Running Your Theater: Please Settle This Argument

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Please Settle This Argument

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Theater Administration
Forum Name: Running Your Theater
Forum Discription: General questions about how to make it work
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1154
Printed Date: 11/22/24 at 7:47am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Please Settle This Argument

Posted By: JDHaller
Subject: Please Settle This Argument
Date Posted: 11/04/04 at 11:00pm

We are revising our bylaws. Sentence one is causing a bit of contention from one of our board members. Please tell me what you think. What is the difference between these two sentences:

SENTENCE ONE

?A quorum shall consist of seven of the members of the Board of Directors.?

SENTENCE TWO

?A quorum shall consist of at least seven of the members of the Board of Directors.?

Our board member in question seems to think that sentence one is vague. They believe, ?It means seven of the members not 6 not 8 since a quorum is the number of participates needed to conduct business then seven and only seven members are required.? In previous email correspondence they stated, ?I suggest at least seven because if we say a quorum is "seven" then only seven can attend for a quorum if there is less no meeting if 9 directors show up do we send two home so we have a quorum?? This member believes that if we add, ?at least seven we set the minimum needed but can have more.?

I and others believe there is no significant difference between either sentence. I believe that the words ?at least? are simply an overused idiom that adds nothing to the grammatical, syntactic, or structural characteristics of the sentence; its simply slang.

I could go on, but I won?t. PLEASE RESPOND. I would love to bring some of your responses to the next meeting.

Replies:

Posted By: slicksister
Date Posted: 11/05/04 at 12:35am

How about ... shall consist of no less than seven...

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The Main Thing is to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing

Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 11/06/04 at 5:08pm

I don't like the word "is" in the sentence- no really. "A quorum exists when seven or more members of the Board of Directors call a meeting" sounds better.

Mark.

Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 11/07/04 at 8:40am

Quorum & it?s meaning should be enough on it?s own;-

n : a gathering of the minimal number of members of an organization to conduct business.

The rest defines the actual number & type of members. thus an explanation of the word & the balance is mealy fruit!

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Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 11/10/04 at 11:25pm

If your board is arguing over one sentence it's
amazing you'll get anything done!

PS: One of the reasons you have a board is to be
able to consult with people more learned than
yourself. Your persnickety board member sounds
like a lawyer by profession. And worse than that, I
happen to agree with him, the wording is vague. I
prefer the solution provided by "Slicksister" to be
more accurate and concise.

Posted By: cpnc
Date Posted: 8/29/06 at 4:49pm

A quorum means the number needed to make a meeting happen. In our organization there are 8 Board members. Our bylaws state a quaorum to be 5. If five show up we can proceed with a meeting if less show up we have to cancel the meeting. If more show up it does not affect anything because it is OVER the minimum Quorum number of 5...the meeting proceeds. I would alter your bylaws to less than seven if I were you...you may find yourself walking away from a lot of important meeting because 7 did not show up.

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Be theater...........breathe theater.

Posted By: castMe
Date Posted: 8/29/06 at 5:04pm

LOL I know this post is ages old, but I must add my two cents.

When stating a known number (i.e. seven members), you should use the word "fewer" in place of "less". "Less" is used for things you measure and "fewer" for things you count.

"There were fewer board members in attendance this month and they spent less time arguing about the phrasing."

Hope this muddies the waters. LOL

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Investigate. Imagine. Choose.

Posted By: EddyZ
Date Posted: 8/30/06 at 7:16am

The first sentence is sufficient.

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EddyZ
http://webpages.atlanticbb.net/~ezahurak/ - http://webpages.atlanticbb.net/~ezahurak/
http://www.nailsouptheatre.com - www.nailsouptheatre.com/

Posted By: Ken W
Date Posted: 12/06/06 at 4:29pm

I like Mark J's sentence.