Committee Chair

[Gold Winger]

Scouter, if your unit is just taking all comers as leaders, you really need some better procedures in your unit.

 

"Who's that guy?" "Oh, I don't know. He said that he was Bob's dad but Bob said that his father is in prison." "Shouldn't we find out who he is?" "Nah, the paperwork was filled out correctly."

[click23]

Without going back and quoting everyone I disagree with, here is what I think on this matter, and why I think it.

 

1. The committee chair is the sole person at the unit level to approve adult applications.

2. If the unit is following "Selecting Quality Leaders" and the units committee is functioning as the steering committee, if the CC does not agree with the choice he is under no obligation to sign the application.

3. The committee may have an duty to select the leaders, but it is the duty of the CC to approve or deny those applications.

 

Reasons-

1. From the application "Unit committee chairman approves all adult personnel except the chartered organization representative and committee chairman." Nowhere does is say on behalf of the committee or with approval of the committee.

2. There are several references to the committee being involved through out the scout literature, it only talks about selecting the leader, it only references approval at the unit level vested in the CC, see #1.

3. see 1 & 2

 

 

[Beavah]

Yah, click23, you are free to believe whatever yeh like, eh? And your Chartered Organization is free to operate in the way you describe if they feel that is in keeping with their policies and values. So if it works for you, OK. Nuthin' "wrong" with it.

 

Just understand that it's not the way the BSA recommends units operate in any of its literature, so it might not be right to recommend to all other units out there, eh? The Scoutmaster's Handbook, the Troop Committee Handbook, the Training for Chartered Organization Representatives, the training on selecting unit leaders, and the other training documents all point folks to a different way.

 

There's good reasons for that. First, it shows due diligence in leader selection, and thereby provides some protection in terms of legal risk management. Second, the BSA has found over time that doin' things that way avoids problems like adult conflict and leads to better selections. Like I've said, I've unfortunately had to help remove several CC's who acted in da way you suggest.

 

I think it's fascinatin' that when they added that one line on da new application form that folks believe it replaces all da other BSA literature. Probably because people read the applications, when they might not read the other literature. I suppose it's something we should probably fix in da next printing.

 

Beavah

 

[click23]

Sorry, I am just going to have to disagree with you on this one.

[Bob White]

There is nothing in the current BSA literature that contradicts what you have posted Click. In fact it supports it.

[Docrwm]

Interesting assertions and such. Not being a volunteer with Boy Scouts but with Cub Scouts I'll refer to the Cub Scout Leaders Book.

 

Chapter 23 (p. 23-4) states, in the list of Committee Chair responsibilities, that the Chair:

"Ask the committee to assist with recommendations for Cubmaster, assistant Cubmasters, Tiger Cub Den leaders, Cub Scout den leaders, and Webelos den leaders, as needed."

 

There is language describing each Committee Members role and nowhere in that langauge for a number of positions (e.g., secretary, treas., advancement comm chair, etc.) does it say anything whatsoever about being responsible for, or even participating in, the selection of adult leaders for the pack.

 

Taken with what is clearly on the new BSA National Adult Volunteer form regarding the only people to approve volunteers I think its quite clear that the CC and NOT the Committee is responsible for the appointment of adult leaders and the committee is responsible for lightening the selection process load for the CC.

 

-Robert(This message has been edited by docrwm)

[evmori]

Again, Bob is interpreting & passing it off as fact, which it isn't.

 

Someone posted what is in many BSA publications about this & it is clearly stated that one of the committee's responsibility's is recruiting leaders. The CC is the one who signs the application as a representative of the unit.

 

Them there is the facts!

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[Beavah]

There is nothing in the current BSA literature that contradicts what you have posted Click. In fact it supports it.

 

Despite bein' asked several times, BobWhite, you've never been able to point to anything in the literature which supports this rather odd view of yours. "Approving" adult leaders is always a function of da CO/IH/COR in the BSA, not the Committee Chair. Scoutmaster's Handbook, Troop Committee Guidebook, Selecting Quality Leaders pamphlet, video, and supplementary module, COR training module, etc. all say da same thing. Committee selects and recommends, COR/IH approve, committee recruits. There's good, practical reasons for that, eh?

 

IMO, a CC who tries to do this on his own, whether to approve or deny, is takin' on more risk than he should. Since he's not speakin' for the committee, and he's not authorized to speak for da CO, he's making the selection of a unit leader - and any negative consequences of that choice - his personal responsibility. Just not smart, and not safe.

 

I recommend followin' da BSA program materials instead.

 

Beavah