Meeting Tips

To do:
 * Incorporate example meeting minutes snippets

=About a week before the meeting= Facilitator:
 * Make sure you will be able to attend. If not, find someone to facilitate for you.
 * Call for agenda items

Scribe:
 * Make sure you will be able to attend. If not, find someone to scribe for you.

=The day before the meeting= Facilitator:
 * Create the agenda. (You are looking for agenda items. Organize them into a final agenda, grouping related items together and plugging into the general template):
 * Review the previous meeting's notes
 * Review which meetings happened that are likely to report
 * Review the agenda
 * Review other relevant things, like the RT queue, email posts, and the wiki
 * Line up presenters for anything on the agenda that seems like a major topic. These people should be prepared to introduce the topic and answer questions about it.

=Before the meeting= Facilitator:
 * Incorporate any last minute items onto the agenda.
 * Print out copies of the agenda.

Scribe:
 * Get a laptop or a paper and pen/pencil for taking notes

=The Meeting= Meeting Template

Call the meeting to order
Facilitator:
 * Just make sure there's a scribe taking attendance

Scribe:
 * Record the name of the meeting and the date
 * List everyone in attendance (for some meetings, list if they were late). Ask for people's names if you don't know them.

Check in
Facilitator:
 * Ask how everyone's doing

Scribe:
 * This usually requires no notes be taken

Committments from Previous Meeting
Facilitator:
 * Go through each item and ask for a brief report.
 * If committments pertain to regluar agenda items, ask that discussion be put off until that item

Scribe:
 * Record the status of each item
 * Did it change owners?
 * Is it finished?
 * Is it a carryover? (If so, re-enter in the future committments section)

Reports from Other Meeting
Facilitator:
 * Go through each report and ask for a brief report.
 * If committments pertain to regluar agenda items, ask that discussion be put off until that item

Scribe:

Old Business
Scribe:
 * Record item names
 * Key points from discussion
 * Proposals (at least loose wording)
 * Decisions -- Mark them as decisions -- Make sure the wording is accurate

New Business
Scribe:
 * Same points at Old Business

Future Committments
Scribe:
 * Record the item, its owner, and a deadline

Next Meeting
Scribe:
 * Record next scribe
 * Record next facilitator
 * Record any reporters (i.e. to Council Meeting or Staff Meeting)
 * Record next time and place of meeting

=After the Meeting=