Community Norms on Committees (adopted October 19, 2001)
Background: In order to remind and enumerate the various expectations of committee members, this Set of guidelines accomplishes two things. First, establishes certain formal guidelines regarding ethical conduct that will be acknowledged by every member of the committee through their signature. Second, it establishes that one member of every departmental committee, other than its Chair, will serve as Committee Monitor with the authority to oversee the procedural and ethical comportment of the committee. This Monitor has the responsibility to assure the department as a whole, through the Chair of the department, that no irregularities compromising the mission of the committee have occurred.
Guideline 18 (1): The following statement will be signed by all members of a specific committee at its inaugural meeting for that academic year. Thereafter, this statement will become a part of the record of deliberations of the committee.
I, _____________________________, agree to serve this committee and abide by norms of collegiality, confidentiality, and honor the University of Hawaii at Manoa's commitment to affirmative action and equal employment opportunity. By collegiality, I agree to respect members of the department as professionals and treat them with courtesy. Further, I agree to reveal to the committee chair any conflicts of interest that I suspect I may hold, and to recuse myself in cases where my decision-making may be compromised or questioned. By confidentiality, I agree to not disclose any deliberations or information supplied to the committee by others. In order to uphold the University's commitment to affirmative action and EEO, I agree to inform myself of these principles and apply them in my deliberations.
Guideline 18(2): Every committee should appoint an Observer who will be responsible for certifying to the department, through the departmental chairperson, that all activities and deliberations of the committee took place in conformity with the above-mentioned guidelines. If the observer cannot so certify the actions of a committee, that committee will be reconstituted by the chairperson of the Department.