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Parliamentary Procedure by John A. Cagle
Parliamentary Procedure:
Toward the Good Order of the University
Advice from Dr. John A. Cagle,
Parliamentarian of the Academic Senate
and Professor of Communication
at California State University, Fresno
The parliamentary authority for California State University,
Fresno is Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (2000 edition).
This website is provided as a community service. The homepage
provides basic instruction on important topics in Parliamentary
Procedure, an opportunity to ask a real Parliamentarian questions, and a link to Questions
& Answers I have received and given. I have tried to make this a user-friendly
environment. This homepage contains all the instructional material and while it takes
longer to load, moving from place to place within it is easy and quick.
This website was last edited 29 September 2007.
Questions?
Send e-mail question to me and I'll try to answer it for you
(click on my e-mail address to do so now):
johnca@csufresno.edu
Cagle's Answers
If you would like to read answers to common questions and
problems, click on the area you'd like to know about:
Abstentions and Effect on Voting
Conflict in Meetings and Organizations
Organizing, Reorganizing, and Renewal
Appointed Positions
Debate
Preventing Hostile Amendments
Board of Directors vs. The Members
Invalid Motions
Quorum
Bylaws
Meeting
rules, Proper Notice of Bylaw Amendment
Robert's, Sturgis, and other manuals
Calling the Question
Minutes
Tie Votes
Can the chair debate and vote?
Minority Report
Voting, majority v. 2/3, proxy voting
Changing Things Previously Adopted
Officers
Voting,
confidentiality, and executive session
Use at your own risk. If internet or these principles mess up
your meetings or organization, please don't blame cyberme.
List of topics
Making Meetings Work
Basic Principles
Handling Motions
Voting
Rules Governing Debate
Boards and Committees
Making Committees Work
The Committee Report
Minutes
Table of Motions
Frequent Things You Want To Do [a handy
table adapted from Sturgis' Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure using motions from
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised]
Making Meetings Work
1. Effective meetings require planning in advance, both on the
part of the person who chairs them and of the people who participate.
2. Do not have a meeting unless it is necessary.
3. Don't engage in political game playing or parliamentary
maneuvering. Members must commit themselves to the group purpose.
4. Listen to what others at the meeting have to say.
5. Make sure you understand the reason for a meeting and do your
homework in accordance with this understanding.
6. Actively engage in the discussion.
7. Recognize that five kinds of knowledge are all needed for a
successful meeting participant:
Knowledge of the subject matter at hand
Knowledge of parliamentary rules of order
Knowledge of rhetoric-the power to persuade
Knowledge of problem solving and decision making
Knowledge of human social-emotional dynamics
8. Be sure the purpose of each meeting, and each item on the
agenda, is clear to the members:
To share ideas and information only
To brief members before action
To generate new ideas
To make a decision
To make a recommendation
9. Be sensitive to the physical, informational, and social needs
of others.
10. Suggest committee work when an issue is too big for the group
or the group hasn't adequately considered the topic. Demand hard work and good reports
from the committee.
Return to List of Topics
Basic Principles
1. Parliamentary procedure exists to facilitate the transaction
of business and to promote cooperation and harmony.
2. All members have equal rights, privileges, and obligations.
The majority has the right to decide.
The minority has rights which must be protected.
3. A quorum must be present for the group to act.
4. Full and free discussion of every motion considered is a basic
right.
5. Only one question at a time can be considered at any given
time.
6. Members have the right to know at all times what the
immediately pending question is, and to have it restated before a vote is taken.
7. No member can speak until recognized by the chair.
8. No one can speak a second time on the same question as long as
another wants to speak a first time.
9. The chair should be strictly impartial.
Return to List of Topics
Handling a motion.
Three steps by which a motion is brought before the group
1. A member makes a motion.
2. Another member seconds the motion.
3. The chair states the question on the motion.
Three steps in the consideration of a motion
1. The members debate the motion (unless no member claims the
floor for that purpose).
2. The chair puts the question to a vote.
A. The chair restates the question.
B. The chair takes the vote:
"All in favor of the motion, say aye."
"Those opposed, say no."
3. The chair announces the result of a vote. A complete
announcement should include:
A. Report on the voting itself, stating which side prevailed (and
giving the count if a count prevailed).
B. Declaration that the motion is adopted or lost.
C. Statement indicating the effect of the vote or ordering its
execution.
D. Where applicable, announcement of the next item of business or
stating the question of the next motion that consequently comes up for a vote.
Return to List of Topics
Voting
Basic Methods of Voting
Voice vote A vote by voice is the regular method of voting
on any question that does not require more than a majority vote for its adoption.
Rising vote Used principally when a voice vote has
produced an inconclusive result and as the normal method of voting on motions requiring a
two-thirds vote, members indicate their vote by standing.
Show of hands As an alternative to the voice vote or as a
way to verify an inconclusive result, members show their vote by raising their hand. A
vote by show of hands should be limited to very small meetings.
Other methods which may be ordered:
Ballot Voting by ballot is used when secrecy of the
member's votes is desired. Voting by ballot is sometimes required in certain cases by the
bylaws of an organization. Any vote relating to charges or proposed charges against a
member or an officer should always be by ballot.
Roll call A roll call vote has the effect of placing on
record how each member votes. It should not be used when members are not responsible to a
constituency.
Bases for determining a voting result
Majority vote The basic requirement for approval for
action, except where a rule provides otherwise, is a majority vote. The term
"majority" means "more than half," excluding blanks and abstentions,
at a properly called meeting with a quorum.
Two-thirds vote Two-thirds vote means at least two-thirds
of the votes cast, excluding blanks and abstentions, at a properly called meeting with a
quorum.
Modifications
Majority of members present (or two-thirds of . . .)
Majority of entire membership (or two-thirds of . . .)
Return to List of Topics
Rules Governing Debate
The term debate applies to the discussion on the merits of a
pending question.
[Note that less formal rules apply to boards and committees.
Also, smaller groups may relax the formality of these rules.]
1. A member may not speak until recognized by the chair.
2. When no special rule relating to the length of speeches is
adopted by the group, a member can speak no longer than ten minutes unless the consent of
the group is obtained.
3. Rights in debate are not transferable. A member cannot yield
an unexpired portion of his/her time to another member (the chair controls who speaks) or
reserve any portion of time for later.
4. No member may be allowed to speak more than twice to the same
question on the same day.
5. Proper decorum in debate must be observed:
Remarks must be germane to the question before the group.
Speakers should speak loudly and clearly.
Speakers should refrain from attacking another member's motives.
Remarks should be addressed through the chair.
Speakers should stand when speaking.
Thomas Jefferson's advice is still good: "No one is to
disturb another in his speech by hissing, coughing, spitting, speaking or whispering to
another, etc."
If any member objects, a speaker has no right to read from or to
have the secretary read from any paper or book as part of his/her speech, without
permission of the assembly.
Return to List of Topics
Boards and Committees
The rules for small committee and board meetings are different
from the rules which apply to large meetings of assemblies or plenary bodies. The
Associated Students Senate is a board of directors and probably its business is best
transacted normally using the rules for boards. On the other hand, the Fresno State's
Academic Senate is a much larger body and operates normally under general plenary rules,
as would many student organizations (such as fraternities and sororities) at meetings.
1. Members are not required to obtain the floor before making
motions or speaking, which they can do while seated.
2. Motions need not be seconded.
3. There is no limit to the number of times a member can speak to
a question, and motions to close or limit debate generally are not allowed. [Note: In
practice, even these motions are in fact usually allowed.]
4. Informal discussion of a subject is permitted while no motion
is pending.
5. The chair can speak in discussion, make motions, and usually
votes on all questions.
6. Sometimes, when a proposal is perfectly clear to all present,
a vote can be taken without a motion's having been introduced. Unless agreed by general
consent, however, all proposed actions of a committee must be approved by vote under the
same rules as an assembly.
Return to List of Topics
Making Committees Work
A committee, as understood in parliamentary law, is a body of one
or more persons, elected or appointed by an assembly to consider, investigate, or take
action on certain matters or subjects, or to do all these.
To function effectively, a committee, and especially its chair,
needs to have
1. A list of committee members.
2. A copy of the motion or problem referred to the committee.
3. Special instructions to the committee, if any. These
instructions should include a statement of exactly what the committee is expected to do,
and whether the question is referred to it for discussion, study, hearings,
investigations, recommendations, or action.
4. A statement of the powers and duties of the committee.
5. Copies of all papers or correspondence relating to the subject
assigned to the committee.
6. Copies of any rules, policies, or decisions of the
organization relating to the subject.
7. Information on the type of report desired and the date set for
its presentation.
Reports from committees should minimally contain
1. A statement of the charge to the committee
2. A statement of the methods employed by the committee in
accomplishing its charge.
3. A summary of information gathered or work done.
4. A statement of conclusions or findings.
5. A specific recommendation, together with a rationale for that
recommendation.
6. The names of the members on the committee.
7. A summary (often called an "executive summary" at
the beginning of the report is helpful for long reports.
The next section elaborates the nature and content of committee
reports.
Return to List of Topics
The Committee Report
By whom should the report be prepared? Usually a member of
the committee (often the chair or a recorder, but it could be anyone) prepares a draft of
the report. All members of the committee should be given opportunity to review and revise
the dra ft before it is submitted. It is not the drafter's work product, but the product
of the entire committee.
To whom should be report be made? In most cases the
committee is addressed to the appointing or supervising authority. Occasionally,
particularly at the direction of the authority, a report may go to other individuals or
organizations.
What form should the report take? There is no universally
mandatory form, but some principles help guide us. Reports should go forward with a
written and an oral report; both should be planned carefully to be effective. Exactly what
goes into each depends on a large number of factors: the audience, the nature of the
problem and the solution, time available, how much information is needed by the higher
authority for decision making, and so forth. The report should be prepared and organized
to accomplish two ends: (1) to persuade the higher authority to adopt the report &
its recommendations and (2) to facilitate the decision-making of the higher authority. A
reports need not necessarily be long (being too long may discourage anyone from reading
it), but needs to be long enough to competently and persuasively present the plan and
justify it to the higher authority. Whatever format is decided upon, the report should
meet high professional standards: typed, spell and grammar checked, etc.; a computer and
printer makes this easier.
What content should the reports contain?
The report should
be written to have an impact on those who read it. After reading the
content, the reader
must be convinced the conditions the proposal seeks to remedy are
serious enough to
justify action , understand the details of the proposal and how it will
remedy the problem
conditions, and be assured that the proposal is practical, reasonable,
and will bring no
undesirable side outcomes. The reader must also believe the proposal is
the best alternative. Although the content and organization of the
content is flexible and should be
adapted to each situation, several content elements are usually
"necessary" to
fulfill the functions of a report:
Executive Summary. Especially in longer reports (probably
over 8 pages), it is a good idea to have an Executive Summary in which the whole report
(including purpose, problem, solution, rationale, and recommendations) is summarized in a
few paragraphs, not to exceed one page in length. Explain the purposes of the report. Is
it an interim or final report? Is it to outline factual findings, conclusions, or
recommendations? Is it to summarize actions of the committee or does it propose a project
or program in solution to a problem?
Preamble. A preamble or introduction contains boilerplate
information (such as the name of the committee and the names of the members), a statement
of the charge or mission given to the committee (making the organizational context of the
report clear), and a review of the procedures used in the problem solving process.
Background. The report should give needed background on
the nature of the problem indicating a need for a solution. Succinctly and objectively,
the committee's factual findings and conclusions about the nature of the problem, its
causes, its effects, and related matters should be presented. Appropriate documentation
should be given. If there is a large amount of material as a result of the committee's
work, often this material is best summarized briefly in the report with supporting
documents p laced in an appendix.
Proposed solution. The report should give a detailed
presentation of the solution to the problem, including an implementation plan,
organizational chart, and budget. An implementation plan can include such things as
1. Goals and objectives. Goals point to the qualitative
ideals or values the solution supports; they inspire motive and enable unity of action.
Objectives are the statement of particular activities which, if achieved, result in the
accomplishment of the goals.
2. Statement of personnel. From goals and objectives, we derive particular tasks
that can be done by particular individuals. Often an organization chart makes clear the
various task roles and their interrelationships. Reports should make clear w hat people
will be assigned to which tasks and task roles.
3. Space, materials, and logistics. The proposal must make clear what resources are
needed, including facilities, communications, computers, telephone, mailing, etc.
4. Finances and budget. Linked to the above, the costs of the program (personnel,
materials, mailing, gasoline, etc.) should be clearly and accurately projected. If
possible, the plan should also indicate the source of funds.
5. Time. The report should project a timetable for the accomplishment of the
various objectives and tasks to facilitate the operation of the plan. Who is to do what by
when?
6. Evaluation and impact. Proposals are more likely to be approved if the higher
authority has a clear idea of how to tell if the investment of time and money was worth
it. Explain how to evaluate the success of the program. Specify who will be affected or
inconvenienced by the new program.
Rationale. The report should make an argued defense of the
proposed solution, generally including (1) how the plan will meet the need; (2) why the
plan is desirable in light of relevant absolute and/or relative criteria; and (3) why the
plan has advantages and fewer disadvantages compared to alternative responses to the
problem, including doing nothing.
Recommendation. The report should clearly present a
request for the higher authority to take some action on the work of the committee;
sometimes this function is done in the Preamble. For example, if the committee's function
is largely advisory, then the report should request that the committee be informed of
actions or decisions on the matters covered in the report. If the committee's role was to
provide information, then the request might be that the receipt of the information be
acknowledged. If the committee's role was decision-making or action-taking, then the
request should be for feedback to guide future work.
Return to List of Topics
Minutes
1. Minutes are the
official record of the proceedings of a deliberative assembly, board, or
committee.
2. Robert’s says that
minutes “should contain a record of what was done at a meeting, not what
was said by the members.”
3. As with other
parliamentary rules and devices, minutes should serve the needs of the
organization and its special character. While the parliamentary rule advises
not to put the flow of discussion and debate into minutes, in practice many
organizations do in fact do just that. In the minutes for an Academic Senate
and many of its committees, for example, the minutes record not only the
decisions (motions) but also the flow of discussion points, so that the
rationale for decisions may be clear in the future. The amount of such detail
in minutes depends on the nature of the group and its custom. Similarly, the
minutes of many groups include comments and humorous remarks; while not
technically correct, the “spirit of the group” may be enhanced and nourished by
giving a personality to the minutes.
4. Who does the
minutes? Of course, the answer to this question varies with the group.
Normally a person is formally designated as the secretary or recorder to prepare
the minutes. In some groups, a staff member performs this function. In
some committees, the chair of the committee prepares the minutes.
5. The minutes are the
property of the assembly, board, or committee. As such, after the minutes are
submitted to the members at a meeting, the members approve the minutes (by a
formal vote or by consent as when the chair says, “If there are no corrections
or objections, then the minutes will be approved as distributed”). In practice
often a draft of minutes is circulated among the members and interested parties
(such as a person who presented a report at a meeting from a subcommittee) for
corrections and improvements before the final and official minutes are
distributed and acted upon by the group.
6. The format should be
appropriate for the group. Each minutes should have the name of the group
(board or committee), the date, time, and place of the meeting, the name of the
chair and recorder for the meeting, a record of those attending the meeting, and
whether the minutes of the previous meeting was approved (as read or as
corrected). The body of the minutes should contain a separate paragraph for
each subject matter. Motions and decisions should be clearly stated. The
secretary or recorder signs the minutes (especially the official record).
Return to List of Topics
Frequent Things You Want to Do
Objective
Appropriate motion
Present an idea for consideration or action
Main motion or Resolution; Consider subject informally
Improve a pending motion
Amend; Division of the question
Regulate or cut-off debate
Limit or extend debate; Previous question (vote immediately)
Delay a decision
Refer to committee; Postpone definitely ; Postpone indefinitely
(kills motion)
Suppress a proposal
Object to consideration; Postpone indefinitely; Withdraw a
motion
Meet an emergency
Question of privilege; Suspend rules; Lay on the table
Gain information on a pending motion
Parliamentary inquiry; Request for information; Question of
privilege; Request to ask member a question
Question the decision of the chair
Point of order; Appeal from decision of chair
Enforce rights and privileges
Division of assembly; Division of question; Parliamentary
inquiry; Point of order; Appeal from decision of chair
Consider a question again
Resume consideration; Reconsider; Rescind
Change an action already taken
Reconsider; Rescind; Amend motion previously adopted
Terminate a meeting
Adjourn; Recess
This table was based on a table in Alice Sturgis's The
Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (3rd edition), but modified for motions in Robert's
Rules of Order Newly Revised.
Return to List of Topics
Table of Rules related to Motions
John A. Cagle, 2006 -- Based on
Robert's Rules of Order
Newly Revised
Excel version for printing Table of Rules
Motions
MOTION (by order of precedence)
Interrupt
Second
Debatable
Amendable
Vote
Adjourn
No
Yes
No
No
Majority
Recess
No
Yes
Sometimes
Yes
Majority
Question of Privilege
Yes
No
No
No
Chair
Personal Privilege
Yes
No
No
No
Chair
Parliamentary Inquiry
Yes
No
No
No
Chair
Point of Information
Yes
No
No
No
Chair
Orders of the Day
No
No
No
No
Chair
Lay on the table
No
Yes
No
No
Majority (2/3)
Previous Question
No
Yes
No
No
2/3
Limit or extend debate
No
Yes
No
Yes
2/3
Postpone to a certain time
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Majority
Refer to committee
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Majority
Amend
No
Yes
If motion is
Yes
Majority
Postpone Indefinitely
No
Yes
Yes
No
Majority
MAIN MOTION
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Majority
RECONSIDER
Yes
Yes
If motion is
No
Majority
RESCIND
No
Yes
Yes
No
2/3 (majority)
AMEND MOTION PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
2/3 (majority)
INCIDENTAL MOTIONS -- NO ORDER OF PRECEDENCE
MOTION (no order of precedence)
Interrupt
Second
Debatable
Amendable
Vote
Appeal from decision of chair
Yes
Yes
Sometimes
No
Majority
Suspend the rules
No
Yes
No
No
2/3
Object to consideration
Yes
No
No
No
2/3 against con.
Point of order
Yes
No
No
No
Chair
Withdraw a motion
Yes
Yes
No
No
Majority
Division of question
No
Yes
No
Yes
Majority
Division of assembly
Yes
No
No
No
None
Return to List of Topics
Links to other places:
Link to Cagle's homepage.
Link to the
American
Institute of Parliamentarians
Link to National
Association of Parliamentarians
Link to Yahoo's
Parliamentary
Procedure
Link to California
State University, Fresno
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