Agenda (meeting)

An agenda is a list of meeting activities in the order in which they are to be taken up, beginning with the call to order and ending with adjournment. It usually includes one or more specific items of business to be considered. It may, but is not required to, include specific times for one or more activities.

Etymology

Originally "agenda" was a plural word, a Latin term for "things [needing] to be done". What is now known as an "agenda" is a list of individual items, each of which was originally referred to as an "agendum". In modern English, however, it is equally acceptable, and more common, to refer to the list as a whole as the "agenda" for the meeting. This modern English word is singular, and has a plural of "agendas".

Explanation

In business meetings of deliberative bodies, the agenda may also be known as the orders of the day. The agenda is usually distributed to a meeting's participants prior to the meeting, so that they will be aware of the subjects to be discussed, and are able to prepare for the meeting accordingly.

In parliamentary procedure, an agenda is not binding upon an assembly unless its own rules make it so, or unless it has been adopted as the agenda for the meeting by majority vote at the start of the meeting. Otherwise, it is merely for the guidance of the chair.

If an agenda is binding upon an assembly, and a specific time is listed for an item, that item cannot be taken up before that time, and must be taken up when that time arrives even if other business is pending. If it is desired to do otherwise, the rules can be suspended for that purpose.

Form of agenda

The agenda is usually headed with the date, time and location of the meeting, followed by a series of points outlining the order of the meeting.

Points on a typical agenda may include:
* Welcome/open meeting
* Support for absence
* Approve minutes of the previous meeting
* Matters arising from the previous meeting
* A list of specific points to be discussed — this section is where the bulk of the discussion in the meeting usually takes place.
* Any other business (AOB) — allowing a participant to raise another point for discussion.
* Arrange/announce details of next meeting
* Tea and biscuits
* Close meeting