Remember, it is more important to get the point across, not the fine details. To ensure that no one’s words get lost in translation, do not be afraid to ask someone to clarify after the meeting, especially if you forgot what they said. Do not be afraid to ask people to speak up or clarify during the meeting either, since mumblers can sometimes be your worst enemies.
Formatting the final copy of the minutes is my favorite part because you can be as creative as you would like. I like to use the program Canva to copy and paste in my final minutes to share with the public. Canva is an easy editing software to follow and requires little experience to use. Putting in pictures or links to any presentations shared during the meeting can make the minutes easy to the eyes and serve as a helpful reference tool for JCL members. I like to put a picture of the meeting location as the cover of the minutes, as well as sprinkle in a few memorable, appropriate quotes to look back on. There is also a wonderful guide to taking minutes on the VJCL website that you can follow if you are lost.
Finding a way to spread your beautiful meeting minutes is just as important as writing them. Posting the minutes on your JCL chapter’s social media, Remind, and/or Google Classroom are excellent ways to spread information to students. To avoid the nag of copy and pasting long links, shorten your link into a memorable bit.ly for members to access.
Having all past minutes in one folder will also make it easier to refer back to in the future, as everything is in one place. And lastly, check the minutes on your phone before publishing. Most people read the minutes on their phone, so make sure they are mobile-friendly by using a PDF document.
If you need any further help or advice, feel free to contact me at [email protected] or DM me on Instagram @officialvjcl. I hope these tips were helpful and sincerely hope you enjoy your term as a JCL Secretary or
Co-Consul!
Written by Nikki Tosh, 2019-2020 VJCL Secretary
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