Withdrawal of Resignation

[Guest John B Marshall]

At 12:35 pm on Friday, March 25, 2011, five days before our weekly meeting, our Student Government Association(SGA)Secretary sent out an email to the members of the senate tendering his resignation. At 7:59 pm on the same day, however, he sent out another email to the senate withdrawing his letter of resignation. "Withdrawal of Resignation" is not addressed in our current SGA constitution. However, according to our constitution,“All situations not covered by this constitution shall be decided by the current edition of the Robert’s Rules of Order.” The proposed resignation has not been placed before the assembly by the chair stating the question on its acceptance. Does our secretary need permission or a vote from the senate to withdraw his resignation?

[George Mervosh]

See the Authors' Interpretation of such things here: http://www.robertsrules.com/interp_list.html#2006_19

[David A Foulkes]

Does our secretary need permission or a vote from the senate to withdraw his resignation?

Per RONR, the resignation can be withdrawn without the requirement of permission if the chair has not placed it in the hands of the assembly. Since you are an SGA, there may be other higher rules in play, however.

[Rev Ed]

If your rules are silent on the withdrawing of a resignation, and your organization follows RONR, then the Secretary can withdraw the resignation anytime up until the issue is placed before the assembly. Even then, the member could ask the membership for permission to withdraw the resignation or if the member changes his/her mind before voting begins, the membership could simply vote against the motion to accept the motion.

[Josh Martin]

Withdrawal of Resignation" is not addressed in our current SGA constitution.

Since you are an SGA, there may be other higher rules in play, however.

It seems to me they already checked the higher rules.

[David A Foulkes]

It seems to me they already checked the higher rules.

I was thinking the constitution was their rules, and there might have been some other "higher" rules. When I see words such as "council" or "student government" in the organization title, I tend to not think in terms of a private organization governed only by its own rules.

[Josh Martin]

I was thinking the constitution was their rules, and there might have been some other "higher" rules. When I see words such as "council" or "student government" in the organization title, I tend to not think in terms of a private organization governed only by its own rules.

There are likely other higher rules, but I find it unlikely that there are any which apply to this situation.

[Shmuel Gerber]

At 12:35 pm on Friday, March 25, 2011, five days before our weekly meeting, our Student Government Association(SGA)Secretary sent out an email to the members of the senate tendering his resignation. At 7:59 pm on the same day, however, he sent out another email to the senate withdrawing his letter of resignation. "Withdrawal of Resignation" is not addressed in our current SGA constitution. However, according to our constitution,“All situations not covered by this constitution shall be decided by the current edition of the Robert’s Rules of Order.” The proposed resignation has not been placed before the assembly by the chair stating the question on its acceptance. Does our secretary need permission or a vote from the senate to withdraw his resignation?

It depends on what the constitution says about resignations, even if withdrawal is not specifically mentioned.