Accept vs Approve - Technical Reports

[Guest Jen99686]

I’m looking for some guidance on the best wording of motions for our board – specifically the difference between approving and accepting scientific and other technical reports (not treasurer, or presidents reports, fyi).  Our board is required to bless (for lack of a better term until we figure out the approve/accept debacle) our reports before they can be released to the public or used to draft comments to federal and state regulators.

Recently, we received a report from a contractor that had recommendations the board did not agree with, yet the submission of the report to the board met the terms of the contract.  The board was asked to approve the report, but the board agreed to rather accept the report as meeting the terms of the contract because they did not agree with the recommendations in its entirety.

We are working on a guidance document in an effort to alleviate this issue in the future. Would it be correct that the board would use the word APPROVE when the motion pertains to entering into a contract, a policy/bylaw changes or hiring decision, and then ACCEPT reports or findings as meeting terms previously set?  An I on the right path here?

Thanks in advance for any guidance you might be able to give.  

[Richard Brown]

You "accept" a contract or other document delivered by FedEx, but you don't "approve" the document until after reviewing it and determining that it is satisfactory. 

I see this as no different. 

[Richard Brown]

Here's another example. The Secretary can't attend tonight's meeting but sends the minutes via a courier service. A member accepts the envelope from the courier and signs for it.

Has that member (or the assembly) theteby approved the minutes? 

Of course not. The assembly still must "approve" the minutes. 

And that is one reason I go berserk whenever I read that"the minutes of the previous meeting were accepted".  Aarrgghh!!!

[J. J.]

Depending on your rules, you might actually word the motion "that the board authorize the ______ report to be publicly released."

[Dan Honemann]

12 hours ago, Guest Jen99686 said:

I’m looking for some guidance on the best wording of motions for our board – specifically the difference between approving and accepting scientific and other technical reports (not treasurer, or presidents reports, fyi).  Our board is required to bless (for lack of a better term until we figure out the approve/accept debacle) our reports before they can be released to the public or used to draft comments to federal and state regulators. 

Who do you refer to here, with the use of the word "our"?

[Willie Watson]

While we are on approval of the minutes, I couldn't help but to notice Mr. Brown's comment on accepting the minutes. I have a question on the current draft of the Secretary minutes in my organization. Her draft of the minutes simply say that the previous minutes were approved. But no one knows from reading her minutes whether the previous minutes were approved as read or as corrected. RONR (pp. 355, ll.1-5) and the tinted pages (see tinted page 35, item #45) suggest that minutes are either approved as read or approved as corrected. I am tempted to make a correction to the Secretary's minutes at the next meeting to say the previous minutes were "approved as read."  That way someone reading the minutes years later will know that there were no correction to those minutes. I wonder, however,  if I am just making a minor technical point on the minutes or if this is really necessary! What do you think.

[Dan Honemann]

I can't offhand think of any circumstances under which it would be necessary, or even helpful, but there may well be.

[Gary Novosielski]

3 hours ago, Willie Watson said:

While we are on approval of the minutes, I couldn't help but to notice Mr. Brown's comment on accepting the minutes. I have a question on the current draft of the Secretary minutes in my organization. Her draft of the minutes simply say that the previous minutes were approved. But no one knows from reading her minutes whether the previous minutes were approved as read or as corrected. RONR (pp. 355, ll.1-5) and the tinted pages (see tinted page 35, item #45) suggest that minutes are either approved as read or approved as corrected. I am tempted to make a correction to the Secretary's minutes at the next meeting to say the previous minutes were "approved as read."  That way someone reading the minutes years later will know that there were no correction to those minutes. I wonder, however,  if I am just making a minor technical point on the minutes or if this is really necessary! What do you think.

I don't think I would make a thing out of it, especially as a formal correction, but you might have a word with the Secretary off line and see if you can get agreement that way first.  Your options are still open if that doesn't work.