Standing Rule

[Tomm]

Can a Standing Rule, assuming the rule was documented, recorded and filed within the Bylaws allow non-members of a Board to participate in the debate phase of a Board meeting or is that one of the rules that can't be suspended?

If the Board voted to allow it, but never documented it, would it be correct to assume that it was just a poorly worded request to suspend the rules and would therefore only be applicable for that one meeting?

Does a suspension of the rules apply to the rest of the entire meeting or only that one specific motion?

[Atul Kapur]

A Standing Rule cannot do that but a Special Rule of Order can. To adopt a Special Rule of Order "requires either
(a) previous notice (pp. 121–24) and a two-thirds vote or
(b) a vote of a majority of the entire membership"

The footnote on p. 263 says "the rules may be suspended to allow a nonmember to speak in debate."

Suspension of the rules may apply only to the specific motion that is pending or to the rest of the entire meeting, depending on how it is worded, "the motion must state its specific purpose". If you want to make it a rule for your meetings generally, it makes sense to properly give notice and adopt a Special Rule of Order.

[Tomm]

Because Special Rules of Order are kinda kept separately from the Bylaws, what is the proper method of eliminating them?

Does that also require the same criteria as it took to adopt them? 

[Richard Brown]

2 minutes ago, Tomm said:

Because Special Rules of Order are kinda kept separately from the Bylaws, what is the proper method of eliminating them?

Rescind something previously adopted. However, in the case of amending or rescinding a special rule of order, the same procedure and vote is required that is required to adopt the rule in the first place per Dr. Kapur’s response above. 
 

6 minutes ago, Tomm said:

Does that also require the same criteria as it took to adopt them? 

yes, as I explained above.