Staff Information for EC Meetings

Staff at Executive Council Meetings

Staff of DFMS are welcome to attend Executive Council meetings at the invitation of their supervisor.

Here are some important things for staff to know in advance of an Executive Council Meeting:

  • If you are invited to a meeting, your name will be given to the GCO and you will receive a "Call to Meeting" through the Extranet. You will also be added to an Extranet group for meeting attendees, so that you receive the docket and other relevant information. Please respond to the "Call to Meeting" as soon as possible, and at least six weeks before the start of the meeting. This enables the GCO to ensure that you have accommodation.
  • Staff are welcome to attend all plenary sessions and committee meetings, unless it is an Executive Session.
  • In Committee meetings, staff can have voice at the invitation of the chair.
  • Staff do not have a vote on Council or any committee (with the exception of the officers of the DFMS who are also staff). Staff are seated in the back of plenary sessions and generally in visitor seats at Committee meetings (unless invited to join the table by the chair).

Presentations to Executive Council and Committees

Frequently staff make presentations to a plenary session or to a committee. There are some important logistics that need to be coordinated in order to make this go smoothly.

  • Coordinate with staff in the GCO to be sure the proper equipment is present.
  • Please bring your presentation on a memory stick to be projected from the presenting computer or coordinate with GCO staff to use your own laptop.
  • Schedule a time in advance of your presentation to do a test run to ensure all the parts are working properly.
  • If you are presenting to a Committee, please check with GCO staff and Committee Chair to find out whether or not there will already be a projector present in the room.
    • Please note that if Council is meeting in a hotel setting, it can cost upwards of $1000 to rent a projector. In the interest of good stewardship, we ask that you consider the cost before asking for a projector. If your presentation can be easily viewed on a personal device from the Extranet that might be in the collective best interest.

Zoom Calls During Executive Council Committee Meetings

If you need to have a Zoom call during a Committee meeting, please coordinate with GCO Staff in advance. Staff need to ensure that there are not conflicting calls and that the necessary technology is present in the meeting room.

Collaborative Committee Meetings at Executive Council

It is strongly encouraged to have Committees meet together at Council, particularly when that is beneficial to their collective work or they have shared responsibility for a program or entity. Please note as with presentations there are some logistics that need to be coordinated in advance. If at possible the decision to meet in a collaborative session should be made when the Call to Meeting is sent out. This ensures that adequate space can be allocated to ensure seating for everyone involved.

General Tips & Best Practices

Here are a few tips, particularly for new visitors to help make the most of meetings:

  • Bring a tablet or laptop computer to ensure access to all materials via the Extranet. Power strips are provided at each table.
  • Bring layers, as heating and cooling systems can be unpredictable.
  • In the interest of caring for creation, members are encouraged to bring reusable water bottles and travel mugs to minimize waste.
  • Many facilities provide notepads and pens, but members may wish to bring their own just in case for additional note taking.
  • Please remember that interpretation is always happening in plenary sessions and may be happening in Committee meetings. Please speak slowly and clearly to aid our talented and hard working interpreters.