Expectations & Responsibilities

Objective:

This document is designed to give committee chairs, committee members, task force chairs and task force members an overview of expectations and responsibilities.

1. Definition

Committee:

• A permanent group whose members rotate on and off in 2-year staggered cycles, or at the discretion of the President & CEO.
• Committees consider broad industry issues relating to hotel, automation, aviation, etc.
• Funding/support is designated in each annual budget until the committee is eliminated or its purpose changes. All expenses need to be cleared with NBTA liaisons.
• Committees are of the size that subcommittees are possible for multiple projects and goals.
• Committees should be prepared to present their project work during the annual convention.
• Committees should be comprised of a minimum of 51% direct members.

Task Force:

• A temporary group selected to complete a specific project.
• A task force is created for a one-year term and may be renewed beyond one year at the discretion of the President & CEO.
• Funding/support is for one year. A task force may be extended or may be converted to a committee subject to approval by the Board of Directors.
• Results should be ready for presentation at the annual convention, where appropriate.
• Task forces should be comprised of a minimum of 51% direct members.

 2. Scope

Committee’s Functions:

• Advisory in nature, lending expertise and support to the association’s programs and operations.
• Designed to provide members with an opportunity to be involved in their areas of special interest.
• Focused on projects or issues, which apply to members and augment the association’s operations.

Operational Guidelines:

• The President & CEO, in conjunction with the Executive Director & COO, appoints committee chairs.
• Committees receive funding for meetings and or special projects through the budgeting process.
• In line with NBTA policies, the only individual whose expenses are funded by the association is the chair or co-chair.
• Committee chairs can appoint members, subject to approval of the President & CEO. In some committees, membership is nominated and voted on by committee members. Committee chairs will obtain approval from President & CEO. NBTA needs to be apprised of potential new members prior to the delivery of the invitation to join the committee.
• Committees should function according to a definitive work plan, and committee work should reflect NBTA’s overall mission and strategic plan.
• NBTA’s education unit must approve presentations by the committees at the annual convention.
• Committee chairs are not empowered to create any contractual or financial obligations that bind the association.
• Committees are required to avoid all conflicts of interest and anti-competitive behavior.
• Committees must avoid solicitations for sponsorship.
• Committee chairs and committee members are not empowered to represent the association with the media, unless cleared by the Executive Director & COO.
• Work and products created by the volunteer committees are appropriately labeled as NBTA’s and are not co-branded, unless specific approval is secured from President & CEO and/or the Executive Director & COO.
• All White Papers and/or statements of policy must be approved by the Board of Directors prior to being released.
• Committee chairs must maintain confidentiality of all discussions relating to services, products, projects, and planning of the association, and ensure that committee members do the same.
• NBTA staff liaisons must be present at all official committee meetings.

3. NBTA's Expectations of Committee Chairs

Committee and Task Force Chairs are expected to:

• Create a budget for the funding allocated by NBTA for the committee or task force.
• Plan a tentative calendar of meetings and conference calls at least six months in advance with confirmation of meetings 30 days in advance.
• Plan the meeting or call agenda.
• Send an email notification to all committee/task force members of pending meetings or conference calls.
• Assign a member of the committee to take minutes for each meeting or conference call (this may rotate within the committee). All minutes should be sent via email to you committee liaison at NBTA headquarters within two weeks of the meeting or conference call.
• Liaise with NBTA's board committee liaison and NBTA's staff liaison on a regular basis.

4. Length and Definition of Term, Transition Dates

Term: Each member of a committee shall serve for two years at the pleasure of the NBTA President & CEO and until his/her successor is appointed with transition dates marked by NBTA's annual convention, with the following exceptions:

1. the committee shall be terminated sooner
2. such member be removed from such committee
3. such member shall cease to qualify as a member thereof
4. the President of NBTA shall deem such member to continue serving on the committee for a second term.

Succession: The President of NBTA, in consultation with the Committee Chair, shall elect successors to outgoing committee members based on qualifications and membership status.

Chairman: The President of NBTA shall appoint the Committee Chairman. The Chairman of the committee shall continue in office until the expiration of his/her term as a member of the committee unless removed as Chairman by the President of NBTA or until his or her successors are elected and qualified. Chairman and/or Vice Chairman should be a direct member of NBTA.

Staff Liaison: The staff liaison is the committee’s single point of contact with NBTA. He/she should be kept apprised of potential new members, co-ordinates with the committee on scheduled meetings, receives copies of all committee correspondence, be in attendance at all committee meetings, and should respond to committee inquiries within 48 hours.

Removal: The Committee Chairman, in consultation with the NBTA President, can remove a committee member from office prior to the expiration of the term for which that committee member has been elected.

5. Expectations of Committee Members

The ideal committee member:

• Is willing to commit time
• Is knowledgeable in the selected field
• Contributes, takes ownership of tasks delegated
• Is a team player
• Has a positive attitude
• Listens
• Honors rules, regulations, and procedures
• Fulfills responsibilities and assignments
• Is empathetic, tolerant
• Has personal and professional goals and principles
• Has the support of their employer
• Is an active member of NBTA

All committee members are required to sign the NBTA Confidentiality Agreement.

6. Grounds for Dismissal from the Committee

Attendance at meetings is mandatory. If you miss two meetings in a row or three meetings total, it is at the discretion of the chair to remove you from the committee. Corporate substitutes will not be accepted. Teleconference is not considered acceptable attendance for a scheduled “in-person” meeting. Conference calls are considered a regularly scheduled meeting. Absence will be counted towards dismissal.

7. Scheduled Meetings

It is recommended that each committee/task force/council should meet three to four times a year.  Meetings should be planned at least 30 days in advance. It is recommended that two of the meetings should be in person and the other two should be through other means of communication such as teleconference or web conference.  At least one of the off-site meetings per year must be held at NBTA’s headquarters. Meetings should be coordinated with the NBTA staff liaison in order to ensure the most cost effective meetings. Suggested options for meeting locations:

- Committee member’s corporate offices local conference rooms
- NBTA headquarters
- Airport locations

• All meetings will have an appointed note taker. Notes must be brief, outlining date, time, place and attendees, agenda subject and brief outcome. Any actions must be noted with name of person responsible. Provide information on the time and place of next meeting.
• Meetings will end with a review of notes and meeting achievements. Note taker must send minutes to committee chair within 1 week of meeting. Committee Chair will distribute to committee membership and NBTA staff liaison.
• All meetings will consist of a review of prior meeting actions to ensure follow up action was taken.
• Chairperson acts as a facilitator and is the liaison with NBTA.
• Committee members are expected to pay airfare and hotel expenses to attend meetings.

8. Guidelines for Requesting Committee Funds

NBTA allocates a small amount of funds to its Committees on a yearly basis. Committees requesting funds from NBTA should use the following as a guideline:

• At the first meeting following convention, Committees should outline their goals and objectives for the following calendar year including any deliverables and dates if possible.
• At this first meeting, Committees should create a budget for the following year.
• Travel expenses are reserved for the Committee Chair or Co-Chairs.
• The budget should clearly indicate what funds are needed and their purpose.
• The budget should be submitted to the Executive Director & COO (or the President & CEO of NBTA) by prior to the first Board of Directors Meeting.
• The budget will be voted on and approved by the Board of Directors and the Committee Chair will be informed of budget approval.