Tips for Chapter Secretaries

1
Tips for Chapter Secretaries

• Presented By
• Denise Busbin
• Vicky Ransom

2
Thank you

• PSE appreciates your willingness to Step Up and
  help make your chapter successful!
• Okay You volunteered to be the chapter
  secretary what does that mean?

3
Bylaws

• Check your bylaws there should be a job
  description in them, that will help define your
  role and responsibilities.
• If there isnt then now is the time to meet
  with your executive board, board of trustees and
  get ALL the roles defined.
• People are more willing to volunteer if they know
  what the parameters are.

4
Roles Responsibilities

• The Chapter secretary is responsible for
• Taking minutes at chapter and Board of Trustee
  meetings,
• Providing and keeping the sign-in sheet for
  chapter meetings,
• Any correspondence the chapter may receive.
• You are the historian. Good minutes serve to
  refresh the recollection of members who attended
  the meeting. In case of future controversy,
  minutes interpret actions approved by the body.

5
Minutes

• Minutes record the substance of a meeting and are
  to be a clear, accurate, concise and informative
  record of the proceedings.
• Minutes should record WHAT WAS DONE, not what was
  said.
• Flowery descriptions, personal opinions, and long
  irrelevant paragraphs are not acceptable for
  formal or even informal minutes.
• Minutes should not be typed verbatim except when
  there are motions.

6
Agendas and The Meeting

• An agenda for the meeting should be sent out in
  advance of the meeting.
• If that does not occur, an agenda should be
  distributed at the beginning of the meeting.
  Items which require action should be identified.
• When the meeting is called to order, the
  secretary should note the time and those present
  and absent.
• A sign-in sheet is useful to document attendees.
• Typically, you note who is absent at executive
  board or board of trustee meetings.

7
The Previous Meeting

• A copy of the minutes from the previous meeting
  should be distributed at the meeting. It is not
  necessary to read them.
• Minutes are generally approved by general
  consent. No motion is required. This should be
  recorded as,
• The minutes from the February 21, 2009 meeting
  were approved as presented (as amended.)
• Minutes may be corrected whenever an error is
  found, regardless of the time that has elapsed.
• Unless previous notice has been given, correction
  of minutes after they have been approved requires
  a two-thirds vote.

8
What Minutes Capture

• Minutes should
• identify the item of business,
• highlight the discussions resulting in an action,
  and
• describe the disposition of the items. Clearly
  indicate what was done, by whom and why.
• Motions should be typed so they stand out on the
  page. They should be worded so that they can
  stand alone
• I move that the Board of Directors accept the
  2008-2009 Operating Budget as presented by the
  Treasurer.
• Motion made by Sally Jones Seconded by David
  Green
• Motion carried unanimously.

9
The Motion

• There are several ways to properly record a
  motion. You may say
• It was moved by _________ and seconded by
  _______that we send four members to legislative
  conference.
• OR
• It was moved and seconded that we send four
  members to legislative conference.
• The correct language is I move that . . .,
  NOT I make a motion that . . .
• Aside from brief explanatory remarks, it is not
  permissible
• to discuss the merits of a motion until the
  motion has been
• seconded.

10
Motions

• You should be prepared to restate pending motions
  
• verbatim when asked to do so.
• If your minutes require that the person making
  the motions be named, it is permissible to ask
  the chair for the individuals name.
• Request that the speakers state their name
  clearly and provide you a written copy of any
  lengthy reports (i.e., treasurers report).

11
Voting

• Before the vote, the motion should be restated by
  the chair so everyone knows what they are voting
  on.
• If the results of a voice vote are unclear, you
  may request the chair require a show of hands of
  members of the aye and no votes.

12
Details

• Minutes should follow the order of discussion as
  listed on
• the agenda.
• If there was a lot of discussion you may simply
  state, After
• lengthy discussion, it was moved
• At the conclusion of the meeting, make a list of
  items that need to be followed up on. Also
  compile a list of anything from the agenda which
  did not get completed and carry those items over
  to the next meeting as UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

13
Adjournment

• In the minutes, note the time the meeting was
  adjourned.
• The minutes are closed with the signature and
  title of the
• person who actually prepared the minutes.
  Respectfully submitted is outdated simply sign
  the minutes
• Sally Smith
• Sally Smith, Secretary
• Minutes are the legal record of the proceedings
  and should never be destroyed.