Secretary's duty to "keep on file all committee reports"

[CarotZee]

Looking for the definition of "to keep on file" that is generally used - would the reports be available to any board member at any time (i.e. a file share available to all board members) - or just to the committee members? Is their access similar to the availability of minutes or something broader?

For example, would it be common to take the committee reports and put them on a file share that all board members have access to at any time, historically as well (i.e. I can go back and access the Convention committee report from January 2009) or post them on a website for all to see? Etc. etc... How broad are committee reports made available in organizations. I don't see where RONR makes provisions for who they are available to after they are submitted to the Secretary.

Thanks!

[Kim Goldsworthy]

Looking for the definition of "to keep on file" that is generally used.

The phrase "to keep on file" is a phrase which has not changed in 135 years.

It means, "to file, and to keep."

You know what a file folder is.

You know what a filing cabinet is.

That's as close to ideal as you can get.

Would the reports be available to any board member at any time (i.e. a file share available to all board members) - or just to the committee members?

Board papers are available to board members, generally speaking.

Committees which report to a board will have their reports "filed" (and you know what that means), and board members are free to inspect those filed reports.

Likewise, committees which report to the general membership will have their reports filed, and members of the organization are free to inspect those filed reports.

Is their access similar to the availability of minutes or something broader?

The Book does not go into detail beyond minutes.

For an extreme example, if a committee report is given in executive session, then that report will probably be considered equally as confidential as the minutes of that executive session.

For example, would it be common to take the committee reports and put them on a file share that all board members have access to at any time, historically as well (i.e. I can go back and access the Convention committee report from January 2009) or post them on a website for all to see?

No.

That is not supported by Robert's Rules of Order. The secretary's archive is not email blasted, is not posted on a web site; at least RONR contains nothing even close to this, as its default rule.

Ah! But perhaps you don't like the default rule. -- Perhaps you should make a motion, and create a new policy regarding how the organization shall open/close access to its committee reports.

You are free to do so.

How broad are committee reports made available in organizations?

That is up to the organization.

There is no secrecy unless secrecy is imposed. -- Or, unless secretary is the norm. -- Whatever the norm is.

I don't see where RONR makes provisions for who they are available to after they are submitted to the Secretary.

That's right.

The Book never mentions the access of (a.) financial statements; (b.) check registers; (c.) rosters; (d.) telephone records; (e.) incoming mail; etc.

The Book concentrates on minutes, and leaves details of your (for example) balance sheet and/or committee reports up to the organization's custom, tradition, or offically adopted Standard Operating Procedure.

Or whim of the current chair, maybe, if your organization is on the loosey-goosey side.

[Shmuel Gerber]

I don't see where RONR makes provisions for who they are available to after they are submitted to the Secretary.

Thanks!

That's right.

The Book never mentions the access of (a.) financial statements; (b.) check registers; (c.) rosters; (d.) telephone records; (e.) incoming mail; etc.

The Book concentrates on minutes, and leaves details of your (for example) balance sheet and/or committee reports up to the organization's custom, tradition, or offically adopted Standard Operating Procedure.

Or whim of the current chair, maybe, if your organization is on the loosey-goosey side.

The balance sheet (unless it has been reported, making it into a report) and committee reports are in different categories, because committee reports are kept on file by the secretary, and one of the secretary's duties is "To make the minutes and records available to members upon request" (RONR 10th ed., p. 442, item #4). In my opinion, these "records" would include all committee reports that are kept on file, but not check registers (which I would expect to be in the custody of the treasurer, not the secretary), rosters, telephone records, incoming mail, etc.