Meeting Facilitation

Prior to the meeting, you should already know:

The reason(s) for the meeting

What the topic of the meeting is, whether it is the first meeting of the year, or the middle of the year meeting, there should be a reason that you can communicate to the members who have made time to come to your meeting.

Your agenda for the meeting

Now that you know why you are having the meeting, and the specific things that will be discussed you need to create an agenda, or outline in which you will use to convey this information. The agenda will enable the meeting to run smoothly and coherently.

The best date and time for the meeting

The most important thing is whether all or most of the e-board members are present. After that, you need to consider the optimal time for having the most general and new members to come.

Where you are having the meeting & how to reserve the space

This is very important. Activity hours are assigned in the beginning of the year. If you plan to have a meeting outside of the assigned hour and/pr space you must follow the calendar clearance guidelines and reserve the space. Because space is a very rare commodity, you need to be even more persistent in reserving space. You will need to email saevents@stjohns.edu about the options you have for having your meeting

Be Professional

Be prompt. To be early to be on time is to be late. If members see that you always start on time, they will follow you, as the leader! Lead by example!

Explain the purpose of the meeting. If the meeting has a purpose and the members see that you are respectful of their time, they will be more willing to come to meetings.

Introduce the leadership, guests or newcomers. This will make the members feel a connection and a sense of worth as individuals.

Facilitate the agenda.

Solicit and encourage feedback. You always want to have an open door policy. When members feel that their suggestions are warranted, they will develop loyalty to the organization. They will continue to be apart of the organization, especially when they see their suggestions and wants coming to fruition.

Keep groups focused on the topics (curb side conversations). It is difficult (especially in large organizations) to stop all side conversations, but if you are speaking about things that are of interest to your group, and are making good use of your time (refraining from rambling on), you should not have any problems. In addition, ask the people engaged in side conversations if they care to share with the group. They just may have a great idea.

Set practical and realistic goals. You never want to give your membership or your fellow executive members the idea that you are not in touch with reality. Make sure that the things that you want to have happen are in the organization’s reach. Never hesitate to have a conversation with your Student Life Advisor, your Faculty Moderator or maybe even a past e-board member about the resources that are available to you.

Set practical and realistic goals. You never want to give your membership or your fellow executive members the idea that you are not in touch with reality. Make sure that the things that you want to have happen are in the organization’s reach. Never hesitate to have a conversation with your Student Life Advisor, your Faculty Moderator or maybe even a past e-board member about the resources that are available to you.

Give information about the next meeting (time, date, place, and agenda times).

Assess/Evaluate

Estimate how many people were in attendance

Determine the strengths and inefficiencies of the meeting

Circulate minutes for the meeting along with the evaluation (note: this can be a responsibility that is delegated to someone else)

Follow up on specific topics or issues

Robert’s Rules of Order is the standard for facilitating meetings, group discussions, and group decision making.

It provides applicable rules governing key matters of meeting and general procedures, including:

• Establishing a Constitution and Bylaws for your student organization.

• Structure of the meeting Agenda and debate.

• Motions; including making, seconding, debating, modifying and amending motions.

• Sufficient majority and simple majority and which decisions are appropriate to them.

• Establishment of a quorum.

• Definition of membership.

• Voting rights of presiding officer and voting procedures.