Two Standards of Robert's Rules Makes for Confusion

Running RCSC Meeting Using Robert's Rules of Order

One of the problems is that the Board is using two sets of standards on how to run their meetings. The first and well-established standard that most people understand is that the chair doesn't vote unless it would affect the results of the vote. More on that later.

Established standards for large assemblies also means the chair doesn't typically take part in any debate or discussion. Again, this is to maintain the chair's appearance of impartiality in the process. However, as we have all witnessed, when the chair voices her opinion or members are allowed to speak as many times as they want (when they should only be allowed to speak twice), the board meetings are run under a combination of standard rules for large assemblies and Procedures in Small Boards.

Procedure in Small Boards (RONR 12th. Ed. 49:21)

In a board meeting where there are not more than about a dozen members present, some of the formality that is necessary for a large assembly would hinder business. The rules governing such meetings are different from the rules that hold in other assemblies, in the following respects:

1. Members may raise a hand instead of standing when seeking to obtain the floor and may remain seated while making motions or speaking.
2. Motions need not be seconded.
3. There is no limit to the number of times a member can speak to a debatable question. Appeals, however, are debatable under the regular rules—that is, each member (except the chair) can speak only once in a debate on them, while the chair may speak twice.
4. Informal discussion of a subject is permitted while no motion is pending.
5. When a proposal is perfectly clear to all present, a vote can be taken without a motion’s having been introduced. Unless agreed to by unanimous consent, however, all proposed actions must be approved by a vote under the same rules as in larger meetings, except that a vote can be taken initially by a show of hands, which is often a better method in small meetings.
6. The chairman need not rise while putting questions to a vote.
7. If the chairman is a member, he may, without leaving the chair, speak in informal discussions and in debate, and vote on all questions.

So which is it? A small board or large one?

It would certainly be nice if everybody knew which rules the meetings were being run by! I personally don't care which ones they do or don't use but it would be nice to have a little consistency from one meeting to the next! One way to do that would be to establish a special rule of order that states the meetings will be run under some or all of the less formal procedures applicable to small boards. I won't get into it now but one of the other problems with the corporate documents is the fact that the RCSC uses Robert's Rules of Order as their parliamentary authority, but the way they document, organize and post their corporate documents doesn't comply with Robert's Rules. The corporate documents lack a listing of any special rules of order or standing rules.

Clarifications on the Chair voting

The chair can always vote in a small board or committee.
Small boards and committees (i.e., under 12 people) get to relax Robert’s Rules a bit.

The chair can always vote if the vote is a secret.
If you’re using a secret ballot (anonymous voting), the impartiality issue is gone, and the chair can vote.

The chair can always vote if that individual vote would affect the result.
Here’s the rule: If the chair’s vote would make a difference on whether a motion passes or fails, the chair can vote. But the chair doesn’t have to vote in this instance.

Most think that the chair can only vote to break a tie but something most people fail to recognize is that the chair can also vote to create a tie causing a motion to fail!

I certainly hope this has helped.

Tom Marone, member of the Advisory Panel