Suggested Procedural Rules For Conference Meetings Version 1.0 Steve Schmidt (Mobydick@TMI-2) 1-18-93 These rules are based loosely on Robert's Rules of Order but have been substantially modified. Three general principles guided the design of these rules. First, I wanted the rules to be much simpler than Robert's so that an inexperienced conference participant could grasp them quickly. Second, I wanted to greatly reduce time spent on procedural discussion and votes. Most of the power to control the meeting has been given to the moderator. Third, I wanted to give the moderator the right to easily enforce the rules using the features of the conference room. Organization of the Rules: Section A. Preparation of the Agenda Section B. Powers of the Moderator Section C. Speaking Privileges Section D. Resolutions and Voting General terms: The moderator is the person who is so recognized by the conference room code. The person who is to serve as moderator should be agreed on before the conference begins. Participants are persons in the room who have not been silenced by the moderator. The moderator is considered a participant unless a rule specifically notes otherwise. The speaker, unless a rule notes otherwise, is the person to whom the moderator has granted to floor. A X majority is the total number of votes cast multiplied by X and rounded up. Thus, if 8 people cast votes, 6 of them (16/3 rounded up) constitute a 2/3 majority. A simple majority is a 50 percent majority. Section 1. Preparation of the Agenda A1. The conference agenda shall be set prior to the meeting by the conference conveners. [ You may want to solicit suggestions for the agenda in the conference announcement. ] A2. Before discussion is opened on the first agenda item, the moderator shall ask participants for motions for additions to the agenda. If suggestions are made, the moderator decides whether to accept them, and if accepted, where on the agenda to place them. Motions to add to the agenda are not in order after the first agenda item is opened. [ You might want to not allow agenda additions at all. ] A3. At the opening of discussion on each agenda item, the moderator may set a minimum number of speakers who must speak before a motion to close the agenda item. The moderator may also set an initial speaking list at the opening of discussions. (See rule C1.) Such actions must be taken before the first speaker speaks and are out of order thereafter. Such actions are not subject to appeal. [ This is done so that people who prepare statements are guaranteed the right to present them. ] A4. At any time after the minimum number of speakers have spoken, participants may motion to close discussion on the current agenda item. Such motions require a majority vote to pass. In addition, the moderator may unilaterally close discussion on an agenda item. If an agenda item is closed, discussion proceeds to the next agenda item. The conference ends when all agenda items have been closed. Section B. Powers of the Moderator B1. The moderator shall have the right to prevent entry into the meeting room. Exit shall be permitted at all times. The moderator shall have the power to permit single individuals to enter the room if locked. The moderator shall have the right to eject any participant from the meeting room. All decisions taken under rule B1 are unappealable. [ All enforced by the room code. ] B2. If the proceedings are being echoed to an observation room, the moderator shall have the power to suspend this echoing if the privacy of the participants requires it. Such suspensions shall be kept as short as possible. Decisions to suspend or resuming echoing are unappealable. [ Enforced by the room code. ] B3. The moderator shall have the right to keep a log of the proceedings of the conference and of the MUD names of the participants. The moderator may suspend logging and resume it at his discretion. Decisions to suspend or resume logging are unappealable. [ Enforced by the room code. ] B4. The moderator shall have the right to silence any participant and prevent that person from speaking either as a speaker or during general discussion. Silenced individuals may be granted comments, if the moderator desires. [ Enforced by the room code. ] B5. The moderator shall have the right to rule any motion frivolous and out of order. This decision is unappealable. B6. Any decision of the moderator may be appealed by any participant, except those marked as unappealable in the rules. If a moderator's decision is appealed, the proceedings are immediately stopped and a vote is taken on the appeal. If the appeal is approved by a 3/4 majority of participants, the decision of the moderator is reversed. [ I want to make this really hard so people won't do it. For a long conference, you may want to reduce the 3/4 majority to 2/3 or simple majority. For a short one you may want to make it impossible to appeal any decision of the moderator. ] B7. The moderator may wish to call for a show of hands before making procedural decisions. However, he is not bound by the results of such votes, unless an appeal is made. B8. The moderator shall not make comments related to the substance of discussion. His role is to moderate the discussion, not to take part in it. [ You can waive this if you want but we suggest not doing so. ] Section C. Speaking Privileges. C1. The moderator shall keep a list of who will speak and in what order during the discussion. Any participant may ask to be placed on the end of the speaker's list. The moderator may refuse such requests. The speaker's list shall be accessible to all participants at all times. Any participant on the list may ask to be removed. [ Since the moderator can silence participants, it makes sense to let him keep them off the speaker's list. Use this power infrequently, or never. The keeping of the list is made simple by the room code.] C2. The moderator shall have the right to limit the time permitted to any speaker at any time. [ Best to limit all speakers to the same time, of course. I recommend two minute limits on speakers who are not presenting written statements. Speakers presenting statements should be limited to a time consistent with getting through their statements. ] C3. When a speaker has the floor, only the speaker and the moderator shall be permitted to speak. The moderator may grant the right to make single comments to any participant at his discretion. Anyone who has not been silenced under rule B4 may speak at any time when the floor is open for general discussion. [ Best used for letting people ask questions. Can be used for something similar to personal privilege also. ] C4. A speaker who is speaking under a time limit may yield his remaining time to any participant. Speakers not speaking under a time limit may not yield to other participants. C5. Speakers may yield to questions from the floor. Questioners are selected by the moderator, and only the current questioner, the speaker, and the moderator may speak at this time. Only questions related to the content of the proceeding speech are in order. The moderator shall decide whether any question is unrelated. [ Grant comments to people who want to ask questions. This deters speechmaking by questioners. ] C6. In between speakers, any participant may move that the speaker's list be suspended and the floor be opened for general discussion for a specified period of time. The moderator may refuse to grant such motions, or to shorten the time proposed. When the suspension ends, the speaker's list resumes, in the same form it was in when the motion to suspend was made, except for additions to the end, or removals by the moderator, under rule C1. [ I don't want to take votes on this each time it's proposed. If people really want to open the floor they can appeal the moderator's decision to deny the motion.] C7. The moderator shall not place himself on the speakers list. [ You can waive this if you want but we recommend that you not. The moderator has enough to do without trying to get involved himself. He can speak any time he wants to anyway. ] Section D. Resolutions and Voting. D1. At any time between speakers or during open discussion, any participant may introduce a resolution for the approval of the conference. Such resolutions must be related to the agenda item under discussion. All resolutions are subject to the approval of the moderator and the moderator shall have the power to refuse to accept them. [ This is mostly so that half-baked or stupid resolutions don't have to be voted down. You may want to require prior submission of motions. You may want to not permit motions at all, if the conference isn't convened to decide anything. ] D2. Any participant may move to amend a pending resolution. Amendments are also subject to the approval of the moderator. An amendment is either friendly or hostile; the sponsor of the resolution declares which kind the amendment is when it is proposed. Friendly amendments are automatically accepted. Hostile amendments remain pending until discussion of the agenda item closes. Amendments to amendments are not permitted. [ Friendly amendments let you fix typos and things like that, or make any change desired by the sponsor. You may want to not permit amendments, or you may want to permit only friendly amendments. ] D3. Resolutions and amendments may be withdrawn by their sponsors at any time prior to the close of discussion on the agenda item. If a resolution is withdrawn, all pending amendments to it are automatically withdrawn. D4. When discussion of an agenda item is closed, voting takes place. The resolutions are ordered by time of submission, first one proposed being voted on first. First, all pending amendments to the first resolution are voted on, also in order of submission. Then the first resolution is voted on. Voting proceeds on all resolutions, amendments first and then on the resolution, until all pending resolutions have been voted on. [ You may want to postpone voting on resolutions until the end of the conference, in which case you may want to use the voting room. We recommend that you not postpone voting on amendments. ] D5. Any person in the conference room at the time the discussion is closed shall have the right to vote. The moderator may grant the right to vote to any other person he deems worthy of it. [ Actually, any person in the conference room may vote. What you should do is lock the room just before voting begins, and if you want to let anyone else vote, bring them into the room. ] D6. Resolutions require a simple majority to pass. Amendments require a 2/3 majority to pass. [ Amendments require 2/3 because we want the resolution to be voted in something close to its original form, unless a lot of people want things otherwise. You may want to alter these majorities. ]