1. Duties
   1. Preside over and conduct meetings according to accepted parliamentary procedure in the absence of the president.
   2. Call special meetings.
   3. Keep members on the subject and within the time limit.
   4. Appoint committees and serve as ax-officio member.
   5. Represent the organization and speak on occasion.
   6. Coordinate organization efforts and check on progress.
   7. Keep order.
   8. Oversee all committee work.
   9. Preside over the executive committee meetings.
2. Preparing Yourself to Carry Out These Duties
   1. Become familiar with procedures of conducting meetings.
      1. Types of meetings:
         1. Regular - scheduled and follows outline procedure.
         2. Special - does not follow outline procedure and handles urgent matters.
      2. Characteristics of satisfactory regular meetings:
         1. They are carefully planned in advance by the executive committee and chapter advisor.
         2. They start and close on time.
         3. They proceed according to an established order of business.
         4. They are conducted according to an accepted parliamentary procedure. Officers become very familiar wih parliamentary procedure. It may be appropriate to have a parliamentarian.
         5. Officers check committee reports and see that the chairs are prepared to give reports before meetings begins.
         6. Good meetings combine good business and fun.
         7. Keep order
            1. Be firm - especially when ideals and principles are at stake, but try not to give offense.
            2. Command respect at all meetings by holding firm to methods of addressing the chair and discussing motions. Members will respect you for it - if fully carried out. They like to see if you are a leader of the type that can be pushed around.
3. Guides to Committee Work
   1. What number should be on a committee?
      1. This should be determined by the size of the job to be done. Some committees may require a large number of members with several different subcommittees; whereas other committes may require only a few members.
   2. How should committee members be selected?
      1. Membership should be voluntary.
      2. Members in good standing.
      3. Active in chapter affairs.
      4. Having experience with committee work from the previous year is desirable, particularly for the chair.
   3. What are the duties of the committee chair?
      1. To get the members on the committee to function and cooperate.
      2. Seek outside help if needed.
      3. Help the members with the work.
      4. Don’t do all the work.
      5. Give a report of accomplishments to the chapter.
      6. Give credit to members on committee for work done.
      7. Attend the appropriate executive committee meetings.
      8. Prepare a written report of the committee’s activities.
   4. What are the responsibilities of the committee?
      1. Perform assignment that is given.
      2. Inform group as to results.
      3. Reports expected:
      4. Give a progress report - keep group informed on what is being done.
      5. Give a final report of:
      6. What was done.
      7. How it was done.
      8. Who performed the work.
4. Some Things That Every Chairperson Should Know
   1. Never start a meeting without an agenda - a list of things to be covered by the meeting. An agenda saves time. An agenda keeps a meeting on the beam.
   2. State the purpose of the meeting at the beginning and read the agenda aloud. Odd as it may seem, members of a meeting do not always know why they are there. Informing them of the purposes helps them concentrate on what the meeting is to accomplish. Also, it helps direct their thinking.
   3. Keep the meeting moving. Just as a meeting is seldom any better than its chair, so it is seldom any more productive than the interest of its participating members. Interest lags when action lags. While chairing a meeting, keep it moving.
   4. Speak clearly. The chair has the agenda and knows what it’s all about. If the chair can’t be heard,it will be necessary to exercise control. It may be necessary to use the gavel by rapping for silence.
   5. Prevent general hubbub. When everybody talks at once, no one can be heard. When no one can be heard, nothing can be accomplished. Insist on order.
   6. Avoid talking to individuals without talking to the group. Side conversations between the chair and individual members disrupts a meeting.
   7. Keep the speaker talking clearly and audibly. If a member asks for the floor and is given it, it is up to the chair to see that proper use is made of it.
   8. Sum up what the speaker has said and obtain a decision. Not all members will be good at expressing themselves. It is up to the presiding officer to determine what they have said and whether or not it has been understood -- and get the decision of all members on the topic.
   9. Stop aimless discussion by recommending committee study. Occasionally subjects are discussed on which general agreement at the time cannot be reached. On such occasions submit the matter to further study by a committee--which may be appointed.
   10. Keep control of the meeting at all times without stifling free comment. Invite criticism and even disagreement. Also ask for support and clarification of issues.
   11. Don’t argue with the speaker. Ask questions if necessary. But remember--the chair is supposed to be neutral. No matter how ardent the feelings, let the group make the decision. The chair is conducting a symphony, not a solo.
   12. Be aware of the participants’ comfort - temperature wise, thirstwise, etc. Check at the end of the meeting to see if every member feels particular subjects have been adequately covered. It is the duty of the chair to see that sound and just decisions are reached.

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Send questions about this website to Denise Davies at ddavies@ag.arizona.edu.   For course information or questions not included in these pages contact Dr. James Knight. Copyright (c) 1998 Department of Agricultural Education, The University of Arizona.  Website version 1.2, last updated on Thursday, August 16, 2001.