No Chairs or Vice Chairs

[Guest acob54]

I am the corporate secretary on a not-for-profit board of directors.  The board is comprised of volunteers and has the requisite officers (President, VP, VP Finance, Secretary and several Directors-at-Large).  We have 34 branches spread across the province, some of which have a branch chair or vice-chair, while other branches do not.  How would Robert's Rules of Order work in a situation where there isn't a Chair or Vice Chair?  Thank you.

[Chris Harrison]

Do the bylaws of the branches that don't have a Chair or Vice Chair not provide for those offices (maybe the positions have a different title but the same duties) or are those offices provided for but for some reason the branches have not filled them?  If the branches have differing titles for their officers RONR doesn't have an issue with it as long as the bylaws of the parent organization doesn't. 

On the other hand, if some branches simply haven't elected someone to be Chair or Vice Chair then they should be encouraged to do so ASAP. and see RONR pp. 452-453 in the meantime.  I would also suggest you all inquire as to why they haven't done so.  Are there too few members to fill the offices required?  Are there enough members to do so but there is some reason they aren't willing to serve?  What is going on in their neck of the woods?

[Kim Goldsworthy]

12 hours ago, Guest acob54 said:

The board is comprised of volunteers and has the requisite officers (President, VP, VP Finance, Secretary and several Directors-at-Large). 

We have 34 branches spread across the province, some of which have a branch chair or vice-chair, while other branches do not. 

How would Robert's Rules of Order work in a situation where there isn't a Chair or Vice Chair?

Q. What do you mean by "work" in  "How would Robert's Rules of Order 'work'"?

When the branches meet in their general membership meetings, there certainly will be a presiding officer, even if not titled "chair", and there certainly will be a secretary, even if not titled "secretary".

The Book says that all you need is two meeting officers to run a meeting.

There is no need, inside a meeting, for a vice-anything.

Q. What do you need "working" out of Robert's Rules of Order for your branches? Do you not have a contact person? Do you not have a party responsible for dues or for rosters?

 

 

[Richard Brown]

Guest acob54, I'm afraid that I, too,  don't quite understand what you are asking.

[Guest acob54]

I apologize for my poorly written question. I'll try to express it differently.  In order for a business meeting to occur, someone has to chair the meeting.  In our branches that have a named individual as the Chair, that person would fill the role.  In our branches that do not have a named individual as the Chair, the participants/attendees at the meeting would decide who will conduct (or chair) the meeting.  Is that correct?

[George Mervosh]

8 minutes ago, Guest acob54 said:

I apologize for my poorly written question. I'll try to express it differently.  In order for a business meeting to occur, someone has to chair the meeting.  In our branches that have a named individual as the Chair, that person would fill the role.  In our branches that do not have a named individual as the Chair, the participants/attendees at the meeting would decide who will conduct (or chair) the meeting.  Is that correct?

Yes, that's correct.

Edited December 21, 2016 at 07:57 PM by George Mervosh

[Richard Brown]

3 hours ago, Guest acob54 said:

  In our branches that do not have a named individual as the Chair, the participants/attendees at the meeting would decide who will conduct (or chair) the meeting.  Is that correct?

 

3 hours ago, George Mervosh said:

Yes, that's correct.

And that person, once selected, is called the Chair (or chairman).  Well, technically he is chairman pro tem... for the purposes of that one meeting.  That "branch" would have to elect a chairman pro tem at every meeting as long as it has not elected a permanent one.

Question:  Do these branches have bylaws?  How do they function?  Are they supposed to have a regular presiding officer, by whatever name he is called?

[Josh Martin]

1 hour ago, Richard Brown said:

And that person, once selected, is called the Chair (or chairman).  Well, technically he is chairman pro tem... for the purposes of that one meeting.  That "branch" would have to elect a chairman pro tem at every meeting as long as it has not elected a permanent one.

A Chairman Pro Tem may be elected to serve for multiple meetings, but previous notice must be given of such an election.

[Richard Brown]

1 hour ago, Josh Martin said:

A Chairman Pro Tem may be elected to serve for multiple meetings, but previous notice must be given of such an election.

I agree.  I should have added that.