Minutes of meeting

[Guest JennieB]

Once a meeting has been completed can language be added to the minutes that was not stated at the meeting?

[hmtcastle]

Once a meeting has been completed can language be added to the minutes that was not stated at the meeting?

No. And most of what was stated at the meeting (e.g. discussion and debate) doesn't belong in the minutes in the first place.

[abcdave]

Doesn't it depend on the circumstances (and the bylaws)? For example, the Congressional Record (which is 94.6% not pure).

Of course, this is a very unusual case and deals only with published minutes - but it does contain language that was not stated at the meeting.

[hmtcastle]

Doesn't it depend on the circumstances (and the bylaws)? For example, the Congressional Record (which is 94.6% not pure).

Of course, this is a very unusual case and deals only with published minutes - but it does contain language that was not stated at the meeting.

Of course it always depends on the bylaws, but this forum depends on RONR. And the U.S. Congress doesn't use RONR, it has its own rules.

[abcdave]

Of course it always depends on the bylaws, but this forum depends on RONR. And the U.S. Congress doesn't use RONR, it has its own rules.

But even in RONR, if the minutes are to be published, they may contain language added that was not "stated at the meeting" - complete committee reports for example.

True?

[hmtcastle]

But even in RONR, if the minutes are to be published, they may contain language added that was not "stated at the meeting" - complete committee reports for example.

True?

It is extraordinarily rare for any of the people who visit this forum to be asking questions about minutes that will be published.

Think horses, not zebras.

[tctheatc]

dave, would not those reports be either written and received at the meeting (the contents not included in the minutes themselves) or brief oral reports (in which case the content was stated at the meeting)? In either case you would not have in the minutes that which was not stated at the meeting.

[monty]

Once a meeting has been completed can language be added to the minutes that was not stated at the meeting?

Minutes - "...a written record of what is done...." pg. 21.

[Josh Martin]

Doesn't it depend on the circumstances (and the bylaws)?

It is always the case that the organization's rules are controlling, but the answer is correct so far as RONR is concerned (unless the poster is asking about published minutes, which I find unlikely).

For example, the Congressional Record (which is 94.6% not pure).

The U. S. Congress does not use RONR as its parliamentary authority, and the Congressional Record is not the minutes (the journals of each house serve this purpose), so this is a rather poor example.

But even in RONR, if the minutes are to be published, they may contain language added that was not "stated at the meeting" - complete committee reports for example.

True?

Yes, but I agree with Mr. Mountcastle that it is highly unlikely the poster is asking about minutes which are "published" in the sense the term is used in RONR.

dave, would not those reports be either written and received at the meeting (the contents not included in the minutes themselves) or brief oral reports (in which case the content was stated at the meeting)? In either case you would not have in the minutes that which was not stated at the meeting.

The rules regarding the content of minutes are somewhat different when the minutes are to be "published." (RONR, 10th ed., pg. 458, lines 18-36) It is correct that in such cases, the minutes are to include the complete text of all committee reports, regardless of whether the reports were written or oral. (RONR, 10th ed., pg. 458, lines 31-36) In RONR, "published" generally refers to when professional, educational, or theological societies record their proceedings in full for publication in bound volumes, to be available to the general public.

I don't recall ever receiving a question on this forum from an assembly which truly has "published" minutes, although we've had a lot from societies which thought their minutes were "published."

[Tim Wynn]

Once a meeting has been completed can language be added to the minutes that was not stated at the meeting?

The question is too general to give a specific answer. Of course language can be added that was not stated at the meeting. Plenty of language in the miniutes was not stated in the meeting. I doubt anyone said, in the meeting, "The regular meeting of the L.M. society was held on Thursday, January 4," but if any of that language was omitted from the minutes, it can be added during the process of the Reading and Approval of the Minutes.

[Josh Martin]

The question is too general to give a specific answer. Of course language can be added that was not stated at the meeting. Plenty of language in the miniutes was not stated in the meeting. I doubt anyone said, in the meeting, "The regular meeting of the L.M. society was held on Thursday, January 4," but if any of that language was omitted from the minutes, it can be added during the process of the Reading and Approval of the Minutes.

Okay, fine, language used for purely contextual purposes may also be included. It seems far more likely that this is a question about some "statement" a member wishes to enter into the minutes.

[Tim Wynn]

Okay, fine, language used for purely contextual purposes may also be included. It seems far more likely that this is a question about some "statement" a member wishes to enter into the minutes.

I wasn't going for likely.