Marshall, Mary G.

English

Texas A&amp;M Repository

The Committee Chair's Role.

Texas A&M University

Texas Agricultural
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Extension Service
THE COMMllTEE CHAIR'S ROLE
Program Area and Issue Committees of the Extension Program Council
Mary G. Marshall, Professor and Extension Specialist-Program Development
You Hold an Important Position!
Congratulations on being selected com-
mittee chair! You hold a vital position of
leadership on the committee. This means
you take the lead in seeing that your com-
mittee effectively carries out its work. You'll
have opportunities to work closely with
Extension agents in preparing for and con-
ducting committee meetings. They'll look to
you for leadership when your committee
needs to take action. Together you will plan
how the committee will carry out its assign-
ment.
Your committee is part of the county
Extension Program Council. The Council's
executive board establishes program com-
mittees and task forces to develop educa-
tional programs. Most of these committees
have responsibilities for addressing one or
more of the critical issues in the Long-Range
Extension Program. Various groups may be
responsible for special areas of concern to
citizens, such as health and well-being, com-
munity economic viability, water qual-
ity/conservation, or food safety, or broad
areas related to agriculture, youth develop-
ment, or home economics. So your commit-
tee is one of several that provide leadership
for educational programs through the Ex-
tension Program Council.
This publication will help you understand
what the .committee's job is about, your
responsibilities as committee chair, and
how to have productive meetings. Exten-
sion agents are your advisors. They can help
you. Keep in touch with them on a regular
basis. They will work with you in preparing
for and conducting committee meetings
and the activities that committees sponsor.
Committee Chair's Responsibilities
The chairperson's role includes guiding
the program committee in the following
functions:
• Planning the educational program
• Helping implement or carry out the
program
• Evaluating program accomplishments
• Interpreting the committee's work and
accomplishments to others
Several meetings will be required during
the year to carry out these committee func-
tions. A detailed description of this role is
contained in Program Area Committees [L-
2336], a publication available from Exten-
sion agents.
Texas Agricultural Extension Service· Zerle L. Carpenter, Director· The Texas A&M University System • College Station, Texas
Make sure that you understand the com-
mittee's assignment. Are you expected to
address one or more issues in the Long-
Range Extension Program? Or is your group
responsible for a different broad area of
concern? The Council's executive board
and your county Extension agents can clar-
ify the scope of your work as a program
development committee.
If your committee is charged with ad-
dressing one or more of the issues, these
will be described in the current Long-Range
Extension Program. Obtain a copy and keep
it available at all times for reference.
Extension ·specialists and local or area
resource people who have knowledge
about your committee's area of responsibil-
ity should be identified and invited to help
when you need them. Resource people can
clarify problems within issues, provide data
about situations, and help you analyze al-
ternatives for addressing problems and con-
cerns. Extension agents can arrange for
specialists to meet with the whole commit-
tee or you, in preparation for committee
problem-solving.
Extension agents have publications and
guides that will be helpful to you. Some are
slide-tape sets and Program Guides related
to various issues, slide sets on the commit-
tee's role, and worksheets to use when
arranging to carry out various functions of
the committee. Use these resources to help
plan and conduct your work throughout the
year. As you gain experience, you will be-
come even more confident in carrying out
your role as committee leader. And you'll
find this experience very rewarding.
Committee Meetings
Productive committee meetings are es-
sential in maintaining the interest and sup-
port of members. They will appreciate your
leadership when meetings are well organ-
ized, have a worthwhile purpose, and ac-
complish what needs doing in a reasonable
amount of time. A good meeting must be
planned in advance. That's part of your job.
Remember, the Extension agents will help
you in this planning.
Planning the Meeting
Not every meeting requires extensive
planning, but most are more successful
when details have been carefully thought
out. What should happen before the meet-
ing ever takes place? Several weeks before
a meeting, talk with your Extension agents
to make plans. Consider the following
points:
• Agree on the purpose of the meeting
and what should be accomplished.
• Identify two or three dates (including
starting time) from which members
can choose.
• Arrange for a convenient place where
members can meet comfortably.
• Make a preliminary agenda - list the
things you want to discuss and accom-
plish.
• Plan how to involve members. Assign-
ing members tasks to do before and
during meetings (give a report on a
situation, contact a resource person,
lead discussion on a topic, etc.) is an
efficient way to conduct committee
work. You'll find it easier to maintain
their interest when they help perform
tasks.
• Identify needed resources (written ma-
terials, resource persons).
Before you complete the meeting plan,
contact each committee member. Explain
that you are planning a meeting and need
their advice. Ask them their choice for the
meeting date. In addition, tell the purpose
of meeting and ask if they have suggestions
about items to put on the agenda. Explain
any meeting tasks you want them to do.
After you've talked with all of them, set
the meeting date and complete the agenda.
When members have been involved in this
way, they are more likely to attend, actively
participate in decisionmaking and show en-
thusiasm. Everyone enjoys being a part of
something they've been involved in plan-
ning.
Your county Extension agent can notify
members by letter to announce the meeting
date and other details. Each member should
receive an advance copy of the agenda.
Conducting the Meeting
Before the meeting starts, make sure the
room is comfortable; arrange chairs and
tables so members face one another. Have
materials and equipment available (note-
pads, chalkboard, etc.). Greet members as
they arrive.
You are now ready for the meeting to
begin! Following are some tips to help en-
sure that the meeting goes as planned:
• Call the meeting to order on time.
• Preside at the meeting, but don't do all
the talking or turn it over to the Exten-
sion agent. Give members the oppor-
tunity to express their thoughts on
each topic.
• Keep a record of decisions and plans.
This can be assigned to another mem-
ber ahead of time.
• Set a relaxed atmosphere by being
informal but business-like. Members
tend to act or react according to the
tone set by the chair. Use the agenda
and make sure each member has a
copy.
• Present each topic on the agenda.
Some will require a committee deci-
sion. After a decision has been
reached, repeat it so that everyone
understands.
• Keep the meeting moving so that you
complete the agenda in the allotted
time.
• Just before you adjourn, summarize
what has been decided.
• Announce plans for the next meeting.
• Express your appreciation for mem-
bers' participation.
• Adjourn the meeting at the designated
time.
Following Through After the Meeting
You had a good meeting! Members did
their part and the meeting accomplished its
purpose. Now follow through on any tasks
to be done after the meeting. Usually you
will:
• Evaluate the meeting. Did it go as you
planned? Did most members attend?
Could anything be done differently
next time to improve attendance or the
meeting itself?
• Contact members who didn't attend
the meeting and keep them informed
on what was accomplished.
• Keep in touch with members who at-
tended and accepted assignments.
Offer assistance when needed.
• Send a written meeting summary to all
members. The Extension agent can
help in this effective way of communi-
cating with everyone. The summary
also serves as a reminder to those who
volunteered to carry out a task.
• Keep people informed about your
committee's activities, especially indi-
viduals and groups who need to under-
stand and support your goals.
• Report your committee's plans and ac-
tivities to the Council's executive
board.
When you report committee accomplish-
ments to the Council's executive board, you
convey the importance of your work to
others who share in coordinating and lead-
ing the total Extension program in your
county. You are a member of this board
because you're a committee chair. One of
the board's functions is to coordinate and
support the work of all its committees.
Also report accomplishments to the over-
all Extension Council at the annual meeting,
and keep the public informed by available
mass media throughout the programming
period.
Maintain an Active Membership
Keeping the committee active is an im-
portant task of the committee chairperson.
An active committee makes your job more
enjoyable.
Become acquainted with members you
do not know well and find out how to help
them become involved in ways that are
meaningful to them. Everyone needs to feel
important. Express appreciation to mem-
bers for their contributions.
New members will be needed as individ-
ual terms expire. The executive board of the
Extension Program Council has standing
rules which should be followed in selecting
new members. You should alert the board
when new members are needed. Help iden-
tify and recommend new members. Con-
tacting them directly and asking them to
serve assures that new members are in-
volved early in the committee's work.
Summary
Program area committees, issue commit-
tees, and short-term task forces are created
by the county Extension Program Council.
They are vital to the Council's effectiveness
in providing Extension educational activities
that meet people's needs. The committee's
role includes planning the educational pro-
gram, helping implement them, evaluating
the results, and interpreting or reporting the
committee's achievements. As committee
chairperson, you take the lead in planning
and conducting meetings. You organize the
committee's work so that members are fully
involved, and you work with Extension
agents to see that your committee suc-
ceeds!
This publication was originally prepared by
Burl B. Richardson (now retired) and the
present author.
Educational programs conducted by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service serve people ofall ages regardless ofsocioeconomic
level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Acts of Congress of May 8, 1914, as
amended, and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. Zerle L. Carpenter, Director, Texas
Agricultural Extension Service, The Texas A&M University System.
3M-8-93, Revision PD


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The Committee Chair's Role.

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The Committee Chair's Role.

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