The Basics of Robert's Rules of Order

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The Basics of Robert's Rules of Order Thiel
College Student Government Association (SGA)
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Why Use Robert's Rules?

• Roberts Rules help with large group decision
  making, and with organization of meetings.
• Understanding Robert's Rules will help you
• Run SGA Meetings more efficiently
• Provide everyone with an opportunity to speak.
• Give members opportunity to make informed
  decisions.
• Prevent chaos, unnessary debate, etc.

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The Purpose of Robert's Rules

• Conduct business efficiently
• Protect the rights of the absent
• Protect the rights of the minority
• Rule by the majority (not of the outspoken)?
• Allow all to be heard

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Basic Concepts to Cover

• Motions
• Amending Motions
• How/When Members can Speak
• Putting Off Discussion
• Calling the Question (Asking for a vote)
• Types and Rules for Voting
• Appealing the Decision of the President/Chair

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Making Motions

• Motions are required for any discussion
• States what action should be taken to make a
  motion, say I move that we ..., followed by a
  statement of the action you want the assembly to
  take.
• Motions should only state the action you want the
  assembly to take, not the reasons for it yet

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Taking Action on Motions

• Most motions require a SECOND to start debate
  this prevents the assemblys time from being
  taken up by something that only one person wants
  to do
• When a member makes a SECOND, they are only
  stating that she/he feels a motion should be
  discussed. She/he is not stating that she/he
  agrees that the motion should be carried.

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Taking Action on MotionsCONTINUED...

• The President/Chair will recognize the maker of
  the motion to speak first, then go in order.
• Speeches should only talk about why the body
  should or should not take this action
• The President/Chair will select speakers based on
  oppossing sides (in order to make sure each side
  is heard).
• Each debate should have a designated time-frame
  to stay within.

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Amending a Motion

• By motioning to amend, a member is asking the
  assembly to change what action to take.
• The motioner should have a planned
  statement/amendment thought out before making
  this motion.
• An amendment must be germane one can't
  completely change the focus of the original
  motion
• Speeches should only talk about the difference
  between the original and the proposed change

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Amending MotionsCONTINUED...

• Amendments require a SECOND and vote.
• Friendly amendments (agreed upon by the
  originator and seconder) can be made, but are not
  strictly correct. These are used to keep
  discussion going.
• Often times these are made in order to more
  correctly express the intent of the original
  motion
• Anyone can object to these, and formal action
  should be taken in these cases.

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When/How Members can Speak

• Two Turn Rule for Speaking on Motions
• Members are only allowed to speak twice on each
  motion
• Once unconditionally
• Once after everyone who wishes to have spoken has
  had the opportunity
• An amendment is a new motion
• If motion is successfully amended, it's a new
  motion, so limits reset

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How/When Members can SpeakCONTINUED

• Two speech rule, continued
• After a member has spoken twice, the
  President/Chair can still recognize her/him, but
  should question the purpose
• Members are allowed to make amendments, call for
  the question, etc
• Members are not allowed to debate again

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How/When Member can SpeakCONTINUED

• Additional Opportunities for Members to Speak
• Point of Order
• Asks the President/Chair to enforce the rules,
  this should bring the assembly back on topic
• EXAMPLE Point of order aren't we supposed to
  be discussing the amendment?

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How/When Members can SpeakCONTINUED

• Point of Information
• These are used strictly for asking clarifying
  questions, or state a relevant fact for the
  discussion.
• Members do not have to wait for turn when making
  a Point of Information
• Example Point of information how many meetings
  has this group recorded absences at?
• Example Point of information we agreed to
  transfer an additional 200 to that budget last
  year.
• These are not used as continued debate time for a
  member.

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How/When Members can SpeakCONTINUED

• Point of Parliamentary Inquiry
• Members can always ask the President/Chair or
  Parliamentarian a question of procedure
• Example Point of inquiry dont we need a
  2/3rds vote on this?
• Members often use this when they want to do
  something, but aren't sure how.
• Sometimes members use this when they believe the
  President/Chair is heading down the wrong
  procedural path.

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Putting Off Discussion

• When members think that there is not enough
  information for an immediate decision, they can
  make a motion to postpone I move that we
  postpone this discussion until ...
• This requires a SECOND and majority vote
• Most of the time, using table is incorrect
  tabling postpones a discussion within a meeting,
  not until another meeting.

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Calling for the Question(Asking for a Vote)

• If a member thinks that each argument has been
  fully heard, she/he can ask the chair to call for
  the question
• Example I call for the question
• This action requires a SECOND and majority vote.

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Types and Rules of Voting

• Ways to Vote
• Unanimous consent (without objection)?
• Ayes and nays
• Division of the Assembly (raising of hands)?
• Ballot

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Types and Rules of VotingCONTINUED...

• Unanimous Consent
• This can be used when a member thinks that
  there's a strong possibility that no one would
  object to a motion
• Example I'd like to ask for unanimous consent
  to postpone discussion on this topic until next
  meeting
• The President/Chair would ask for any objections
• If anyone objects, vote fails, but can move to
  another form of voting

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Types and Rules of VotingCONTINUED...

• Ayes and nays
• President/Chair asks those in favor and those
  opposed to speak up accordingly
• President/Chair makes a ruling on who he thinks
  carried the vote - the chair rules that the ayes
  have it
• Ruling may be appealed by calling for division

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Types and Rules of VotingCONTINUED...

• Division of the Assembly
• Can be done by standing, or raising hands
• Ballot
• Paper Ballot

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Types and Rules of VotingCONTINUED...

• President/Chair should state what is being voted
  on
• There must be a majority (or 2/3rds) of members
  in favor abstentions count as nay
• If there are 16 members present, and the vote is
  7 to 5 in favor, the motion fails majority
  requires 9 votes in favor
• Chair votes when done by ballot, or to break a tie

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Types and Rules of VotingCONTINUED...

• A failed vote means the default action occurs.
• Most of the time (approving a motion, changing
  policy), the default action is to do nothing.
• There are situations where bylaws or policies set
  up a different default action.
• In that case, if the motion was to do some
  different action. If it fails, the original
  action still occurs.

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Appealing the President/Chairs Decision

• The chair makes rulings to speed discussion, but
  the body has the ultimate authority
• If you think the chair is wrong, bring it up as
  soon as possible with a point of order
• If the chair disagrees, you can overrule the
  decision I appeal the decision of the chair
• The discussion turns to whether or not the
  chair's ruling is correct
• Chair may participate in discussion
• If a majority is in favor of the appeal, chair's
  decision is overruled.

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SGA Cheat Sheet

• Passing a club requires a majority vote.
• Passing the budget presented by the Treasurer
  requires a majority vote.
• No voting is official unless a quorum exists.
• A quorum is reached if the majority of members
  are present at the meeting.
• The President/Chair only votes in case of a tie.
• See the Motions Guide for more information.