If someone wishes to have something added to a meeting agenda that's generally provided to people ahead of time how far in advance should the request be made?

[Guest Carol Madison]

An organization I belong to will be having a Zoom meeting in May 2024. The meeting agenda is usually emailed to members at least 2 weeks in advance. If there is a matter that someone wants added to the published agenda what is the proper procedure/rule to do this?

[Atul Kapur]

Who creates this agenda that is emailed? Who emails it?

At the meeting, do you formally adopt the agenda?

Is any of the above written in your governing documents or rules?

[Josh Martin]

On 2/17/2024 at 2:19 PM, Guest Carol Madison said:

An organization I belong to will be having a Zoom meeting in May 2024. The meeting agenda is usually emailed to members at least 2 weeks in advance. If there is a matter that someone wants added to the published agenda what is the proper procedure/rule to do this?

Under the rules in RONR, the agenda is adopted at the meeting itself, and anything sent in advance is only a suggestion. RONR has no guidance on how to add matters to an agenda sent in advance. That will be up to your organization's rules and customs.

Assuming nothing in your organization's rules provide otherwise, the agenda may be amended at the meeting itself while it is pending for approval, by majority vote.

[Gary Novosielski]

FAQ 14:

How can I get an item on the agenda for a meeting?

For a proposed agenda to become the official agenda for a meeting, it must be adopted by the assembly at the outset of the meeting.

At the time that an agenda is presented for adoption, it is in order for any member to move to amend the proposed agenda by adding any item that the member desires to add, or by proposing any other change.

It is wrong to assume, as many do, that the president “sets the agenda.” It is common for the president to prepare a proposed agenda, but that becomes binding only if it is adopted by the full assembly, perhaps after amendments as just described. [RONR (12th ed.) 41:62; see also pp. 16–17 of RONR In Brief.]