BasicRoberts Rules of Order

Facilitator

Bob Walters, SPHR

Course Overview

• Background• Why Robert’s• Purpose of Robert’s• 10 Basic Rules• Running a meeting efficiently• Keeping minutes• Motions and Voting• Discussion

Background

• Robert's Rules of Order is the default legal process for most corporate, fraternal, professional, and other social groups founded during the last century in Canada. First published in 1876 as a synthesis of existing practices derived from British parliamentary law and continuously revised since then, Robert's specifies the creation and maintenance of what are technically known as deliberative assemblies. It is through the action of deliberative assemblies that most of our public business is legally conducted.

Why Robert’s

• It is generally accepted that our deliberative assemblies must operate in a manner that is formal, fair, and democratic. It is generally agreed that Robert's provides such a process. If we ignore the sometimes musty terminology of traditional parliamentary procedure, it may not be going too far to say that the process described by Robert's is basically what anyone would get if he or she thought through the fair and orderly operation of majority rule.

Why Robert’s• There is a lot to be said for the traditional

approach to group procedure. After centuries of use it has been thoroughly debugged and tested under every conceivable set of circumstances; this demands respect from anyone who has tried to construct group processes. Robert's is built into most of our parent organizations (commercial and otherwise); its documentation is very widely available; it knows how to bootstrap itself; and it can continue to function even when resolving questions about which there are deeply opposed points of view.

Purpose of RROBased on common sense and logic…

The rules protect:

– (a) the rights of the majority to decide

– (b) the rights of the minority to be heard

– (c) the rights of individual members

– (d) the rights of absentees

The Ten Basic Rules1. The Rights of the Organization Supersede the Rights of

the Individual Members

2. All members are equal and their rights are equal

Those rights are…• TO ATTEND MEETING• TO MAKE MOTIONS AND SPEAK

In debate…• TO NOMINATE• TO VOTE• TO HOLD OFFICE

The Ten Basic Rules3. A quorum must be present

to do business

For General Business Meetings…

“Quorum”– Either 10% or ?? members in

good standing (depends on House or local rules

– Including a majority of the local’s officers

The Ten Basic Rules4. The majority rules• “All questions at any legally convened Society meeting shall be decided by

simple majority of the votes cast, unless stipulated otherwise in the Constitution.”

5. Silence means consent• “Those members that do NOT vote AGREE to go along with the decision of

the majority by their silence.”

6. Two-thirds vote rule• “A 2/3rds vote is necessary whenever limiting or taking away the rights of

members or changing a previous decision.”

The Ten Basic Rules

7. One question at a time and one speaker at a time.

• “Motions must be related to matters under consideration”

• “Once a member has been ‘recognized’ this individual has been granted ‘the floor’ and may not be interrupted by another member”

8. Motions must receive full debate

• “The meeting chair may not put a motion to vote as long as members wish to debate it”

• “The debate can only be cut short by a 2/3rds vote”

The Ten Basic Rules9. Once a decision made, an identical motion must not be

brought forward at the same meeting

• Such a motion shall be ruled out of order by the meeting chair• If a motion wants to be reconsidered it may at another general with a 2/3

majority vote

10. Personal remarks in a debate are ALWAYS out of order

• Debate not

• Debate must be directed to and not

MOTIONS MOTIVES

PRINCIPLES PERSONALITIES

Running a Meeting EffectivelyMeeting Chair Characteristics

• On time and stays on time

• Organized: has a meeting agenda sent out ahead of time

• Prepared: knows the rules and bylaws

Running a Meeting Effectively• In control of the floor

• Impartial

• Composed

• Precise: restates motions before votes

• Focused: stays on track with discussions

• Temperate: uses the gavel sparingly

Keeping MinutesMinutes are the written

record of the meeting

• Minutes are the permanent and legal record of the meeting

• They should be written as concisely as possible

• Secretary’s duty (the secretary should not be that of conflicting role).

• All Local bylaw’s must be recorded and entered in a separate document so that a member can view at any time.

Keeping MinutesWhat should be in the

minutes?

• Date/time of meeting

• List of attendance

• Brief description of discussions

• Recording of all motions– Include name– Who made the motion– Who seconded– Results of the vote

• Time of adjournment

Keeping MinutesApproval of Minutes

• At each meeting, review minutes from prior meeting

• Allow for corrections

• Reminder to members of previous decisions and discussions

Motions and VotingKeep it simple

• Any voting member may make a motion

• Another voting member must “second” the motion

• Discussion may then take place

• Following discussion, the Meeting Chair must call for a vote – Those in favor– Those opposed– Those abstaining

Basic Overview

• Democratic process to organizations– Decision making by vote– Everyone has the right to present ideas, speak,

and vote.– Leaders are selected through an election– All members are equal – Everything is accomplished in spirit of

openness.• Minutes, reports, notices of meetings

Parliamentary Procedure

• To allow an efficient manner and to maintain order while business is conducted

• Ensure everyone gets a right to vote• One business item at a time• Promotes courtesy, justice, and impartiality• Goal – to have everyone participate, working

together, and more productive meetings• More discussion, more motions

Basic Principles• Business is one item at a time

– Each meeting has an agenda– Only one member can have the floor at one time– Take turns speaking

• Promote courtesy, justice, impartiality, and equality– Meetings timed– Conversations stop– Members do not cross talk to each other, all remarks

made to the chair (no side bars)– Discuss only the issues

Principles in motion• The presiding officer doesn’t take sides in the debate• All members should know the rules • The presiding officer ensures that all sides of the debate

are heard• Members have a right to protect privacy by bringing votes

to secret ballot• Members have a right to have notice of all meetings• All decisions from votes are based on a majority• Members have the right to be informed of all work in the

organization

Order of a Business Meeting

• Agenda – comes from the Latin meaning “things to be done”

• Outline of items

Accepted Order of Business• Minutes from the previous

meeting are read and approved– Members who were not

present at last meeting are brought up to speed.

– In case of any legal actions brought against the organization, the minutes are the legal documents. They are evidence!

– Changes are accepted to minutes, then they are approved.

Order of Business continued

• Officer reports – 1st VP, Treasurer, etc. • Special committee reports • Unfinished business• New business

– Anything new and not discussed at last meeting • Adjournment (one tap of gavel)

Quorum

• Latin “of them”• Are there enough

members to hold a meeting?

• Determined in by-laws• Or, majority of

members (two thirds)

Business meeting in Action• Call meeting to order

– One tap of gavel or ask members to sit– “This meeting will come to order at ….”– After minutes are read:

“Are there any corrections?”“The minutes are approved as read”

- If there is a change or correction:“If there is no objection, the minutes will be corrected by

(insert change). Are there any further corrections? Hearing none, the minutes are approved as corrected”

Report of Officers

• Does not need a motion.• Stated “The Treasurer’s

report is filed.”• All are approved

through the secretary’s report.

Presenting a motion• Make sure to include who, what, where, and when. • Make sure it is positive• “Madam President, I move that we have a picnic

on Saturday, June 15, at 3pm in the park”• President either asks for a second or a second is

volunteered– “I Second the motion” or by stating “Second”– Without a second, the motion dies.– President states “With no second, the motion dies”

Making a Motion• With a second, the motion is restated and the

President asks “Is there any discussion?”• Now discussion takes place and the maker of the

motion has first chance to debate• Everyone gets a turn to speak twice• President states “Is there any further discussion?

Hearing none, (re-state motion) and say “All those in favor say aye, those opposed say no.”

• “ The ayes have it, and the motion is carried. At this time, restate the motion

Motions Continued• If a member feels that

the vote is too close to count, then a division is called

• “Division, or I doubt the result of the vote”

• This is considered an incidental motion and does not need a second or debate.

• President “A division has been called for. All those in favor please rise, be seated. Those opposed please rise. Be seated”

Common Mistakes when making a motion

• Most common is “I make a motion”• This is not a motion and must be restated• Often times, the person who seconds the

motion is made to feel as if they have already taken sides.

• A “second” only opens the floor to debate the motion, not necessarily showing agreement with the motion.

Amending a motion• Need to change the original motion• “I move that on every Wednesday in March, the

executive team consisting of president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer wear bright green shirts during staff meetings.”

• Proceed with a second and discussion.• During discussion, “I move to amend the motion

by striking green and inserting pink”• It is then seconded.

Amending a Motion

• At this time, discussion turns to changing green shirts to pink shirts.

• When voting, now the focus is on the change, not if the executive team will wear the shirts. If the motion passes to change the green shirts to pink shirts, then a new vote will take place to see if executives will wear pink shirts.

Adjournment• No motion is necessary• “Are there any further

items of business?”• “If there is no objection,

the meeting will now adjourn?”

• Since there are no objections, the meeting is adjourned.”– One rap of gavel

Open Discussion

REMEMBER:

The basic premise is to

and not to hinder

HELP

DECISION MAKING

Robert’s Rules of OrderSome useful Web sites:

www.roberts-rules.com/

www.constitution.org

www.amta-il.org

www.rpia.org

www.lcdems.com