Subcommittees

A subcommittee is a subordinate committee created by a parent committee to handle a specific area or task. It operates under a charter or mandate and reports its findings, recommendations, or proposed actions to the parent committee. Subcommittees are common in legislative bodies, corporate governance, and nonprofit or academic organizations as a means to focus work more efficiently.

The primary purpose of a subcommittee is to divide workload and leverage specialized expertise. By concentrating on a defined issue, it can conduct in-depth research, gather information, hold hearings or consultations, and draft recommendations. Subcommittees are typically used for complex topics that require detailed analysis before any action or vote by the full committee.

Composition and authority vary by organization. Subcommittees are made up of members appointed by the parent committee, sometimes with rotating or ex officio participants. They usually have limited authority, often advisory, with formal approval or final decisions resting with the parent committee. Some subcommittees may have delegated decision power within defined limits.

Procedures for establishing and operating a subcommittee are defined in the parent committee’s rules or a formal charter. This includes terms of appointment, meeting schedules, reporting deadlines, minutes, and how recommendations are conveyed to the parent committee. Subcommittees regularly report back with findings and proposed actions, requiring further approval or rejection by the full committee.

Examples include legislative subcommittees such as budget or judiciary panels, corporate boards with audit or compensation subcommittees, and university or nonprofit governance bodies that create subcommittees for curriculum, research, or compliance matters. Subcommittees are not universal; many organizations use them selectively to balance breadth and depth in decision-making.