Seating Arrangements

[Guest Jimmy Morales]

In the absence of a specific rule enacted by a board or committee, who decides win which seats the board members sit? Please let me know if anyone has specific insight. I assume it is the presiding officer. thanks

[hmtcastle]

In the absence of a specific rule enacted by a board or committee, who decides win which seats the board members sit? Please let me know if anyone has specific insight. I assume it is the presiding officer.

Apart from the seating of the president and secretary (close enough to exchange papers) and the president and the parliamentarian (close enough to whisper in each other's ear), where members (and guests) sit is up to the assembly (the members present). If they can't figure where to sit perhaps they shouldn't be on the board in th first place.

RONR does not give the presiding officer the unilateral authority to tell members where to sit.

[Tim Wynn]

In the absence of a specific rule enacted by a board or committee, who decides win which seats the board members sit? Please let me know if anyone has specific insight. I assume it is the presiding officer. thanks

RONR says they should all be in the same room, and the assembly (not the president) has the right to control its hall during meetings. Other than that, just make sure the presiding officer can see everyone and that everyone can hear and be heard; don't get caught up in who's sitting where.

[David A Foulkes]

In the absence of a specific rule enacted by a board or committee, who decides win which seats the board members sit? Please let me know if anyone has specific insight. I assume it is the presiding officer. thanks

Should we assume this is a board meeting to which you refer? I ask only because at meetings of the general membership, the board (as that entity) is not present, so they can sit pretty much wherever there is an open seat. Presiding officer and secretary (and parliamentarian) as noted above. At board meetings, it's much the same,

[Guest dan]

What is the issue you are facing? I am on a board and I do most of the agenda presenting, so I get there first and pick a spot at the table that is most convenient to me. Then, as other board members arrive, they sit at a vacant spot at the table. The table is not large and we can conduct business wherever everyine sits.

Why des it really matter? Does someone think it matters?

[Josh Martin]

In the absence of a specific rule enacted by a board or committee, who decides win which seats the board members sit? Please let me know if anyone has specific insight. I assume it is the presiding officer. thanks

In the absence of a rule or custom on the subject or direction from the assembly, the presiding officer should sit where he can see all members, the secretary should sit close enough to him that they can exchange papers, and the parliamentarian should sit close enough to him that he can whisper advice. Everyone else sits where they want. The presiding officer does not have the authority to determine seating arrangements, but the assembly may adopt a motion on the subject if it wishes.