bd of directors meeting

[Guest mrt]

if the president lets a non board member speak during a board meeting, must he let other non board members speak if they so desire?

[Rob Elsman]

if the president lets a non board member speak during a board meeting, must he let other non board members speak if they so desire?

No rule in RONR gives the president of the board alone the power to recognize a non-member for the purpose of speaking.

[hmtcastle]

No rule in RONR gives the president of the board alone the power to recognize a non-member for the purpose of speaking.

And just because the board lets one non-member speak, it's under no obligation to let all non-members speak.

[Rob Elsman]

And just because the board lets one non-member speak, it's under no obligation to let all non-members speak.

I understand the facts to be that the board, as a body, did not give permission for the first non-member to speak.

[hmtcastle]

I understand the facts to be that the board, as a body, did not give permission for the first non-member to speak.

Well it may have, "without objection", but that wasn't really the question.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

If the president lets a non board member speak during a board meeting,

must he let other non board members speak if they so desire?

No.

There is no rule in Robert's Rules which implies that the permission must be uniform, or must be blanket coverage for all similar individuals.

An assembly is free to allow (non-members) Col. Mustard and Prof. Plum permission to speak, while denying the privilege to Miss Scarlet and Mrs. Peacock.

The assembly need not be fair, need not be consistent.

[Gary Novosielski]

If the president lets a non board member speak during a board meeting, must he let other non board members speak if they so desire?

It's not up to him.

(a majority of ) The board, and not the president, decides if, when, for how long, and which non-members may speak, while no business is pending. There is no "fairness doctrine" that governs the process. They can decide on a case-by-case basis, and revoke the permission at will.

However, if there is a motion pending, the board would need to Suspend the Rules that prohibit a non-member from speaking in debate. That would require a 2/3 vote.