1. QFA President’s Academy
Introduction to Robert’s Rules of Order
Newly Revised
Expands on the information in the Chapter Operations Manual

2. History General Henry Martyn Robert – US Army Engineer
First edition published February 9, 1876
Sarah Corbin Robert – daughter-in-law continued with Revised edition
Henry M. Robert III – grandson wrote most recent edition (2000 Newly Revised)

3. EFFICIENCY EQUAL RIGHTS
Purpose
EFFICIENCY
noun, plural ef·fi·cien·cies. 1. the state or quality of being efficient; competency in performance.
2. accomplishment of or ability to accomplish a job with a minimum expenditure of time and effort: The assembly line increased industry's efficiency.
EQUAL RIGHTS

4. Constitution and Bylaws
Now used as only “Bylaws”
May define quorum
Prescribes how the society functions
Includes all rules that the society considers so important that they (a) cannot be changed without previous notice to the members and the vote of a specified large majority (such as two-thirds vote), and (b) cannot be suspended (with some exceptions)
Names the parliamentary authority
Overrules Robert!
Highlights of what Bylaws are….
Exceptions for suspension are clauses that provide for their own suspension under specified conditions…)
Know and understand your Bylaws

5. Rules of Order
Written rules of parliamentary procedure formally adopted by an assembly or an organization
Relate to orderly transaction of business in meetings and to duties of officers in that connection
The object is to facilitate the smooth functioning of the assembly and to provide a firm basis for resolving questions of procedure that may arise
Overrule Robert!
Convention rules of order in the book !
Require either (a) previous notice and a two-thirds vote or (b) a vote of a majority of the entire membership
Standing Rules – not convention – (1) which are related to the details of the administration of a society rather than to parliamentary procedure, and (2) which can be adopted or changed upon the same conditions as any ordinary act of the society. Ex. Setting the hour at which the mtgs begin. Majority vote without previous notice.
Standing Rules – convention – usually contain both parliamentary rules and nonparliamentary rules and apply to that convention only (develop over time so there are usually no changes after a while)

6. Deliberative Assembly
Local assembly of an organized group – acts for the total membership in the transaction of it business i.e. Chapter meetings
Convention – an assembly of delegates chose, normally for one session only, as representatives of constituent units or subdivisions of a much larger body of people in whose name the convention sits and acts
Board – an administrative, managerial, or quasi-judicial body of elected or appointed persons
Deliberative Assembly – the kind of gathering to which parliamentary law is generally understood to apply.
There are additional deliberative assemblies beyond this list (mass meetings, legislative bodies) – these apply to us

7. Minimums for a Meeting
Quorum – minimum number of members who must be present at the meetings of a deliberative assembly for business to be legally transacted
Officers - Presiding officer and Secretary
Presiding officer – conducts the meeting and sees that the rules are observed
Secretary – makes a written record of what is done
Quorum req’t is a protection against totally unrepresentative action in the name of the body by an unduly small number of persons.
Meeting is different than Session, whereas a session may consist of one or more meetings

8. Roles and Responsibilities
President - conducts the meeting and sees that the rules are observed, impartial, third person
Officers – submit agenda items ahead of time and provide accurate, yet brief, reports
Secretary - makes a written record of what is done
Members – submit agenda items ahead of time and actively participate, address the presiding officer only
All – ensure an environment of respect; address motion, not the individual
President or presiding officer – speaks in third person, the chair recognizes blah
Officers – all officers should have a report every meeting (ex. Recruitment during non-recruitment season)
Secretary – done, not said
All – respect also means keeping quiet while others speak, paying attention, being engaged in the meeting, speaking on the topic at hand
Our Chapter Operations Manual does allow for a Parliamentarian to keep order, if you have that position

9. Chapter Meeting Agenda
Resolution, Oath and Creed
Roll Call
Officer Reports – start with President
Old Business
New Business
Close Meeting

10. Conducting Business
Call to Order – once quiet “The meeting will come to order” (not part of the order of business)
Reading and Approval of Minutes
Reports of Officers, Boards, and Standing committees (permanently established)
Reports of Special Committees
Special Orders – matters with previous special priority
Unfinished Business and General Orders – matters previously introduced which have come over from the preceding meetings
New Business – matters initiated in the present meeting
The focus is on parliamentary procedure, so it skips steps unique to us
Additional “Calls to order” may occur during the order of business, after a recess or a specified adjournment
Special committees exist until their specific task is completed
A convention commonly adopts its own order of business - ours in NC&B (aka Program)

11. Means to Bring Business Before the Assembly
Motions – formal proposal by a member, in a meeting, that the assembly take certain action
Main – Original and Incidental
Subsidiary
Privileged Secondary Motions
Incidental
Motions that bring a question again before the assembly
The type of motion will determine whether it requires a second, is debatable, is amendable, the vote required to adopt and whether it can be reconsidered
Most common is the main motion
Only one question can be considered at a time;

12. Means to Bring Business Before the Assembly
After being recognized by the Chair and obtaining the floor – “Madam President, I move to ….” or “…I offer to …..”
Another member “seconds” the motion – a member agrees to bring it before the assembly (no “second” ends the motion here)
The chair states the question of the motion – NOW the motion is pending and before the assembly or “on the floor” and open for debate. “It is moved and seconded that…[repeat the motion].”
In the Business Session, it is important to state your name and chapter before speaking (after being recognized)
You do not have to support a motion to second it, in some cases you may want it to go to vote to officially reject the proposal
The chair must ask for a second if one is not forthcoming, but it is still not required

13. Making a Motion Be prepared with the exact words
Speak slowly and clearly for recording – you may write it down for the Secretary
Discussion happens after the motion is “on the floor”
May modify the motion or withdraw it prior to the chair stating the question
“Madam Chairman, I would like to ask if the member would be willing to withdraw her motion in view of….” before the chair states the question
Discussions can and should happen prior to the meeting, outside of the formal setting
Modifications should be limited to changes that are likely to be generally acceptable to the members present – would not bring debate
If modified, seconder (not a word) has a right to withdraw their second. But the person who recommended the modification has in effect seconded the motion, so no other second is necessary
If maker withdraws motion, “the motion is withdrawn” and move on (member would not wait to be recognized)

14. Motions
Only one question can be considered at a time; once a motion is before the assembly, it must be adopted or rejected by a vote, or the assembly must take action disposing of the question in some other way, before any other business (except certain matters called “privileged questions”) can be brought up
Secondary motions – can be made and considered while a main motion is pending; if “in order” it must be acted upon or disposed of before direct consideration of the main question can continue
Main motion can only be made when no other motion is pending

15. Main Motions
Original – ranks lowest in the order of precedence of motions
Incidental – takes precedence over main motion and any other motion pending. These have no rank among themselves. Different from incidental motions
Rarely distinguish between the two – differ principally in the nature of their subject matter
Main motion can only be made when no other motion is pending

16. Secondary Motions Made, seconded and stated by chair like main motions
Privileged motions – rank above all other motions
Call for the Orders of the Day – agenda is not followed
Raise a Question of Privilege – inadequate ventilation, confidential item in the presence of guests
Recess*
Adjourn*
Fix the Time to Which to Adjourn*
*Corresponding incidental main motions
Listed in ascending order of rank
Questions of privilege can be brought up while no motion is pending and are treated like main motions

17. Secondary Motions
Subsidiary motions – assist assembly in treating or disposing of a main motion
Postpone Indefinitely*
Amend*
Commit or Refer it to a committee*
Postpone to a Certain Time, Postpone Definitely, Postpone*
Limit or Extend Limits of Debate*
Previous Question – close debate (“call the question”)
Lay on the Table
*Corresponding incidental main motions
Some of them may be made while another member has the floor
Listed in reverse order of rank – each one ranks above the motion listed above it, all rank above the main motion. Multiple secondary motions may be pending at the same time, must address most recent motion

18. Secondary Motions
Incidental motions – deal with questions of procedure arising out of: (1) commonly, another pending motion; but also (2) sometimes, another motion or item of business (a) that it is desired to introduce, (b) that has been made but not yet been stated by the chair, or (c) that has just been pending
Point of Order – breach of rules
Appeal
Suspend the Rules
Objection to the Consideration of the Question
Division of a Question – separate a motion
Requests and Inquiries
etc
No order of precedence
Most incidentals are undebatable
These can be very confusing since they are applicable in its own type of special circumstance
Some correspond to incidental main motions

19. Requests and Inquiries
Parliamentary Inquiry – request the chair’s opinion on a matter of parliamentary procedure as it relates to the business at hand (chair responds)
Point of Information – inquiry as to facts affecting the business at hand (chair responds)
Request for Permission (or Leave) to Withdraw or Modify a Motion – after it has been stated by the chair
Request to Read Papers
Request for Any Other Privilege
The first 2 are responded to by the chair or a member directed by the chair. The rest are granted by the assembly

20. Motions That Bring a Question Again Before the Assembly
Four motions that can only be made while no other business is pending
Take from the Table
Rescind or Repeal or Annul; another form of same is Amend Something Previously Adopted
Discharge a Committee
Reconsider
Must not violate principles of parliamentary law
Recommend researching these more in depth prior to their use

21. Amending a Motion
Modify the wording, and within limits the meaning, of a pending motion before it is acted upon
Its adoption does not adopt the motion thereby amended; that motion remains pending in its modified form
Rejection of a motion to amend leaves the pending motion as it was, no change
Must always be germane – closely related to or having bearing on the subject of the motion to be amended. No new subject can be introduced
When amending bylaws or something already adopted, the motion to Amend is no longer a subsidiary motion, but a main motion
Most widely used subsidiary motion

22. Amending a Motion
Takes precedence over the motion that it proposes to amend
Can be applied to any main motion
Is out of order when another has the floor
Must be seconded
Is debatable when applied to a motion that is debatable
Is generally amendable – the secondary amendment is not, an amendment of the third degree is not permitted
Requires only a majority vote
Can be reconsidered

23. Amending a Motion Insert/Add words or paragraphs
Strike out words or paragraphs
Combination of the above
Strike out and insert words
Substitute paragraphs or the entire text

24. Debate
Chair - “It is moved and seconded that…[repeat the motion].” The chair should look to the maker of the motion to see if they wish to be assigned the floor
No debate if nobody has any comments
Each speaker must be recognized by the chair – address comments to chair, be courteous
Each member has the right to speak twice on the same question on the same day – cannot make a 2nd speech on the same question so long as any member who has not spoken on that question desires the floor
Debate does not close as long as any member who has not exhausted her right to debate desires the floor
Cards – red is against (con), green is for (pro), yellow is ???? (alternate between pro and con, if used)
Maker has right to speak first
No personal notes/comments, no attacks on people or motives
Except in small boards or committees, the chair does not enter the debate

25. Limits to Debate
No one can speak longer than permitted by the rules of the body – if no rule on time exists, then ten minutes is the limit
Keep on topic !
Unanimous consent – no opposition in routine business or on questions of little importance, “If there is no objection….”, an objection requires that the full process be followed. Still requires the presence of quorum. Applies to actions or motions that require two-thirds vote
That 10 minutes is long, recommend you establish limits – Rules of Order. Can suspend the limit with two-thirds vote is it is important topic
Unanimous consent – aka general consent, assumes there is no minority to protect. Can be done before stating the question and putting to vote or it can even be used without the formality of a motion “Is there a motion to….” Often used to approve minutes. Could be used to extend limit on debate for a speaker.
Does not imply that all are in favor.

26. Voting
Chair “puts the question” or puts it to a vote – may ask “Are you ready for the question?”
Wording must be same as recorded in minutes
Chair should make sure the members understand the effect of an “aye” vote and of a “no” vote
Normally by voice – if results are inconclusive, use a rising vote. A show of hands may be used in lieu of the voice vote in smaller assemblies
Chair calls first for the affirmative vote, then the negative vote – do not call for abstentions
Majority – more than half, excluding abstentions
Voting by voice is the regular method of voting on any motion that does not require more than a majority vote for its adoption. Rising vote should be standard method for motions requiring two-thirds vote for adoption.
Majority = if 19 votes are cast, a majority is 10
If 20 votes are cast, a majority is 11 (same for 21 votes cast)

27. Voting
Voice - “The question is on the adoption of the motion to…[repeat the motion]. Those in favor of the motion, say aye. [Pause for response,]…Those opposed, say no.”
Stand - “The question is on the adoption of the motion to…[repeat the motion]. Those in favor of the motion, please rise (or stand)…..Be seated…Those opposed, please rise (or stand)….Be seated.”
Show of hands – “….please raise your right hand….”

28. Chair’s Vote
As a member of the assembly, the chair has same voting rights as any other member
The chair can, but is not obliged, to vote whenever her vote will affect the result
Only one vote - do not get to vote as member and as officer
If a v

29. Voting Results
Chair announces result immediately after putting the question
Voice – “…The ayes have it and the motion is adopted (or “agreed to” or “carried”)...”
Standing or show of hands – “…The affirmative has it and the motion is adopted….”
Count ordered – “…There are 29 in the affirmative and 33 in the negative. The negative has it and the motion is lost…”
Requires two-thirds – “…There are less than two-thirds in the affirmative and the motion is lost...”
If a voice vote is inconclusive the chair may immediately call for a rising vote
Division of the Assembly – any member may call “division” which requires a voice vote to be taken as a rising vote. Up until another the question is stated on the next motion.
In small assemblies, where all present can clearly see everyone else, an inconclusive voice vote my sometimes be verified satisfactorily by a show of hands if no member objects. A show of hands is not a division.

30. Adjourn Adjourn – to close the meeting Is not tied to any motion
Is out of order when another has the floor
Must be seconded
Is not debatable
Is not amendable
Requires a majority vote
Cannot be reconsidered
When an adjournment does not close a session (when an adjourned mtg has been set, or in any mtg of a convention except the last one): Business is immediately resumed at the next mtg at the point where it left off, except that there may first be brief opening ceremonies or similar

31. Questions???