Main Committee Officers’

Duties and Responsibilities

September 2014

Officers’ Training Workshop

Jeff Adkins & Brian Milewski

Objectives

• To identify key duties and responsibilities of the

Chairman, Vice Chairman, Membership Secretary,

and Secretary in order to strengthen the

leadership skills necessary for a productive

committee.

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The Chairman

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Know ASTM Rules and Regulations

• ASTM Regulations

– http://www.astm.org/COMMIT/Regs.pdf

• Officer Handbook

– http://www.astm.org/COMMIT/RedBook5.pdf

• Committee Bylaws

– MyCommittees - Committee Documents

• Parliamentary Procedure

– ‘Robert’s Rules of Order’

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Facilitate Committee Administration

• Appoint Subcommittee Chairmen and Liaisons and fill vacancies

• Appoint Special Purpose Ad Hoc Committee

• Plan meetings

• Ensure Executive Subcommittee duties are fulfilled

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Facilitate Committee Administration

• Appropriate Committee Funds

• Delegate Responsibility

• Monitor Subcommittee Meetings

• Respond to Circular Letter Ballots

• Assist in Inquiries on Standards

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Inquiries on Standards

• ASTM membership and staff are prohibited from

offering official interpretation of standards

• Official responses must follow Section 16 of the ASTM

Regulations

• Inquiries can be handled informally by subcommittee

chairmen and technical contacts

• Be clear that the response is a personal opinion

• Do not use ASTM stationery for the response

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Chair Executive and Main Committee

Meetings

• Ensure organized,

informative reports

• Facilitate an efficient

meeting

• Introduce and

welcome new

members

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Conducting an Efficient Meeting

• Meeting Preparation

– Prepare an agenda

– Review correspondence

– Review minutes & action items from previous

meeting

– Communicate with your Staff Manager

• Understand the basics of parliamentary procedures

• Manage meeting time effectively

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When to Use Robert’s Rules

• Seeking resolution to a controversial issue (e.g.

handling a negative vote)

• Requires a formal vote count (e.g. voting on a not

persuasive negative)

• Business must be conducted in a formal and

efficient manner (e.g. main and subcommittee

meetings).

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Use of Motions Motion Requires a Second Debatable Vote Needed

Approve Agenda Yes Yes Majority

Approve Minutes Yes Yes Majority

Place an Item on Ballot Yes Yes Majority

Establish a Task Group Yes Yes Majority

Executive Administrative

Decision

Yes Yes Majority

Adjourn a Meeting Yes No Majority

Not Persuasive Action

(must state rationale)

Yes Yes 2/3 Affirmative

Not related Action

(must state rationale)

(New agenda item for

next meeting)

Yes Yes 2/3 Affirmative

Amend a motion Yes Yes Majority

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Oversee the Standards Development

Process

• Establish a good line of communication with ASTM Headquarters (Staff Manager) and Subcommittee Chairmen

• Ensure proper consideration and documentation of negatives

• Ensure that consensus is reached

• Ensure standards are current

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The Vice-Chairman

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Prepare to Substitute for the

Chairman

• Know ASTM rules and procedures

• Assist chairman with duties

• Prepare to conduct an orderly and productive meeting

• Keep abreast of all Committee operations

• Be prepared to serve as Chairman in the absence of Chairman

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Perform Special Duties and Assignments

Based on Committee’s Bylaws, there can be several Vice Chairman

positions:

– Head Nominating Committee

– Champion Bylaws

– Chair Long Range Planning

– Serve as the Committee Awards Chairman

– Review requests for new standards, ensuring that industry needs

are addressed

– Review Subcommittee Scopes

– Succession Planning

– New Member Orientation

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Perform Special Duties and Assignments

Chair Bylaws Committee

• Keep Bylaws current with the Society policies/practices

Chair Awards Subcommittee

• Recommend Award of Merit recipients from the Committee

• Administer Committee Awards Program

• Honorary Members

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Other Duties

• Liaison

• Publicity

• Symposia

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The Membership Secretary

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Coordinate Membership Matters

within the Committee

• Update Committee Rosters in accordance with Committee

Bylaws using Roster Maintenance

• Process Membership Applications

• Utilize Electronic Membership Rosters

• Report on Committee Membership Status to the

Executive Subcommittee

• Print out Committee attendance rosters (Main and

Executive Committees)

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Additional Membership

Secretary Duties

• Monitor Classification and Voting Status of Committee Members

– Is the Committee in balance?

• Monitor Inactivity

– Voting Members Not Returning Ballots

• Initiate and coordinate recruitment efforts

– Membership Promotion

• Review status of affiliate members annually

– Executive Subcommittee approval needed

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Roster Maintenance

The Recording Secretary

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Secretary Responsibilities

• Assist Chairman in preparing:

– Agenda

– Minutes

– Correspondence

– Communicates with Subcommittee Chairmen

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Meeting Coverage

• If you cannot attend, find a replacement

• Brief your replacement on the agenda

• Inform replacement of any potential “hot topics”

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Responsibilities During Committee

Meetings

• Record attendance

• Record minutes

• Identify voting members

• Have pertinent documents available

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Responsibilities After Committee

Meetings • Prepare minutes of main and executive subcommittee

meetings

– An accurate summary of the decisions and conclusions reached

– Record all motions and vote counts

– Assignments that were made

– Note if follow-up action is required

– Note time of adjournment, next meeting date, time, and location.

• Collect and consolidate any germane reports

• Submit minutes to ASTM International Headquarters for posting (in a single file)

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Questions?