The Standard Order of Business:

It is customary for every society having a permanent existence to adopt an order of business for its meetings. When no rule has been adopted, the following is the standard order of business:

1. Reading and Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting

2. Reports of Officers, Boards, and Standing Committees

3. Reports of Special (Select or Ad Hoc) Committees

4. Special Orders

5. Unfinished Business and General Orders*

6. New Business

* The fifth item includes, first, the business pending and undisposed of at the previous adjournment; and then the general orders that were on the calendar for the previous meeting and were not disposed of; and finally, matters postponed to this meeting that have not been disposed of.

The secretary should prepare, prior to each meeting, a memorandum of the order of business for the use of the presiding officer, showing everything known in advance that is to come before the meeting. The chairman, as soon as one thing is disposed of, should announce the next business in order.

For additional information, refer to RONR 10th ed. pp. 340-353.

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