Robert’s Rules of Order
The importance of Special Rules and Standing Rules for healthy organizations
Guest post by Ted Weisgal Brigadier General Henry Martyn Robert was a genius. After a disastrous 14-hour meeting in 1863, he reflected for 13 years and attended lots of meetings. From those experiences as well as research into British parliamentary law and rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, he created what has become the…
Read MoreExtra rules to add to Robert’s Rules
Robert’s Rules of Order is a daunting subject for many folks who haven’t yet seen how much it improves meetings. We strive in Jurassic Parliament to distill key information that will help you run effective and fair meetings. Distillation is one thing, but ADDING RULES? When there are already hundreds of pages of rules in…
Read More“Order of Business” says when you can make a motion
It is a fundamental principle of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 12th edition (RONR) that main motions must be taken up at the proper time on the agenda. (A main motion proposes action by the body). This is necessary in order to preserve order, and the rights of members. To that end, RONR establishes…
Read MoreChanging course: Using Robert’s Rules to alter a prior action
It seems that a lot of confusion prevails within our local government bodies about the Motion to Reconsider and how to use it. This article describes when and how to reconsider a motion, and other ways of changing your mind as a body. It was first published on the MRSC blog. MRSC is a private…
Read MoreWhy bylaws?
Guest article by Ted Weisgal Are bylaws the be-all and end-all of organizational development? If you create good ones will a flourishing organization be the natural outcome? Probably not. Good bylaws are critically important, but you should also have: A mission that resonates with people, Orderly meetings, Members who are reliable, Agendas that justify people’s…
Read MoreDon’t vote to accept, adopt, approve or receive reports
Updated November 20, 2022 Boards and councils often fail to process reports correctly. When an officer or a committee submits a written report, the board usually should NOT vote to accept, adopt, approve, or receive it. Instead, the report is noted as received for filing. No action is necessary. The minutes simply state: Last month’s…
Read MoreWhat is a resolution in Robert’s Rules?
In Robert’s Rules of Order, a RESOLUTION is a special type of MOTION. My friend the late John Stackpole, a distinguished parliamentarian, described it this way: “A resolution is a motion in fancy dress.” A resolution is used for important or complex questions, or when greater formality is desired. A resolution should be put into…
Read MoreMeeting or session: what’s the difference in Robert’s Rules?
When a group of people gather together to conduct their organization’s business, they are in a meeting. The group of people is called an “assembly,” and the event by which they gather is called a “meeting.” Sometimes in order to conduct business the assembly meets in a series of meetings. This series of meetings is…
Read MoreCommittees in Robert’s Rules
Do you want committees that run smooth and effective meetings? Download our paper, “Committees in Robert’s Rules,” to learn how they can. Committees in Robert’s Rules – Introduction A committee is a group of volunteers who have agreed to do a job defined by someone else. The key fact about a committee is that it…
Read MoreWas this proper use of “Point of Information”?
Dear Dinosaur: A board member at a condo association meeting made a motion. The motion did not receive a second. The board member then said, “Point of Information,” and continued to state his opinion of why the motion was important. Was this the proper use of “Point of Information? If so, what is the use of…
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