Resolving Differences Between Committee Members’ Opinions

Resolving Differences Between Committee Members’ Opinions

Decisions of the committee are made by a majority vote of all members. Try to obtain agreement among the committee members. Establish the most likely best decision scenario by weighing the factors and data. 

If necessary, revisit factors and the data to better understand missed information or further clarify. Once any differences of opinions among the committee members have been resolved, use the procedure in the previous paragraph.

A vote can be useful, especially after a reasonable time has been allowed for discussion and a variety of views persist. When there is an equal division of votes cast, the chairman may cast an additional vote.

When not all members agree, the dissenter should be given an opportunity to state their point of view, and to try to persuade the other members. If a member maintains a strong minority opinion, it could be classified and resolved, as Level 1 or Level 2:

Level 1:         Usually, after thorough discussion, a member of the committee who does not agree with the majority accepts the decision of the majority. This should be simply recorded as a majority decision without stating who the member(s) in the minority is/are.

Level 2:         If the members in the minority feel strongly that they do not wish to be associated with the decision, they have the right to be named as dissenting members when the decision is made and to have their names recorded.

Regardless of any personal disagreement with the committee’s final decision, a member is duty-bound to uphold it. A member must refrain from criticizing the decision of a committee in public. Criticism of a decision may be misconduct, inadequate conduct or improper use of information acquired through their position, depending on the manner, time and place in which the criticism is expressed.

Members may discuss and criticize a decision with other members in private for the purpose of persuading the committee to reconsider the decision or for the purpose of education. However, any discussion with competitors, coaches or the public of a difference of opinions within the committee will never be appropriate conduct. It could only serve to inflame a situation and damage relationships with other stakeholders. If a member does not wish to associate themself with a decision, then the proper course of action is to exercise the right to be named as a dissenting member in the decision and then refer any queries to the published decision only.

The chairman must include details of the matter in their report if any member requests to be named as dissenting.