committee together when appropriate,
• Developing the meeting agenda with the secretary,
• Preparing background information and reports as necessary,
• Seeking consultants for advice on specific problems,
• Presiding at meetings and ensuring agenda and schedules are followed,
• Promoting the committee’s role as an advisory, not policy-making, body,
• Helping members reach consensus on issues,
• Reviewing meeting minutes with the secretary for accuracy,
• Representing the committee at various official functions (e.g., Career Technical Student Organization banquets, board of trustees meetings),
• Assigning/organizing sub-committees, standing committees, and ad hoc committees,
• Maintaining communication with members, program representatives, and board members,
• Determining strategies for developing and completing the program of work,
• Recruiting members for the committee,
• Following up on committee decisions to ensure that they are acted upon.

The Vice Chairperson

The vice chairperson is familiar with all the duties and responsibilities of the chairperson
and will assume these responsibilities in the absence of the chairperson.

The Secretary (Program Representative)

The success of the committee depends a great deal on the program representative, who serves as the committee secretary. The secretary must devote enough time and attention to keep the committee actively involved in the career and technical education program. The secretary plays a dual role, switching from leader to helper, depending on the needs of the committee.

The secretary’s responsibilities include:

• Coordinating meeting arrangements,
• Developing meeting agendas with the chairperson and distributing them to the committee members in advance of the meeting,
• Acting as recorder for the committee (e.g., coordinate all mailings, take minutes, compile committee recommendations for leadership),
• Reviewing goals and objectives with the committee,
• Providing members with resource materials and program information,
• Initiating and facilitating discussion during each meeting,
• Providing feedback to members on the results of their recommendations,
• Compiling and maintaining contact information and background data from committee members, including e-mail addresses.

***This role may be served by your senior administrative assistant