Policy 2.H - BOARD COMMITTEE PRINCIPLES

Date Adopted/Last Revised: January 27, 2009

Board committees, when used, have one essential role—to strengthen and support the work of the Board as a whole. Board committees are not to interfere with delegation from Board to the Superintendent, or from the Superintendent to other staff.

Accordingly:

1. Board committees will be established to help the Board do its job, not to help, advise or exercise authority over staff.
2. Board committees most commonly assist the Board by undertaking activities not delegated to the Superintendent, by preparing policy alternatives and implications for Board deliberation, or by performing specific monitoring functions.
3. Board committees will be used sparingly and ordinarily in an ad hoc capacity. When a committee’s purpose has been fulfilled, it will cease to exist.
4. Board committees may not speak or act for the Board except when formally given, in writing, such authority for specific and/or time-limited purposes. The Board will carefully state its expectations and committee authority in order not to conflict with authority delegated to the Superintendent.
5. Because the Superintendent works for the full Board, he or she will not be expected to obtain approval of a Board committee before an executive action.
6. This policy applies to any group formed by Board action, whether or not it is called a committee and regardless of whether the group includes Board members. This policy does not apply to committees formed under the authority of the Superintendent.