New Meeting Procedures

SGA Meeting Procedure 2011-2012

The following guidelines are presented for adoption by the Assembly.  These guidelines are made under the auspices of the SGA Constitution and in no way prelude or replace any stipulations in the Constitution, in particular those under Article II, relating to the Assembly.  They were formed as part of the Assembly’s right to use Roberts Rule of Order as a basis for parliamentary procedure. (Article II, Section II)

Meeting Time:

• Meetings convene at 7pm. Meetings are officially called to order at that time by the Chair.  The official start time of the meeting will be recorded by the President.
• Meetings end approximately one-hour and a half (90 minutes) from the time the meeting is called to order by the Chair. Unless a motion to extend time is made and passed or a motion to adjourn the meeting is made and passed before the end of the meeting, all discussion will cease at the end of 90 minutes and the meeting will be adjourned

Attendance:

• Attendance at all SGA meetings will be taken by roll call at the start of the meeting by the Secretary. Members who arrive after roll call has been taken must inform the Secretary of their presence at the meeting.
• Quorum is the official number of Assembly members who must be present in order for any voting to occur; this is two-thirds of the voting members of the Assembly.
• Individuals occupying co-positions are both expected to be at every meeting.
• Only three absences will be allowed during each semester that you are serving.
• Whenever a meeting is missed (including Plenary), it is the student’s responsibility to email the Secretary within one week of the missed meeting, preferably before the meeting, stating the reason for the absence. Whether or not the absence is excused/unexcused is at the discretion of the Secretary. (Emailing the secretary does not guarantee that the absence will be excused.)
• An Assembly member with three absences will be asked to step down from their position and if they choose not to, are subject to removal from office specified in Article IX, Section II, under the grounds of “neglect of duty.”
• Those occupying co-positions are permitted no more than two meetings where the vote for the position is lost; that is, occupants of a co-position may be absent from the same meeting no more than twice in a semester, or they will be asked to step down from their position.

Voting Members of the Assembly and Number of Votes:

Agenda:

• After the meeting is called to order by the chair, the first three agenda items will be as follows:

Ø  Role Call

Ø  Announcements

• Your Two Cents: During this item, any new items for discussion, questions, or announcements can be made.
• Agenda items for discussion will be posted at the beginning of each meeting, as well as e-mailed to the Association prior to the Assembly meeting.
• Old business (Assembly members only): During this time, material that has already been presented may be revisited, questioned, or announced.
• New Business: (Assembly members only) any new items for discussion, questions, or announcements can be made that relate to the representative’s position.

Discussion:

• In order to participate in discussion, you must be on the floor of the campus center main lounge. Individuals on the stairs or the balcony must come down to the floor to be added to the speaking order.
• Discussion length on each agenda item will be determined by the Executive Board, and will be announced before discussion begins. A motion to extend time may be made, upon receiving a two minute warning or a motion to table may also be made, if it is felt that this meeting time is not adequate to discuss the issue at hand.
• All timings in the meeting will be monitored by the Treasurer.
• Discussion is open to all individuals present at the meeting.  Recommendations may also be made by any individual present at the meeting.  Voting and the making of motions are restricted to Assembly members.
• At the end of discussion on an agenda item, the Chair will ask if there are any motions to be made on the topic.

Motions:

• Motions may be made, seconded, amended, and voted on only by members of the Assembly.
• All motions must be made by raising your hand and announcing that you have a motion.  When acknowledged by the chair you may state the motion.
• All motions with the exception of two noted below must be seconded. Seconds may be made by raising your hand and announcing your support for consideration of the motion.
• Motions may not interrupt a speaker or be presented while another motion is on the floor with the exception of those noted below.
• Voting on all motions is done by simple majority (50%+1) with the exception of calling the question and extending time, which require two-thirds.
• The following are types of motions that may be made:

Main Motion:  A motion that is made for consideration during the discussion of an agenda item.  When such a motion is made, discussion on the agenda item shall be suspended and five minutes of discussion will occur on only the motion.  At the end of 5 minutes, unless time is extended, a vote will be taken on the motion and discussion of the agenda item will resume.  Motions must be pertinent to the agenda item being discussed, and may not be made when another motion is on the floor or interrupt someone while they are speaking.

Motion to Extend Time:  a priority motion which may be made while another motion is on the floor.  Such motions may be made regarding discussion on an agenda item, discussion on a motion, and/or extend meeting time.  They must be seconded and specify the amount of time for the extension.  There is no discussion of the motion and a vote is immediately taken.  It requires a two-thirds majority to pass.

Motion to Call the Question:  a priority motion used to stop discussion and put whatever motion is on the floor up for an immediate vote.  This motion may be made while another motion is on the floor, but may not interrupt another speaker.  It must be seconded and voted on immediately requiring a 2/3 majority to pass.  If this motion passes, then a vote will follow immediately on the previous motion on the floor, after a brief restatement of such motion.

Motion to Table Discussion:  a motion used to stop discussion on an agenda item and move onto the next agenda item.  It may be made while another motion is on the floor, but may not interrupt a speaker.  The motion must be seconded and then immediately voted on.  If the motion passes, the agenda item is tabled until a motion is made to reopen the discussion, postpone to a different time, or until the next meeting.

Point of Order:  a motion used to protest a breach of rules, conduct of procedure.  A point of order may interrupt a speaker and does not require a second or a vote.  Once point of order is made, the Chair must take corrective action and if appropriate place speaker at the end of the speaking order, and resume discussion on the agenda item or the motion, depending on the point of order.

Anyone present can call a speaker out of order if the speaker is being disrespectful or fostering a gang mentality.

Point of Information:  such a motion is used to request information in a discussion.

Motion to Adjourn:  A motion to call the meeting to a close.  Such a motion must be made if all business is finished before the 90 minute set meeting time in order for the meeting to be adjourned.  It must be seconded and voted upon and may not interrupt a speaker or be made while another motion is on the floor.

Voting:

• All voting will be done by hand count, which will be tabulated by the Chair.  Hand counts will be done of those “for” and “against” a motion as well as those “abstaining.”  Most votes require a simple majority.  A two-thirds majority requires that two-thirds of the voting members present vote and that two-thirds agree.
• Only Assembly members may vote in the meeting, and co-officers to any position have only one vote.  The President may only vote in the case of a tie and certain Assembly positions are specified as non-voting.
• A roll call vote may be requested by any Assembly member, the results of which would be published in the minutes.

Speaking Order:

• Speaking order will be maintained by the Vice-Chair.  In order to be put on the speaking order, raise your hand or make eye contact with the Vice-Chair until they acknowledge (nodding, thumbs up, etc.) that you are on the list.
• Speakers must be acknowledged by the Chair
• Direct responses to a speaker may be made if the response is from the presenter of the agenda item or if the speaker is asking a particular question of someone.  Otherwise responses should be confined to your turn on the speaking order.