QUESTION: Is there a seating protocol for board members on the dais? Is it appropriate for the manager and attorney to be seated on the dais? What is common practice?
ANSWER: There is no seating protocol that I’m aware of. I checked Robert’s Rules of Order and found nothing on the subject.
Seating Arrangements. I’ve been in meetings where the board, manager and attorney were (i) on an elevated dais with everyone facing the audience, (ii) seated at tables in a “u” shape (common with larger boards), (iii) seated at a round table with the backs of some directors to the audience, (iv) seated randomly in comfy chairs in someone’s living room, and (v) seated in folding chairs on one side of a pool and the audience on the other side (a quasi separation of church and state–if you could walk on water, you could join the board). My favorite is where the board met in the alley next to a dumpster and everyone stood (it made for very short meetings).
On A Dais. When the board meets on a dais facing the audience, the most common position for the manager and attorney is at the end of the table. The second most common is for the attorney to be seated next to the president so he/she can consult with the attorney as-needed during the course of the meeting.
RECOMMENDATION: Generally, the larger the association, the more formal the seating arrangements. Boards should pick one that is comfortable for them.
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