Meeting Agenda Date: Time: Location: Meeting Topics Agenda Item: Presented by: I. Welcome II. Overview 1. 2. 3. What is Robert’s Rules of Order How to make a motion How to vote on motions III. Conclusion IV. Evaluation Canadian Parents for French – PEI Module: Handout Robert's Rules of Order - Summary Version For Fair and Orderly Meetings & Conventions Provides common rules and procedures for deliberation and debate in order to place the whole membership on the same footing and speaking the same language. The conduct of ALL business is controlled by the general will of the whole membership - the right of the deliberate majority to decide. Complementary is the right of at least a strong minority to require the majority to be deliberate - to act according to its considered judgment AFTER a full and fair "working through" of the issues involved. Robert's Rules provides for constructive and democratic meetings, to help, not hinder, the business of the assembly. Under no circumstances should "undue strictness" be allowed to intimidate members or limit full participation. The fundamental right of deliberative assemblies require all questions to be thoroughly discussed before taking action! The assembly rules - they have the final say on everything! Silence means consent! • • • • • • • • Obtain the floor (the right to speak) by being the first to stand when the person speaking has finished; state Mr./Madam Chairman. Raising your hand means nothing, and standing while another has the floor is out of order! Must be recognized by the Chair before speaking! Debate can not begin until the Chair has stated the motion or resolution and asked "are you ready for the question?" If no one rises, the chair calls for the vote! Before the motion is stated by the Chair (the question) members may suggest modification of the motion; the mover can modify as he pleases, or even withdraw the motion without consent of the seconder; if mover modifies, the seconder can withdraw the second. The "immediately pending question" is the last question stated by the Chair! Motion/Resolution - Amendment - Motion to Postpone The member moving the "immediately pending question" is entitled to preference to the floor! No member can speak twice to the same issue until everyone else wishing to speak has spoken to it once! All remarks must be directed to the Chair. Remarks must be courteous in language and deportment - avoid all personalities, never allude to others by name or to motives! The agenda and all committee reports are merely recommendations! When presented to the assembly and the question is stated, debate begins and changes occur! Canadian Parents for French – PEI Module: Handout The Rules • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Point of Privilege: Pertains to noise, personal comfort, etc. - may interrupt only if necessary! Parliamentary Inquiry: Inquire as to the correct motion - to accomplish a desired result, or raise a point of order Point of Information: Generally applies to information desired from the speaker: "I should like to ask the (speaker) a question." Orders of the Day (Agenda): A call to adhere to the agenda (a deviation from the agenda requires Suspending the Rules) Point of Order: Infraction of the rules, or improper decorum in speaking. Must be raised immediately after the error is made Main Motion: Brings new business (the next item on the agenda) before the assembly Divide the Question: Divides a motion into two or more separate motions (must be able to stand on their own) Consider by Paragraph: Adoption of paper is held until all paragraphs are debated and amended and entire paper is satisfactory; after all paragraphs are considered, the entire paper is then open to amendment, and paragraphs may be further amended. Any Preamble can not be considered until debate on the body of the paper has ceased. Amend: Inserting or striking out words or paragraphs, or substituting whole paragraphs or resolutions Withdraw/Modify Motion: Applies only after question is stated; mover can accept an amendment without obtaining the floor Commit /Refer/Recommit to Committee: State the committee to receive the question or resolution; if no committee exists include size of committee desired and method of selecting the members (election or appointment). Extend Debate: Applies only to the immediately pending question; extends until a certain time or for a certain period of time Limit Debate: Closing debate at a certain time, or limiting to a certain period of time Postpone to a Certain Time: State the time the motion or agenda item will be resumed Object to Consideration: Objection must be stated before discussion or another motion is stated Lay on the Table: Temporarily suspends further consideration/action on pending question; may be made after motion to close debate has carried or is pending Take from the Table: Resumes consideration of item previously "laid on the table" - state the motion to take from the table Reconsider: Can be made only by one on the prevailing side who has changed position or view Postpone Indefinitely: Kills the question/resolution for this session - exception: the motion to reconsider can be made this session Canadian Parents for French – PEI Module: Handout • • • • Previous Question: Closes debate if successful - may be moved to "Close Debate" if preferred Informal Consideration: Move that the assembly go into "Committee of the Whole" - informal debate as if in committee; this committee may limit number or length of speeches or close debate by other means by a 2/3 vote. All votes, however, are formal. Appeal Decision of the Chair: Appeal for the assembly to decide - must be made before other business is resumed; NOT debatable if relates to decorum, violation of rules or order of business Suspend the Rules: Allows a violation of the assembly's own rules (except Constitution); the object of the suspension must be specified © 1997 Beverly Kennedy Canadian Parents for French – PEI Module: Handout Planning a Business Meeting A successful business meeting (a board meeting or a membership meeting) is the result of preparation, attention to the smallest of details, and anticipation of problems and conflicts. A meeting should be planned with the best interests of the members and the organization in mind. Thorough planning will earn the respect of members. It will enable the presiding officer to focus the meeting on the issues that the organization needs to decide. Here are a few planning ideas: I. Review the bylaws, constitution, legal instrument, standing rules, minutes of previous meetings, parliamentary authority, and other relevant documentation. II. Contact all officers and committees, confirm attendance and check what business (if any) they intend to present. Inform them of any time constraints and request cooperation. It is advisable to review their reports before the meeting. III. If the business of the meeting is complex, or controversial, it is advisable to engage a parliamentarian to assist with the agenda, president’s script, bylaw amendments and with advice on meeting procedure (before and/or during the meeting). IV. Prepare the agenda and rules for the meeting. It may be wise to specify a realistic time frame (opening and closing times and interim milestones), subject to the approval of the meeting. V. Send the notice of the meeting as required by statute or by the bylaws. Make sure to comply with all requirements regarding Special Resolutions, Nomination and Election Procedure. Prevention is so much better than fire fighting!! VI. Interface with the facilities coordinator to ensure that the room is set up properly and that all necessary equipment (eg. microphones, overhead projector) is available. Test audiovisual equipment and microphones (remember Murphy’s Law) and have a spare light bulb for the overhead projector. Canadian Parents for French – PEI Module: Handout On the Day of the Meeting 1 Bring all necessary documentation (see above), a gavel, a list of members and committees, ballots. 2 Check the room arrangement and ensure that final necessary adjustments are made. 3 Before opening the meeting, check if there is a quorum. An Enhanced Meeting Agenda The following meeting agenda is board on RONR and common practice. 1 Call to order: “The meeting will please come to order”. 2 Credentials report (or announcement if there is a quorum). 3 Opening remarks/ceremonies 4 If needed: explain the agenda and debate rules. If any rule requires approval, this may be done by general consent. 5 Approval of minutes (by General Consent) “The secretary will read the minutes of the previous meeting...” OR “The minutes of the previous meeting have been circulated.” “Are there any corrections to the minutes?” (Pause). Hearing none, “The minutes are approved as read/circulated”. Canadian Parents for French – PEI Module: Handout 6 Reports of Officers (in the order listed in the bylaws), followed by the business which they propose. If officers do not have reports, there is no need to call on them. Business arising out of correspondence is typically handled under new business. 7 Committee reports, followed by motions that they propose (if any). Standing committees report first, the special/ad-hoc committees. 8 Special orders (Business items that were given high priority) 9 Unfinished (not old) business, ie. A Motion that was interrupted when the last meeting was adjourned or a motion that was postponed from the last meeting. 10 New business: “Is there any new business?” 11 Announcements 12 Program, if any 13 Adjourn: “If there is no further business to come before this assembly, the meeting will be adjourned (Pause). The meeting is adjourned.” Note: There is no need to move to receive a report after it was read. If a report does not propose any action, all that needs to be said is “The report will be placed on file”. There is also no need to adopt a report (except the audited financial statements), unless it is to be published as the official statement of the organization. Canadian Parents for French – PEI Module: Handout The presiding officer’s duties are: 1 Checks the quorum and opens the meeting at the prescribed time 2 Announces business in the proper sequence 3 Recognizes members entitled to the floor 4 States and puts motions to a vote 5 Enforces rules of debate 6 Refuses to recognize frivolous motions and protects member rights 7 Expedites business 8 Decides questions of order and responds to parliamentary inquiries 9 Closes debate on order of the assembly 10 Declares the meeting adjourned Voting Rights In large assemblies the presiding officer usually refrains from voting. If a voting member, the chair may vote in case of a ballot vote and may (but is not compelled to) vote when his/her vote will affect the results, e.g. to make or break a tie. Debating Rights In large meetings the presiding officer stays out of debate. IF a crucial point was omitted, he/she may vacate the chair to speak and must stay out of the chair until the motion is disposed of. This practice should be kept to a minimum, to maintain impartiality. When the decision of the chair is appealed from, the presiding officer explains the ruling without vacating the chair. Canadian Parents for French – PEI Module: Handout Ethics Consider these affirmations for an effective presiding officer: “I am here to lead you in democratic, fair and free debate. My job is to safeguard the rights of the Majority, the Minority, the Individual, the absentee and all these together; to uphold the constitution, bylaws and other rules of the organization.” “I will ensure that debate is conducted as smoothly and as efficiently as possible, in a civil and orderly manner. I am here as an impartial leader and my mandate is to serve the membership. It is probably best if I can take myself lightly and my work seriously.” Canadian Parents for French – PEI Module: Handout What Do You Think? Please complete the following information. Participation is voluntary. Your feedback is very valuable to us or will allow us to make the necessary changes to this workshop. Name of Session: 1. Date: As a result of this workshop, I learned a. b. 2. My favorite part of this session was 3. As a result of this workshop, I now plan to 4. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the trainer on their presentation style? And why? 5. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the trainer on their knowledge of the topic being presented? And why? 6. What are your recommended changes, if you have any? 7. I’d like to tell you that Thank you for your thoughts! Canadian Parents for French – PEI Module: Handout