SGA Meeting Procedure 2011-2012

SGA Meeting Procedure 2011-2012 The following guidelines are presented for  Quorum is the official number of Assembly adoption by the Assembly. These guidelines are members who must be present in order for made under the auspices of the SGA any voting to occur; this is two-thirds of the Constitution and in no way prelude or replace voting members of the Assembly. any stipulations in the Constitution, in particular  Individuals occupying co-positions are both those under Article II, relating to the Assembly. expected to be at every meeting. They were formed as part of the Assembly’s right to use Roberts Rule of Order as a basis for  Only three absences will be allowed during parliamentary procedure. (Article II, Section II) each semester that you are serving. Meeting Time:  Whenever a meeting is missed (including  Meetings convene at 7pm. Meetings are Plenary), it is the student’s responsibility to officially called to order at that time by the email the Secretary within one week of the Chair. The official start time of the meeting missed meeting, preferably before the will be recorded by the President. meeting, stating the reason for the absence. Whether or not the absence is  Meetings end approximately one-hour and excused/unexcused is at the discretion of a half (90 minutes) from the time the the Secretary. (Emailing the secretary does meeting is called to order by the Chair. not guarantee that the absence will be Unless a motion to extend time is made and excused.) passed or a motion to adjourn the meeting is made and passed before the end of the  An Assembly member with three absences meeting, all discussion will cease at the end will be asked to step down from their of 90 minutes and the meeting will be position and if they choose not to, are adjourned. subject to removal from office specified in Article IX, Section II, under the grounds of Attendance: “neglect of duty.”  Attendance at all SGA meetings will be  Those occupying co-positions are permitted taken by roll call at the start of the meeting no more than two meetings where the vote by the Secretary. Members who arrive after for the position is lost; that is, occupants of roll call has been taken must inform the a co-position may be absent from the same Secretary of their presence at the meeting. 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: 12 Dorm Representatives (Denbigh, Merion, Radnor, Pem East, Pem West, Erdman, Haffner, Rhoads North, Rhoads South, Perry House, Batten House, Brecon, Rock) 6 Members-at-Large 1 Haverford College Representative 1 Off Campus Representative 1 McBride Representative 4 Class Presidents 1 Elections Heads 1 Heads of Residence Council 1 Head of Curriculum Committee 1 Traditions Mistresses 1 Board of Trustees Representatives 1 Representative to the Faculty 1 Heads of Social Committee 1 COPS Heads 1 Athletic Association Representative 1 Civic Engagement Office Representative 1 Office of Intercultural Affairs Representative 36 Total Votes 24 Quorum

Agenda:  At the end of discussion on an agenda item,  After the meeting is called to order by the Chair will ask if there are any motions to the chair, the first three agenda items will be made on the topic. be as follows:  Role Call Motions:  Announcements  Motions may be made, seconded,  Your Two Cents: During this item, any amended, and voted on only by members of new items for discussion, questions, or the Assembly. announcements can be made.  All motions must be made by raising  Agenda items for discussion will be your hand and announcing that you have a posted at the beginning of each meeting, as motion. When acknowledged by the chair well as e-mailed to the Association prior to you may state the motion. the Assembly meeting.  All motions with the exception of two  Old business (Assembly members only): noted below must be seconded. Seconds During this time, material that has already may be made by raising your hand and been presented may be revisited, announcing your support for consideration questioned, or announced. of the motion.  New Business: (Assembly members  Motions may not interrupt a speaker or only) any new items for discussion, be presented while another motion is on questions, or announcements can be made the floor with the exception of those noted that relate to the representative’s position. below.  Voting on all motions is done by simple Discussion: majority (50%+1) with the exception of  In order to participate in discussion, you calling the question and extending time, must be on the floor of the campus center which require two-thirds. main lounge. Individuals on the stairs or the  The following are types of motions that balcony must come down to the floor to be may be made: added to the speaking order.  Discussion length on each agenda item will Main Motion: A motion that is made for be determined by the Executive Board, and consideration during the discussion of an will be announced before discussion begins. agenda item. When such a motion is made, A motion to extend time may be made, discussion on the agenda item shall be upon receiving a two minute warning or a suspended and five minutes of discussion will motion to table may also be made, if it is occur on only the motion. At the end of 5 felt that this meeting time is not adequate minutes, unless time is extended, a vote will be to discuss the issue at hand. taken on the motion and discussion of the  All timings in the meeting will be monitored agenda item will resume. Motions must be by the Treasurer. pertinent to the agenda item being discussed, and may not be made when another motion is  Discussion is open to all individuals present on the floor or interrupt someone while they are at the meeting. Recommendations may speaking. also be made by any individual present at the meeting. Voting and the making of Motion to Extend Time: a priority motion which motions are restricted to Assembly may be made while another motion is on the members. floor. Such motions may be made regarding discussion on an agenda item, discussion on a motion, and/or extend meeting time. They Motion to Adjourn: A motion to call the must be seconded and specify the amount of meeting to a close. Such a motion must be time for the extension. There is no discussion of made if all business is finished before the 90 the motion and a vote is immediately taken. It minute set meeting time in order for the requires a two-thirds majority to pass. meeting to be adjourned. It must be seconded and voted upon and may not interrupt a speaker Motion to Call the Question: a priority motion or be made while another motion is on the used to stop discussion and put whatever floor. motion is on the floor up for an immediate vote. This motion may be made while another motion Voting: is on the floor, but may not interrupt another  All voting will be done by hand count, speaker. It must be seconded and voted on which will be tabulated by the Chair. Hand immediately requiring a 2/3 majority to pass. If counts will be done of those “for” and this motion passes, then a vote will follow “against” a motion as well as those immediately on the previous motion on the “abstaining.” Most votes require a simple floor, after a brief restatement of such motion. majority. A two-thirds majority requires that two-thirds of the voting members Motion to Table Discussion: a motion used to present vote and that two-thirds agree. stop discussion on an agenda item and move  Only Assembly members may vote in onto the next agenda item. It may be made the meeting, and co-officers to any position while another motion is on the floor, but may have only one vote. The President may only not interrupt a speaker. The motion must be vote in the case of a tie and certain seconded and then immediately voted on. If the Assembly positions are specified as non- motion passes, the agenda item is tabled until a voting. motion is made to reopen the discussion, postpone to a different time, or until the next  A roll call vote may be requested by meeting. any Assembly member, the results of which would be published in the minutes. Point of Order: a motion used to protest a breach of rules, conduct of procedure. A point Speaking Order: of order may interrupt a speaker and does not  Speaking order will be maintained by require a second or a vote. Once point of order the Vice-Chair. In order to be put on the is made, the Chair must take corrective action speaking order, raise your hand or make and if appropriate place speaker at the end of eye contact with the Vice-Chair until they the speaking order, and resume discussion on acknowledge (nodding, thumbs up, etc.) the agenda item or the motion, depending on that you are on the list. the point of order.  Speakers must be acknowledged by the Chair Anyone present can call a speaker out of order if  Direct responses to a speaker may be the speaker is being disrespectful or fostering a made if the response is from the presenter gang mentality. of the agenda item or if the speaker is asking a particular question of someone. Point of Information: such a motion is used to Otherwise responses should be confined to request information in a discussion. your turn on the speaking order.