Presentation on how to implement a consent agenda with a Board of Directors. This relates to Governance, Operations, and Business Management

1. Boston VA Research Institute, Inc.
CONSENT AGENDAS
Presented by Amy H. Kimball
Director of Operations & Sponsored Programs, BVARI
BVARI Executive Committee Meeting August 17, 2016

2. Consent Agenda - Solutions:
• Not all items require discussion/voting
– Routine procedures
– Items that already have unanimous consent
• Allows board to approve a group of items without
discussion or motions
DEFINITION

3. • Streamlined meeting
• Increased efficiency
• Reduction in use of members’ valuable time
ADVANTAGE

4. • Routine items
• Procedural decisions
• Decisions unlikely to be controversial
Examples:
– Approval of minutes
– Final approval of documents worked up/discussed offline
– Routine matters, e.g., scheduling
– Items as FYI only:
• Informational management and committee reports
• Correspondence requiring no action
WHAT TO INCLUDE

5. • Reports distributed in advance of meeting
In-meeting procedure:
– Chair/designee determines what goes on consent agenda
• Bulleted list sent in advance with report
– At meeting start, Chair/designee asks members to remove items that
require further discussion
• Any member may have any reason for removing
• Requested items must be removed
• Chair/designee decides when during meeting items should be discussed
– All remaining bulleted items are read by Chair/designee
• “If there is no objection, these items will be adopted.”
• After pausing for objections: “As there are no objections, these items are adopted.”
(Not necessary to request show of hands.)
– Minutes reflect full text of adopted resolutions, reports,
recommendations, etc.
MECHANICS

6. • Board adopts rule, e.g.,
– A consent agenda may be presented by the Chair/designee
at the beginning of a meeting. Items may be removed from
the consent agenda on the request of any member, for any
reason. Items not removed may be adopted by general
consent without debate. Removed items may be taken up
either immediately after the consent agenda or placed
later on the agenda at the discretion of the committee.
• Advise new members at board orientation
IMPLEMENTATION

7. https://www.wwcc.edu/CMS/fileadmin/PDF/Learning_
Center/Consent_Agenda_FAQ.pdf
REFERENCES