Rules on Emails

[Adrianna204]

Their was an incident in an office that follows Roberts rules of orders, I was a part of those incidents and it took place after traditional office hours and it was not a strict emergency. Their was a flurry of emails that where exchanged which I read but did not respond to over the evening outside of normal business hours. Then the Senate Chair sent an email at 7:30am saying he was going to side with a very particular person because she had emailed outside of normal business hours. I sent an email around 12 noon stating that I would be sending my report by 5:00pm which is when the office closes. I sent my email report around 4L00pm. Their was emails sent after that which again I did not respond too as its the weekend. The situation is not a very specific emergeny and was office politics etc and the President of the organization was in another room when the incident occurred and spent about 20 minutes listiening to me getting my side of the story. Then going to get the other side. My question is can he simply state outside normal business hours without receiving my information. I do not think this is a reasonable time period. Thanks

[jstackpo]

You say, first line:  "an office that follows Roberts rules of orders".  I'm not clear what that means as Robert's Rules (RONR) are used to keep order and facilitate business in association meetings, not in "offices".   RONR would not be applicable to behavior outside a meeting, which is what you seem to be describing.

[Adrianna204]

jstackpo,  I am asking if their is anything within Roberts rules of order that covers this type of situation? 

[Richard Brown]

36 minutes ago, Adrianna204 said:

jstackpo,  I am asking if their is anything within Roberts rules of order that covers this type of situation? 

No, not outside of a meeting context, other than to say that official action of a society can be taken only at an official meeting unless your bylaws provide otherwise. However, like dr. Stackpole, this appears to me to be an office situation, not a meeting of a deliberative assembly.

Edited to add: Robert's Rules of Order applies to deliberative assemblies, that is, clubs, organizations, non-profit associations, Etc. It does not apply to workplace office matters.

Edited February 18, 2018 at 01:26 AM by Richard Brown
Added last paragraph

[Adrianna204]

Just now, Richard Brown said:

No, not outside of a meeting context, other than to say that official action of a society can be taken only at an official meeting unless your bylaws provide otherwise. However, like dr. Stackpole, this appears to me to be an office situation, not a meeting of a deliberative assembly.

ok thanks that clears that up, so it is an office situation not covered by Roberts rules of order. Thank you for the clarification and responce

[jstackpo]

Any time....

[Adrianna204]

2 hours ago, Richard Brown said:

No, not outside of a meeting context, other than to say that official action of a society can be taken only at an official meeting unless your bylaws provide otherwise. However, like dr. Stackpole, this appears to me to be an office situation, not a meeting of a deliberative assembly.

Edited to add: Robert's Rules of Order applies to deliberative assemblies, that is, clubs, organizations, non-profit associations, Etc. It does not apply to workplace office matters.

This has to do with an incident that took place in a Student Senate on a university campus at around 5:00pm. The incident had to do with situations involving a bill and misunderstanding within the Senate. An official meeting was not taking place though. Then a flurry of emails beween the Senate Chair and at least one senator with several Senators being CC'ed in the emails . The emails took place between approxemently ten pm and and 7:30am. The senate chair declared in an email sent at 7:31am that he was taking one senators side as she was the only one who had responded. I am questioning and plan to bring up his right to make that pronouncement without giving people enough time to respond especially when his email was sent before normal hours in the University Senate office starts. I sent him an email stating that I had a busy morning and would be sending my report by 5:00pm as I was wanting to take my time. I had it sent in around 4pm during the course of regular business hours. The issue was not of an emergency, no one was physically assaulted etc and I am trying to understand if his email is covered under Roberts rules of order as he was clearly acting as Senate Chair when he sent his email at 7:30am.

[Richard Brown]

Adrianna, I'm not sure what the issue is, other than a flurry of emails between meetings.  This does not appear to have taken place during a meeting of the student senate.   Private communications between members outside of a meeting are not prohibited.  However, taking binding ACTION on something outside of a meeting is strictly prohibited.  Unless you have some bylaw provision or other governing document that authorizes action outside of a meeting, student senate decisions can be made only in a meeting of the student senate.  Private communications are perfectly permissible, regardless of the time of day.  It is perfectly proper for members (or even the president) of an organization to lobby other members on a particular point of view.  He can base his position on whatever factors he chooses.. even the stage of the moon or a flip of a coin. However, if the communications become harassment, it might subject the sender to disciplinary action for conduct unbecoming a member or  detrimental to the organization. 

Caveat:  If the student senate is subject to your state's (or perhaps a university) open meetings (sunshine) law that prohibits communications between members outside of a properly noticed meeting, that will be a different matter.  Such laws or rules supersede RONR.  But, noting in RONR prohibits or limits such communications outside of a meeting.

If you think the Senate President did not give members adequate time to respond, you can move that he be censured for his actions.  It requires a second and a majority vote.  It amounts simply to a slap on the wrist:  "We don't like what you did".    Do you think this is something worthy of trying to have him censured by the Senate and do you think you can get a majority vote to adopt it?

Edited to add:  I suppose you can also try to get him removed as president if you think it is that serious.  Your own bylaws and governing documents probably spell out the procedure for that.  Is it really that serious?

 

Edited February 18, 2018 at 04:37 AM by Richard Brown
Added last paragraph

[Adrianna204]

Richard, you have given me great advice, it was the Senate Chair and really his only power would be to remove senators from commitees,, its simply that I feel their was an expectation that somehow I was supposed to give an answer while I was actually sleeping. I understand that members can email, I was cced in the emails and the implication was that I was expected to reply sometime between 10 and 73o am on a very complicated issue. I felt like I was being rushed to reply on something. I am just trying to see if this is covered in Roberts rules but I see it falls more in to office policies in the Senate office then Roberts rules, I am personally wanting this situation to go away but I do not think that one Senator is going to let anything drop. So I am trying to get information and understanding. I am really thankful for everyone taking the time to answer and give me information. I do not want the Senate Chair disciplined but I let him know in the letter, I was upset that as a student I was feeling rushed and pressured to give a quick answer on a serious matter of senate business.

 

[Josh Martin]

19 hours ago, Adrianna204 said:

I am trying to understand if his email is covered under Roberts rules of order

It is not.

19 hours ago, Adrianna204 said:

as he was clearly acting as Senate Chair when he sent his email at 7:30am

Actually, so far as RONR is concerned, he wasn’t. The term “chair” in RONR refers to the presiding officer, and when this individual sent his e-mail at 7:30 PM, he was not presiding over anything. He may well have other duties and authority outside of meetings under your rules, but that is beyond the scope of RONR and this forum.

RONR is concerned with procedures during meetings. What happens outside of meeting is up to your organization’s own rules and customs.

18 hours ago, Adrianna204 said:

I am just trying to see if this is covered in Roberts rules but I see it falls more in to office policies in the Senate office then Roberts rules,

Yes, I think this sums it up.

[Adrianna204]

9 hours ago, Josh Martin said:

It is not.

Actually, so far as RONR is concerned, he wasn’t. The term “chair” in RONR refers to the presiding officer, and when this individual sent his e-mail at 7:30 PM, he was not presiding over anything. He may well have other duties and authority outside of meetings under your rules, but that is beyond the scope of RONR and this forum.

RONR is concerned with procedures during meetings. What happens outside of meeting is up to your organization’s own rules and customs.

Yes, I think this sums it up.

Thanks this is a good point and I really appreate it very much. This has helped me clarify many things