Writing the Minutes of a Meeting

BCOM002

 If its not in the minutes, it did not happen.

What is a minutes? -a company or organizations legal document What are included in the minutes:
Name of the organization Date and time Presider Attendees (if quorum was achieved) Motions Conflicts of interest/ abstention End of meeting Author of minutes

Why the need for minutes?

Reminder of decisions, assignments and deadlines Summary for people unable to attend Document for organizations history Evidence in a performance audit or a lawsuit An official record of the meeting Transition to the next meeting

Tasks
1. Take rough notes. 2. Write these notes neatly or type them out. 3. Copy and distribute them to relevant people. 4. Keep all minutes together in a file for future reference.

PRELIMINARIES
1. Make sure you have a copy of the agenda to follow. 2. Get a decent pad of paper and some good pens. 3. Make up an attendance sheet in advance, and pass this around for people to sign. 4. Have the file of past minutes with you, in case any questions come up about decisions from previous meetings

What should you write down?

o Dont try to write everything down its impossible and not useful. o Concentrate on WHAT has been decided and WHO is going to do it. These are the most important things to have records of. o Write WHAT IS DECIDED and not WHAT IS SAID. o Dont worry about producing the perfect minutes its not a test or a competition

What to consider?
Minutes are not a verbatim account of the proceedings. Each subject should include sufficient description to identify its origin and the main considerations involved. There should be a brief reference to important examples used in discussion. Each item should conclude with the decision reached. The minutes also should indicate if no conclusion is reached.

What to include?
1. Name and kind of meeting. Is it a regular board meeting, an annual meeting, a meeting of the housing committee or a special meeting. If it is a special meeting, attach a copy of the meeting notice given to members.

What to include?
2. Date, place, and time that the meeting began and ended. 3. Names of the chair and secretary or their substitutes. 4. Names of voting members attending and whether a quorum was present. You may circulate a sign-in sheet and attach it to the minutes.

What to include?
5. Names of guests and their subject matter. 6. Statement whether minutes from the previous meeting were approved or corrected. 7. Motions made. You must record: * the exact wording of the motion * who made the motion * the result of the vote

What to include?
8. Reports. Record the name of the report, the name of the member presenting it, and any action taken on the report. If the report was in writing, attach it, or tell where it may be found. An oral report may be summarized briefly. 9. Other actions, assignments and deadlines, resolutions, and recommendations can be briefly recorded. 10. Secretary's signature once the minutes have been approved.

Things to exclude:
Opinions and judgments Criticism/ accolades Discussion Extended rehashing of reports a motion that was moved but not seconded an amendment that was moved, seconded, but not carried an amendment that was moved, but that was ruled out of order by the chair the vote count for and against a motion; or the manner in which members vote, unless a member requests that the manner of his or her vote be recorded in the minutes

Reference: Resource Center handout on taking minutes

Assignment
Prepare for a special meeting regarding the class outing (15 members) and class outreach (15 members). Assign a presider for each group. Assign people to each committee. (Food, Logistics, Budget, Documentation, etc.) While the other group is having a meeting, the other group will be taking the minutes (each member of the group).