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Michigan State University
Michigan State University

Academic Governance

Writing Minutes

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Writing Minutes

Frequently Asked Questions

Minutes document the decisions made during a governance body’s meeting. They capture information such as the meeting’s date, time, location, and attendees, motions presented, discussed, and decided upon, including their respective results. 
Minutes serve as a reference document for organizational decision-making, providing a historical record of discussions, actions taken, and resolutions reached during meetings. This record is valuable for organizational memory, continuity, transparency, and informs stakeholders who were not present at the meeting.

Email acadgov@msu.edu with any questions!

Best Practices

Informed by Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (12th Edition)

  • “Minutes should contain mainly a record of what was done at the meeting, not what was said by the members.”(§48:2)
    • By a majority vote, a body could include specific additional information in the minutes for a particular meeting (§48:3)
  • Essential elements to include:
    • Date, time, and location of the meeting
    • Name of the presiding officer
    • Approval of the agenda and previous minutes
    • All main motions and their outcomes
    • Names of those making motions (seconders are optional)
    • Points of order and appeals
    • Voting results (no names unless called for)
    • Time of adjournment
  • Minutes should not include:
    • Detailed discussions or personal opinions
    • Withdrawn motions
    • Full reports (these can be attached separately)
  • For more on this topic, see “What belongs in the minutes” 

  • The minutes should:

  • Include the exact wording of the motion that is adopted or discarded; avoid paraphrasing or rewording the motion.

  • Note whether motions were amended or debated.

  • Recording meetings can assist in accurate minute-taking. If you decide to record meetings to assist with minute-taking, we recommend obtaining consent from the attendees and informing them of the recording’s purpose.

Utilize clear, objective, and neutral language in the minutes. The minutes should not reflect the secretary’s personal opinion. 
The guidance provided on this page is intended as an introduction to minute-taking. We strongly encourage you to review §48 in Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (12th Edition) for a comprehensive instruction.