1.1 - Members First Agenda
Fellow board members,
I want to draw your attention to a fundamental challenge we're facing: member engagement.
We are a membership organization, yet when you look at our meeting agendas, a dedicated space for our members is conspicuously absent.
Is it any surprise, then, that they rarely attend our board meetings, even when we publicize the dates?
If we want to be a truly member-centric organization, our actions must reflect that commitment. We need to do more than just invite them; we need to show them they are our priority.
That’s why I’m proposing a new motion today, one I'm calling the "Members First Agenda."
This isn't just a change in format; it's a change in mindset.
This model places member-submitted topics, questions, and concerns at the very top of every meeting agenda.
It sends a clear, powerful message: your voice is the most important one in the room.
By adopting this, we don't just demonstrate our commitment to a "Members First" philosophy; we actively prioritize it.
I believe this simple but profound change will foster a stronger, more engaged community. I urge you to support this motion.
I want to draw your attention to a fundamental challenge we're facing: member engagement.
We are a membership organization, yet when you look at our meeting agendas, a dedicated space for our members is conspicuously absent.
Is it any surprise, then, that they rarely attend our board meetings, even when we publicize the dates?
If we want to be a truly member-centric organization, our actions must reflect that commitment. We need to do more than just invite them; we need to show them they are our priority.
That’s why I’m proposing a new motion today, one I'm calling the "Members First Agenda."
This isn't just a change in format; it's a change in mindset.
This model places member-submitted topics, questions, and concerns at the very top of every meeting agenda.
It sends a clear, powerful message: your voice is the most important one in the room.
By adopting this, we don't just demonstrate our commitment to a "Members First" philosophy; we actively prioritize it.
I believe this simple but profound change will foster a stronger, more engaged community. I urge you to support this motion.
What Robert’s Rules Require (And Don’t)
While Robert's Rules of Order recommend a standard sequence for meetings—call to order, approval of minutes, reports, special orders, unfinished business, and new business—this "order of business" is intended as a default, not a rigid mandate.
Since our bylaws do not specify a fixed agenda, we have the flexibility to adapt the order to better suit our needs.
Based on my research, any agenda that deviates from the standard order simply needs to be formally adopted by the board at the beginning of the meeting.
A longer lasting motion requires a majority vote of the entire membership (meaning seven "yeas" regardless of how many of the total twelve are present).
Therefore...
Since our bylaws do not specify a fixed agenda, we have the flexibility to adapt the order to better suit our needs.
Based on my research, any agenda that deviates from the standard order simply needs to be formally adopted by the board at the beginning of the meeting.
A longer lasting motion requires a majority vote of the entire membership (meaning seven "yeas" regardless of how many of the total twelve are present).
Therefore...
My Motion
I move to adopt today's agenda as presented. Furthermore, I move that we adopt the "Members First Agenda" as a special rule to govern our order of business from this point forward.
Amendment: Jack Butler
Amendment: Jack Butler
- Call to Order
- Approval of the Agenda
- Acceptance of the Minutes
- Members (Ideas, celebrations, concerns, and issues)
- Consent Agenda (Including the prior meeting minutes)
- Reports
- Items Removed from the Consent Agenda
- Unfinished Business
- New Business
- For the Good of the Institute
- Adjournment
Steve Mickley, Chief Staff Officer
Prior Actions:
Governance Committee: No Objection (1/2/2026)
Membership Committee:
Membership Committee: