ALA Council

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Consent Agendas and Action Items

  • 1.  Consent Agendas and Action Items

    Posted Jun 24, 2022 12:35 PM
    Hi all, 
    I've been on the receiving end of several questions about whether action items should be included in the consent agenda. Here's my understanding of how consent agendas work under Robert's Rules:
    • Consent agenda items can include items such as: previous minutes, regular reports, reports without action items, minor changes or clarifications of policy/procedure (that do not change intent or meaning), updates to documentation, confirmation of actions required in the bylaws, a record of final approval for proposals or reports that have been fully discussed and vetted at past meetings, other information items, etc.
    For example, the following items on the Council I Agenda (CD#8.6) are labeled as action items on the consent agenda: 
    • Adoption of Rules & Guidelines for ALA Hybrid Council Meetings, ALA CD#5.2 action item
    • Agenda Review, ALA CD#8.6 action item
    • Approval of the 2022 January (LLX) and March Council Meeting Minutes ALA CD#2.1-#2.2 action item
    Robert's Rules specifically allow for requests to remove individual items from the consent agenda and consider each separately. The formal timing for such a request is when the presiding officer presents the Council I Agenda (CD#8.6) for adoption, immediately after the call to order.

    If there is interest in adjusting the consent agenda, a timely motion can be made from the floor. 
    It would be considerate to notify the parliamentarian and the presiding officer as early as possible. Notification before the meeting starts allows for review of options and possible adjustments before the meeting to ensure a smooth meeting flow.

    Thanks for the questions,
    -Aaron
    :-)'