Board Meeting Rules of Order

It’s important to honor the time and commitment of YSO Board Members who are often volunteering their time. YSO leaders should seek to make these meetings as impactful and effcient as possible. Rules of order can be used to make board meetings more orderly, effective, and to more easily govern the transaction of business.

Calling a meeting to order

• The calling of a meeting to order is the announcement of the formal beginning of the meeting. This is usually conducted by the president of the board of directors.
• Someone should be responsible for recording minutes once it’s called to order.

Making a motion

• When a board member makes a motion, that member is suggesting that the board vote on a particular policy or action to be taken.
• Once a board member has made a motion, that motion is then up for debate and discussion.
• After sufficient debate and discussion, the president of the board will call for a vote on the motion.
• The board members will vote on the motion in the way specified in the by-laws.
• The president should then announce the result of the vote.
• In a more informal setting, an action can be voted upon without a motion having first been made; however, all board members must be clear what action is being addressed. Even without a motion, an official vote should always be taken.

Ending a meeting

• Formally, a motion should be made to end a meeting. However, more informal boards of directors simply end a meeting when they have completed all of the items on the agenda.