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By Root 557 0

M. Robert had been an engineer in the Civil War, shoring up the defenses of ports in Washington, Philadelphia, and throughout New England. He had improved rivers in Oregon, developed the harbors of Green Bay and Oswego, and constructed dams and locks on the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. But his greatest challenge came when he was asked to preside over a church meeting. With no knowledge of how a meeting should be run, he bravely attempted to take charge, only to end up embarrassed and thoroughly humbled by the proceedings. He resolved never to attend another meeting until he knew something about parliamentary procedure—the set of rules of conduct at meetings that allows for decisions to be made fairly and without confusion. His Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies, first published in 1876 and known today as Robert’s Rules of Order, is the result. You and your friends can use these rules to run your own clubs and meetings.

THE BASIC RULES OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE:

The rights of the organization supersede the rights of individual members

All members are equal and their rights (to attend meetings, make motions, speak in debate, nominate, vote, hold office) are equal

A quorum must be present to do business

The majority rules

Silence is consent

One question at a time and one speaker at a time

Debatable motions must receive full debate

Once a question is decided, it is not in order to bring up the same motion or one essentially like it at the same meeting

Slurs, comments, and personal remarks in debate are always out of order

RUNNING A MEETING

BEING THE CHAIRPERSON

* * *

The chairperson is in charge of the meeting and has a gavel, like a judge. She should prepare an agenda, an outline of a meeting that lists the items to be discussed or acted upon. Here is a typical example, with a basic script to follow:

1. Roll call of members present

This is done to determine a quorum—making sure there are enough members present to run the meeting. The secretary reads member’s names from a list and members respond.

THE VOCABULARY OF ROBERT’S RULES

Agenda: A list of items to be discussed at a meeting

Appeal: A motion to object to a ruling

Ballot Vote: A secret vote, written on a piece of paper

Bylaws: Written rules for governing an organization

Carried: To adopt a motion

Debate: The formal discussion of a motion

Dilatory Tactic: The misuse of a parliamentary procedure (such as repeatedly using division or appealing previous decisions)

Division: To call for a recount of a vote

Floor: To be given permission to speak at a meeting (As in “to have the floor”)

Minutes: The official written record of a meeting

Motion: A proposal that some action be taken or an opinion expressed by the group

New Business: New matters brought for consideration

Nominate: Formally name a person as a candidate for election or office

Order of Business: The schedule of business to be considered

Out of Order: Not correct from a parliamentary standpoint

Pending: Questions that are under consideration

Point of Order: An objection made for improper procedure

Preamble: The introduction to a resolution that begins with “whereas”

Putting the Question: Placing the motion before the group for a vote

Quorum: The number of members that must be present for business to take place

Recess: To take a short break during a meeting

Resolution: A formal written motion

Unfinished Business: Matters from a previous meeting that were postponed or brought over to the next meeting

Yield: To give way when you have been assigned the floor

2. Call to order

“Welcome. A quorum being present, the meeting will come to order.” (Bang your gavel once, for good effect.)

3. Read the minutes of last meeting

“The first business in order is the approval of the minutes of the previous meeting. Will [the secretary who keeps the minutes] please read the minutes of the last meeting? Are there any corrections to the minutes? There being no corrections, the minutes are approved as read.” (If there are corrections,