The secretary’s position is one of great importance to the organization. The job means work if it is done correctly. However, to increase the progress of an organization, a good secretary is of equal or more importance than a good president. Therefore, secretaries should strive to do the best job possible.

Chapter records are often all that is available to show the activities for the year. Secretaries must remember that the minutes and notes taken and left in the record file will be the only permanent record of the chapter’s activities for the year. Make sure that complete and accurate minutes of the meetings are kept. It is also important that the secretary secure and use the appropriate secretary’s record book. The secretary should study the record book and learn to use it.

The secretary ranks next to the vice president and will preside over meetings if both the president and vice president are absent. The secretary should read and study the local chapter, state and national constitution.

The secretary’s records belong to the chapter and when completed for the year, should be filed as part of the permanent records for the chapter.

Secretaries, should look over the previous year’s records in order to get ideas that will help them keep better, more accurate records during their term of office. The secretary should strive to keep the best records that have ever been kept in the the organization.

Before Each Meeting

1. Check with the president and arrange the "orders of the day," or items of business to be taken up in the meeting if this has not been done in an executive meeting. (Remind the president and vice president to hold these meetings.)
2. Have on hand for the meeting the following information or materials:
   1. Lists of committees and any committee reports that should be given.
   2. Secretary’s books and minutes of the previous meeting. (Be sure the minutes are ready to be read.)
   3. Copy of the local program of activities.
   4. Copy of other official records/documents.
   5. Pencil or pen, notebook for notes, letters, announcements, etc.
   6. Regular calendar and calendar of chapter and school activities.

1. Take roll and report attendance.
2. Read minutes of previous meeting.
3. Keep minutes of all proceedings. (Doing this in outline form often helps the secretary keep up on all happenings in a fast-moving meeting.)
4. Assist the president wherever needed. (Suggest next order of business, read any letters, reports or records, as needed.)
5. Help keep the meeting running according to correct parliamentary procedure and in line with the constitution and bylaws.
6. Count rising, showing of hand or written ballot votes when taken.

1. Rewrite minutes as soon after meeting as possible.
2. Prepare organization reports, contest forms, etc., and help keep permanent records.
3. Send out and post all notices and attend to all official correspondence immediately.
4. Attend executive committee meetings and keep minutes of the meetings.
5. Inform president of coming events.
6. Cooperate with treasurer in keeping an accurate membership roll and issue membership cards.
7. Procedure for preparing a business letter as Secretary:
   1. Use official organization stationery.
   2. In center, place date two typewritten spaces below the address.
   3. Use l" or l l/4" left hand margin; 3/4 to l" right hand margins.
   4. Begin address, of person to whom writing, six spaces below date, at left hand margin.
   5. Double-space between salutation and beginning of letter proper.
   6. Double-space between address and salutation.
   7. Use formal salutation for most letters and all business letters.
   8. Double-space between lines of letter, if letter proper consists of eight lines or less. In this case, indent five spaces for each paragraph.
   9. Single space between lines of letter, if over eight lines.
   10. Center closing of "Sincerely yours" five spaces to left of center of letter or at the left hand margin, depending upon the style of the letter used.
   11. Leave four spaces between closing and typing of name and official address for signature as follows

       Sincerely yours,

       (Secretary's signature)

        

       (Secretary's name - typed)

       (Organization) Secretary

   12. Type all letters or have them typed, if possible.
   13. Make a copy for future reference. Be sure it is properly filed.

1. Write the place and date of the meeting at the top of the page.
2. Leave an inch of margin at left of page.
3. Make a separate paragraph for each item.
4. State, in the first paragraph, the name of the organization, the kind of meeting (whether regular or special), the place of meeting and the date.
5. State whether the meeting was called to order by the president, vice-president, or a temporary chairperson and give the person’s name.
6. Give the name of the person who was appointed secretary pro tem, if the regular secretary was absent.
7. Include a statement as to the number of members present. (A complete attendance record should appear elsewhere in the secretary's book.)
8. Use ink in writing the copy of minutes to be presented to the organization, if you do not use a typewriter/wordprocessor.
9. Record approval of minutes in this fashion: "Approved as read," or "Approved as corrected." Month _____Day _____Year _____Signature of Secretary _______________
10. Write legibly in the third person, using correct grammar and spell all words in full.
11. See that all essential facts are included but in brief form. Accuracy should be the watchword.
12. Make rough notations in notebook during meeting regarding matters which should appear in the record. Write up the minutes at the first opportunity after the meeting. Final minutes should be clear enough to be fully understood by anyone reading them whether they were present at the meeting or not.
13. Do not use loose sheets of paper for takinq notes: these sheets are very easily lost. Use a bound leaf-type of notebook for this purpose.
14. Insist on receiving a written record on the report of any committee.

Definition:

(1) A person who is employed to attend to records, letters, etc., of a private or confidential nature; a confidential clerk.

(2) An officer of a business corporation, or society who has charge of the correspondence, records, etc., and who keeps minutes of meetings.

1. Prepare-and read the minutes of meetings.

2. Have available for the president the list of business for each meeting.

3. Attend to official correspondence.

4. Send out the post notices.

5. Count and record rising vote when taken.

6. Prepare organization records.

7. Keep the permanent records of the chapter.

8. Cooperate with the treasurer in keeping an accurate member ship roll and issue membership cards.

9. Call meeting to order in the absence of a presiding officer.

10. Read communications at meetings.

11. Have on hand, for each meeting, the following:

a. Secretary's book and minutes of previous meeting.

b. Lists of committees and committee reports.

c. Copies of local, state and national programs of work.

d. Copies of constitutions and by-laws.

e. Copy of other official records and/or materials.

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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.