Part 2, Section 16: Selection and Appointment of the Professional Standards Committee

There shall be a Professional Standards Committee of at least ______ Board Members, in good standing, of whom at least a majority shall be REALTORS®, appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Board of Directors. Members of the Professional Standards Committee shall be selected to serve on Hearing Panels as required to hear matters of alleged unethical conduct by Board Members or to provide arbitration as requested. The committee shall annually select its own Chairperson and Vice Chairperson (or, alternatively, the President shall annually designate the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the committee).*

In selecting members of the Professional Standards Committee, the President should consider the following recommended criteria:

  • number of years as a REALTOR®
  • number of years in the real estate business
  • primary and secondary fields of real estate endeavor/ expertise
  • participation in post-licensing real estate education
  • training in the Code of Ethics
  • position in firm (principal, nonprincipal)
  • size of firm
  • common sense
  • open-mindedness
  • familiarity with state(s) laws and regulations
  • receptiveness to instruction/training
  • other relevant professional or procedural training

The committee should have balanced representation of REALTORS®, REALTOR-ASSOCIATE®s, men, and women, and should include representatives of various racial and ethnic groups. Committee members should be mature, experienced, knowledgeable persons of a judicial temperament. It is suggested that, to the extent practical, members of the Professional Standards Committee not serve simultaneously on the Grievance Committee or on the Board of Directors to avoid conflict with the prohibition on serving on more than one (1) tribunal in the same matter. (Revised 11/96)

*In Boards with larger memberships, it is desirable for a larger committee to be named to avoid an overload of work upon any individual which could result from the greater number of hearings in these Boards. In such Boards, an uneven number of members from the Professional Standards Committee may be appointed to constitute a Hearing Panel for each case to be heard. (Revised 11/92)

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