Preparing for Convention

[Mike Phillips]

Our organization is having its biennial meeting in a couple of months. There will be about 2,000 people present. The bylaws require the organization to follow RONR unless the bylaws specify otherwise. The meeting is conducted by a Registered Parliamentarian who is imported from another state at a very high cost. They use this guy because he knows RONR to the point of being able to effectively weaponize them. He's a master at cutting off debate, running out the clock, and engineering an adjournment when issues leadership doesn't want debated are finally ready for the floor. 

Unfortunately, there are very few people in the organization who know RONR. So, I've been reading and studying for the last two months on a daily basis to at least make sure I understand what is happening at this next meeting. I'm not under the illusion that I will be able to effectively use RONR to counter the tactics of the RP. 

By the time of the convention, I will have fully read RONR at least once, I have already read RONR In Brief, I'm in the process of reading all of the posts here that I can, and I have given up trying to find helpful practice videos on YouTube. Can you suggest any resources I can use to prepare myself for the convention? I'd like to become a part of NAP, but I don't know if I will pass the test to become a member in time to get benefit. If there are any other books or audiobooks you'd recommend, please do so. 

I've considered hiring an RP to stand beside me and coach me during the business meeting, but I don't know if he or she could get onto the floor. 

[Richard Brown]

For help in understanding RONR, I recommend Robert's Rules For Dummies by C. Alan Jennings.  It is not a parliamentary authority and should not be considered or cited as one, but it is rather a book about RONR and can be a tremendous help in  understanding some of its more complex provisions. It is currently in its Third Edition. It is written in easy to understand layman's language and i  recommend it highly.

 

[Richard Brown]

34 minutes ago, Mike Phillips said:

I''ve considered hiring an RP to stand beside me and coach me during the business meeting, but I don't know if he or she could get onto the floor. 

Hiring a professional parliamentarian to assist individuals or factions at conventions and annual meetings it is not unusual. I believe one of our PRP members has written rather extensively about it. @J. J., can you point Mr. Phillips in the right direction?

[Mike Phillips]

27 minutes ago, Richard Brown said:

For help in understanding RONR, I recommend Robert's Rules For Dummies by C. Alan Jennings.  It is not a parliamentary authority and should not be considered or cited as one, but it is rather a book about RONR and can be a tremendous help in  understanding some of its more complex provisions. It is currently in its Third Edition. It is written in easy to understand layman's language and i  recommend it highly.

 

Mr. Brown, I neglected to mention that I've read that book as well. It's definitely helpful. I'm also currently listening to an audiobook, Robert's Rules of Order by Henry M. Robert III. 

[jstackpo]

28 minutes ago, Mike Phillips said:

an audiobook, Robert's Rules of Order by Henry M. Robert III. 

This may end up being a bit confusing -- that book (ROR) is merely a reprint of the 1915 edition and many pages of rules, "clarifications", and other text has been added over the years, culminating (so far) in the 11th edition of RONR.

May not be worth bothering with unless you are interested in the history and development of Parl-Proc.

[Mike Phillips]

25 minutes ago, jstackpo said:

This may end up being a bit confusing -- that book (ROR) is merely a reprint of the 1915 edition and many pages of rules, "clarifications", and other text has been added over the years, culminating (so far) in the 11th edition of RONR.

May not be worth bothering with unless you are interested in the history and development of Parl-Proc.

RONR Audiobook

[Drake Savory]

Here's my question.  Why is the Parliamentarian who is not even a member taking such an active role in running the convention instead of just advising?

[Atul Kapur]

2 hours ago, Mike Phillips said:

By the time of the convention, I will have fully read RONR at least once, I have already read RONR In Brief.

I would think that at this point you are probably ready to take the membership exam. It can be done online, I understand.

2 hours ago, Mike Phillips said:

I've considered hiring an RP to stand beside me and coach me during the business meeting, but I don't know if he or she could get onto the floor

Agreeing with Mr. Brown's answer, I would just add that you could still hire someone to prepare help you prepare for the convention. If you know the tactics used before you can rehearse how to respond to them. The RP or PRP you hire could also monitor your membership exam.

Edited May 1, 2019 at 01:55 PM by Atul Kapur
Corrected typo

[Richard Brown]

3 minutes ago, Drake Savory said:

Here's my question.  Why is the Parliamentarian who is not even a member taking such an active role in running the convention instead of just advising?

If you re-read the original post, you will see that the parliamentarian has been hired to PRESIDE at the meeting (or to conduct the meeting), something  not all that unusual and is even referenced in RONR.  (The original post actually says the parliamentarian is hired to conduct the meeting.  I presume by that he means that the parliamentarian is hired to preside at the meeting.  A little clarification would be helpful).

See, for example, the following language from page 453:

In certain instances in an ordinary society—for example, if an adjourned meeting or a special meeting (9) must deal with a problem that has intensely divided the organization—it may be that such a meeting can accomplish more under the chairmanship of an invited nonmember who is skilled in presiding. (Sometimes this may be a professional presiding officer.) If the president and vice-president(s) do not object, the assembly, by majority vote, can adopt such an arrangement for all or part of a session. Alternatively, the rules may be suspended to authorize [page 454] it, even over the objection of the president or a vice-president. Cf. pages 652–53.

 

[Richard Brown]

1 minute ago, Atul Kapur said:

I would think that at this point you are probably ready to take the membership exam. It can be done online, I understand.

I agree.  The NAP basic membership exam is not that difficult.  Note, however, that there are actually two versions of the test:  The original  version based on RONR and consisting of 100 questions from a study bank of 300 questions, and a newer test based on RONR In Brief.  The current default on the NAP home page is the new test version, but if you go to the bookstore you will  see the study questions and answers for the original test as well.  You can choose which test you want to take.  The study questions for the new test are also on the website.

[Drake Savory]

Thanks.  I missed that he was conducting the meeting.

[jstackpo]

2 hours ago, Mike Phillips said:

They use this guy because he knows RONR to the point of being able to effectively weaponize them. He's a master at cutting off debate, running out the clock, and engineering an adjournment when issues leadership doesn't want debated are finally ready for the floor. 

It doesn't sound, however, that this hired gun is going to be presiding in a properly impartial manner.

[Josh Martin]

2 hours ago, jstackpo said:

It doesn't sound, however, that this hired gun is going to be presiding in a properly impartial manner.

I would be cautious in making this determination based solely on the limited facts provided here.

If there are in fact serious concerns regarding the impartiality with which a Registered (or Professional Registered) Parliamentarian is performing his duties as a parliamentarian or presiding officer, especially if this done in such a way which does not reflect his honest judgment regarding the proper application of RONR and the organization’s rules, those are very serious allegations and the OP should look here: https://www.parliamentarians.org/documents/ Among other things, the documents available here include the NAP/AIP Joint Code of Ethics for Parliamentarians, and rules concerning the submission of ethics complaints.

I am in no way suggesting myself that the individual described here is in violation of the code of ethics, since I lack sufficient knowledge of the facts with which to evaluate these claims, and have no intention of making unfounded allegations against a fellow parliamentarian and fellow member of NAP. I provide this information merely for informational purposes, and leave it to the involved parties to make their own determination regarding the facts and the appropriate next steps to take.

5 hours ago, Mike Phillips said:

I've considered hiring an RP to stand beside me and coach me during the business meeting, but I don't know if he or she could get onto the floor. 

That would be at the assembly’s discretion.

Edited May 1, 2019 at 04:40 PM by Josh Martin

[Mike Phillips]

There is some excellent information in this thread. Thanks. The RP is the person standing at the podium/lectern, gavel in hand, conducting (or whatever) the meeting. The chairman is sitting at the head table doing nothing. 

Mr. Martin, your comments about the ethics of the RP are very interesting. While I doubt I would ever file a complaint against him if he violates his ethical obligations, I could certainly use the information to raise an issue with the organization after the convention.

[jstackpo]

In case it hadn't come up yet, the "professional presider" presides only at the sufferance of the assembly - the chairman should (good luck!) ask the permission of the assembly (majority vote if it comes to that) to let the outsider run the meeting.  Normally, if the chairman doesn't want the job (on a temporary basis) the vice-chairman presides.

So objecting is another route to keep things fair.