[19360] in APO-L
Re: Meeting format
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (bernard.derboven@PS.GE.COM)
Tue Oct 13 15:29:03 1998
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 14:12:46 -0400
Reply-To: bernard.derboven@PS.GE.COM
From: bernard.derboven@PS.GE.COM
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
Ah, meetings....
>They feel like it's worthless, and no fun, to come to the meeting
>only to hear 30 minutes of announcements, then leave. We've tried a
Frankly, I'd feel a meeting would be worthless in this situation as well. A
meeting that is just announcements can just as easily be sent out over
e-mail. Dissemination of information is only one part of a meeting, but not
a reason to hold one. Meetings are also for exchanging ideas, discussion,
and decision making.
How meetings are run at EZ is up to the Chapter President. I've yet to see
one use Robert's Rules of Order (I am so grateful for that). We generally
start out with reports and move on to old and new business and then
announcements. The officers, while giving their report, typically solicit
some sort of input/feedback from the Brotherhood as to their ideas/programs.
For instance, our SVP might ask the chairs of the projects done since the
last meeting how they went. We might also discuss upcoming projects as
well. Older Brothers might throw in their two cents about upcoming events
(what's good about them, what to watch out for). The other officers do
their reports in a similar manner. Some strawpoll or official vote is taken
on almost any decision of importance (Note: I am deliberately NOT defining
"importance". It has different connotations for everyone).
New business is for every other Brother or pledge to bring up something
they'd like the Chapter to vote upon (i.e. I will be using the opportunity
this weekend to propose a Chapter Bylaws amendment). Old business is
obviously to discuss and decide what wasn't decided at previous meetings.
And announcements are just random announcements (spontaneous fellowship
events, engagements, etc...)
Brotherhood meetings are held every two weeks, with Executive Committee
meetings held the alternate weeks. A Chapter newsletter is also sent out
the week before the Brotherhood meeting. Intelligent officers will submit
an article to inform the Chapter what they are doing and also any topics
they will be presenting for discussion at the meeting.
Just my 5 cents.
Bernard Derboven
Epsilon Zeta Chapter
