Effective date of resolutions

[Guest Carmen]

Yesterday my faculty senate voted effectively on two resolutions which our leadership opposes. One was a resolution against closing an campus center that was slated to close that day. Afterward, the chancellor called the director and told her that until he got official minutes and votes he would proceed with the closure. He then wrote the chair of the senate (who seems unwilling to advocate on behalf of the faculty) to say that he expected the minutes and notification of the votes taken. He sat through the entire meeting. Are such expectations parliamentary?

[Edgar Guest]

Adopted motions (including resolutions) take effect the moment their adoption is announced by the chair (absent any "proviso" which would delay their implementation). The approval of the minutes is not relevant.

 

However a resolution which simply expresses opposition to the closing of the campus center is not the same as a motion that rescinds an earlier decision to close the campus center.

[Guest Guest]

Thank you. The resolution did call for the closure to br rescinded. Do you have an RRO reference?

[Edgar Guest]

 The resolution did call for the closure to be rescinded. 

 

But calling for the closure to be "rescinded" may not be the same as adopting a motion to rescind the motion that ordered the closure in the first place. Does your faculty senate have the authority to actually stop the closure (or is it only expressing its opinion)?

[Guest Carmen]

These are academic centers. All modifications to academic centers must go through faculty governance according to written policies and procedures, these closures were not done in accordance with that process.

[Guest Guest]

But back to the original question, is there a RRO section which states that the vote rather than presentation of minutes is the determining event?

[jstackpo]

Perhaps not an explicit statement - except for bylaw adoption, p. 597 - but plenty of examples of instant-implementation, e.g., p. 120-121.

But... amendments to bylaws are just motions, too, and if they go into effect immediately, so to do all other motions.

[Edgar Guest]

Conversely, there is nothing in RONR that suggests that the approval of the minutes is the "determining event".

 

If someone claims there is, the burden of proof is on him to find it.

 

Consider a meeting held on April 1. A motion is adopted to send two delegates to a convention on April 15. Would anyone argue that they can't go until the minutes of that meeting are approved (maybe as early as May 1 but possibly quite later)?