Good of the Order

[Tomm]

Is the Good of the Order part of the standard orders of the day and if so would that be addressed after new business or should a special rule of order be made for an agenda specific to that organization?

I'm supposing that many items can be brought up that don't necessarily have anything to do with conducting business?

[Gary Novosielski]

It's not part of the standard order but is listed as an optional heading, which if used would occur after New Business, so apparently it is in order to use it without needing to pass a Special Rule of Order to do so. [see RONR (12th ed.) §41]  

If there's some dispute on its use, a majority vote would decide the issue.

41:28
Optional Headings. In addition to the standard order of business as just described, regular meetings of organizations sometimes include proceedings in the categories listed below, which may be regarded as optional in the order of business prescribed by this book.

41:34
Good of the Order, General Good and Welfare, or Open Forum. This heading, included by some types of societies in their order of business, refers to the general welfare of the organization, and may vary in character. Under this heading (in contrast to the general parliamentary rule that allows discussion only with reference to a pending motion), members who obtain the floor commonly are permitted to offer informal observations regarding the work of the organization, the public reputation of the society or its membership, or the like. Certain types of announcements may tend to fall here. Although the Good of the Order often involves no business or motions, the practice of some organizations would place motions or resolutions relating to formal disciplinary procedures for offenses outside a meeting (63) at this point. In some organizations, the program (see below) is looked upon as a part of the Good of the Order.
 

 

[Rob Elsman]

The inclusion of the optional heading does require the adoption of a special rule of order if the established order of business is not found in the bylaws; otherwise, an amendment of the bylaw is required.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 12/7/2023 at 7:15 PM, Rob Elsman said:

The inclusion of the optional heading does require the adoption of a special rule of order if the established order of business is not found in the bylaws; otherwise, an amendment of the bylaw is required.

A Special Rule of Order would be required to adopt an alternative order of business to supersede the Standard Order of Business. 

But 41:28 tells us that these optional headings "may be regarded as optional in the order of business prescribed by this book."  If they are regarded as authorized options by RONR, there is no need to supersede anything.  Certainly previous notice and a two-thirds vote or MEM is severe overkill when all that should be needed is an agreement among the assembly to use one or more of the options. 

 

[J. J.]

On 12/7/2023 at 9:28 PM, Gary Novosielski said:

A Special Rule of Order would be required to adopt an alternative order of business to supersede the Standard Order of Business. 

But 41:28 tells us that these optional headings "may be regarded as optional in the order of business prescribed by this book."  If they are regarded as authorized options by RONR, there is no need to supersede anything.  Certainly previous notice and a two-thirds vote or MEM is severe overkill when all that should be needed is an agreement among the assembly to use one or more of the options. 

 

Assuming the organization meets at least as often as quarterly.  

[Josh Martin]

On 12/7/2023 at 12:23 PM, Tomm said:

Is the Good of the Order part of the standard orders of the day and if so would that be addressed after new business or should a special rule of order be made for an agenda specific to that organization?

Good of the Order is an optional heading in the standard order of business, and it is addressed after New Business.

The assembly certainly may adopt a special order of business more suitable for its purposes if it wishes to do so, but the fact the assembly wishes to include Good of the Order as part of its meetings, in and of itself, does not force the assembly to do so.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 12/8/2023 at 8:10 AM, Josh Martin said:

The assembly certainly may adopt a special order of business more suitable for its purposes if it wishes to do so, but the fact the assembly wishes to include Good of the Order as part of its meetings, in and of itself, does not force the assembly to do so.

Well, if history has taught us anything, it is that an assembly cannot be forced to do something that it wants to do anyway. 🙂

The question, it seems to me, is whether choosing to include one or more of the optional headings would require the adoption of a Special Rule of Order.  I maintain that 41:28 says No--that a society for which the Standard Order of Business is the prescribed order of business may choose to use those optional headings without creating any conflict with that prescription.  

In this case I believe they could just decide use one or more of these authorized options by unanimous consent or in case of objection, with a majority vote--or for that matter simply as a result of prior custom.

[Rob Elsman]

On 12/8/2023 at 10:15 AM, Gary Novosielski said:

that 41:28 says No--that a society for which the Standard Order of Business is the prescribed order of business may choose to use those optional headings without creating any conflict with that prescription.  

In this case I believe they could just decide use one or more of these authorized options by unanimous consent or in case of objection, with a majority vote--or for that matter simply as a result of prior custom.

Although it is true that some organizations make use of this optional heading, it is not included in the standard order of business, RONR (12th ed.) 41:5.  Using Principle of Interpretation 4, RONR (12th ed.) 56:68, the optional heading is, by default, prohibited.  Therefore, to include it in the established order of business, either a special rule of order or an amendment of the bylaws will be needed.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 12/8/2023 at 11:56 AM, Rob Elsman said:

Although it is true that some organizations make use of this optional heading, it is not included in the standard order of business, RONR (12th ed.) 41:5.  Using Principle of Interpretation 4, RONR (12th ed.) 56:68, the optional heading is, by default, prohibited.  Therefore, to include it in the established order of business, either a special rule of order or an amendment of the bylaws will be needed.

And I'm contending that the language of 41:28 creates a specific exception to the rule in 41:5, which according to Principle of Interpretation 3, yields to it

[Josh Martin]

On 12/8/2023 at 10:15 AM, Gary Novosielski said:

The question, it seems to me, is whether choosing to include one or more of the optional headings would require the adoption of a Special Rule of Order.  I maintain that 41:28 says No

I agree.