Simplified Rules of Order

Sample Order of Business

This section details a sample order of business for a regular business meeting and indicates how the chair should handle each item. The order is not intended to be prescriptive; each chairperson should follow an order that is satisfactory to him/her and to the association.

The Order of Business

The chairperson of a meeting should prepare in advance a list of the order of business or agenda for the meeting. A sample order of business follows:

1. Call to Order
2. Adoption of the Agenda
3. Minutes
4. Executive Minutes
5. Treasurer's Report
6. Correspondence (listed)
7. Unfinished Business (listed)
8. Committee Reports (listed)
9. New Business (listed)
10. Announcements (listed)
11. Program (An alternative is to have a guest speaker make his/her comments before the business meeting begins so that he/she does not have to sit through the meeting.)
12. Adjournment