Keynote Workshop

Chapter 1

Named after Army General Henry Martyn Robert Without warning he was asked to preside over a

public meeting being held in a church in his community and realized that he did not know how.

Due to his military duties, he was transferred to various parts of the United States where he found virtual parliamentary anarchy since each member from a different part of the country had differing ideas of correct procedure.

1876 Robert's Rules of Orderas

Protection of Voting Members

Majority makes overall decision

Minority has a voice

Rights for a Voting Member

To attend the meeting

To speak and make motions

To vote

To hold office

Parliamentary Procedure – the tradition of rules and customs that has grown up in the civilized world for dealing with problems.

Deliberative Assembly – an organization that meets to decide on actions to be taken.

Chapter 2

ROLE OF THE CHAIRMAN

Preside over the meeting Keep order

Enforces Rules

Delegates who is to speak at any given time

ROLE OF THE SECRETARY

Calls the Roll Call at the beginning of the meeting and during Quorum Calls

Takes minutes Maintains the Speakers List

QUORUM

A minimum number of members who must be present.

A meeting can happen without quorum but nothing can be motioned or voted upon.

50%+1

ORDER OF BUSINESS

‘Called to Order’ Approval of Agenda Approval of Minutes

Normally corrections are made without objection, but if there is a dispute there can be debate and a vote on the proposed correction

Reports Unfinished Business

Not ‘Old Business’ New Business Public Comment /

Announcements

AGENDA

The Chair drafts the agenda but to be binding it must be adopted by the group at the start of the session.

The group may make any changes it wishes before voting to adopt it.

ADJOURNMENT, RECESS AND STANDING AT EASE

The Chair can adjourn the meeting.

The assembly may adjourn the meeting at any time with a majority vote.

Recess (time or called to order by the Chair)

Stand at Ease – Chair may call a stand at ease; members remain in places; talking quietly, until chair calls to order

Chapter 3 A Walk Through The Life Of A Motion

MAIN MOTION

Formal proposal by a member, in a meeting, that the group take a certain action.

Always in Resolution form Strictly speaking, there

should be no debate on a matter before a motion regarding it has been made.

Only one at a time

HOW TO SPEAK

Raise your hand The chair will either

immediately recognize you; or add you to Speakers List

When you can talk you have the floor.

Yield the Floor – gives time for someone else to speak, normally a non voting member when you would normally have the floor (at Chair’s discretion).

MAKING THE MOTION

“I move that…” It is very important to say

precisely what the words of the motion are to be.

Group votes on exact language, not vague idea

“The chair can require that main motions be submitted by the mover in writing” [RONR (11th ed.), p.40, 11. 4-7.]

SECONDING A MOTION

“Second!” Main motion must get a

second to be brought before the group.

You DO NOT need to be recognized to second a motion.

Second doesn’t necessarily mean you agree with the motion – just want to discuss it.

CHAIR “STATES” THE QUESTION

Chair has two duties: 1. Must determine if the

motion is in order

▪ If not the Chair will say, “The Chair rules that the motion is not in order because…”

2. Must ensure a clearly phrased motion.

▪ The Chair should help the mover re word it before stating it

The Chair will then state the question.

DEBATE ON THE MOTION

The maker of the motion has right to the floor first.

During debate you may introduce secondary motions which relate to the main motions consideration or in some cases it’s interruption Will explain secondary motions

in further slides

THE CHAIR “PUTS” THE QUESTION

“Is there any further debate?”

The Chair then puts the question to a vote. “All in favor?”

“All opposed?”

“Abstentions?”

THE CHAIR ANNOUNCES THE RESULT OF THE VOTE

“Motion Carries” or “Motion Fails”

After announcing the result, the Chair announces the next item of business.

And so on…

Chapter 4

SPEECH LIMITS IN DEBATE

You may speak up to 10 minutes each recognition unless time is limited.

Recognizing an Executive or Non Voting Member will be permitted at the discretion of the Chair “Unlike the practice in Congress, you

cannot ‘yield the floor’ to let someone else speak on your time” [RONR (11th ed.), pp. 387-90]

WHO GETS PREFERENCE IN RECOGNITION TO DEBATE

In general the Chair will recognize the person who raises their hand first after the previous speaker has finished. or Speakers List system

People who have yet to speak on the motion will get priority.

Chair tries to alternate between ‘in favors’ and ‘opposed’

STICK TO THE SUBJECT

Germane Rule – your remarks must have bearing on the pending motion. Irrelevant topics are not in order.

Debate Issues, Not Personalities

You should speak to officers by their title Mr. Chairman

Coordinator Rippey

Senator Zeitler, etc…

LIMIT OR EXTEND LIMITS OF DEBATE

2/3rd Vote Required Undebatable

“I move to Limit Debate…” Could limit overall debate

time

Could limit speech time per Senator

“I move to Extend Debate…” Could allow for more time to

debate

Could allow more than 10 minute speeches per Senator

MOVE THE PREVIOUS QUESTION

2/3rd Vote Required Undebatable

“I move the previous question”

Will close debate on the immediately pending motion.

You must be recognized, you cannot just call out “Question” or “Vote”

BREAK

Take a 5 minute break

Chapter 5

THE PURPOSE AND CONSTRUCTION OF AMENDMENTS

Amendments – if adopted modify the wording and, within limits, often the meaning of the main motion.

BE CLEAR Amendments do not have

to be submitted in writing at this time.

The vote on the amendment does not decide whether the main motion will be adopted, only whether the wording in the main motion will be changed.

In the end, the vote is taken on the main motion as amended (provided the amendment is passed)

INSERT OR ADD WORDS

“I move to insert the words ________ before the words _______” Insert = When it’s between

words “I move to add the words

_______” Add = When it’s at the end of

the motion Chair will restate the

motion with and without the amendment many times for clarity

STRIKE OUT WORDS

“I move to strike out the words ________”

STRIKE OUT AND INSERT WORDS

Combination of the previous two

“I move to strike out the words _________ and insert the words _________”

AMENDING PARAGRAPHS

Same concept as previous, just on a larger scale

1. Insert or Add a Paragraph

2. Strike out a Paragraph 3. Substitute – a substitute

may be offered for a paragraph(s), or any larger units: sections, articles, or even an entire main motion.

AMENDING AMENDMENTS

An amendment to a main motion may itself be amended by a “secondary amendment” or an “amendment to the amendment”

Instead of proposing a secondary amendment, one approach is to tell the group to vote down the pending amendment and you will offer a new version

ADDITIONAL RULES

Germane Rule – Any amendment must in some way involve the same question raised by the motion it amends

The “Settled” Rule – If the group has voted down an amendment to add certain words, you cannot propose another amendment to add essentially the same words in the same place. Common Sense

Chapter 6

POSTPONE TO A CERTAIN TIME

Majority Vote “I move to postpone the

motion to _______” Could be a time later in the

meeting

Could be to a later meeting

Different from Tabling Tabling = before motion is

made; you table the piece of business

Postpone = when the motion has been made already

Can be amended Also debatable, but debate

is limited to the motion to postpone only Debate whether it is a good

idea or not to postpone

REFER TO A COMMITTEE

Majority Vote “I move that the motion

be referred to the _______ committee”

Allows for the committee to reassess the motion

If the motions content falls within the subject matter of a standing committee then it must go to that committee.

Amendable and Debatable

TYPES OF COMMITTEES

Standing Committee – have a continuing existence and function (civic actions, steering, etc…)

Special Committee or Ad Hoc Committee – created for a particular task, and go out of existence when that task is completed (task force on CoCOs structure, campus safety & security)

HOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE CHOSEN

Standing Committee Members are appointed by the Chair of Senate at the beginning of his/her term. Membership may be reevaluated at the Chair’s discretion.

Special / Ad Hoc Committee Members are appointed through specification in the motion to create the committee; in cases where the assembly has no preference, the Chair may be granted the ability to appoint members to the Special Committee by the assembly.

Chapter 7

CORRECTING MISTAKES

Once a motion has come up and been disposed of at a meeting, another motion that raises the same question can’t be brought up at the same meeting in the normal way

But sometimes… upon reflection, the Senate will wish to change their mind. Here’s how…

THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER

Majority Vote If a motion has been

adopted or defeated during a meeting and at least one member who voted on the winning side wants to have the vote reconsidered, such a member may make the motion to Reconsider

Anyone can second Can only be made at same

meeting of original vote

THE MOTION TO RESCIND OR AMEND SOMETHING PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED

“I move to rescind the motion ________ previously adopted on _________”

“I move to amend the motion _________ previously adopted on ______ to _______”

Can happen after meeting is over, no time limit

Can be made by any voting member

You must give the Chair PREVIOUS NOTICE if you want to make these motions With Notice – majority vote

Without Notice – 2/3rd vote or Majority of Entire Membership whichever’s smaller

Renewal of Motion – if a motion was defeated, you may renew it at the next Senate meeting [RONR (11th ed.) pp. 336-337]

Chapter 8

MAJORITY VOTE

More than half of the votes cast by persons entitled to vote, excluding abstentions

Plurality Vote – largest number of the votes, which may be less than the majority

TWO-THIRDS VOTE

Notable Uses Suspending the Rules

Close, Limit or Extend the Limits of Debate

Majority of the Entire Membership – all members of the voting body, whether they are present at the meeting or not

UNANIMOUS CONSENT

If there seems to be no objection on a motion the Chair may wish to not waste time on a vote and simply ask the assembly if there is any objection to the desired action, if no member objects, then the Chair declares the action carried

If a member objects call “I Object!”

If any member calls out an objection it must be put to a vote

RIGHT TO VOTE

All voting members have the right to cast a vote unless, A members rights have been

suspended as a result of a disciplinary action

The assembly deems that such person has a Conflict of Interest and should not be permitted to vote

CHAIR’S PARTICIPATION IN VOTING

The Chair must remain impartial at all times

The Chair may only vote in the result of a tie; or the Chair’s vote will change the result of the vote

METHODS OF VOTING

Standing Vote Ballot Vote / Mail Vote Roll Call Vote Show of Hands The Chair DOES NOT have

to count the hands to declare a winner

Any member may call “Division!” without being recognized; which compels the Chair to count using a Standing Vote

Any member, if they believe quorum has been lost, may call “Quorum Call!” which immediately stops ALL business and requires the Secretary to take Roll Call

If this is used as a means to delay business at hand, the Chair or Assembly may exercise the power to eject the member.

QUORUM CALL

Chapter 9

Our Constitution and Bylaws have strict rules regarding Nominations and Elections which supersede any rule

outlined in Robert’s Rules of Order on the topic.

Chapter 10

BREAK 10 MINUTES

Federal, State and Local Law

PSGA Constitution

PSGA Bylaws

PSGA Policies and Contracts

Robert’s Rules of Order

Standing Rules (require only a majority vote to adopt)

Custom (can never conflict with a written rule)

Chapter 11

Any voting member may call the attention of the Chair to a violation of the Rules

You may interrupt the Chair or a Speaker and without being

recognized yell out “Point of Order!” The Chair will then say “The member will state their Point

of Order” You then alert the Chair of what rule you think is being

violated and by whom The Chair will then rule on the Point of Order

“The Chair rules that the point of order is well taken” or “The Chair rules that the point of order is not well taken”

If you disagree with a ruling by the Chair, you may Appeal it to the group as a whole. “I appeal from the decision of the Chair” (again without being recognized)

Appeals require a Second Each member may only speak once The Chair may speak twice; once at the beginning

of debate, once at the end

Appeals are undebatable and go right to a vote if it relates to indecorum, priority of business or when an undebatable question is immediately pending

The Chair will state “Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?”

Requires Majority Vote in the Negative to overturn the Chair

A tie sustains the decision of the Chair and loses the appeal

May wish to do something forbidden by the rules

“I move to suspend the rules” Must be recognized by the Chair

May not be amended or debated, requires a two-thirds vote

You may suspend the PSGA Bylaws, PSGA Policies, Robert’s Rules of Order and/or Standing Rules

You may not suspend Federal, State or Local Law, the PSGA Constitution and Contracts

Questions about the rules and how they apply to what is going on – Does not relate to business!

“Parliamentary Inquiry!”

Do not need to be recognized by the Chair May interrupt Speaker if it requires immediate attention; but be

polite

Chair has a duty to respond to your question

The Chair’s answer is NOT a ruling which means they cannot be appealed. If you believe the Chair is wrong, you must act contrary to the opinion of the Chair. Upon that action being ruled out of order, you may then appeal.

PARLIAMENTARIAN’S ROLE

Advice the Presiding Officer in responding to Points of Order and Parliamentary Inquires

Seated next to the Presiding Officer and Secretary

Only an advisory role; Chair can only make rulings

Chapter 12

SECONDARY MOTIONS

While a main motion is on the table, a secondary motion may be introduced that may affect or interrupt consideration of the main motion.

Whichever motion, main or secondary, is directly before the group is called the immediately pending motion.

Fix the Time to Which to Adjourn

Adjourn

Recess

Point of Privilege

Calls for the Orders of the Day

Lay on the Table

Move the Previous Question

Limit or Extend Limits of Debate

Postpone to a Certain Time

Commit

Amend

Postpone Indefinitely

Main Motion

INCIDENTAL MOTIONS

Motions deal with questions of procedure arising out of another motion or item of business to which they are incidental.

Applicable to their own types of special circumstances.

Take precedence over every motion on previous list

Division!

Quorum Call!

Suspend the Rules

Appeal

Decorum!

Point of Order!

Chapter 13

1. Abstentions – have no effect on the outcome of the vote

2. Vote of No Confidence – expressing lack of confidence in any officer or committee; not binding

3. “Friendly Amendment” – Once a motion has been stated by the Chair it is no longer property of the Mover but of the Senate; Friendly Amendments will be out of order.

4. Objection to the Consideration of the Question – Undebatable; suppress the main motion by a two-thirds vote. May be used if you feel like the topic is out of our jurisdiction *As long as debate hasn’t been opened

5. Postpone Indefinitely – same idea as #4 but can happen when debate is open

6. Minutes – what was done at the meeting, not exact record of what was said

7. Executive/Closed Session – motion may be made to close the doors of the assembly for confidential topics

8. Resignations – may be withdrawn if not yet placed in front of the assembly for approval

BREAK Take a 5 minute break

Chapter 14

• Brings business before the Senate Main

Motion

• Gets rid of the question without brining it to a direct vote

Postpone Indefinitely

• Clarifies / Changes wording of main motion

• Insert or Add Words, Strike Out Words, Strike Out and Insert Words, Insert or Add Paragraph, Strike Paragraph, Substitute

Amend

• Main motion needs severe amendment or more information is required so that it would be better to turn the motion over to a committee

Commit / Refer

Subsidiary Motions – Treat/Dispose of Main Motion

Main Motion

• Consider the main motion later in the same meeting or at a different meeting

Postpone to a Certain Time

• Limit time of overall debate or limits to speaker allocation of time

• Can extend speaker time to over the base ten minutes

Limit or Extend Limits of Debate

• Brings debate to a close and calls a vote to the immediately pending motion

Move the Previous Question

• Puts an issue aside without providing a specific time to pick it back up Lay on the Table

Subsidiary Motions – Treat/Dispose of Main Motion

• Requires the agenda to be enforced; can also Suspend the Items of the Day to place the agenda aside

Calls for the Order of the Day

• Affecting Members rights or privileges (noise, inadequate ventilation, excused from the table for the restroom or personal matters)

• May interrupt business; normally very informal ruling

Point of Privilege

• Intermission in a meeting

• Can specify time or have it open until Chair calls everyone back to order

Recess

• Closes the meeting Adjourn

Privileged Motions – Don’t Relate to Business

• Will allow the meeting to pass the 2:00PM adjournment

• Specific time amount

Extend the meeting

• Alerts the Chair that a rule has possibly been broken; requires the Chair to make a ruling

Point of Order

• Immediately after the Chair has made such a ruling, can require him/her to submit the matter to the vote of the Senate

Appeal from the Decision of the

Chair

• Can suspend Roberts Rules, bylaws and policies for specific reasons

Suspend the Rules

Privileged Motions – Don’t Relate to Business

Incidental Motions

• Before consideration has begun you may wish to dispose of the question for many reasons (ie: not in your jurisdiction, etc…)

Objection to the Consideration of

the Question

• If a motion has two or more parts capable of standing as separate questions

Division of a Question

• Allows for the opening of each paragraph or section to amendment one at a time before the whole is voted on

Consideration by Paragraph

• Requires a standing vote and the Chair to count the votes Division!

Incidental Motions

• If a member wishes to be relieved of an obligation imposed on him or her by the bylaws or by virtue of office (ie:Chair of Public Art, Chair of the Green Fee) or can be made in the form of a Letter of Resignation

Request to Be Excused from a

Duty

• If a member wishes to be absent for a long period of time, the assembly may grant them a leave of absence

Request for a Leave of Absence

• Request for the Chair’s opinion on a matter of parliamentary procedure

Parliamentary Inquiry

• An inquiry as to facts affecting the business at hand – directed to the Chair or, through the Chair, to another member. [RONR (11th ed.), pp. 294-95]

Point of Information!

Incidental Motions

• If the person who makes a motion no longer wants the motion to be considered AFTER the Chair has granted the motion to the assembly the Maker may request of the Assembly NOT THE CHAIR to discard the motion

Request for Permission to

Withdraw a Motion

• You may not read papers or quote from any document without permission of the assembly, NOT THE CHAIR

Request to Read Papers

Request for any other Privilege

Incidental Motions

Executive / Closed Session

• If it is desired to cancel something that has been adopted and that has continuing force and effect, such action can be proposed through a motion to Rescind; and by another form Amend Something Previously Adopted

Motion to Rescind

• If a question has been referred to a committee that has not yet made a final decision, the Senate may revoke the decision to refer the motion to the committee; and will reconsider the motion

Discharge a Committee

• A member who voted on the winning side may wish to reconsider a motion after new information or a changed situation in the same meeting (ie: appointing Senators to vacant seats)

Reconsider

Motions that Re-introduce Questions to the Senate

Chapter 15 Chair of Public Art / Chair of the Green Fee - Please Review

Chapter 16 Senate Secretary - Please Review

Chapter 17 Finance Committee Senators – Please Review

Chapter 18 Student Activity Board / Service Board Senators - Please Review

Chapter 19

IMPORTANCE / SCHEDULING

Great deal of work is done at the committee level

If the Chairman fails to call

a meeting, any two members can do so

Still requires quorum but

can be informal and not use Robert’s Rules

VALIDITY OF ACTION

Majority votes on most matters

Videoconference or

teleconference may be used in accordance to the PSGA Constitution and it’s bylaws

COMMITTEE PROCEDURE

Only committee members have the right to be present during it’s actual deliberations

Minutes do not need to be approved

The Chairperson is usually the most active participant

Motions to close or limit debate are OUT OF ORDER

A committee can appoint subcommittees of its own members

A standing committee can originate recommendations and motions concerning subjects within its area of responsibility without specific instruction from the Senate

COMMITTEE REPORTS

1. A description of the way in which the committee undertook its charge;

2. The facts uncovered or information obtained;

3. The committee’s findings, conclusions, investigations or motions;

4. Resolutions or recommendations

Chapter 20

1. Regularly scheduled Senate meetings shall adjourn at 2:00 pm, unless moved otherwise.

2. The Jaffe Clause: Impeachment Charges must be filed at least twelve (12) hours prior to a scheduled meeting in order to be put on the agenda for that meeting.

3. The ratio of Students to Senators in any given constituency shall be 420 to 1

1. You must at every meeting bring your copy of the PSGA Constitution, Bylaws, Budget and any other supporting policy statements or agreements that have been passed in the current year’s session of the Senate. Any relevant information or supporting documents for your committee work or your senator initiatives, Previous Agendas, Minutes and Reports

2. Absences – You only have TWO unexcused absences for the duration of your term. This includes both missing Senate and missing any assigned committee, council, board, taskforce, emergency meetings and retreats. You must notify the Chair of your absence within 48 hours of the meeting. Special circumstances will be permitted at the discretion of the Chair.

3. Late or Leaving Early – If you are running late you must immediately notify the Chair by text – (914) 447-5336. If you do not notify the Chair and are not present at Roll Call you will be marked a half absence. Leaving before adjournment without prior notification to the Chair will count as a half absence.

4. Cell phones or other technological means shall not be used for the purposes of homework, gaming, or communication for the entirety of Senate without expressed consent from the Chair.

FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Verbal Warning Censor from the EBoard Ejection from Meeting Externally Removed by

Impeachment Can Recommend to the Senate Censor from the Assembly Removal of Rights Internally Removed for

Neglect of Duty

FROM THE ASSEMBLY

Verbal Warning Censor from the Assembly Removal of Rights Ejection from Meeting Internally Removed for

Neglect of Duty Externally Removed by

Impeachment

The chairperson of any PSGA recognized assembly, committee, council, board or task force may order the removal of any person whose conduct disrupts the orderly, efficient or safe conduct of the meeting.

•http://www.studentassembly.org/wp-content/uploads/SUNYSA-Robert-Rules-Training.pdf •www.robertsrulesmadesimple.com •www.robertsrules.org/rulesintro.htm •www.robertsrules.com