Roberts Rules of Order - Newly Revised

This is a time tested method of conducting business that allows everyone to be heard and decisions to be made in an orderly fashion. Below is a simple guide on how to use this method during your meetings.

Basic Agenda

1. Call to order
2. Roll call
3. Approval of the previous meeting's minutes
4. Officers' reports
5. Committee Chairs' reports
6. Unfinished business
7. New business
8. Announcements
9. Adjournment

Motions
Members get opportunities to speak through motions. A motion is a proposal that the group take a stand or take action on some issue. There are four general types of motions:

1) MAIN Motion - A main motion introduces a subject before the group. For example, "I move that we purchase T-shirts".

2) SUBSIDARY motion - A subsidary motion changes or has an effect on how the main motion is handled (an amendment). For example, "I move the question before the group be ammended by stating the T-shirts we purchase must cost under $7.00 a piece".

3) PRIVILEGED motion - A privileged motion is the most urgent. They are about important matters not related to the pending business. For example, "I move that we adjourn the meeting."

4) INCIDENTAL motion - An incidental motion is a question of procedure that arises out of other motions on the floor. For example, "I move that we suspend the rules for the purpose of simplifying the process."

Voting

1) By voice - the chairperson asks those in favor to say "AYE," those opposed to say "NO," and those who wish to not vote to say "ABSTAIN." If it is unclear as to how many said aye and no, a member can move for an exact count.

2) Show of Hands - members raise their hands either for or against the motion.

3) Roll Call - If a record of each person's vote is needed, each member answers 'yes", "no" or "present" (indicating a choice not to vote) as his or her name is called.

4) Ballot - a ballot vote is usually taken when secrecy is desired. Members write their vote on a peice of paper and turn it in for counting. If the member wishes to abstain

5) General Consent - when a motion is not likely to be opposed the chairperson might say " If there is no objection ..." members show agreement by remaining silent. If someone disagrees they should voice their objection, and then the matter must be put to vote.

Making Meetings Run Smoother

1) Presidents who know the rules know how to keep discussion moving and when to take a vote without someone having to "call for the question". This president knows that no one can discuss an issue unless a motion is made first and then seconded. This saves time! If a motion isn't seconded, it isn't discussed. (A second does not mean someone is in favor of the idea but that it should be discussed.) How many times has only one person wanted to do something and no one else wants to discuss it, and because no one knows or follows the rules valuable time has been lost by allowing this person to stand and ramble on and on without a motion on the floor.

2) Another time waster is ill-conceived motions. Providing members with paper and pencil to write a clearly thought out motion can save time because it doesn't have to be amended many times to make it clear; or it doesn't have to be withdrawn and then start over again. A well thought out motion includes what the group is to do, how and when it is to be done and how much time and money is to be spent.

3) Here's another way to save time: Give the people the information they need before the meeting so they can have their ideas well formulated before they discuss them.

4) Another time waster is calling on committee chairmen to give reports when they don't have one to give or they aren't there. The president should call every committee chairman who is to give a report before the meeting to make sure that he/she will be at the meeting and have a report to give. Only those chairmen who have a report ready to give should be called on. To expedite the giving of reports, chairmen should sit in the front so that they don't waste time getting to the front to give their reports. If you have a committee that is researching a project and that committee is supposed to give a recommendation to the members in its report, phrase the recommendation as a "motion", not a recommendation. The motion should come at the end of the report, and the reporting member of the committee (usually the chairman), states: "By direction of the committee, I move that ...." A motion coming from a committee does not need a second because at least one other committee member has agreed that it should be discussed. This cuts out a step. If a committee makes a recommendation, someone still has to make amotion to accept the committee's recommendation.

5) The President needs to know when to call for the vote: Let's say someone has made a motion, and the chair has repeated it. "It is moved and seconded. Is there any discussion?" If the chair looks around and no one is standing to discuss it, the chair can say, "All in favor say 'Aye'. (wait for the response from the group) Those opposed say, 'Nay'."

6) Another thing many people don't know is that a member can only speak twice to a motion, but only after everyone who wants to speak for the first time does so. This certainly keeps debates going and stops any member that is always popping up to talk after each member speaks.

7) An effective president, a leader, provides his membership with information so that they know how to keep meetings moving too.