Minutes Style

[Guest Rookie]

Is there a preferred style (not content) for minutes?  For example, what manner should the title of the minutes take?  Since RONR doesn't provide such information, does it matter?  Or should the minutes not have a title at all?  What about headings (reports, old business, etc.)?  I've seen templates purporting to be according to RONR requirements that include headings, but the example given in the text has none.  So would their inclusion be inappropriate?  Thank you for your time. 

[Guest Zev]

The suggestions on how minutes should be recorded are in fact extensive. I counted 1,438 words in the relevant section that spanned six pages. Perhaps you should see pages 468-473. When you say "example given in the text" are you referring to this book or to some kind of short summary? If your organization has a different style of minutes then that is how they roll. I see nothing inappropriate. You are welcome.

[Guest Rookie]

I have read pp. 468-473.  The example I refer to is p. 472. 

[Guest Zev]

The style suggested on page 472 is what history and general practice have shown to be the most useful. Perhaps a title would be something like "Minutes for the XYZ club, November 20, 2018" or words to this effect. Notice that the first paragraph of the example has this information, so repeating it makes little sense. I don't think there is anything particularly wrong with titles, if this is what you want to do. Notice, however, that the minutes describe the events of the meeting in sequence and not by any category they may have belonged to. If you decide to categorize them then the minutes may not be accurate as far as the sequence of events during the meeting. One thing I discovered is that members of the organization that receive copies of the minutes, and especially long-standing members, get real picky about the style, complain if the style changes and demand the style be returned to "the good ole way it used to be."

[Guest Who's Coming to Dinner]

I see no reason to include headings in the minutes, as headings do not reflect what was done.

[Josh Martin]

15 hours ago, Guest Rookie said:

Is there a preferred style (not content) for minutes?  For example, what manner should the title of the minutes take?  Since RONR doesn't provide such information, does it matter?  Or should the minutes not have a title at all?  What about headings (reports, old business, etc.)?  I've seen templates purporting to be according to RONR requirements that include headings, but the example given in the text has none.  So would their inclusion be inappropriate?  Thank you for your time. 

In my view, details of this nature are up to the assembly itself to decide. While the sample minutes do not include a title or headings, nothing in RONR suggests that the inclusion of these items would be inappropriate. Indeed, I can see how headings may be beneficial, particularly for very lengthy minutes with many items of business.

Edited November 20, 2018 at 11:38 PM by Josh Martin

[Gary Novosielski]

17 minutes ago, Josh Martin said:

In my view, details of this nature are up to the assembly itself to decide. While the sample minutes do not include a title or headings, nothing in RONR suggests that the inclusion of these items would be inappropriate. Indeed, I can see how headings may be beneficial, particularly for very lengthy minutes with many items of business.

I agree.  The inclusion of headings, while not required, could be of benefit when searching past minutes to find some particular item of business.