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Where does a delegate report to his unit occur in agenda?


paulmcclintock

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This came up at my NAP unit meeting yesterday.  I couldn't think of an answer from RONR.  I'll generalize the situation.

 

A local unit of a national organization elects (let's say) 2 delegates to the national convention.  Under RONR, "the delegate has the duty...to be prepared on returning from the convention to present to his unit an information report of what transpired" (p. 605, l. 23ff).  The unit meets monthly and follows the RONR standard order of business ("MRS SUN"). Under what category of business do the delegates report?

 

The question expands to:

a. should the delegate be considered and officer, and report under Reports of Officers?

b. should the delegation be considered a special committee, and report under Special Committee Reports?

c. should the delegate report be considered a special order, reported under Special Orders?

d. should the delegate report simply come under New Business?

 

Furthermore, is it a duty of each delegate to report, or can they (should they?) file a joint report that they choose between them as to which will present it if oral, but both sign if written?

 

Just curious.  Not a matter of grave concern.

 

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This came up at my NAP unit meeting yesterday. I couldn't think of an answer from RONR. I'll generalize the situation.

A local unit of a national organization elects (let's say) 2 delegates to the national convention. Under RONR, "the delegate has the duty...to be prepared on returning from the convention to present to his unit an information report of what transpired" (p. 605, l. 23ff). The unit meets monthly and follows the RONR standard order of business ("MRS SUN"). Under what category of business do the delegates report?

The question expands to:

a. should the delegate be considered and officer, and report under Reports of Officers?

b. should the delegation be considered a special committee, and report under Special Committee Reports?

c. should the delegate report be considered a special order, reported under Special Orders?

d. should the delegate report simply come under New Business?

Furthermore, is it a duty of each delegate to report, or can they (should they?) file a joint report that they choose between them as to which will present it if oral, but both sign if written?

Just curious. Not a matter of grave concern.

It seems to me that a delegation either is a special committee or is very much like such a committee. My own experience is that delegations are not often expected to make a report, but if they are, they would report under that heading.

"As in the case of any committee, in the absence of a superior rule to the contrary a constituent society or unit can instruct its delegation," (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 606)

As for the latter question, the rules generally suggest that there should be a single, joint report from the committee. I suppose one could reasonably argue that the language of the rule in question provides otherwise and that each member is required to report, although that would not be my personal interpretation.

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iI cannot find anything in RONR directly dealing with the question.  It's an information report, so it could be given after the officer reports and committee reports.  Or, it could be given under Unfinished Business and General Orders--in a sense, the request for a delegate report is a General Order, so I think it could be given at that point in the meeting.

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Under RONR, "the delegate has the duty...to be prepared on returning from the convention to present to his unit an information report of what transpired" (p. 605, l. 23ff).  The unit meets monthly and follows the RONR standard order of business ("MRS SUN"). Under what category of business do the delegates report?

 

Who says that the delegates actually get to present their report? Maybe we just want to make sure they are prepared to present an information report, to ensure that they don't fall asleep at the convention. :)

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As RONR notes, on page 606, "...the delegation is in effect a committee to represent and act at the convention for the constituent society or unit that chose it." I'm inclined to agree, therefore, that if I'm taking Mr. McClintock's multiple-choice exam, I'll choose b.

 

I also agree that nothing in RONR says that a delegation must present a report to its parent body, which means to me that it should report only if called upon to do so, which may occur in a number of different ways. 

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iI cannot find anything in RONR directly dealing with the question.  It's an information report, so it could be given after the officer reports and committee reports.  Or, it could be given under Unfinished Business and General Orders--in a sense, the request for a delegate report is a General Order, so I think it could be given at that point in the meeting.

 

With all due respect, I'm afraid that none of this makes any sense to me, other than the first sentence.

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  • 2 years later...
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"As in the case of any committee, in the absence of a superior rule to the contrary a constituent society or unit can instruct its delegation," (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 606)

Quote

As RONR notes, on page 606, "...the delegation is in effect a committee to represent and act at the convention for the constituent society or unit that chose it."

Ah, I had missed these in RONR, which answer nicely the question.  So even a delegation of one is in effect a committee of one.  So reporting under Special Committees seems generally indicated.  But if the President is ex officio a delegate, he/she could also give the report under the officers report, I'd think, as it relates to his/her duty as president.

Thanks all for your feedback!

 

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