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Committees Leadership Meetings/Robert's Rules President Secretary


Robert's Rules: What You Should Know

Robert's Rules do help you run an effective meeting. And you don't have to know a whole book's worth of details—just a few key concepts.

by Christy Forhan

If you’ve ever been tempted to tell someone to “just shut up” when you were conducting a meeting and couldn’t figure out how to get her to sit down, there’s a guy named Robert with some rules you ought to know about. Now, lots of people groan when they hear Robert’s Rules of Order mentioned. They think of some overly complicated stuff about primary motions, points of order, and moving the question. Conducting a meeting is enough work. Why deal with all that?

Certainly when Major Henry M. Robert published his famous primer in 1876 on parliamentary procedure, he wasn’t thinking about parent groups. And his rules to “assist an assembly to accomplish in the best possible manner the work for which it was designed” go far beyond what a typical parent group might need. After all, they’re used in the United Nations, where debate gets a little more complicated than what the next fundraiser should be.

The genius of Robert’s Rules is that they work well for groups of all sizes and types. If you simply read through the rules, all of those terms and the complexity tend to conceal his key concepts. Used with a little assertive leadership, they keep a meeting organized and flowing.

  1. Conduct business one item at a time. Jumping around from one item to another can be confusing, and it generally delays progress on any of the items.
  2. Let committees do their work. Your general meeting is to resolve the major issues. Save everybody’s time by letting committees deal with the smaller details.
  3. Don’t allow crosstalk. Require all speakers to address the chairperson. This helps you keep control and ensures everyone will hear the business at hand.
  4. Limit discussion to the topic at hand. Keep things focused, and don’t be shy about asking speakers to deal only with the current topic.
  5. Cut off discussion when it becomes redundant. For controversial issues, setting a time limit for each speaker can help. When discussion becomes circular, summarize the points on each side and ask for anything new–or shut off discussion by calling for a motion.

An orderly, well-run meeting is better for the officers and it’s better for those attending. You’ll get more business done in a shorter time, and everyone will be happier. Parent groups that limit meetings to one hour have much better luck getting people to return the next month. As for the terms and procedures you find in Robert’s Rules, there are a few fundamentals that you should know.

Agenda

The agenda is a detailed list of specific items, in the sequence in which they will be covered. Use a consistent order of business from meeting to meeting and distribute hard copies of the agenda to attendees. Post the agenda ahead of time at the school and on your website so members know what issues will be discussed at the upcoming meeting. And be specific. Don’t just list “unfinished business.” State what items of unfinished business will be covered.

A typical order of business for a regular parent group meeting might be:

  1. Welcome
  2. Approval of minutes (from last meeting)
  3. President’s report
  4. Treasurer’s report
  5. Principal’s report
  6. Committee reports
  7. Unfinished business
  8. New business
  9. Announcements (including date and time of the next meeting)
  10. Adjournment

Motion

A motion is a formal way to propose something on which the group should vote. The proposer says, “I move that...” and clearly states what is being considered. Someone else “seconds” the motion. Guided by the president, the group discusses the motion until they are ready to vote. Finally, the president asks for an indication of “all those in favor” followed by “those opposed.” There is no need to ask for “abstentions” (those who choose not to vote at all), because abstentions are not counted toward the outcome of the motion.

Quorum

A quorum is the minimum number of members required to conduct business at a meeting. Usually this number is stated in the group’s bylaws. If a quorum is not indicated in the bylaws, Robert’s Rules of Order sets it at a majority of members.

Minutes

The minutes are the permanent record of the business conducted during a meeting, typically prepared by the group’s secretary. They include details such as the date, time, and location of the meeting, whether a quorum was present, and the presiding officer. Specific motions and their outcomes (but not exact vote counts) are also included in the minutes. Discussion is not documented in the minutes. The minutes for each meeting are presented for the assembly’s approval at the next meeting.

Adjournment

Adjournment is simply a formal way to close a meeting so everyone knows the session has come to an end. The time of adjournment is recorded in the meeting minutes.

Tabling a Motion

If it is clear that a motion cannot or should not be voted upon at the current time, it is typical to postpone (“table”) it until the next meeting. Technically there should be a new motion to table the current motion, but most groups can agree to delay discussion without layers of parliamentary procedure. Often, it helps to appoint a committee or a member to study the issue and report back to other members at the next meeting. This tactic can save time on circular debate, especially when all of the facts aren’t available.

Resources

There are many guides to Robert’s Rules. If you’d like a reference, go with an abridged version such as Webster’s New World Robert’s Rules of Order, Simplified and Applied. Sticking to a few simple rules can make meetings more pleasant for everyone, from the president to first-timers.



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Comments

  1. Posted by - Jen on Oct. 16, 2009

    Please help - our last cheerleading meeting went out of control with a person attending being totally unrealistic and uncontrollable. Can we put in our by-laws about a person's behavior?

    THANKS

  2. Posted by - Jen on Oct. 16, 2009

    Our last cheerleading booster meeting went out-of-control with one person (that is not an officer) trying to dictate everything we are doing- this girls 5th meeting and the officers having years of experience. Can we state in our by-laws about the conduct of people attending the meetings?? Thanks for your help

  3. Posted by - scott on Sep. 11, 2009

    can a president apoint a co- president

  4. Posted by - Lisa @ PTO Today on Sep. 03, 2009

    Hi Pam-
    The most important thing is that you have 2 leaders sign every time -- not whether the second signature is a Pres or VP. Whichever members your board decides to authorize, their names should be on the account signature card at the bank. You'll be sure that nothing slips through the cracks if you make sure you wait to get both signatures on all checks.
    ~ Lisa

  5. Posted by - Pam on Sep. 02, 2009

    Signing of checks we require two signatures Pres Vpres Treas are the authorized signers. Shoulkd the signatures be pres and treasure? And if President is not avavivable should then it be V Pres & Treasure?

  6. Posted by - Allison on Aug. 28, 2009

    i have a question and please help me at all if you can. I used to be in charge of donations last year for our activities and this i have become the vice president.

    Our Treasurer from last year is now our President. There was a newly elected Treasurer for this year. But our now NEW president will not give up the old job. What can be done about this? She is still holding onto bank statments, funds that come in she is sure to count, deposit and tell everyone how much was brought in AFTER the fact it was counted at her home.

    Please any information will be VERY helpful

  7. Posted by - Coleen on Jun. 29, 2009

    In the last year out PTA has been getting a number of anonymous letters, most of which were malicious and simply wrong. Our PTA President would read them and enter into the minutes - invariably people would be upset and it served no purpose. As the new incoming President can I ask that all correspondence must have a name attached, so if there is an issue we can work on solving it, or correct misconceptions. What does Roberts Rules say we should do, there is nothing in our by-laws.

  8. Posted by - Lisa @ PTO Today on May. 11, 2009

    Susan- That's a good question about quorum.I would suggest posting it on our message boards, where you can typically get input from far more leaders and folks who’ve been in your shoes. I’ve posted your question here: http://www.ptotoday.com/boards/robts-rules-bylaws-legal/22282-quorum-minimum.html

  9. Posted by - Susan on May. 07, 2009

    Is there a minimum number in a quorum? We have very low attendance at our meetings. We are considering amending the by-law we now have. We are lucky to have our four board members present plus maybe an additional 3-4 members. Our quorum is now at 10 members with 2 officers present. It has made it very difficult to accomplish any business.

  10. Posted by - Ken on Mar. 21, 2009

    How many positions on a board can one person run on at one election? Can a person only run for one? two? all?

  11. Posted by - Amy on Jan. 22, 2009

    Can pto meeting minutes be emailed to those inattendance? Is there a standard procedure for handling minutes after they have been taken?
    Thanks,
    Amy

  12. Posted by - susan on Dec. 05, 2008

    in a corporation do the fin. and recx, secretaries have the right to a vote ?

  13. Posted by - Craig Bystrynski from PTO Today on Nov. 20, 2008

    Peter -- What do you mean by a variance? Can you describe the specific situation? -- Craig

  14. Posted by - Craig Bystrynski from PTO Today on Nov. 20, 2008

    Shama -- Your bylaws should state how they can be amended. Typically, changing bylaws requires a vote of the membership at a general meeting. -- Craig

  15. Posted by - peter vasilakos on Nov. 15, 2008

    Is there a minimum number of days for voting on a variance?

  16. Posted by - Sharna on Nov. 12, 2008

    Can the PTO and Principal change our By-laws in a closed meeting??
    Thanks

  17. Posted by - Craig Bystrynski from PTO Today on Oct. 30, 2008

    Justine -- Check your bylaws. It's possible that they allow you some leeway. It's common for bylaws to specify a minimum (and perhaps a maximum) number of board members. Some officer positions (president, treasurer, secretary) are required while the others can be created at the discretion of the president. If your bylaws are too strict to allow this, then you might want to amend them. -- Craig

  18. Posted by - Justine on Oct. 27, 2008

    I am the President of our Band Boosters and would like to add a new Office and officer to our Board. Is there an "official" way of doing this? Thanks.

  19. Posted by - Rae on Apr. 29, 2008

    Hi Melissa,

    One of the rights - and responsibilities - of membership is to vote. Unless the bylaws specifically state that a person must have been a member for X number of days, weeks, or months before they can vote, that member has the right to vote on any issue before the organization the minute after they join the organization.

  20. Posted by - Rae on Apr. 29, 2008

    Hey Barbara,

    Forgot - a motion is only tabled for a short time during A meeting. The motion is postponed to the next meeting.

    Rae

  21. Posted by - Rae on Apr. 29, 2008

    Hi Barbara,
    Bylaws provide for absences and the consequences of being absent whether excused or not excused. It is unwise to make requirements in bylaws relating to only one person or one situation.

    It is much wiser to examine the bylaws and find out if there is a provision for removing a person from office. If there is none, it is necessary to refer to the parliamentary authority - frequently Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised. Check with National Association of Parliamentarians.org for information on procedure and options.

  22. Posted by - Melissa on Apr. 25, 2008

    How many meeting do you need to attened to vote for the next chairperson?

  23. Posted by - Kathryn Lagden from PTO Today on Apr. 25, 2008

    Hi Barbara - suggest you check out our Message Boards. They're a great spot to ask specific questions as there are tons of folks on the boards with a lot of experience to share. Our PTO Today experts jump in pretty regularly as well. You can find the boards here - http://www.ptotoday.com/boards

  24. Posted by - Barbara on Apr. 24, 2008

    Is it legal to write into the By-laws not to allow the chairperson to conduct the meeting because he or she had an excused or unexcused absence from the Executive Board meeting?

  25. Posted by - Heather Hock on Feb. 11, 2008

    Good article, good references.

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