1.

"The meeting will please come to order. May we stand, join hands and repeat together the Opening Ritual." Note: Some chapters do not join hands for the Opening Ritual, others do. Your own chapter/council determines whether you join hands or not. Either is acceptable, i.e., whatever your tradition is.

2.

"The Secretary will call the roll." (If the Recording Secretary is absent, the President appoints someone to call the roll and take minutes.)

3.

"The Secretary will read the minutes of the last meeting."

a. Minutes are read.

"Are there any corrections?" (Pause long enough to allow corrections to be made if necessary.)

"If not, they stand approved as read."

(If there are corrections, after they have been made, the statement by the President is:

"The minutes are approved as corrected."

4.

"Is there any official communication from International?" (Though the President receives the correspondence, she gives it to the Corresponding Secretary to be read. If any action needs to be taken, it is done so now, or referred to one of the Standing Committees.)

5.

"Is there any other communication to be brought before the chapter?"

a. If there is, it is read at this time.

6.

"The Vice-President, who is the official hostess of the chapter, will introduce our guests and transferees."

7.

"May we have the Treasurer's report."

After this is given, the President does not ask for approval but states:

"Are there any corrections?"

If there are none, she says:

"If not, the report will be placed on file subject to audit."

If there are corrections, after being made, she says:

"The report, as corrected, will be placed on file subject to audit."

8.

"May we have the report of the Executive Board meeting?"

The minutes are not read -- only a report is given. The Board can and should make recommendations for the efficient operation of the chapter. The entire chapter makes the final decision after careful consideration, or any necessary revisions, of the proposed recommendations. The member giving the report can place the recommendation in the form of a motion and does not require a second. Since it is coming from the Board, it is already understood that at least two people want to have it placed on the floor - which is the purpose of a second. The member reading the report would state at the conclusion, "Madam President, by direction of the Executive Board, I move the adoption of the following recommendation . . . . . . ." It is then discussed and voted upon by the entire membership present.

Following this report of the Executive Board (and action, if any is necessary), the President asks:

"Are there reports from any other officer?"

If the chapter is a member of a City Council, at this time the President asks:

"May we have the report from the Council representative on the City Council meeting?"

9.

"May we have the report from the Program Committee?"

Following this report, she calls upon all of the other Standing Committees in order . . . Membership, Social, Publicity, Ways and Means, Service, Yearbook, Scrapbook, Telephone/Web, Secret Sister/Sunshine and so forth.

If a committee makes a recommendation when giving its report and action needs to be taken, the member giving the report would move for its adoption as outlined in step #8.

10.

"Are there reports from Special Committees?"

11.

"Is there any unfinished business?" (It is not called 'old business'.)

12.

"Is there any new business?"

13.

How meeting is adjourned.

"Is there any further business to be brought before the meeting?" (Pause long enough to allow anyone to speak who might have something to present. If no one speaks, the President states:

"The meeting is adjourned."

14.

In a newly organized chapter, the Pledge Training conducted by the chapter Vice President (or Pledge Trainer), is held at this time. For an established chapter, the Pledge Training is conducted at times other than the regular chapter meetings.

15.

For a new chapter, following completion of Pledge Training, the President states:

"The Program Committee will now conduct the program."

NOTE - Step 14 would be omitted for an established chapter.

16.

Following the program presentation and discussion, the Program chairman would advise, "This concludes the program for the evening."

The President would lead the chapter in the Closing Ritual by saying:

"May we now stand and join together in repeating the Closing Ritual."

1.

It is important to announce when and where the next meeting will be held. We recommend this be announced just prior to adjourning the meeting.

2.

If the President and Vice-President are unable to attend a meeting, the Recording Secretary serves as Chairman long enough for the members to choose a chairman for that meeting only. She is addressed as "Madam Chairman" and not as "Madam President" when any member wishes to speak and be recognized by the chair. The Recording Secretary should not be chosen to serve in this position, since it is important that she be free to take the minutes of the meeting.

3.

A quorum is always expressed as a fraction of the active membership but never less than 1/3. It is never expressed in an actual number of members because the size of the membership changes. The quorum decided on by the individual chapter is written in its own chapter bylaws. A quorum means the number of active members of a chapter who must be present before any business may be conducted.

In a newly organized chapter, before the quorum has been established, the quorum is automatically a majority of the active members of the chapter.

4.

The President is an ex-officio member of all committees. (Ex-officio means "by virtue of office.") As an ex-officio member, she is not counted in the quorum of the committee but has all privileges of membership of the committee. The quorum for a committee is a majority unless otherwise specified in the chapter bylaws.

5.

A Standing Committee performs a continuing function and the term of its members corresponds to that of the elected officers.

A Special Committee, appointed by the President, is designated to carry out a specific task which is not covered by a Standing Committee. A Special Committee may carry over from one administration to another.

6.

It is the responsibility of the President to see that the discussion of any pending motion be sufficient to allow all who wish to speak on the motion to do so. The maker of a motion has the privilege of speaking first on it. She may vote against the motion, if points during the discussion make her change her mind, but she may not speak against her own motion. No member should be allowed to speak more than twice on the pending motion, unless permission is granted by the members present to do so. To bring the discussion to an end and get the opinion of the members by their vote, the President asks: "Are you ready for the question?" She then restates the motion and calls for the vote.

NOTE - See Parliamentary Procedure -- Proper Steps of a Motion

7.

Specific rules and regulations governing a chapter are given in the Book of Beta Sigma Phi. It is important that the President becomes familiar with these and with the use of the index in the back of the book. Special points to check are:
a. Filling a vacant office: see "vacancy" in index.
b. Methods of voting: see "voting" in index.

8.

Pledges are active members and have the right of voice and vote, of holding office and working on committees.

Member:

1.

Rises, addresses the Chair: "Madam President."

2.

President recognizes member.

3.

Member states motion: "Madam President, I move that . . . . . . ."

NOTE: Do NOT say, "I make a motion . . . . . . "

4.

Another member seconds the motion. She does this while seated and no Recognition from the Chair is needed.

Note: If there is no second, this means that only one member (the maker of the motion) is interested in the subject so the motion stops there.

Chair:

5.

President states the motion: "It has been moved and seconded that . . . . "

6.

President opens the floor for discussion: "Is there any discussion?"

7.

President takes vote when all who wish to speak have done so and she restates the motion. If there has been no discussion then the first part of this step is omitted and the President states: "The motion is that . . . . . . . "

8.

President asks for vote.
"All in favor say 'aye'."
"Those opposed say 'no.'"

Note: Do not forget to ask for those opposed, even though the vote was obviously passed.

9.

President announces the result of the vote. If it passes she states: "The ayes have it and the motion is carried."

If it fails to pass she states: "The noes have it and the motion is lost."

Note: A tie vote is a lost motion.

The President votes only once when vote is by:

1. Secret Ballot or
2. Roll call and her name is called last or
3. to make or break a tie.

Elections should be by secret ballot vote. If there is a topic for discussion needing the true expression of the feelings of the members, it is wise to take the vote by secret ballot.

Note: All members' suggestions should be heard and considered before the chapter acts on the proposed budget.