Information Technology Society
General Notes on Holding a Club Meeting
(Robert’s Rules of Order as a Guide)
Formal Opening: President opens the meeting with a formal ceremony. Although not required this could include the U.S. pledge of allegiance, followed by an opening prayer, followed by a school thing (song or other school thing) followed by club thing (song, pledge, saying, or other club thing). Have people pre-assigned for each of these. President calls the meeting to order, example; “As the President (Acting President) of the El Centro Computer Society, I Joe Blow now call this general membership (board of directors) meeting to order.”
Introduce any Dignitaries: President introduces the college representatives (including faculty and staff) and any outside dignitaries that are present at that meeting. Can have a club member or other person to make a specific introduction if desired.
General Purpose: President announces a general purpose for that meeting if that meeting will have a specific purpose. Also announce when (in time) that specific purpose will begin.
Published Agenda: President makes reference to any agenda that has been published for that meeting and states weather that agenda will be strictly followed or only used as a guide. Can have the Secretary read the agenda or distribute copies if they have been produced.
Minutes of Last Meeting: President has the Secretary read the minutes of the last meeting or asks if there is a motion to dispense (not done unless the minutes are published with copies send before the meeting or copies distributed at that meeting) with the reading of the minutes. President asks for any corrections to the minutes. Secretary records any corrections. President asks if there is a motion to accept the minutes as read (as corrected). The person that makes the motion can say, “I move that the minutes be accepted as read (as corrected)” or “be accepted by acclamation.” President asks for a second. Any member may ask, “is a quorum present” and no vote can be taken until it is established that a quorum is present. After receiving a second the President then asks for a voice or hand vote (“All in favor raise your hand” or “All in favor say ‘Yea’”) then (“All opposed raise your hand” or “All opposed say “Nay’”). For acclamation say “Any opposed raise your hand (say ‘Nay’).” President then says, “Motion carried (carried by acclamation), minutes approved as read (as corrected)” or “Motion denied”. If denied the President must ask for corrections again and after the corrections go through the motions and vote again.
Officers Reports: President asks for a report from each officer. With the exception of the attendance report and the finance report the makeup of each report simply says what that officer has done for the good of the organization since the last meeting. The President may assign specific topics for each officer to report on. Before the Officer Reports the President may ask a specific person to report on a specific activity that many of the members, committee chairs, and/or officers participated in. This would prevent each officer or committee chair from having to report on that same activity individually. Report sequence should be Treasurer (including the finance report), Secretary (including the attendance report), Vice President, and then the President. After each report the President asks if the membership has any questions about that officer’s report.
Committee Reports: President asks for a report from each Standing Committee chair. Standing committees include Activities Committee, Finance Committee, Membership Committee, Publicity Committee, and Service Committee. After the Standing Committees the President may also ask for a report from any Special Committee chair. With the exception of the membership statistics and the report of upcoming activities (including the next membership meeting) the makeup of each report is up to that committee chair. The President may assign specific topics for any committee chair to include in their report. The President may ask a specific person to report on a specific activity that several different committees participated in. This would prevent each committee chair from having to report on that same activity individually. Report sequence is not important but Standing Committees should be before Special Committees.
General Meeting: President should follow the published agenda either strictly or as a guide as previously stated. A published agenda can take things out of their normal sequence as required for the stated purpose of that meeting.
Old Business: President takes up old business taken from the agenda in the sequence that it is published in that agenda and when all old business from the agenda has been completed then asks the membership “is there is any other old business”. Each item of old business should be handled in this sequence. Ask one person to report on the status of that old business briefly describing what that old business is all about, what has been done about that business since the last meeting, and what is the current status of that old business. After the report, the procedure for handling old business is the exact same as for new business.
New Business: President asks for any new business. When business is presented the President asks for any discussion about that business. President may ask to table that business for discussion on at the next meeting. President may state reasons that business should be tabled and ask for a motion to table.
President may ask for discussion on that business, appoint a person to look into that business, assign that business to an existing committee, or create a special committee to look into that business. President will ask if there is a motion on that business when no more discussion comes from the membership on that business.
Closing: President will ask from the officers and/or provide closing remarks. President may ask someone for a closing benediction. President will ask, “Is there a motion to adjourn”. When that motion is approved the President will close the meeting with something like, ”I now close this general membership (board of directors) meeting of the El Centro Computer Society.”
Motions: Any student member may make a motion. The President may ask for a motion and can even say what that motion should say and ask if anyone will make such a motion. The general format for all motions is; member raises his/her hand for recognition, when called upon states the motion. When a motion is presented it stops all current discussion unless it is withdrawn or postponed by the member that made that motion. Once a motion is on the floor a second motion cannot be considered until the first motion is resolved. President says that “there is a motion on the floor (may restate the motion even rewording it with the approval of the person that made the motion)” and asks, “is there a second”. If a second is received the President asks, “Is there any discussion?” When the discussion is finished the President can ask for a vote or a member can say, “I call for a vote”. Any member may ask, “is a quorum present” and no vote can be taken until it is established that a quorum is present. If a member feels that it is warranted that member can say, “I call for a secret ballot”. If no secret ballot is called for the President may ask for a voice or hand vote (“All in favor raise your hand” or “All in favor say ‘Yea’”) then (“All opposed raise your hand” or “All opposed say “Nay’”). For secret votes ballots are prepared, passed out, take up and counted. President may ask someone to serve as teller. On some occasions a vote by acclamation may be appropriate. The person that makes the motion can say, “I move that _____ be accepted by acclamation.” President asks for a second. For acclamation say “Any opposed raise your hand (say ‘Nay’).” President then says, “Motion carried (carried by acclamation)”. If denied unless there is compelling reason to continue with that topic the President drops that topic and goes on with the next thing. For compelling reason the President may table that business for further discussion at the next meeting, appoint a person to look into that business, assign that business to an existing committee, or create a special committee to look into that business.