AGENDA PREPARATION

A committee or working party must have good quality materials to be able to function effectively.
What should an agenda contain?

Typical core elements include:

* Welcome & apologies
* Starring of Items (as applicable)
* Confirmation of previous minutes
* Matters arising from the minutes
* Reports
* New Business
* Date of next meeting

However, an agenda is not just a list of headings. It should:

* identify matters for approval,
with supporting papers and clear recommendations for action
* identify matters for information
papers for information and discussion
* include any reports,
with a recommendation for action, even if the report is just to be noted
* contain advice on the purpose of each item
a statement indicating what the committee or working party is asked to do with the item and how such action will ensure that the committee or working party thus discharges its terms of reference.

The agendas for the central committees of the University are good examples of how to set out agenda papers.