Guest Guest Posted February 13, 2017 at 12:47 AM Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 at 12:47 AM I am the Speaker of a collegiate political debate club, meaning I moderate our debates. Per our group's constitution, the Vice President is empowered to present potential debate topics to the rest of the club officers, who then as a whole make the final decision among the choices given. Each officer offers to the Vice President possible debate ideas. However, instead of presenting all of the suggestions given, he selects only resolutions he likes, shutting the rest of us out of the process. As he is the one responsible for generating the list of debate topics, is it possible to consider him a committee of one, and so file a discharge motion to compel him to present all debate ideas to us? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hieu H. Huynh Posted February 13, 2017 at 01:13 AM Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 at 01:13 AM Why couldn't someone else bring up the topics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Lages Posted February 13, 2017 at 01:20 AM Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 at 01:20 AM I don't really see how the motion to discharge a committee would force the vice president to present all of the debate ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Goldsworthy Posted February 13, 2017 at 07:33 AM Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 at 07:33 AM 6 hours ago, Guest Guest said: Per our group's constitution, the Vice President is empowered to present potential debate topics to the rest of the club officers, who then as a whole make the final decision among the choices given. *** Each officer offers to the Vice President possible debate ideas. However, instead of presenting all of the suggestions given, he selects only resolutions he likes, shutting the rest of us out of the process. Q. As he is the one responsible for generating the list of debate topics, is it possible to consider him a committee of one, and so file a discharge motion to compel him to present all debate ideas to us? A.) No. Your constitution is written to empower your VP with monopoly control over that duty or action. That is a dumb idea. Q. If the voting body (who is the voting body? the "rest of the officers"?) does not like the VP's idea(s), then is the voting body completely stymied? Q. Why doesn't the voting body just treat the VP's ideas as "a committee of one" and propose a unique idea from among themselves? I dare say, that excerpt from your constitution must be out of context, it is so baffling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted February 13, 2017 at 04:48 PM Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 at 04:48 PM 15 hours ago, Guest Guest said: Per our group's constitution, the Vice President is empowered... Well--there's yer problem right there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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