Committees may seem tiresome. It feels like a lot of work with little to no reward for the efforts that the members placed. The tasks of the committee members may seem tedious but they are a vital part of the campus community. They oversee the daily operations of a university or college and play a significant role in an institution's progress.
The Chronicle of Higher Education shared a checklist of the best practices that campus committees can do. The list includes making known the purpose and expectations of the committee to its members, setting a timetable for issue resolution and finding the right balance to being democratic without being anarchic.
Transparency
The purpose, range of responsibilities and expectations required of the committee should be made crystal clear to its members. This would help keep the university and college organized by not having three committees working on one issue while neglecting to address another. The tasks and responsibilities of each committee member should also be definite and defined.
Conscientiousness
A committee should make a commitment to follow through on addressing a specific issue and ensure that it will be completed or closed in as short time as possible. According to the official website of Guyana's Ministry of Education, a timetable is important since it reduces confusion among the members of the school community. Creating a timetable and committing to it help the committee stay organized on the issues that have been cleared as well as the matters that need to be looked into.
Democracy
All members of the committee need to be able to share their opinions freely on a certain case. Still, campus committees should be able to strike a balance on being democratic but not to the point of chaos where the members are no longer working as a united body.
Good Leadership
Committees should be led by people who understand the key role that this type of organization plays in the campus community. The chair of the committee should be motivated to give everyone the chance of voicing their opinions. The leader should also be able to facilitate a discussion well.
Value
The publication noted that committees should be valued for their work in keeping the campus community working well. However, this is not at the hands of the committee. What these organizations can do is to continue helping universities and colleges achieve their highest potential and know that, in due time, their hard work would pay off.
