What is a Consent Agenda?

Consent agendas are used to facilitate approval of a number of noncontroversial, routine, or technical matters with a single motion, based on the belief that the materials sent to directors in advance of the meeting adequately explain what is required for each item and no discussion is required. Directors always have the right to request that items be removed from the consent agenda if they have concerns about approving a particular item without discussion.

Consent Agenda Best Practice

A consent agenda is a bundle of items that is voted on, without discussion. It distinguishes between routine actions not requiring additional conversation and those matters of significant importance demanding each director’s attention. A consent agenda requires administrators and directors to:

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• Set the meeting agenda
• Distribute materials in advance
• Read materials in advance
• Introduce the consent agenda at the meeting
• Remove (if requested) an item from the consent agenda
• Approve the consent agenda
• Document acceptance of the consent agenda

Further Reading