Guest Danielle Preciado Posted January 13, 2011 at 02:29 AM Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 at 02:29 AM Colleagues,We have a distinguished guest speaker coming in to our meeting to address the members for a discussion item that requires no action from our members. We want to address this in the agenda, however, we will need to interrupt the order of business when the guest arrives. We anticipate that the guest will arrive at 4 PM but have no way of knowing where we will be in the agenda at that time. How should we best address it in our agenda? Should we list this as a "Special Order of the Day" on our agenda? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted January 13, 2011 at 05:47 AM Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 at 05:47 AM We have a distinguished guest speaker coming in to our meeting to address the members for a discussion item that requires no action from our members. We want to address this in the agenda, however, we will need to interrupt the order of business when the guest arrives. We anticipate that the guest will arrive at 4 PM but have no way of knowing where we will be in the agenda at that time. How should we best address it in our agenda? Should we list this as a "Special Order of the Day" on our agenda?Yes, a special order is exactly the tool you should use for this purpose. Simply place the time (4:00 PM) next to the item on the agenda, and it is therefore assumed to be a special order for that time. When the time arrives, the chair shall announce the speaker, and you can continue where you left off when the speaker is finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Goldsworthy Posted January 13, 2011 at 05:54 AM Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 at 05:54 AM We have a distinguished guest speaker coming in to our meeting to address the members for a discussion item that requires no action from our members. We want to address this in the agenda, however, we will need to interrupt the order of business when the guest arrives. We anticipate that the guest will arrive at 4 PM but have no way of knowing where we will be in the agenda at that time. How should we best address it in our agenda? Should we list this as a "Special Order of the Day" on our agenda?I wouldn't.My first preference is to have you adopt a motion, To Recess (for the duration of the talk).(The meeting would resume "at the call of the chair", which seems simple enough to comprehend, and simple enough to execute.)That way, you never touch any agenda, you never juggle any pending item. No tabling. No suspension of the rules. No postponements.Since you don't KNOW the actual hour/minute of his arrival, it seems counterproductive to put it on your agenda, (say) between item #6 and item #7. That's too crystal-ball-ish for me.However, if you must put "Guest Speaker" on your agenda, then go ahead and put it on. -- between Item #6 and Item #7.• When he fails to show up after Item #6, you continue the agenda.• When he shows up early, you (really, the chair) can get general consent to move his "item" up a notch or two.Sandwich him between items, as one item gets finished and off the floor, then handling your guest speaker.I wouldn't interrupt an agenda item for a guest speaker. -- Make it a seamless insertion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted January 13, 2011 at 06:09 AM Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 at 06:09 AM Since you don't KNOW the actual hour/minute of his arrival, it seems counterproductive to put it on your agenda, (say) between item #6 and item #7. That's too crystal-ball-ish for me.However, if you must put "Guest Speaker" on your agenda, then go ahead and put it on. -- between Item #6 and Item #7.• When he fails to show up after Item #6, you continue the agenda.• When he shows up early, you (really, the chair) can get general consent to move his "item" up a notch or two.The motion to Recess is a perfectly acceptable strategy as well, but if the motion is a special order for a particular hour it will be taken up at that hour, regardless of its physical placement on the agenda (I am assuming this is the only special order for the meeting). Additionally, it seems the assembly does have a general idea of the time the speaker will arrive, but they just have no idea where they will be in the meeting at that time.Sandwich him between items, as one item gets finished and off the floor, then handling your guest speaker.I wouldn't interrupt an agenda item for a guest speaker. -- Make it a seamless insertion.It seems like the poster, at least, feels the guest speaker (the college president) is important enough to interrupt an agenda item. Depending on the length of time a particular item takes, your "sandwich" strategy may not be practical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted January 13, 2011 at 04:54 PM Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 at 04:54 PM It seems like the poster, at least, feels the guest speaker (the college president) is important enough to interrupt an agenda item. Depending on the length of time a particular item takes, your "sandwich" strategy may not be practical.I tend to agree that it shows more deference to a supposedly "honored" guest to allow him to speak during the meeting rather than during a recess.Put his speech late in the agenda, and after he arrives, have someone move to Suspend the Rules and hear from our honored guest at this time. Have someone else second it, put the question immediately as this is not debatable, announce that two-thirds having answered in the affirmative the rules are suspended and the next business in order is hearing from Dr. Figgenwaffle. If he's going to be introduced, recognize the person who will introduce him.When putting the question, as a matter of courtesy, do NOT call for the negative votes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted January 13, 2011 at 05:17 PM Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 at 05:17 PM When putting the question, as a matter of courtesy, do NOT call for the negative votes.Who is to say that at least 1/3 of the members don't want to hear from the guest right then? Wouldn't it be better to seek unanimous consent that the guest be allowed to speak at that time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Elsman Posted January 13, 2011 at 05:30 PM Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 at 05:30 PM Colleagues,We have a distinguished guest speaker coming in to our meeting to address the members for a discussion item that requires no action from our members. We want to address this in the agenda, however, we will need to interrupt the order of business when the guest arrives. We anticipate that the guest will arrive at 4 PM but have no way of knowing where we will be in the agenda at that time. How should we best address it in our agenda? Should we list this as a "Special Order of the Day" on our agenda?The assembly gets to decide. The motion to adopt an agenda at the beginning of the meeting is a debatable and amendable main motion, so what is decided upon depends on how the deliberative process plays out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted January 13, 2011 at 10:15 PM Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 at 10:15 PM When putting the question, as a matter of courtesy, do NOT call for the negative votes.While the motion to Suspend the Rules is a perfectly acceptable strategy as well, I do not agree that it would be appropriate to omit calling the negative vote in this instance. A motion to permit a guest speaker is not, in my opinion, what RONR means by "noncontroversial motions of a complimentary or courtesy nature" (RONR, 10th ed., pg. 43, lines 18-19). This refers to motions to recognize someone for their service to the association, for instance. I agree with Chris H. that if the Suspend the Rules strategy is used, the procedure of unanimous consent seems like a better option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted January 13, 2011 at 11:54 PM Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 at 11:54 PM Who is to say that at least 1/3 of the members don't want to hear from the guest right then? Wouldn't it be better to seek unanimous consent that the guest be allowed to speak at that time?Not unless you think that unanimous consent is easier to achieve than 2/3 consent. If more than 1/3 do not want to hear from him, then surely one of them would object to unanimous consent. As a practical matter, if this guy is as honored as we are led to believe, and if the assembly is determined to adapt to his schedule as much as possible, it should be a given in either case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted January 14, 2011 at 12:11 AM Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 at 12:11 AM Not unless you think that unanimous consent is easier to achieve than 2/3 consent. If more than 1/3 do not want to hear from him, then surely one of them would object to unanimous consent. As a practical matter, if this guy is as honored as we are led to believe, and if the assembly is determined to adapt to his schedule as much as possible, it should be a given in either case.I think Chris H. is simply suggesting that unanimous consent would be a proper way to avoid calling for the negative vote, unless someone objects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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