Ability of Chair to Unilaterally Adjourn a Meeting

[Guest Ron]

Is the chairperson able to adjourn a meeting without a motion to adjourn being brought forward by the assembly? If so, under what circumstances can he do so? If permitted, can the chair do so away from the podium, for example at the back of the room, without using the sound system?

[Richard Brown]

On 11/24/2022 at 10:30 AM, Guest Ron said:

Is the chairperson able to adjourn a meeting without a motion to adjourn being brought forward by the assembly? If so, under what circumstances can he do so?

Yes. One example would be in the case of a serious emergency affecting the life for safety of the people in the meeting, such as a fire. In such a situation, he can unilaterally declare the meeting adjourned.

Another common situation when no motion to adjourn is  necessary is when all business in the order of business or on the agenda has been completed. Although normally the chair would ask, “is there any further business?“, he is not required to. Upon reaching the end of the agenda or order of business, he may say simply, “There being no further business, the meeting is adjourned.”

On 11/24/2022 at 10:30 AM, Guest Ron said:

If permitted, can the chair do so away from the podium, for example at the back of the room, without using the sound system?

RONR does not address that issue directly, but, as long as the chair can be clearly heard, it would be permissible. The preferred practice, however, would be for him to do so from the podium.

[Weldon Merritt]

The chair may adjourn a meeting without a motions under three circumstances:

1. "If an hour for adjourning a meeting within a convention or other session of more than one meeting has been scheduled—either in an agenda or program or by the adoption of a motion setting a time—no motion to adjourn is necessary when that hour arrives. The chair simply announces the fact and declares the meeting adjourned ...." RONR 21:14.

2. "When it appears that there is no further business in a meeting of an ordinary local society that normally goes through a complete order of business ... at each regular meeting .., the chair, instead of waiting or calling for a motion to adjourn, can ask, 'Is there any further business?' If there is no response, the chair can then say, 'Since there is no further business, the meeting is adjourned.'" RONR 21:15.

3. "In the event of fire, riot, or other extreme emergency, if the chair believes taking time for a vote on adjourning would be dangerous to those present, he should declare the meeting adjourned—to a suitable time and place for an adjourned meeting (if he is able), or to meet at the call of the chair." RONR 8:10.

In any of those circumstances, the chair should do it from the podium. But I would be hard pressed to say it is invalid if done for some other location (e.., as he chair is heading for the door). At the very least, someone would need to raise a Point of Order. And the only circumstance where that might be warranted would be the first one. there, if there is still business that the assembly wants to conduct, the assembly would have to adopt a motion to set aside the orders of the day.

[Gary Novosielski]

For the phrase "vacate the chair" to have any meaning, i suggest that when the presiding officer is making statements, they should be from the regular place, and not on the way out the door.

[Shmuel Gerber]

On 11/25/2022 at 11:19 AM, Gary Novosielski said:

For the phrase "vacate the chair" to have any meaning, i suggest that when the presiding officer is making statements, they should be from the regular place, and not on the way out the door.

I think what you're pondering is that if the chair is not in the chair, what makes him the chair?