Posted on behalf of Bradley Menard
The Senate & Curriculum Services (S&CS) team sparks joy in minutes, yes, minutes; not a period of time but rather a record of meeting. The S&CS team has the imperative assignment to create these records of all UBC Senate and UBC Senate committee meetings for both the Vancouver and the Okanagan Senates. Admittedly, taking-minutes can be daunting. If you have watched a Senate meeting, you likely observed the speed and complexity of discourse that is central to the effective functioning of our Senates. Adding to the complexity, for those who take minutes, is the need to follow Robert’s Rules of Order. Needless to say, these factors can make the task daunting. So, you may be asking “how can I spark joy in writing my own minutes?” Here are 6 helpful steps:
- Commit yourself to your minutes, not allowing other distractions to take you off course.
- Imagine your ideal minutes; the motions, other business, attendance, and all the other components harmoniously coming together.
- Finish writing your draft minutes (who doesn’t enjoy tidying?)
- Tidy your minutes in the order of what you wrote.
- Keep the authentic order of the minutes.
- Finally, realize your sparked joy.
Here is an uncluttered, minimalist example of what your minutes may look like:
We are confident that by following the 6 helpful steps, you too will have joy sparked in minutes.