Written Reports or Oral Reports at a Meeting?

[Guest FRS]

I am a delegate to an Executive Board comprised of about 30 members. The meeting is run by the president of the organization. In our organization there is an Excutive meeting comprised of the organization's officers. At every Executive Board meeting which only lasts 75 minutes  about 60 minutes is taken up with the officers giving their reports. Usually the President speaks for about 45 minutes- her report is relaying what she has done with a lot of commentary about how difficult her job is, what a good job she is doing etc. My question is:

Does RONR provide a means to limit these reports or for these to be submitted in writing so that the Executive Board can take up new business?

Thank you!

[Josh Martin]

1 minute ago, Guest FRS said:

Does RONR provide a means to limit these reports or for these to be submitted in writing so that the Executive Board can take up new business?

Certainly. The board is free to order that these reports be submitted in writing, or to set a time limit for these reports, if it wishes to do so.

[FRS]

There is not rule in the organization that provides otherwise. How would we accomplish this? Is there a RORN section that limits the amount of time the president can speak giving a report?  What is the procedure to accomplish this?  Thank you

[Josh Martin]

3 hours ago, FRS said:

How would we accomplish this?

Figure out what it is you want to do and make a motion for it. For example: "I move that reports of officers be limited to ten minutes each." or "I move that all reports which do not contain information shall be submitted in writing and shall not be presented orally." The board will determine whether to adopt the motion.

3 hours ago, FRS said:

Is there a RORN section that limits the amount of time the president can speak giving a report?

No. RONR places limits on debate but includes no limits on the length of time for reports.

[FRS]

Can 51:23 be used to limit these reports? They take up the entire meeting and by the time the report is done the meeting is almost over and we never get to new business. There is nothing in these reports that can't be conveyed in writing. Thanks you again!

[Josh Martin]

2 hours ago, FRS said:

Can 51:23 be used to limit these reports? They take up the entire meeting and by the time the report is done the meeting is almost over and we never get to new business. There is nothing in these reports that can't be conveyed in writing. Thanks you again!

I don't think 51:23 is especially helpful for what you want to do since your board apparently has a custom of permitting oral reports for information only (which is not unusual) and also because even although that section requires reports to be in writing, it doesn't prevent the reports from being read. So if your officers are as wordy in their writing as in their speeches, it might not help anything.

As I have said previously, if your board wishes to limit the time for oral reports, or even prevent oral reports altogether and require officers to only submit their reports in writing, it is free to do so by adopting a motion to that effect.

[Guest Puzzling]

I am puzzling about the motion  "I move that reports of officers be limited to ten minutes each"

IIf you want it to last for longer than the present session is it then a special rule of order or a standing rule ?

[Josh Martin]

13 hours ago, Guest Puzzling said:

I am puzzling about the motion  "I move that reports of officers be limited to ten minutes each"

IIf you want it to last for longer than the present session is it then a special rule of order or a standing rule ?

Since it relates to the duties of officers in connection with meetings, I would think it would be a special rule of order.

[FRS]

I apologize for not being clear. I am new to RONR. In the instant case the new President of the organization who presides over the Executive Board meeting uses most of the 75 minutes allotted to the Executive Board meeting to giving a report detailing her activities of that of the other officer. By the time she finishes there is almost no time left for the Executive Board to take up any business. It seems that RONR state that where possible reports should be in writing and any things that require action (a vote) be done  at the meeting. During these reports she has never asked us to take any action. In this case, the new President has decided she really doesn't want the board to function as per our constitution which states: "The Executive Board shall formulate policy, approve the annual budget,oversee the operation of the Organization, serve as a forum for ideas and provide a communication channel within the Organization." The only thing we have been permitted to do is approve the budget.

When anyone has tried to suggest we limit these reports or  submit them in writing their (untrained) parliamentarian rules us out of order. Since we are meeting by zoom and the president controls the mute and chat it is very difficult to even ask for a vote. I would like to be able to send a letter to the board members and direct them to the proper way of conducting our meetings. If there are any RORN's that suggest, indicate, that such informational reports should be submitted in writing or anything else that would help us contain this president so we can conduct business it would be much appreciated. Thanks so much!

[Josh Martin]

1 hour ago, FRS said:

It seems that RONR state that where possible reports should be in writing and any things that require action (a vote) be done  at the meeting.

It is correct that reports are to be submitted in writing, although the purpose of this is not really so much about saving time as it is about ensuring that the reports can be made a part of the secretary's records. As previously noted, written reports may be read. Whether reports should be submitted only in writing or should also be read is at the assembly's discretion. Further, it is not that unusual for assemblies to permit reports for information to be made orally (notwithstanding what RONR says), particularly in the case of officers. The rule is somewhat more important for committees, since providing that the reports are written helps to ensure that the report is agreed to by the committee's members. In contrast, an officer is one person, and therefore the officer is in sole control of the contents of the officer's reports.

1 hour ago, FRS said:

When anyone has tried to suggest we limit these reports or  submit them in writing their (untrained) parliamentarian rules us out of order. Since we are meeting by zoom and the president controls the mute and chat it is very difficult to even ask for a vote. I would like to be able to send a letter to the board members and direct them to the proper way of conducting our meetings. If there are any RORN's that suggest, indicate, that such informational reports should be submitted in writing or anything else that would help us contain this president so we can conduct business it would be much appreciated. Thanks so much!

You seem to already be aware of the relevant sections on this matter. I don't know what else I can provide. The issue isn't clarity on the rules, it's in getting the board members to actually enforce the rules as well as the board members' preferences.

There is no rule which prevents the President from giving an hour-long report, but the board is free to adopt its own rules on this subject if it wishes, and I would imagine that most members who have to sit through such reports would be perfectly willing to do so.

I would also clarify that the parliamentarian has no authority to make rulings. The parliamentarian is an advisor to the chair, and the chair makes rulings. Furthermore, it should be noted that the chair's rulings are subject to appeal.

Edited February 19, 2021 at 06:32 PM by Josh Martin