Rubatoguy Posted December 13, 2014 at 05:51 AM Report Share Posted December 13, 2014 at 05:51 AM Our group had a lively discussion on if there is such a thing as "draft minutes" or not. Some were of the opinion that minutes were "draft minutes" until approved, and others stated that minutes were minutes and there were only unapproved and approved minutes. Could I get some guideance as to what is correct? I know that draft minutes is in popular useage (much like the term "different than") but just because it is popularly used does not mean it is correct. (for those unaware things are "different from" not "different than.") Does Roberts rules ever refer to minutes as draft minutes?What is the correct term to use for minutes that are recorded, but not yet reviewed or approved by the group. thanks,Todd Last Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev Ed Posted December 13, 2014 at 06:07 AM Report Share Posted December 13, 2014 at 06:07 AM You can call them the "Draft Minutes" or the "Unapproved Minutes" or the "Suggested Minutes" or whatever you want to. I don't have my copy of RONR 11th Edition in front of me, but as I recall, RONR would call them the Draft Minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted December 13, 2014 at 06:55 AM Report Share Posted December 13, 2014 at 06:55 AM Our group had a lively discussion on if there is such a thing as "draft minutes" or not. Some were of the opinion that minutes were "draft minutes" until approved, and others stated that minutes were minutes and there were only unapproved and approved minutes. Could I get some guideance as to what is correct? I know that draft minutes is in popular useage (much like the term "different than") but just because it is popularly used does not mean it is correct. (for those unaware things are "different from" not "different than.") Does Roberts rules ever refer to minutes as draft minutes?What is the correct term to use for minutes that are recorded, but not yet reviewed or approved by the group. I think your group should find better things to have lively discussions about. But if you want to be technical, RONR does not use the exact phrase "draft minutes" or "unapproved minutes," although the former seems much closer. RONR refers to the "secretary's draft of the minutes," "the "secretary's draft," and "a draft of the minutes of the preceding meeting," (RONR, 11th ed., pgs. 355, 474). The word "unapproved" does not appear in RONR at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
post54 Posted December 13, 2014 at 09:01 AM Report Share Posted December 13, 2014 at 09:01 AM My Board does call the minutes 'Draft' until they are approved at the next meeting. After amendments are made to the draft minutes we then call them 'Posted.' Our Board is not a large parliamentary committee it is a condo board. This system of calling the minutes 'Draft'' and then 'Posted' allows for everyone to easily understand the different states or forms that the minutes are in. I believe in addition to following RONR and your bylaws your group must decide amongst yourselves what works best for your group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nancy N. Posted December 13, 2014 at 11:47 AM Report Share Posted December 13, 2014 at 11:47 AM ("Different than" is proper in some circumstances, contrary to how junior-high-school teachers might pontificate. See Walsh, Bill, Lapsing into a Comma), p. 128-129; R. W. Burchfield, ed., Fowler's Modern English Usage, 3d ed., p. 212-213.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Guest Posted December 13, 2014 at 01:53 PM Report Share Posted December 13, 2014 at 01:53 PM What is the correct term to use for minutes that are recorded, but not yet reviewed or approved by the group. On p.355 RONR notes that "the minutes do not become the minutes . . . until they have been approved". it's one of the more memorable, even metaphysical, passages in The Right Book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted December 13, 2014 at 06:29 PM Report Share Posted December 13, 2014 at 06:29 PM My Board does call the minutes 'Draft' until they are approved at the next meeting. After amendments are made to the draft minutes we then call them 'Posted.'Our Board is not a large parliamentary committee it is a condo board. This system of calling the minutes 'Draft'' and then 'Posted' allows for everyone to easily understand the different states or forms that the minutes are in.I believe in addition to following RONR and your bylaws your group must decide amongst yourselves what works best for your group. If we ignore the fact that what your board calls "posted minutes" should not properly be called "minutes" at all, these seem like very reasonable sentiments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted December 15, 2014 at 04:29 PM Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 at 04:29 PM RONR does refer to "the Secretary's draft" of the minutes, and "copies of the minutes as drafted by the secretary". They remain a draft until they are approved, at which point they become the minutes, or I suppose the approved minutes if you perfer (they should have the word "Approved" at the bottom after all. As we have pointed out numerous times (ask again and we'll tell you the same), your "posted minutes" are not minutes at all, since they have been redacted in various ways. You can call them "excerpts" from the minutes, or "abridged selections" from the minutes, or some sort of "report". But if you insist on calling them minutes, the best description would be "falsified minutes". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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