Meetings and Committees

The number of committees and related meetings are significant at colleges and universities because of the governance structures and commitment to participatory governance. In some instances, the committees and meetings are added to the existing structure and not re-conceptualized.


Analyze the governance structure and consolidate the committee structure as appropriate

Delegate decision-making to the appropriate level, thereby reducing unnecessary multiple reviews.

Ensure the charter for each committee is clearly defined, including its membership, goals, operating agreements, and decision-making roles and responsibilities

Limit amount of time spent in meetings

Establish moratorium on all meetings for a limited time

Clarify roles of committees

Define committees’ advisory and decision-making authorities

Eliminate committees which overlap department authorities and budgetary processes

Prevent staff from sitting on opposing committees (conflict of interest)

Set up agendas and identify clearly who should be in attendance, given the topics to be discussed

Eliminate the “culture of distrust” and the need for everyone to “look over each other’s shoulders” to make sure they are making prudent decisions


All government—indeed, every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue and every prudent act—is founded on compromise and barter. - Edmund Burke


Everything is changing. People are taking the comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke. - Will Rogers


KH Consulting Group (KH) started this Know-How site in 2009 to create a forum for sharing ideas on effectively enhancing revenues and containing costs in higher education in the near and longer term.

KH has posted more than 500 ideas. You can join the forum at:
http://knowhow-education.blogspot.com/

Note: The ideas shared are not prescriptive and will not work in all situations or at all institutions. Some of the ideas are tactical – quick victories to save money in easy ways. Others are strategic, requiring careful analysis before implementing.