Guest Krista Posted February 21, 2019 at 07:57 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 at 07:57 PM Hi! My sorority follows Robert's Rules of Order when holding our chapter meetings. We've had some disputes about appropriate dress and were wondering if a meeting held using Robert's Rules of Order is supposed to adhere to any specific dress code. Any information would be much appreciated! Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted February 21, 2019 at 07:59 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 at 07:59 PM 1 minute ago, Guest Krista said: Hi! My sorority follows Robert's Rules of Order when holding our chapter meetings. We've had some disputes about appropriate dress and were wondering if a meeting held using Robert's Rules of Order is supposed to adhere to any specific dress code. Any information would be much appreciated! Thank you. I'm afraid there is nothing in RONR about a "dress code" of any sort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Goodwiller, PRP Posted February 21, 2019 at 08:30 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 at 08:30 PM 27 minutes ago, Richard Brown said: I'm afraid there is nothing in RONR about a "dress code" of any sort. Which is not to say that it would be inappropriate for a society to adopt rules related to dress code - just that such rules would be ordinary standing rules, rather than rules of order. In most cases i am aware of, dress "codes" are strictly a matter of local custom, and what any particular society does is related to how its members dress in other settings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. J. Posted February 21, 2019 at 10:52 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 at 10:52 PM A dress code would probably be considered decorum. A society could remove a person that showed up wearing an offensive tee shirt, if the majority found it offensive. It would probably be better to draft a dress code. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Krista Posted February 26, 2019 at 05:22 AM Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 at 05:22 AM Thank you so much for your responses! One of my sisters made this argument "In typical parliamentary procedure headwear is not worn unless for religious purposes. It's a respect thing. In most business places, your hat is removed when you enter the building. As a result, hats shouldn't be worn in meeting". I could not find anything on the internet that specified whether robert's rules of order/parliamentary procedure had a specific dress code. Anyway, I really appreciate all the comments! Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Katz Posted February 26, 2019 at 05:38 AM Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 at 05:38 AM I find a good response when someone asserts that RONR/parliamentary procedure requires/forbids something is to ask for a page number, rather than doing the research yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted February 26, 2019 at 02:37 PM Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 at 02:37 PM 9 hours ago, Guest Krista said: One of my sisters made this argument "In typical parliamentary procedure headwear is not worn unless for religious purposes. It's a respect thing. In most business places, your hat is removed when you enter the building. As a result, hats shouldn't be worn in meeting". The member is mistaken.There is no parliamentary rule concerning the wearing of headwear. The organization is free to adopt its own rules concerning this subject if it wishes to do so, but RONR has nothing to say about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted February 26, 2019 at 03:34 PM Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 at 03:34 PM I'm sure there are plenty of organizations out there where a certain type of headgear or garb is normally worn to all functions (such as the Red Hatters or the Loyal Order of Water Buffalo ) which would include meetings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. J. Posted February 26, 2019 at 04:24 PM Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 at 04:24 PM 1 hour ago, Josh Martin said: The member is mistaken.There is no parliamentary rule concerning the wearing of headwear. The organization is free to adopt its own rules concerning this subject if it wishes to do so, but RONR has nothing to say about it. Historically, it is. Until the 1990's the UK House of Commons required a member making a point of order to wear a hat. Jefferson's Manual includes the rules (with emphasis added in all cases): " If any difficulty arises in point of order during the division, the Speaker is to decide peremptorily, subject to the future censure of the House if irregular. He sometimes permits old experienced members to assist him with their advice, which they do, sitting in their seats, covered, to avoid the appearance of debate; but this can only be with the Speaker's leave, else the division might last several hours. (Rule LI, Order in Debate)." " No member is to come into the House with his head covered, nor to remove from one place to another with his hat on, nor is to put on his hat in coming in, or removing, until he be set down in his place. " and " When any member means to speak, he is to stand up in his place, uncovered, and to address himself, not to the House, or any particular member, but to the Speaker, who calls him by his name, that the House may take notice who it is that speaks. (Rule XVII, Order in Debate)" I believe that, until the current session, the US House maintained a rule against headgear. All that said, there is no specific rule in RONR prohibiting or permitting headgear. There is no rule in RONR prohibiting or permitting a member to be naked during the meeting. I would presume that a member appearing naked (and I can think of two cases within the last 20 years) could be removed as a breach of decorum (or even a breech of decorum). That decision would be up to the membership attending the meeting, via point of order and/or appeal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Katz Posted February 26, 2019 at 04:29 PM Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 at 04:29 PM 4 minutes ago, J. J. said: All that said, there is no specific rule in RONR prohibiting or permitting headgear. There is no rule in RONR prohibiting or permitting a member to be naked during the meeting. I would presume that a member appearing naked (and I can think of two cases within the last 20 years) could be removed as a breach of decorum (or even a breech of decorum). That decision would be up to the membership attending the meeting, via point of order and/or appeal. Sigh. We got him off the stage as quickly as we could. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted February 26, 2019 at 04:41 PM Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 at 04:41 PM 4 minutes ago, Joshua Katz said: Sigh. We got him off the stage as quickly as we could. Oh, jeez.... I remember it all too well!!! A valuable lesson was learned with that incident: the presiding officer should never leave the meeting room without assuring that someone else is available to take over and maintain order in his absence! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. J. Posted February 26, 2019 at 04:42 PM Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 at 04:42 PM 7 minutes ago, Joshua Katz said: Sigh. We got him off the stage as quickly as we could. Yes, and there was another one where it was clearly not a violation of decorum. It was the meeting of a society of nudists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Katz Posted February 26, 2019 at 04:43 PM Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 at 04:43 PM Yes, although I'm not sure that's a lesson that should have been needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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