TCGSMUN III 2014 CONFERENCE

Crisis CommitteeRules of Procedure

Written by Chairperson Flora HuangWith the assisatnce of IMUNC2013. Florida Crisis Simulation.Global Classroom. Gator MUN XI.

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Rules of ProcedureClick on each category for more information

- Foreward - Crisis Committees Basic - Procedures - Powers of the Chairpersons and Crisis Directors - Roll Call - Speaker's List - Points - Point of Procedural Inquiry - Point of Personal Privilege - Point of Order - Right to Reply - Motions - Moderated Caucus - Unmoderated Caucus - Motion to Amend Council Procedure - Adjournment of Debate - Closure of Debate - Voting Procedures - Special Rules in Crisis Committees - Directives - General Format - Voting Procedure on Directives - Amendments - Communiqué - Press Releases - Crises and crisis staff - Position Paper - Epilogue

Foreword

Please take note that Crisis committee at TCGSMUN III follows a slightly modified set of rules from other committees as well as traditional crisis committees. The committee itself operates in derogation to TCGSMUN’s general rules of procedure due to its specific nature. Delegates should be well-acquainted with the procedure, and please do not hesitate to contact the Chair if any question.

Crisis Committee Basics

Crisis committee is a special committee that does not have a parallel in the actual United Nations. While traditional MUN committees deal with a forced, unchanging topic, delegates in a crisis committee will be required to take simultaneous and decisive action to events designed by the crisis staff. The committee adopts a relatively less-structured form of procedure to accommodate its fast-paced and interactive nature. Instead of working towards passing a resolution at the end of the session, delegates will publish directives to accomplish their goals. Each of these variations will be detailed below, along with the rules and procedures of the committee.

Crisis committees are smaller committees consisting of 20-25 delegates. These committees are usually fast-paced and use directives instead of resolutions to act out the actions of the delegates.

Procedure

a. Powers of the Chairpersons and Crisis DirectorsThe committee staffs are charged with ensuring the success and flow of each session. Other specific powers will be mentioned in each category.

b. Roll callA role call will be made by the Chair at the opening of the committee. Simply raise your placard when your name/position is called.

c. Speaker’s listDelegates must move to open the Speakers List at the opening of the first committee session. The delegates will be called upon, in alphabetical order, to make an introductory speech. This will last 1.5 minutes per delegate, following which time must be yielded back to the Chair; yields to other delegates or points of information are not in order.The chair will then look forward to a motion of moderated caucus. However, if no motions currently stand, the council will revert back to a general speaking list, where any delegate may speak after the Chair’s recognition, in the order they raise their placards. Speaking time is automatically set to 1 minute per delegate, unless a motion to change the speaking time is passed. Yields to other delegates or points of information are in order.

d. Points:

i. Point of Procedural InquiryThis motion is used to pose questions to the Chair about procedural or substantive debate matters. In case you don’t know what’s going on in the first place, you may either write a private note to the Chair or raise this point to ask what the current motion on the floor is, or to ask how you should go about doing something. May not interrupt a speech; must be raised only between speeches.

ii.Point of Personal PrivilegeThis motion is used in instances of personal discomfort or inability to participate in debate, i.e., in cases such as difficulty hearing a speaker or room temperature.

iii.Point of OrderThis point may be used to correct errors in procedure by either the Chair or another delegate. If you discover that the Chair had accidentally messed up council proceedings, or that the information/data raised by a delegate in his speech is wrong, you may raise this point to the floor. Can interrupt a speech if pertaining to the speech.

iv. Right to replyA Right to Reply is raised when a delegate feels that him has been directly and personally insulted by another delegate’s speech. He may then raise the right to reply, and the delegate speaking may explain or correct himself at the discretion of the Chair. If found to be guilty or personal attack, the other delegate will be forced to apologize. Can interrupt a speech.

e. MotionsMotions affect council proceedings, and the way the debate is currently conducted. Most motions influence the overall situation in some way, and requires a vote unless otherwise specified. Note that at any time between speeches, other motions may be entertained at the discretion of the Chair. The Chair also retains the right to automatically pass a motion with executive authority if necessary.Crises may also interrupt speeches, or occur within the midst of a motion, such as a moderated caucus. In this case, a motion for a moderated caucus to discuss the crisis is in order, and will automatically supersedes any current outstanding motion on the floor.

i.Moderated CaucusA moderated caucus is similar to the Speakers List though in a more compact form. The difference is that a moderated caucus is limited to a specific topic and that the time for the caucus is stated as well as the speaking time. Delegates may raise their placards to be called on by the Chair. A Moderated Caucus requires a 1/2 majority to pass.Format: “Motion for a Moderated Caucus of (Total duration) with an individual speaking time of (Speaking time per delegate) to discuss the issue of (Topic of Moderated Caucus)”Example: “Motion for a Moderated Caucus of 10 minutes speaking time with an individual speaking time of 1 minute to discuss the issue of border determination.”

ii. Unmoderated CaucusUnmoderated caucuses are the most informal form of procedure. In it, delegates will be able to discuss the issues more freely and openly, unconstrained by the hassles of procedure. Delegates would also be allowed to work on research and their directives. The time of this caucus is moderated by the Chair; however, delegates may discuss freely amongst each other for that duration of the time. Requires a 1/2 majority to pass.Format: Motion for an Unmoderated Caucus of (Total duration)

iii. Motion to Amend Council ProcedureIf a delegate feels that the total time to speak or individual speaking time per delegate is unsuitable, the delegate may motion to amend council procedure and change either the individual speaking time or the total time to speak. Accepted only at the Chair’s discretion. Requires a 1/2 majority to pass.Format: “ Motion to amend Council Procedure, changing total speaking time/individual speaking time per member to (time amount)”

f. Adjournment of Debate:This is used to temporarily end the committee session for a specific break, such as for lunch or dinner. It requires only a simple majority.

g. Closure of debate:This motion will end the debate and will directly move the council into voting procedures on any standing directives. Closure of Debate requires 2/3 majority.

h. Voting procedures:Upon the closure of debate, the body immediately moves into voting procedure. No additional amendments or directives may be submitted to the dais at this point. In this committee, we will only adopt Vote by Placard. The Chairperson will call for all those in favor and in opposition. Note that abstention is not in order. Delegates will raise their placards as desired voting.

i. Special Rules in Crisis Committee1. Request for information/adviceDelegates are not alone in their struggle for war or peace in crisis committee; they have their trusted councils and departments below them. Delegates are thus able to request for information or advice from their department/council. For example, the Minister of Finance may contact his treasury to find out the amount of state funds left, or the Secretary of State may contact his ambassador to America to ask of his opinion on the country.

Requests for Information/Advice can be passed discreetly to the Chair in note form. A reply will be returned to the delegate promptly.

2. Speech in third person is NOT required. Delegates may address each other on a last name basis. For example, Chairwoman Yachimovich instead of Chairwoman of Labor Party or Shelly Yachimovich. First person pronouns, for instance, I, we, he, are also in order.

3.The Chair may speak as a normal delegate if he wishes; he makes speeches and motions, and has executive power to override directives if necessary. However, he does not vote.

4. Assassination and military action are in order.

Directive

A directive serves either the committee body or individual members by calling for the implementation of a specific action. These are messages to the world communicating the intent of the committee regarding the current crisis. Directives may be used for a variety of effects such as the movement of supplies or personnel, establishment of negotiations with another individual or body, orders for battle and war, institution of laws, etc. It can take the form of military orders, diplomatic letters, espionage plans, speeches, official press releases, official government stance, amendments to law,etc.

a. General Format:

Directives are written in resolution format, but are not expected to include the extensively detailed perambulatory clauses that a resolution will. The title of your delegation should be at the top. Followed by the title of the directive or a brief description of the action it takes. The directive itself should be clear and concise. Explain all necessary action that is to be taken with as much detail as may be needed to effectively carry out the action. Remember, the committee needs to be able to read and fully comprehend the actions of your submission so write clearly and legibly. Note that each delegate will be privileged to individual portfolio powers. Delegates will be able to take unilateral action within and outside the committee. Furthermore, delegates can have jurisdictions, so that the committee can or cannot act without their approval. The delegate may use these powers openly with the committee and/or individually and secretly.

Example: To: The US GovernmentFrom: Barack Obama-Send 2000 additional troops to Afghanistan

b. Voting procedure on Directives:

If a directive is submitted to force the committee or subsidiary body into action, the directive will be voted upon by the members of the committee through the following process.

1. Submit the Directive to the Dais- In crisis committees, we do not write resolutions. Instead, we use directives.A directive may be written and submitted to the dais by any member of the committee. A directive must have at least 3 sponsors before it can be before it can be submitted to the dais. The Chair may send back a directive if it lacks sufficient details or leaves the major question unanswered.

2. Introducing the Directive- Once submitted, the council will automatically move into an introduction/summary of the directive by the sponsors, followed by 3 speakers for the directive, and 3 speakers against, with individual speaking time of 1.5 minutes each, unless otherwise amended. Amendments require a 1/2 majority to pass. Abstentions are not allowed.

3.Admentment on DirectivesIf,throughout the course of the debate on the directive, a delegate wishes to make an amendment to the directive, he may motion to introduce an amendment. Delegates should send a note containing their amendment to the Chair, and then motion to introduce their amendment. The motion requires a 1/2 majority to pass. However, please note that this can only be done after speakers for and against the directive are finished with their speeches. The council will then enter into an introduction/summary of the amendment by the sponsors. However, after the introductory speech, the floor will be immediately closed, and the whole council will move into the voting procedure for this amendment. The amendment requires a 3/4 majority to pass.

4. Voting on the Directive- Once the debate is closed, the committee will directly move into voting procedures on the directive. A 3/4 majority is needed to pass a directive. There are no abstentions, roll call votes, or votes by acclamation. If the directive passes, all the other directives will be immediately discarded and will no longer be debated or voted.

c. AmendmentsIn a crisis committee, amendments may or may not be accepted at the discretion of the Chair.

i. FriendlyA friendly amendment is submitted to the Chair by the authors of the directive. The amendment is immediately accepted and added to the initial submission.

ii.UnfriendlyAn unfriendly amendment may be made by any delegate to any directive on the floor. This amendment will be voted on by the committee once in voting procedures.

Communiqué

While most delegates in Taiwan may be more familiar with sending “notes”, crisis committee uses communiqué for communication, which expands the range of discussion.

A communiqué is simply a format document communication form. It may be used on an individual or committee basis. Communiqués may be used to communicate to the public, an individual, or a group. Communiqués only need to be voted on if they are to be sent out from the whole committee. The voting procedure on a communiqué will follow the same steps as a directive.

This is a form of receiving and sending information beyond the committee. Responses will be given reasonably based on the details of the communiqué. Communiqués can be used to try to open negotiations, ask for assistance, inform the public, or even deliver ultimatums. The crisis staff may also send communiqués to delegates with new information of intelligence, with directions on how to use that information.

Example1:To: FranceFrom: The United States- Would France be willing to support this directive? If not, what provisions will you like to see in it?

Example2:To: The Emperor of JapanFrom: The Allies- We demand an immediate, unconditional surrender by all Japanese forces within 48 hours, or we shall be forced to unleash unimaginable devastation upon your cities.(*Take special note that The Emperor of Japan may not be seated in this conference, which means that delegates will be able to send out messages to the outer world or individual not included in the committee via communiqués)

Press Releases

Press Releases are used to make public statements. If you have information that you feel needs to go public, such as the denouncement of an accusation, send a Press Release to the dais. Upon receiving your Press Release, the dais will announce the content of the Press Release to the committee.

Example:From: North Korea- We deny all accusations of human rights violations made by the UN. Our great and irresistibly attractive leader, Kim Jung Un, would like to warn everyone that foreign intervention will not be tolerated.

Crises and crises staff

The most radical difference from that of General Assembly is the introduction of crises during committee sessions. Crisis committees do not usually follow an agenda but rather work toward a common goal with reacting to crises. Crises are events in the outside world that affect the committee, and are presented by crisis staff. Examples of crises can be a newspaper article on an issue, a communication from a neighboring government, a guest speaker, or a surveillance video. As a result, ANYTHING can happen, and delegates will have to be knowledgeable and prepared to react appropriately to further the committee’s interests.Delegates can interact with the outside world and ask questions about crisis capabilities by sending in notes to the dais. The crisis staff will answer questions through sending notes back.

Position papers

Position papers ARE required and are considered in the overall scoring of delegate’s progress. Furthermore, we will have a special award based on how well a delegate can represent their character’s interests. The format of the position paper are a 1-2 page single-spaced paper with 12pt. Calibri/Corbel. The paper should be written from the character’s perspective and should illustrate his basic background, position on key issues, proposed goals and solutions for the committee. The Chair may have further requirements, which will be listed under the background guide.

Epilogue

To make everything much easier, here is the general flow of a crisis committee:

>> Speakers List opens with delegates outlining their position(introductory speech)>> Delegates motion for a moderated caucus on a specified topic for a specific length of time with a specific individual speaker time.>>Delegates discuss actions to take regarding that issue through caucuses and notes.>>Delegate submit directives to the Chair to take action and introduce that directive.>>Discussion on the directives will proceed through the current moderated caucus with three for and three against on the discussed directive, and amendments may be proposed and voted on.>>A delegate may motion to vote on a directive, or that the debate is closed and the whole council will directly mote into voting procedures, and the directive will either be passed or rejected.>>A crisis will occur, oftentimes in the middle of debate. The crisis staff will introduce new information or developments through news articles, videos, intelligence reports, etc.>>Discussion will shift informally or through a moderated caucus to discuss this development.

The Chair would like to once again welcome you and your delegation to TCGSMUN III Crisis Committee 2014! For any question regarding the Rules of Procedure or the committee at large, feel free to contact Chairperson Flora Huang @ floradahuang@yahoo.com or kik:floradahuangWe look forward to seeing you in June!