Robert's Rules of Order, Henry M. Robert [top books of all time .txt] 📗

when it is desired to close the meeting, move simply "to adjourn," which cannot be amended or debated. When this motion is carried, the chairman says, "This meeting stands adjourned to meet at," etc., specifying the time and place of the next meeting.

(b) Second Meeting.* [Ordinary meetings of a society are conducted like this second meeting, the chairman, however, announcing the business in the order prescribed by the rules of the society [� 72]. For example, after the minutes are read and approved, he would say, "The next business in order is hearing reports from the standing committees." He may then call upon each committee in their order, for a report, thus: "Has the committee on applications for membership any report to make?" In which case the committee may report, as shown above, or some member of it reply that they have no report to make. Or, when the chairman knows that there are but few if any reports to make, it is better, after making the announcement of the business, for him to ask, "Have these committees any reports to make?" After a short pause, if no one rises to report, he states, "There being no reports from the standing committees, the next business in order is hearing the reports of select committees," when he will act the same as in the case of the standing committees. The chairman should always have a list of the committees, to enable him to call upon them, as well as to guide him in the appointment of new committees.] At the next meeting the officers of the previous meeting, if present, serve until the permanent officers are elected. When the hour arrives for the meeting, the chairman standing, says, "The meeting will

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please come to order:" as soon as the assembly is seated, he adds, "The secretary will read the minutes of the last meeting." If any one notices an error in the minutes, he can state the fact as soon as the secretary finishes reading them; if there is no objection, without waiting for a motion, the chairman directs the secretary to make the correction. The chairman then says, "If there is no objection the minutes will stand approved as read" [or "corrected," if any corrections have been made].

He announces as the next business in order, "the hearing of the report of the committee on the Constitution and By-Laws." The chairman of the committee, after addressing "Mr. Chairman" and being recognized, reads the committee's report and then hands it to the chairman.* [In large and formal bodies the chairman, before inquiring what is to be done with the report, usually directs the secretary to read it again. See note to � 46 (c), for a few common errors in acting upon reports of committees. [See also note to � 46 (b).]] If no motion is made, the chairman says, "You have heard the report read --

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what order shall be taken upon it?" Or simply inquires, "What shall be done with the report?" Some one moves its adoption, or still better, moves "the adoption of the Constitution reported by the committee," and when seconded, the chairman says, "The question is on the adoption of the Constitution reported by the committee." He then reads the first article of the Constitution, and asks, "Are there any amendments proposed to this article?" If none are offered, after a pause, he reads the next article and asks the same question, and proceeds thus until he reads the last article, when he says, "The whole Constitution having been read, it is open to amendment." Now any one can move amendments to any part of the Constitution.

When the chairman thinks it has been modified to suit the wishes of the assembly, he inquires, "Are you ready for the question?" If no one wishes to speak, he puts the question, "As many as are in favor of adopting the Constitution as amended, will say aye;" and then, "As many as are opposed, will say no." He distinctly announces the result of the vote, which should always be done. If the articles of the Constitution are subdivided into sections

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or paragraphs, then the amendments should be made by sections or paragraphs, instead of by articles.

The chairman now states that the Constitution having been adopted, it will be necessary for those wishing to become members to sign it (and pay the initiation fee, if required by the Constitution), and suggests, if the assembly is a large one, that a recess be taken for the purpose. A motion is then made to take a recess for say ten minutes, or until the Constitution is signed. The constitution being signed, no one is permitted to vote excepting those who have signed it.

The recess having expired, the chairman calls the meeting to order and says, "The next business in order is the adoption of By-Laws." Some one moves the adoption of the By-Laws reported by the committee, and they are treated just like the Constitution. The chairman then asks, "What is the further pleasure of the meeting?" or states that the next business in order is the election of the permanent officers of the society. In either case some one moves the appointment of a committee to nominate the permanent officers of the society, which motion is treated as already described in � 47. As

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each officer is elected he replaces the temporary one, and when they are all elected the organization is completed.

If the society is one that expects to own real estate, it should be incorporated according to the laws of the state in which it is situated, and for this purpose, some one on the committee on the Constitution should consult a lawyer before this second meeting, so that the laws may be conformed to. In this case the trustees are usually instructed to take the proper measures to have the society incorporated.

Constitutions, By-Laws, Rules of Order and Standing Rules. In forming a Constitution and By-Laws, it is always best to procure copies of those adopted by several similar societies, and for the committee, after comparing them, to select one as the basis of their own, amending each article just as their own report is amended by the Society. When they have completed amending the Constitution, it is adopted by the committee. The By-Laws are treated in the same way, and then, having finished the work assigned them, some one moves, "That the committee rise, and that the chairman (or some other

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member) report the Constitution and By-Laws to the assembly." If this is adopted, the Constitution and By-Laws are written out, and a brief report made of this form: "Your committee, appointed to draft a Constitution and By-Laws, would respectfully submit the following, with the recommendation that they be adopted as the Constitution and By-Laws of this society;" which is signed by all the members of the committee that concur in it. Sometimes the report is only signed by the chairman of the committee.

In the organization just given, it is assumed that both a Constitution and By-Laws are adopted. This is not always done; some societies adopt only a Constitution, and others only By-Laws. Where both are adopted, the constitution usually contains only the following:

(1) Name and object of the society. (2) Qualification of members. (3) Officers, their election and duties. (4) Meetings of the society (only including what is essential, leaving details to the By-Laws). (5) How to amend the Constitution.

These can be arranged in five articles, each article being subdivided into sections. The

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Constitution containing nothing but what is fundamental, it should be made very difficult to amend; usually previous notice of the amendment is required, and also a two-thirds or three-fourths vote for its adoption [� 73]. It is better not to require a larger vote than two-thirds, and, where the meetings are frequent, an amendment should not be allowed to be made except at a quarterly or annual meeting, after having been proposed at the previous quarterly meeting.

The By-Laws contain all the other standing rules of the society, of such importance that they should be placed out of the power of any one meeting to modify; or they may omit the rules relating to the conduct of business in the meetings, which would then constitute the Rules of Order of the society. Every society, in its By-Laws or Rules of Order, should adopt a rule like this: "The rules contained in--(specifying the work on parliamentary practice) shall govern the society in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the Rules of Order (or By-Laws) adopted by the society." Without such a rule, any one so disposed, could cause great trouble in a meeting.

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In addition to the Constitution, By-Laws and Rules of Order, in nearly every society resolutions of a permanent nature are occasionally adopted, which are binding on the society until they are rescinded or modified. These are called Standing Rules, and can be adopted by a majority vote at any meeting. After they have been adopted, they cannot be modified at the same session except by a reconsideration [� 60]. At any future session they can be suspended, modified or rescinded by a majority vote. The Standing Rules, then, comprise those rules of a society which have been adopted like ordinary resolutions, without the previous notice, etc., required for By-Laws, and consequently, future sessions of the society are at liberty to terminate them whenever they please. No Standing Rule (or other resolution) can be adopted which conflicts with the Constitution, By-Laws or Rules of Order.* [In practice these various classes of rules are frequently very much mixed. The Standing Rules of some societies are really By-Laws as the society cannot suspend them, nor can they be amended until previous notice is given. This produces confusion without any corresponding benefit. Standing Rules should contain only such rules as are subject to the will of the majority of any meeting, and which it may be expedient to change at any time, without the delay incident to giving previous notice. Rules of Order should contain only the rules relating to the orderly transaction of the business in the meetings of the society. The By-Laws should contain all the other rules of the society which are of too great importance to be changed without giving notice to the society of such change; provided that the most important of these can be placed in a Constitution instead of in the By-Laws. These latter three should provide for their amendment. The Rules of Order should provide for their suspension. The By-Laws sometimes provide for the suspension of certain articles. None of these three can be suspended without it is expressly provided for.

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Art. X. Officers and Committees.

Chairman or President. It is the duty of the chairman to call the meeting to order at the appointed time, to preside at all the meetings, to announce the business before the assembly in its proper order, to state and put all questions properly brought before the assembly, to preserve order and decorum, and to decide all questions of order (subject to an appeal). When he "puts a question" to vote, and when speaking upon an appeal, he should stand;* [In meetings of boards of managers, committees and other small bodies, the chairman usually retains his seat, and even members in speaking do