Policy 6:Committee Establishment and Governance

POLICY 6:COMMITTEE ESTABLISHMENT AND GOVERNANCE

APPLIES TO:BOARD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND COMMITTEES

GENERAL

6.1The Board is responsible for three types of committees:

• Board committees (see 6.8-6.12)
• Arm’s length committees (see 6.12-6.20)

Note: This section is currently under review.

• Program committees (see 6.21-6.24)

These committees provide programs and services of the SWG. The people involved are volunteers and employees of the SWG, even when operating with relative independence or at arm's length, or when the Board and Executive Director are not involved in the programming, policy development, or the hiring and supervision of employees of these committees.

6.2The Board will hold board, arm’s length, and program committees accountable for conducting themselves in accordance with the SWG’s Governance and Operational Policies. Note: In the case of arm's length committees, the Board will allow reasonable variation in the implementation of specific provisions provided they do not compromise the spirit and intent of these policies.

6.3The Board may establish committees to support the work of the Board and to carry out functions that cannot be carried out effectively at the Board level.

6.4The Board will use ad hoc committees when they serve the needs of the organization more effectively than other alternatives.

6.5The Board will limit committee activities to the authority and the responsibilities included in their terms of reference and to matters delegated to them by the Board.

6.6Note: Committees do not have the authority to speak for the Board except when they are given the authority to do so.

6.7The Board will attach to the SWG Governance Policies a complete list of committees established by the Board, their terms of reference, and an up-to-date list of members.

BOARD COMMITTEES (6.8-6.12)

6.8A Board Committee is a committee that has been established by the Board and that is accountable to the Board.

6.9The Board will establish, monitor, and dissolve Board committees as follows:

a)appoint committee members with appropriate expertise from the SWG membership and the community;

b)approve and amend terms of reference;

c)appoint a Board member to chair the committee and to report to the Board;

d)receive committee reports and be familiar with their contents;

e)dissolve a committee at any time by a Board motion;

f)realize that, unless otherwise stated in the terms of reference, a committee will cease to exist when its task is completed.

6.10The Board will establish the Personnel Committee as a standing (i.e., permanent) committee.

6.11The Board will establish a Nominations Committee each year.

6.12The Board will authorize the Executive Director to allocate resources to support the work of Board committees. Note: The Executive Director must advise the Board of the impact of such resource allocation on the budget and staff.

Note: The SWG Board, pending discussion of policies with the arm’s length committees, has not approved arm's length committee policies.

ARM'S LENGTH COMMITTEES (6.13-6.20)

6.13The Board is presently responsible for three arm's length committees:

a)Grain Magazine;

b)Saskatchewan Playwrights Centre; and

c)Saskatchewan Writers and Artists Colony Committee.

6.14The Board will establish arm's length committees to:

a)ensure the artistic freedom of arm’s length programs;

b) provide high quality services to the writing community;

c)direct resources to meet needs which are critical to the development of writing in the province;

d)maintain the programs and services that Saskatchewan writers enjoy as a result of the SWG’s diverse organization.

6.15The Board will establish terms of reference for arm’s length committees. Where necessary, the Board will work with the committees to establish memorandums of understanding or similar agreements to define specific services to be provided, working relationships, and accountability processes. The Board will attach these documents to the SWG Policy Manual.

6.16Note: The Executive Director is authorized to act on the Board’s behalf in

the negotiation and management of agreements between the SWG and its arm's length committees.

6.17The Board will require arm's length committees to operate in accordance with the SWG’s Bylaws and, where applicable, Governance Policies.

6.18The Board may require arm's length committees to attend Board meetings or planning sessions to discuss issues related to arm’s length programs.

6.19The Board or the Executive Director may require arm’s length committees to provide them with information about their operations. This will be done in a timely manner.

6.20The Board will attach to the Governance and Operational Policies an up-to-date list of members of arm's length committees and their employees.

PROGRAM COMMITTEES (6.21-6.24)

6.21The Executive Director may establish program committees:

• to provide assistance in the development and delivery of programs and services;
• to carry out other activities falling under the authority of the Executive Director.

6.22The Executive Director, or his or her delegate, may appoint members to program committees.

6.23The Executive Director may dissolve program committees.

6.24Note: Program committees may advise, but may not direct, SWG staff members.