Transcript Conducting an Effective Chapter Meeting Using Robert’s

Getting things done
Understanding the Flow of Ideas.
How to ensure that ideas actually
happen
(and happen well).
How to have successful Chapter
Meetings.
How to use Robert’s Rules to maintain
order.
How to get stuff done both inside and
outside of Chapter Meetings.
You Know Your Meetings Are Out of
Control When...
• Your Sergeant-at-Arms is
sweating...
• Roll call takes an hour-and-a-half...
• Members stop raising their hands…
• Members start getting sassy or start
cursing…
• You have so much old business,
you never get to new business...
• The president beats themselves
into unconsciousness with their
gavel...
Today’s Goals
• Learn how to get the most out of
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your meetings in an efficient
manner
Understand how ideas should flow
into (and out of) your meetings
Get the basics of Robert’s Rules to
facilitate the process
Synchronize EVERY member so
that productivity is a second
language not an overwhelming
Agenda
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Introduction
Purpose of a Chapter Meeting
Committees: The Fast Way to a Faster
Meeting
Idea Flow: Making an idea actually happen
How to make Chapter Meetings successful
Introduction to Robert’s Rules
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Types of Motions
Rank of Motions
Voting Procedures
Random Rules
Closing and Q&A
Purpose of a Chapter
Meeting
• What isn’t the purpose of a meeting?
• Determining who can yell the
loudest...
• Quoting the CONSTITUTION and
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BYLAWS based on what you sort of
remember them saying...
Catching up with friends you haven’t
seen all week…
To be the only way that members can
contribute to the chapter…
Purpose of a Chapter Meeting
• Get the business of the Chapter done:
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Make important and already-researched decisions
Indicate support for committee recommendations (or
not)
• Provide a forum for members to
discuss:
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Concerns
Serious issues
• Handle those decisions which, by our
rules, must be made in the Chapter
Meeting:
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Officer elections
Committee formation/changes
Pledge chat and membership status
How Do We Make Our
Meetings Effective?
• Proper flow of ideas into and out
of each meeting
• Structured agenda based on the
Constitution and Ritual
• Use of Robert’s Rules to enforce
the agenda and order
The Thing Is...
• Chapter meetings are where
decisions are made...
• But chapter meetings are not the
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place where the majority of the
debate and discussion happen.
How?
One word: Committees.
The Value of
Committees
• New ideas (in the form of SMARTER
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Goal Sheets) should go to the
relevant committee
Allows the committee to review and
make recommendations
Means that an idea brought up for a
vote in Chapter is not ‘new’ to most
people
Proper idea flow through minimizes
debate in the chapter meetings
Idea Flow
A member comes up with an idea
for an event or program
They fill out a SMARTER Goals Form
Send form to appropriate Committee
Committee checks that the idea is consistent with the goals of the
Committee/Fraternity and add/revise anything prudent
By the time the
idea reaches
the chapter,
20+ people will
have seen it.
This means
debate and
discussion
will be
minimal.
Committee Chairperson brings up during
Department Meeting
(or sent back one step for revision)
Department Chairperson sends to
Executive Council for approval
(or sent back one step for revision)
If approved, the idea is proposed
during a Chapter Meeting
Once Approved:
-Programming adds to Master Schedule and sets deadlines for preparation
-Public Relation sets to-do list items and deadlines for idea advertisements
-Committee Chairperson held accountable by respective Department Head
IDEA HAPPENS! Productivity is achieved!
Afterwards: Committee Chairperson evaluates the event and puts all
research and materials in Officer Binder so event can be repeated by
their successor
approved ideas
happen
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(and happen well)
Department Chairpersons (Executive Council Members) make and
update weekly to-do lists for each Committee during regular
Department meetings.
Committees and their Chairpersons are kept accountable
Department Chairpersons determine and enforce deadlines (for
each step in the preparation/planning of the event/program)
For events/programs that require inter-committee participation (working
with Marketing Committee, Treasurer, Design, etc.) Executive Council
Members synchronize the to-do lists of all members within a project
during weekly Executive Council meetings to ensure successful
collaboration.
Ensure committees share the status of their to-lists during their Officer
Reports during Chapter Meetings so that the Chapter also keeps them
accountable and so members can be given the opportunity to help if
there’s a reported obstacle.
Executive Council Members are responsible for their Department’s
efficiency and accountability and must know the status of every project
so that they can prevent it from being stuck or overlooked.
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So we have our ideas,
but...
• How do we get through a
Chapter Meeting without it
taking forever?
How to make
Chapter Meetings
• Everyone successful
should be clear that the meeting is
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for Chapter Business and not social
Make sure everyone understands and uses
Robert’s Rules of Order
If anyone has a big report, have them
communicate that prior to the meeting
Enforce that everyone is to speak with
purpose, civility, and respect for every
member. Keep the emotion out of the
business.
Memorize the Chapter Meeting Ritual
Limit the meeting to 1 hour (no more than 1½)
Agenda
I.
Opening (Ritual)
II. Roll Call
III. Reports of the officers
IV. Reports of standing committees
V. Reports of special committees
VI. Unfinished Business
VII. New Business
VIII.Communications
IX. Proposals for membership
X. Balloting on candidates
XI. Chapter Advisor’s Report
XII. Remarks for the good of the chapter
XIII.Chaplain gives words of inspiration
XIV.Closing (Ritual)
Agendas are great, but...
• How do we stick to them, and keep
the meeting orderly?
• Options:
1. Use of extreme levels of physical force
2. Hold meetings while people are
sleeping (quorum issues)
3. Use Robert’s Rules
Robert’s Rules
• First thing’s first:
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Who the heck is Robert?
Henry Robert, an engineer, crafted a small book of
rules to bring simplified parliamentary procedure to
non-legislative organizations in 1876
Essentially unchanged ever since
• Designed to help, not hinder, decision
making
• According to Robert, “The assembly meets
to transact business, not to have members
exploit their knowledge of parliamentary
law.”
The Basic Rules
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The rights of the organization supersede the
rights of individual members
All members and their rights are equal
A quorum must be present to do business
The majority rules
Silence is consent
Two-thirds vote rule
The Basic Rules
• Debatable motions must receive full
debate
• Once a question has been decided, it is
out of order to bring it up again during
that same meeting
• Personal remarks in a debate are
always out of order
• The presiding officer’s role should
The Presiding Officer
• Be on time and start on time
• Be organized and prepared
• Take control of the floor
• Be impartial
• Be precise
• Be focused
Expediting Business
• Use “vote by acclamation”
• Refer to a committee or entertain a
motion to do so
• Assist in phrasing of a motion
• Restate the motion periodically
• Allow motions to be withdrawn
• Stop dilatory tactics
Types of Motions
• Main
• Secondary
• Subsidiary
• Privileged
• Incidental
Making and Acting on a
Motion
1. A member requests the floor (Raises
hand)
2. The floor is assigned (Chair calls on
them)
3. The motion is made and seconded (“I
move that”, “Second”)
4. The Chair states the motion
5. Debate is held (member that made
motion speaks first)
6. The Chair puts the motion to a vote (or
some calls for the question)
Important Points
• Main Motions...
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Require a second (except for committees)
Must be debated.
Can be amended
Require a majority vote (in most cases)
• Other Points...
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The chair can require long motions be submitted in
writing
The maker of a motion has the first right to speak on it
during a debate
A member can vote against his or her own motion but
cannot speak against it
Important Points
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Other points continued…
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A member can vote against his or her own motion
but cannot speak against it.
A member can modify his or her own motion
before it is stated by the Chair. He or she can also
offer an amendment after their motion has been
stated by the Chair.
A member can withdrawal his or her motion up to
the time it has been stated by the Chair, and after
that he or she must have permission of the group.
Out of Order
• Always rule as “out of order” motions
that...
• conflict with the law, the Constitution,
the Bylaws, University/College
policies
• repeat of the same question on the
same day
• conflict with an already adopted
motion
• appear dilatory, rude, or frivolous
Subsidiary Motions and
“Rank”
Call the Question
(call for the vote)
Limit Debate
Postpone
to a specific time
Commit
or Refer
Amend
A Main Motion
Subsidiary Motions
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Two other motions
Postpone indefinitely – Lowest ranking
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Can kill a motion, but is used to test the
strength of the motion.
Lay on the table – Highest ranking
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Should be used as a courtesy to set aside
a question for a period of time.
If it’s used kill or avoid a motion, it is out of
order.
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Amending a Motion
Amendments can:
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Add words or phrases (or delete them)
Replace words or phrases
Amendments must relate to the motion
Process:
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Amendment is made and seconded
Debate is held
Question is put to a vote
Remember:
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Multiple motions may be on the floor but only one
question.
Passage of an amendment does not pass the
underlying motion
Amending an
Amendment
• It is possible to amend an amendment
• Same process for approving the
amendment
• Approval of the amendment to the
amendment changes the amendment
but does not pass the amendment or
the underlying motion
• Confused yet?
• Can you amend an amendment to an
amendment? NO
Privileged Motions
•Question of privilege
•Recess
•Adjourn
Incidental Motions
• Point of Order
• Appeal
• Point of Inquiry
• Division
Restorative Motion
Allow a group to change its mind
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Rescind
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Out of order if an action has happened due to a vote.
Needs to be seconded.
2/3 to pass unless communicated in the previous
meeting.
Reconsider
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Only a person who voted in the majority can make
the motion.
It has a time limit of the same day
Voting
Types of voting
• Majority
• Super majority
• Plurality
Voting
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Methods of Voting
Rising Vote – Eyes closed, show of hands
Vote by acclamation – voice vote “aye” or
“nay”
Ballot vote
General Consent
Proxy vote
Mail vote
Electronic Vote
What if there’s a tie? What should the chair do?
Electronic Meetings
• Not based on Robert’s Rules.
• Your Bylaws must state electronic
meetings/voting can occur.
• Nobody may speak twice until all have
been given a chance to debate.
Email Voting
• Virtually every state has ruled that email
meetings are not valid.
• Robert’s Rules of Order states that
simultaneous deliberation is essential to
holding an effective meeting.
• A lot of experts do not suggest
using email for meetings or voting.
Conclusions
• Effective chapter meetings are short,
efficient, and get things done without
debate or controversy.
• The use of committees, a detailed
agenda, and Robert’s Rules can help
make your meetings more effective.
• No meeting will ever run completely by
the book, but the closer you get, the
better off you’ll be...
Q&A
Thanks for your attention!