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Informational Purposes Query


Guest DCharlesworth

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Greetings,

I'm hoping someone will be able to help me locate an answer to the following question: When content is presented for informational purposes only (e.g., a recap of what a prior committee's membership already approved), are current committee members able to discuss this information? I know that the current committee is not able to vote on such motions; however, I'm wondering if all that needs to happen is for the chairperson of the committee to report the information to the committee with no discussion. Thanks for any help you could offer!

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When content is presented for informational purposes only (e.g., a recap of what a prior committee's membership already approved), are current committee members able to discuss this information?

Debate takes place when there is an actual motion pending. However, if the committee wants to discuss it during a recess or before or after the meeting nothing in RONR would stop it.

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Debate takes place when there is an actual motion pending. However, if the committee wants to discuss it during a recess or before or after the meeting nothing in RONR would stop it.

I understood all this to be happening within the context of a committee meeting (whose membership has changed). If that's the case, and the committee is "small", discuss all you want. That's what committees are for.

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I understood all this to be happening within the context of a committee meeting (whose membership has changed). If that's the case, and the committee is "small", discuss all you want. That's what committees are for.

Thanks, Chris. The committee is small; however, I'm not sure discussion is appropriate for items that have already been approved (I pride myself on conducting meetings that are never more than 60 min.). As you can imagine, I'm sure there will be some committee members who wish to discuss items and I don't see the point since they've already been passed. Of course, I don't want to be perceived as a dictator--just as one who realizes we all have very busy lives. I was just hoping there was something in the Rules that I could point to to justify my decision.

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So once the 18th Amendment was adopted, there was no point in discussing it's repeal?

And just what was your "decision"?

Ha! In order to discuss the repeal of the 18th Amendment (a wonderful act to be sure!), didn't a representative have to first submit a motion to bring the discussion to the floor?

The decisions in question (if I understand your question correctly) were to 1) accept a department's proposal to alter some pre-reqs for a course and 2) to adopt a new course proposal form that standardizes the submission process. Since the 2009-10 Curriculum Committee membership already passed these changes I just wanted to present this information to the 2010-11 committee membership (I believe there might be someone on the committee who wants to discuss the pre-req changes; however, since they've already passed I don't want to spend our time discussing it).

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Since they've already passed I don't want to spend our time discussing it.

With all due respect, it's not up to you.

And the rules are relaxed for small committees (and boards) so discussion without a formal motion is perfectly acceptable. Very little is carved in stone in RONR-Land and the fact that something may have been passed last year, or ten years ago, doesn't mean it can't be considered again, perhaps in light of changing conditions, or just because the membership has changed.

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With all due respect, it's not up to you.

And the rules are relaxed for small committees (and boards) so discussion without a formal motion is perfectly acceptable. Very little is carved in stone in RONR-Land and the fact that something may have been passed last year, or ten years ago, doesn't mean it can't be considered again, perhaps in light of changing conditions, or just because the membership has changed.

I realize that limiting discussion is not up to me, which is why I took the trouble of searching the Rules and then posted my query when I could not find anything specifically related to my topic. I simply wish to bring the new committee members up to date before moving on to our main agenda items (minutes are always posted after each meeting for the college-at-large and all faculty are invited to provide feedback that is introduced in the next meeting so hopefully the new members have been keeping up!). Thanks for your responses, I believe I have my answer.

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