Which document should be used to establish an ad hoc committee and define its charge?

Which document should be used to establish an ad hoc committee and define its charge?

• A. Bylaws amendment
• B. Resolution
• C. Agenda
• D. Minutes

Answer: (B)

To create an ad hoc committee and define its charge, you use a formal board action in the form of a resolution. A resolution clearly authorizes the committee, states its purpose and scope, identifies who will serve, sets reporting lines, and often specifies the duration or deadline. This makes the committee’s authority official and enforceable by the board and communicates the intent to staff and members. A bylaws amendment would change governing rules for the organization and is not the right tool for launching a temporary committee. An agenda lists topics to cover in a meeting but does not grant authority or establish a lasting charge. Minutes are a record of what happened at a meeting; they reflect actions after the fact, not create or authorize a new committee. Sample essence of such a resolution might say: the board establishes a temporary committee to study X, with specified members, a defined charge to complete a report by a set date, and a requirement to present findings to the board. This is the mechanism that provides formal legitimacy and direction for the ad hoc effort.

To create an ad hoc committee and define its charge, you use a formal board action in the form of a resolution. A resolution clearly authorizes the committee, states its purpose and scope, identifies who will serve, sets reporting lines, and often specifies the duration or deadline. This makes the committee’s authority official and enforceable by the board and communicates the intent to staff and members.

A bylaws amendment would change governing rules for the organization and is not the right tool for launching a temporary committee. An agenda lists topics to cover in a meeting but does not grant authority or establish a lasting charge. Minutes are a record of what happened at a meeting; they reflect actions after the fact, not create or authorize a new committee.

Sample essence of such a resolution might say: the board establishes a temporary committee to study X, with specified members, a defined charge to complete a report by a set date, and a requirement to present findings to the board. This is the mechanism that provides formal legitimacy and direction for the ad hoc effort.