Student Chapter Meetings

Before calling a meeting, explore alternatives:

• Can this information be handled without a meeting?
• Does this require consensus, discussion or support?
• Could it be handled with a phone call?

The format for student chapter meetings should be varied. Include guest speakers in your program to stimulate student interest and to educate your members. Topics such as employment information, résumé writing, ethics and golf course management issues can be very popular and educational.

Serve refreshments. Have the student members each bring refreshment or budget funds to serve beverages and snacks at each meeting.

It is recommended for student chapters to use Sturgis' Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure for the parliamentary source in conducting official meetings. Fundamental rules of parliamentary procedure requires that members:

• Adopt rules of procedure for their meetings.
• Elect a chairperson and a recording secretary.
• Discuss only one question at a time.
• Speak first on a motion members make — with the right to speak last before the vote is taken.
• Treat one another with justice and courtesy.
• Accept the rule of the majority.
• Respect the rights of the minority.
• Have equal rights.

Do you dread attending meetings because they are dull, unproductive, unorganized and too long? If your members are answering “YES,” it is time you learn how to run an effective meeting. With proper planning and preparation, any meeting can be effective and enjoyable. The following are a few tips to help make your meeting successful, productive and FUN.

Before the meeting

• Define the purpose of the meeting. If you can't find a purpose, don't have a meeting.
• Develop an agenda with officers.
• Distribute the agenda, background material, and lengthy documents or articles prior to the meeting so members will be prepared and feel involved and up-to-date.
• Choose an appropriate meeting time. Set time limit and stick to it, if possible.
• Arrange the room so members face each other (if possible), like in a circle or semi-circle. For large groups, try U-shaped rows.
• Choose a location suitable to your group's size. Small rooms with too many people get stuffy and create tension.
• Use visual aids — posters, diagrams — for interest. Post a large agenda up front for members to refer to.
• Vary meeting places if possible to accommodate different members. Be sure everyone knows where the next meeting will be held.

During the meeting

• Greet members and make them feel welcome.
• Serve refreshments, if possible. They are good ice breakers and make members feel comfortable.
• Start on time. End on time.
• Review the agenda and set priorities for the meeting. Bring extra copies of the agenda. Having the agenda in front of participants will help the meeting stay on topic and on schedule.
• Stick to the agenda. When topics that are not on the agenda are raised, suggest adding them to the next meeting's agenda and move on.
• Encourage group discussion to get all points of view.
• Encourage feedback.
• Keep conversation focused on the topic.
• Review follow-up plans and assignments at the close of the meeting.
• Keep minutes for future references in case a problem or question arises.
• Be a role model by listening and showing interest, appreciation and confidence in members.
• Set date, time and place for the next meeting.

After the meeting

• Write up and distribute minutes within three or four days.
• Discuss any problems during the meeting with officers and advisor(s) and come up with ways to improve.
• Follow up on delegation decisions. Check to see that members understand and carry out responsibilities.
• Give recognition and appreciation to excellent and timely progress.
• Put unfinished business on the agenda for the next meeting.
• Conduct a periodic evaluation of the meetings.

Tips:

Consider starting at odd times — for example, 8:10 a.m./p.m. or 9:20 a.m./p.m. This tends to increase punctuality. Don't get caught in the one-hour meeting trap. Would 30, 40 or 50 minutes do? Be prepared when asking for a decision. Identify important supportive individuals and possible obstacles through one-on-one conversations prior to the formal meeting.

Agenda

Orderly meetings are the keys to the proper conduct of student chapter business. An agenda is an important tool for the leader who wants to make effective use of meeting time. It is usually in outline form and guides the conversation of the meeting. Agendas can also be used to assist in long-range planning and help in record keeping. Important points to remember in developing agendas are:

• Allow all members the opportunity to submit items of discussion for the agenda. You may want to develop a weekly/monthly report for officers and committee chairs, which would contain an area for them to list agenda items. Other members could verbally, or in writing to a suggestion box, give their agenda items.
• Develop an agenda that fits your chapter's needs and your leadership style. Not all organizations need the formality of a roll call or approval of last meeting's minutes.
• Distribute the agenda a few days before the meeting to allow members to prepare for the items of discussion.
• During the meeting, record all items or concerns that need to go into future agendas. It's important that these tabled and new items appear on a subsequent agenda.
• Allow for flexibility in the agenda. If a discussion goes longer than anticipated or an important issue comes up the night before the meeting, feel free to add or table items already on the agenda.
• When writing or typing agendas, leave space for members to make notes. This will be helpful when discussing controversial issues, planning an activity or referring to the action taken.

Minutes From Meetings

The decisions made and issues discussed in a meeting are crucial to the continued functioning of an organization. Therefore, it is important that a record of those decisions/discussions be kept in an organized manner. Many groups take minutes of their meeting.

Minutes contain:

• Time, date and location of meeting
• Type of meeting (executive, standing committee and general membership)
• Members present or absent
• Time of call to order and by whom
• Approval/amendment to previous minutes
• Officer/committee reports
• Business completed
• Unfinished business
• Issues that require follow-up and members assigned to follow-up
• Decisions made (exact wording of proposals, resolutions, and motions; also seconding, vote counts and summary of discussions)
• Announcements
• Time of adjournment
• Next meeting
• Name of secretary/recording

Tips for writing minutes:

• Use full names, not nicknames.
• State whether or not the motion was carried (The number of vote cast is not necessary unless it is required in your bylaws or for special situation.)
• Record what is done, not what is said. Summarize important discussions if this is necessary to understand the decision.
  Action taken by the leadership should include the date and reference the group. The action should clearly state what is to occur, who is responsible for the outcome, and what are the deadline and budget.
• Actions may include a discussion or support statement in order to clarify the intent of the action. Indicate whether the action was passed, defeated or amended.

Methods of recording minutes:

• Word-for-Word Method: Tape entire meeting. Very time consuming as you transcribe every word that was spoken.
• Action Summary Method (not as time consuming since you are transcribing only part of the meeting): Tape a summary of the discussions, debates, agreements and disagreement including:
  • who proposed action, stated an opinion, or made and/or seconded a motion.
  • the exact wording of motions, resolutions, amendments, decisions, and conclusions.
  • the end result of the discussion including vote count, exact wording of decisions, if it was withdrawn, etc.