Faculty Congress

An Outline of Robert's Rules Of Order

(A revision of resources from Roberts Rules of Order – Revised)

Motions

Main Motions

Brings new business before UH Hilo Faculty Congress. Per our Bylaws, motions of 15 words or more must be provided to the Congress Chair so that it may be posted 48 hours prior to Faculty Congress meetings.

For Faculty Congress motions, a "friendly amendment" should be a simple suggestion made to the author that simply addresses a small, incidental matter, and needs only informal acceptance.

Main motions and all subsequent motions require a majority vote, unless otherwise noted

Subsidiary Motions

Made on a main motion; must be cleared before return to main motion

Privileged Motions

Made at any time during meeting

Incidental Motions

Must be taken up immediately

Motions that Bring a Question Again Before the Assembly

(when no other business is pending)

Voting Procedures

Voting procedures should take into consideration the need for efficiency, accuracy, transparency, and accountability. The following procedures are excerpted from the 12th edition of Robert's Rules:

Unanimous consent: “In cases where there seems to be no opposition in routine business or on questions of little importance, time can often be saved by the procedure of unanimous consent, or as it was formerly also called general consent. Action in this manner is in accord with the principle that rules are designed for the protection of the minority and generally need not be strictly enforced when there is no minority to protect.” In these cases, chair indicates an action will be taken if there are no objections; if any member objects, chair follows motion and voting process.

Approval of minutes: A formal motion to approve the minutes is not necessary. Regardless of whether a motion is made to approve the minutes, the chair asks “Are there any corrections to the minutes?” and pauses. Any corrections are usually handled by unanimous consent, with the chair asking if there are any further corrections. The chair then says “There being no (further) corrections to the minutes are approved (as corrected)” without any formal vote. Thus, the only way to object to the approval of draft minutes is to offer a correction.

Voting Methods

Voice vote: All those in favor say “aye/yes”, then those opposed say “nay/no”; then chair estimates which side had more votes; this is “the normal method of voting on a motion”

Rising vote: All those in favor stand, then those opposed stand; chair estimates or calls for a count; this method is “used in verifying an inconclusive voice vote, and in voting on motions requiring two-thirds vote for adoption”

Show of hands: All those in favor raise hand, then those opposed raise hand; chair estimates or calls for a count; this is “an alternative method that can be used in place of a rising vote in very small assemblies if no member objects… is also used in place of a voice vote as a normal method of voting”

Note regarding counts: If a count is not taken, and a member thinks a count is desirable, that member should move that the vote be counted. If the motion is seconded, the motion is voted on by voice vote or by an uncounted rising vote or show of hands.

Other voting methods: These are used “only when expressly ordered by the assembly or prescribed by its rules”:

  • Ballot (aka “secret ballot”): use paper or electronic means so that how each member votes is not revealed
  • Roll call: recording how each member votes (per Robert’s Rules, this method is “enables constituents to know how their representatives voted on certain measures”)
  • Vote by mail: use a mailing list to ensure only voting members are allowed to vote (may be secret or recorded by member)
  • And other methods
  • Note: Informal “straw polls” are not in order

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Explanation of Terms

Postpone Indefinitely

Purpose
To kill the main motion for the duration of the meeting.

Needs a second.

Is not amendable, but while this motion is pending the main motion can be amended.

Debatable, and debate can go to the merits of the main motion.

Majority to adopt. Only an affirmative vote can be reconsidered.

Result
Kills the main motion for the duration of the session.

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Amend

Purpose
To change the motion; proposed amendments must be germane to the main motion.

Needs a second. Is amendable, but it must be germane or related to the amendment.

Debatable. Debate goes only to the amendment.

Majority vote to adopt. If amending a motion or document that takes two-thirds vote to adopt, the proposed amendment takes only a majority vote.

Can be reconsidered.

Result
If adopted, the proposed change becomes part of the main motion.

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Refer to a Committee

Purpose
Have a small group investigate a proposal.

Needs a second. Any variable in the motion is amendable.

Debatable. Debate goes only to the merits of referring the motion to a committee.

Majority vote to adopt. Can be reconsidered if the committee hasn’t begun discussion of the motion.

Result
If adopted, the motion goes to the committee to investigate and does not return to the membership until the committee is ready to report or until the membership has adopted a time for the committee to report back to the assembly.

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Consider Informally

Purpose
Have the assembly act as a committee.

Needs a second. Is debatable. Debate is on the merits of informal consideration.

Majority vote to adopt. Only a negative vote can be reconsidered.

Result
If adopted, this motion enables the assembly to act as the committee. Its effect is to take away the restrictions on debating the main motion and any proposed amendments. Any other motions made are under the regular rules of debate. By a two-thirds vote, members can limit the length or number of speeches or can close debate.

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Postpone to a Certain Time

Purpose
To put off or delay a decision.

Needs a second. The time element is amendable.

Debatable. Debate goes only to the merits of postponing.

Majority vote to adopt. Can be reconsidered.

Result
Discussion and decision are put off until later in the meeting or until the next meeting when no business is pending.

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Postpone to a Certain Time Made Into a Special Order

Purpose
To ensure that a motion will be taken up at a specified time.

Needs a second. Debatable. Time is amendable.

A two-thirds vote to adopt. Can be reconsidered.

Result
If adopted, it must be taken up at the specified time even if business is pending.

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To Limit or Extend the Limits of Debate

Purpose
To limit or extend the time of debate or the number of times a person can speak in debate; or to put a time limit on a particular motion. For example: to limit the entire debate to 30 minutes.

Needs a second. Time element is amendable.

Not debatable. Takes a two-thirds vote to adopt.

Only an affirmative vote can be reconsidered without debate before the time limit expires. If partially carried out, only the time remaining can be reconsidered.

If the motion has been voted down, it can be made again after there has been some progress in the debate.

Result
It changes the standard rules of debate.

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Previous Question

Purpose
To stop debate and immediately take the vote.

Needs a second. Not amendable. Not debatable. Two-thirds vote to adopt.

Can be reconsidered without debate before any vote has been taken under the order of the previous question.

Result
If adopted, the members take a vote on the immediate pending question. If the previous question is called on all pending questions, then the vote is taken on all pending questions.

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To Lay on the Table

Purpose
To set the main motion aside temporarily in order to take up something of immediate urgency. The intent is not to kill the motion or to put it off to the next meeting.

Needs a second. Not amendable. Not debatable. Takes a majority to adopt.

Can’t be reconsidered. If adopted, it can be taken from the table; and if it is defeated, it can be made again after debate has progressed and something more urgent comes up again.

Result
If adopted, it places the main motion and any of its adhering motions on the table or in the hands of the secretary. It stays on the table until someone moves to take it from the table.

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Call for the Orders of the Day

Purpose
Make the assembly conform to the agenda or order of business, or make the assembly take up a general order or special order.

Does not require a second. Not amendable. Not debatable.

No vote is taken unless the members want to set aside the orders of the day, which takes a two-thirds vote. Cannot be reconsidered.

Result
Stop whatever the assembly is doing and go to the orders of the day.

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Raise a Question of Privilege

Purpose
Permits a member to make a request or a main motion relating to the rights and privileges of the assembly or a members and to consider it immediately, because of its urgency, while other business is pending.

It does not need a second. Not debatable. Chair rules on the request.

Result
The chair’s ruling determines the outcome.

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Recess

Purpose
To take a short intermission and then resume business where the members left off. As a privileged motion, a motion to recess is made when other business is pending.

Needs a second.Length of recess is amendable. Not debatable.

Majority vote to adopt. Can’t be reconsidered.

Result
Members take a short break.

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Adjourn

Purpose
To end the meeting now!

Needs a second. Not amendable. Not debatable. A majority vote to adopt.

Can’t be reconsidered but can be made again after some progress in the meeting.

Result
It ends the meeting, and the business halts at the point where the members adjourned. If the members are in the middle of discussing a motion, this motion will come up at the next meeting under unfinished business and general orders.

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Fix the Time to Which to Adjourn

Purpose
To set a later time to continue this meeting before the next regular meeting. In parliamentary terminology, it sets the time for an adjourned meeting.

Needs a second. The time and date of the adjourned meeting are amendable.

Not debatable. A majority vote adopts. Can be reconsidered.

Result
Sets the date, place, and time for the meeting to continue.

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Fix the Time at Which to Adjourn

Purpose
To set the time to adjourn the meeting.

Needs a second. Amendable. Is debatable because it is an incidental main motion.

Takes a majority to adopt. Can’t be reconsidered.

Result
The members must adjourn at the time they have now set for adjournment. When that time comes, the presiding officer must announce that the time for adjournment has arrived and then adjourn the meeting. If members want to continue the meeting at this point, they must move to suspend the rules in order to continue the meeting.

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Point of Order

Purpose
To correct a breach in the rules.

No second. Not debatable. Presiding officer rules on the point. Cannot be reconsidered.

Result
The chair’s ruling stands unless someone appeals it.

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Appeal from the Decision of the Chair or Appeal

Purpose
To disagree with the chair’s ruling and let the members decide the disagreement by taking a vote.

Needs a second. Must be made at the time the ruling was made.

Debatable. However, it is not debatable if it relates to rules of speaking, relates to the priority of business (order of business), or applies to a ruling on an undebatable motion.

Not amendable. Majority or tie vote sustains the decision of the chair.

Can be reconsidered.

Result
If adopted, it upholds the chair’s ruling.

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Request for Permission to Withdraw or Modify a Motion

Purpose
Withdraw or modify a motion without taking a vote.

Does not need a second if asking permission to withdraw. Needs a second if modifying the motion. Not debatable.

Vote by general consent when asking permission to withdraw.

The vote to modify can be reconsidered. Only the negative vote in withdrawing the motion can be reconsidered.

Result
When withdrawn, it is as if the motion had never been made. If modified, then it is presented to the assembly in the modified form.

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Object to Consideration of a Question

Purpose
To prevent the main motion from being considered.

No second. Not debatable. Takes a two-thirds vote in the negative not to consider.

Only a negative vote, not an affirmative vote, can be reconsidered.

Result
If two-thirds of the members vote in the negative, then the motion cannot be considered for the duration for the meeting. It can be proposed again at another meeting.

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Division of the Assembly

Purpose
To doubt the result of the vote.

No second. Not debatable.

Result
The vote is immediately retaken in a different way than it was originally taken.

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Suspend the Rules

Purpose
To set aside a rule of the assembly (except bylaws or the corporate charter).

Needs a second. Not debatable. Not amendable. Takes a two-thirds vote.

Cannot be reconsidered.

Result
Rules are set aside so that members can do something contrary to the rules.

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To Take From the Table

Purpose
To take a motion from the table.

Needs a second. Not debatable. Needs a majority to adopt. Cannot be reconsidered.

Result
Takes a motion from the table, and it now becomes the immediate pending business.

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Reconsider

Purpose
To reconsider the vote on a motion.

Only a member who voted on the prevailing side can make the motion.

Needs a second. Debatable if the motion it reconsiders is debatable.

Majority vote to adopt. Cannot be reconsidered.

Can be made but not considered when other business is pending.

Result
If adopted, the motion is again before the assembly as if it had not been voted on.

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Rescind and Amend Something Previously Adopted

Purpose
To change something previously adopted either by striking out the entire action or by changing part of it.

Needs a second. Is debatable. Majority vote with previous notice.

Negative vote only can be reconsidered.

Two-thirds vote or majority vote of the entire membership without previous notice. (The reason for such a high vote is to protect the rights of the absent members.)

Result
If this motion is adopted, the previously adopted motion is reversed or changed.

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Discharge a Committee

Purpose
To take a matter out of the hands of the committee before its report is given so that the assembly can decide.

Needs a second. Is amendable. Is debatable.

Debate can go to the merits of the question in the committee.

Vote required
If no previous notice has been given, either a two-thirds vote or a majority of the entire membership is needed, whichever is more practical to obtain. If previous notice has been given, a majority vote is needed. If the committee fails to report at the time specified or if the committee is giving a partial report, then it takes only a majority vote.
Result
If adopted and if a motion was referred to the committee by a subsidiary motion, then the motion is immediately before the assembly for discussion.

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Outline derived from
Robert, Henry M, et. al. Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 11th Edition. Philadelphia: Da Capo Press, 2011.