Enforcing Robert's Rules, Decorum, Formality

[Guest Elise]

Whose job is it to enforce Roberts Rules once a board has adopted them?

What about rules of decorum and formality?

What if certain board members do not wish to follow the above mentioned rules, or ridicules the rules (sighing, eye rolling, criticism of rules if another board member points out an infraction, etc)?

[Josh Martin]

Whose job is it to enforce Roberts Rules once a board has adopted them?

 

Ultimately, the board, but the first line of enforcement is the chair.

 

What about rules of decorum and formality?

 

Same as above, although it should be noted that some rules of formality are often relaxed in a small board (not more than about a dozen members present). See RONR, 11th ed., pgs. 588-591 for some Principles of Interpretation.

 

What if certain board members do not wish to follow the above mentioned rules, or ridicules the rules (sighing, eye rolling, criticism of rules if another board member points out an infraction, etc)?

 

The rules apply whether members wish to follow them or not. Sighing or eye rolling, while perhaps unprofessional, violates no rule in RONR, although it is conceivable that especially loud sighing could be disruptive to the assembly, in which case the member could be called to order. If a member wishes to criticize a rule, he had best do so by raising a Point of Order or Appeal (if he disagrees with the interpretation of a rule) or by moving to adopt a special rule of order on the subject to supersede the rule in RONR (if he agrees with the interpretation, but wishes to adopt a new rule on the subject). Otherwise, such criticism will almost certainly be out of order as it will not be germane to the pending motion.

[Guest Elise]

Re: board members not wanting to follow the rules

What if board members go about breaking rules, what if they get another board member to go along with them (example: 'this is stupid' or 'I'm tired of this' or 'maybe these rules aren't for us' proclaimed during a discussion or a vote where perhaps another board member is referencing the rule in question.

What if they claim ignorance of the rules and basically try to dismiss the enforcement of a rule by creating chaos, for example?

[Josh Martin]

Re: board members not wanting to follow the rules

What if board members go about breaking rules, what if they get another board member to go along with them (example: 'this is stupid' or 'I'm tired of this' or 'maybe these rules aren't for us' proclaimed during a discussion or a vote where perhaps another board member is referencing the rule in question.

What if they claim ignorance of the rules and basically try to dismiss the enforcement of a rule by creating chaos, for example?

 

As noted above, any comments about the rules are not in order during discussion of a motion, since they are not germane to the pending motion. No comments of any kind are in order during a vote. The only thing to do during a vote is to vote. If members wish to comment on how the rules are "stupid," that they are "tired" of them, or that the rules "aren't for us," then the appropriate course of action is to adopt a motion recommending that the membership authorize the board to adopt its own special rules of order which supersede RONR, but not the society's other rules. (Normally, a board cannot adopt rules which supersede any rules of the society, including the parliamentary authority.)

 

They can claim ignorance of the rules all they like, but the rules are still binding upon them (such a claim will not be very convincing if they are repeatedly called to order for violating the same rule). If members are habitually violating the rules and "creating chaos," see RONR, 11th ed., pgs. 644-648 and FAQ #20.

[Guest Elise]

Thank you so much, very, very helpful