MAIN COMMITTEE OFFICERS
DUTIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
September 2012
Officers’ Training Workshop
Len Morrissey
Tom O’Toole
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Objective
 To identify key duties and responsibilities of
Chairman, Vice Chairman, Membership Secretary,
and Secretary in order to strengthen the leadership
skills necessary for a productive committee.
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CHAIRMAN
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Know ASTM Rules and Regulations
 ASTM Regulations
 Officer Handbook
 Committee Bylaws
 Parliamentary Procedure
• ‘Robert’s Rules of Order’
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Robert’s Rules are used when…..
 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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How to Make a Motion
 Member makes a motion
 Another member seconds the motion
 Chairman calls for discussion of the motion
 Chairman calls for vote on the motion
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How to Amend a Motion
 Original Motion is withdrawn
 Takes precedence over the main motion
 Motion must be seconded
 Requires a majority vote
 Can be reconsidered
 Can be amended to second power
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How to Call the Question
 Make motion
 Must be seconded
 Is not debatable
 Is not amendable
 2/3 vote needed,
• If successful, vote on motion on the floor
• If not, continue discussion
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Table vs. Postpone
 Table – appropriate when something else of immediate
urgency has arisen
 Postpone – to a certain time or event
 Postpone indefinitely – Intended to kill the motion
**All require a majority vote.**
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Facilitate Committee Administration
 Appoint Subcommittee Chairmen and Liaisons
 Fill Vacancies
 Appoint Special Purpose Ad Hoc Committee
 Plan Meetings
 Ensure Executive Subcommittee Duties are fulfilled
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Facilitate Committee Administration (cont’d)
 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 subchairmen 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 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 Agenda
• Review Correspondence
• Review Minutes & action items from previous meeting
• Contact Staff Manager
 Understand the basics of parliamentary procedures
 Manage meeting time effectively.
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Oversee the Standard
Development Process
 Establish a Good Line of Communication with
ASTM Intl Headquarters (Staff Manager) and
Subcommittee Chairmen
 Ensure Proper Consideration and Documentation of
Negatives
 Ensure that Consensus is Reached
 Ensure Standards are Up to Date
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VICE CHAIRMAN
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Prepare to Substitute for 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 absence of
Chairman
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Perform Special Duties and Assignments
 Based on Committee’s Bylaws, there can be several Vice Chairman
positions
 LONG RANGE PLANNING
 Explore and Assign New Activities
 Review Requests for New Standards, Ensuring that Industry Needs are
Addressed
 Review Scopes of Subcommittees
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Perform Special Duties and Assignments
BYLAWS COMMITTEE
 Keep Bylaws Current With Society Regulations
AWARDS COMMITTEE
 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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MEMBERSHIP
SECRETARY
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Coordinate All Membership Issues
Within the Committee
 Update Committee Rosters through Headquarters and in Accordance
with Committee Bylaws
 Process Membership Applications via web based Roster Maintenance
 Utilize Electronic Membership Rosters
 Report on Committee Membership Status to the Executive
Subcommittee
 Print out Main Committee sign in sheet
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Coordinate All
Membership Issues
Within the Committee
 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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SECRETARY
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Prepare Executive Sub & Main Committee:
 Assist Chairman in preparing:
• Agenda
• Minutes
• Correspondence
• Communicates with Subcommittee
Chairmen
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Coverage of Meeting
 If you cannot attend, find a replacement
 Brief your Replacement on the Agenda
 Inform replacement of any potential “hot topics”
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Perform Administrative Tasks For
Committee Meetings
MEETING
 Record Attendance
 Record Minutes
 Identify Voting Members
 Have pertinent documents available
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POST - MEETING
Perform Administrative
Tasks For 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
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Note if follow-up action is required
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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
Len Morrissey
lmorrissey@astm.org
610-832-9719
Tom O’Toole
totoole@astm.org
610-832-9739
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