What distinguishes a standing committee from a special committee?

• A. Standing committees are temporary; special committees permanent.
• B. Standing committees are permanent; special committees are temporary and created for a specific purpose.
• C. Standing report to the chair; special report to the vice president.
• D. There is no difference.

Answer: (D)

The key idea here is that the lifespans and purposes of these two types of committees are different. A standing committee is a permanent part of the organization, created to handle ongoing, broad areas of work across multiple sessions or terms. It has continuing jurisdiction and stays in place to oversee related issues year after year. In contrast, a special committee is formed for a specific charge or issue and is dissolved once that task is completed or the purpose has been met. This temporary nature means its existence is tied to a particular agenda rather than to ongoing functions.

So, the statement that there is no difference would not fit the real distinction. The difference lies in permanence versus temporary, and in ongoing versus specific, task-oriented scope.