Guidance Documents For Senate Processes - Oakland University Senate

Senate Guidelines for Action Items

The Steering Committee, in response to a Good and Welfare request, has formulated the following as guidance on the types of matters that would normally require action by the Senate. While guidelines can assist with making a determination on what items require a vote and what items are forwarded as information, they must remain flexible in order to accommodate the broad range of items coming before this body. What follows is a partial list of items the Steering Committee would generally treat as action items:

• Matters that will eventually require action by the Board of Trustees
• Matters involving external agreements that have university-wide implications, e.g.
agreements relating to the transfer of credits.
• Matters that have substantial impact across several departments or units, e.g., creating a
new general education category
• Creating or elimination of an academic unit (in the contractual sense)
• New degree programs
• Changes in the names of departments, schools or college
• Changes in the name of a major

Examples of items that would require information to the Senate but not Senate action include:
• Program modifications
• Modifications in existing General Education categories (addition or deletion of courses)
• Information on administrative policies that have university-wide implications, e.g. No
Smoking policy
• New certificates pulled from already approved undergraduate and graduate programs
• Updates of general interest to the Oakland University community

Introduction to Parliamentary Procedure

A Brief Introduction to Parliamentary Procedure

Distilled from Robert´s Rules of Order, Revised and adapted to the Constitution of the University Senate, Oakland University by Senate Parliamentarian, Dr. Michael Latcha.

ORDER OF BUSINESS

Call to Order
Information Items
Provost’s Report Informal report from, and questions addressed to, the Presiding Officer (Provost or their designee).
Roll Call (Senate Secretary). A quorum that consists of the majority of the appointed and elected Senators shall be present for any vote or official action of the Senate. Review of Minutes (corrections and approval). Beside usual facts, minutes contain all Main Motions and their disposal, Points of Order and Appeals and whether sustained or lost, all other motions not lost or withdrawn. Corrections are made when called for. Upon dispute, corrections are put to majority vote. The Senate may correct unnoticed errors at any time, without regard to time lapse, with 2/3 vote.
Ordinary substantive motions placed on the agenda by the Senate Steering Committee. Such motions shall be considered on each of two meeting days of the Senate at least three days apart. Amendments are in order during both readings; final votes may be taken only during the second reading, at which time a simple majority of those present and voting shall suffice for a decision. By affirmative vote of three-fourths of those present and voting the Senate may proceed directly from the first to the second reading and take formal action on the motion.
Ordinary substantive motions shall be circulated in writing to all members of the Assembly at least two days before these motions receive their first reading. Committee recommendations and other materials deemed appropriate by the Senate Steering Committee shall accompany the text of the motions.
Extraordinary substantive motions may be introduced from the floor at any meeting of the Assembly. After the regular agenda has been completed, the presiding officer shall call for and recognize such motions. By simple majority of those present and voting, the Assembly may authorize immediate debate of an extraordinary motion, but votes on the motion may not be taken at that meeting. The Senate Steering Committee may place the motion on the agenda of the next meeting. Should the Committee fail to do so, the Senate, by a simple majority of those present and voting, may at that time place the motion on the agenda of the same meeting. When placed on the agenda by either of the above procedures, the motion shall be treated as an ordinary substantive motion in its first reading.
Good and Welfare
Adjournment - Three methods: 1) by the Chair "Is there any further business? If not, the meeting is adjourned." 2) by Motion (as privileged or as Main) by member "I move we adjourn." or 3) by Time "The by-laws state adjournment by 8:30 P.M. If there are no objections, we shall adjourn."

RULES GOVERNING THE FLOOR

Address the Chair, "Mr. (or Madam) Chair" or by name or by raising hands.
Be recognized by name by the Chair, thereby gaining the Floor. Members who address the Chair while another Member has the Floor will not be recognized. Members who have gained the Floor may state Motions or Resolutions, may second Motions or may engage in Debate.
During Debate, (1) each member may speak once on a Question, for a length of time set (if not set by the Senate, the time limit is 10 minutes), (2) a Member may speak a second time only if all have spoken who care to, (3) a Member may speak a third time only with the Senate's consent. The moving Member is entitled to close debate with a speech, but not until everyone wishing to speak has spoken and providing that (s)he has not exceeded his/her time limit and that debate is still open. Debate must be limited to the merits of the immediately pending question. Members must address their remarks to the Chair, be courteous in their language and deportment and avoid all personalities, never alluding to the Officers or other Members by name, where possible to avoid it, nor to the motives of Members.

RULES ON MOTIONS

The Chair rules obstructive, absurd or delaying motions "Out of Order."
Only one Main Motion can be immediately before the Senate, stated clearly, and if lengthy, in writing. In order not to confuse the vote, state motions in the affirmative, such as "I move we reject the offer" NOT "I move we do not accept the offer."
If a Main Motion contains two separate ideas, a Member may "Call for a Division of the Question" so each proposal may be considered and voted on separately.
Only the Motion of highest rank is given immediate consideration. Votes are taken in reverse order to the sequence in which they were proposed, or are pending.
Seconding a motion means "I think this issue should be discussed now" but does not obligate one to vote for the proposal.
Amendments must be germane and directly related to the subject contained in the motion to which they adhere.
If a Member wishes to close debate, (s)he must use the motion named "Previous Question," as the Chair cannot cut off debate.
When Debate is closed, the Motion on the Floor must be voted upon and the result announced by the Chair.

VOTING

Methods: Voice ("Aye" and "No"), Show of Hands, Rising (used for Division of Assembly), Ballot, Roll Call, General Consent. General Consent is used as an expedient to business without a formal vote when the Chair believes the majority would agree. Those remaining silent are assumed to agree. Those opposed should simply say "I object." The Chair then must immediately put the matter to vote. Examples: Chair says "If there is no objection, this resolution will be acted upon under New Business" or "If there is no objection, we interrupt business for an important announcement."
Quorum: For the conduct of ordinary business, a majority of the Senators shall constitute a quorum per Article IV, Sec viii. This quorum rule shall be suspended for those meetings stipulated under Article IV, Sec. viii. of the Senate Constitution. Any member can ask at any time to verify that a quorum is present.
Counting: (assuming that a quorum is present) Majority vote - more than 1/2 the votes cast by Members present and voting, a tie vote is same as lost; Two-Thirds Vote - more than 2/3 of the votes cast (must be counted), if 2/3 or less the motion is lost; Three-Fourths vote - more than 3/4 of the votes cast (must be counted), if 3/4 or less the motion is lost.

DUTIES OF THE CHAIR

The duties of the Chair include

opening the meeting and calling the Members to order,
to announce the business before the Senate in the order in which it is to be acted upon,
to recognize Members entitled to the Floor,
to state and put to a vote all questions regularly moved,
to announce the results of votes,
to protect the Senate from frivolous motions by refusing to recognize them,
to assist in expediting the business of the Senate while protecting the rights of the Members,
to restrain the Members when engaged in Debate while protecting the rights of the Members,
to enforce order and decorum among the Members,
to decide all questions of order unless submitted to the Senate (May consult Parliamentarian) and
to inform the Senate on Points of Order (May consult Parliamentarian).

While the Chair cannot take an active role in Debate without a vote of the Senate for a temporary replacement, the chair is allowed to question those making motions as to their motives and may comment upon motions before stating them to the Senate. The Chair has the right to require that all motions, resolutions, amendments and/or instructions to committees be in writing.

TYPES OF MOTIONS

Privileged and subsidiary motions are listed in order of rank. Only higher ranking motions can be considered before the current pending motion:

PRIVILEGED MOTIONS

Of such importance that they outrank all others.

ADJOURN. "I move we Adjourn [until (time) and (place)]." Terminates meeting or session, may state time and place of next meeting if not provided for. Cannot interrupt person in debate unless sufficiently urgent, second required, not debatable, can amend only next time and place, majority vote required, can reconsider vote only on time and place.
RECESS. "I move we Recess for (time) to (purpose)." Intermission for meals, counting ballots, etc. Recess begins immediately. Business resumes at same point. Cannot interrupt person in debate unless sufficiently urgent, second required, not debatable, can amend only time and purpose, majority vote required, cannot reconsider vote.
QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE. "I rise to a Question of Privilege (state question)." Relates to member´s or assembly´s comfort, disturbance, conduct, etc. Business resumes as soon as the matter is cared for. Cannot interrupt person in debate unless sufficiently urgent, second not required, not debatable, cannot amend, presiding officer decides as requested, cannot reconsider vote.
ORDERS OF THE DAY. "I call for the Orders of the Day." Demands conforming to the announced order of business, in order whenever deviations are noticed. A 2/3 negative vote prevents proceeding to the Orders of the Day. Can interrupt person in debate if urgent, second not required, not debatable, cannot amend, presiding officer decides as requested, cannot reconsider vote.

SUBSIDIARY MOTIONS

Change in some way or affect the disposition of the Main Motion.

LAY ON THE TABLE. "I move the Question be Laid On the Table." If carried, the Main Motion and those pending to it are laid aside for more pressing business until later in the meeting, or at the next one. Cannot interrupt person in debate, second required, not debatable, cannot amend, majority vote required, cannot reconsider vote.
PREVIOUS QUESTION/LIMIT DEBATE. "I call for the Previous Question" or "I move to Limit Debate to (length of time)" or "I move that Debate be stopped at (time)." Applies only to immediate Motion, unless "all Motions" is specified. If Previous Question carries, Debate stops at once for voting. Cannot interrupt person in debate, second required, not debatable, can amend only length or time, 2/3 vote required, can reconsider vote only on length and time.
POSTPONEMENT. "I move that the Question be Postponed until ---." Delays action until next meeting, a special time (can be made Special Order, requiring 2/3 vote) or after a certain event. Cannot interrupt person in debate, second required, debatable, can amend, majority vote required, can reconsider vote.
REFER TO COMMITTEE. "I move that the matter be Referred to a Committee." May further state committee number to be appointed or elected with "instruction to" investigate, recommend or take action. Cannot interrupt person in debate, second required, debatable, can amend, majority vote required, can reconsider vote unless committee has begun consideration.
AMENDMENT. "I move to Amend the Motion by ---." or "I move to Amend the Amendment by --." Ways to amend: insert or add at end, strike out words, strike out and insert, substitute paragraphs. Cannot interrupt person in debate, second required, debatable only if motion/amendment is debatable, can amend only if motion can be amended, majority vote required, can reconsider vote.
INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT. "I move that the matter be Postponed Indefinitely." If carried, Main Motion is killed for that meeting. Used to test strength of opposition. If lost, Main Motion is again Open to Debate. Cannot interrupt person in debate, second required, debatable, cannot amend, majority vote required, can reconsider vote only if carried.

MAIN MOTION

"I Move that ---" and "I Second the Motion." Introduces business or states a proposal for action. Has floor when no motion is pending. Cannot interrupt person in debate, second required or motion is lost, debatable, can amend, majority vote required, can reconsider vote.

INCIDENTAL MOTIONS

Concern matters of procedure arising out of business and must be settled at once. All incidental motions have equal rank.

POINT OF ORDER. "I rise to a Point of Order. (state point)" Must be used at the time when a breach of rules or decorum occurs. Is in order any time bylaws, etc. are believed to have been violated. Can interrupt person in debate, no second required, not debatable, cannot amend, presiding officer or designated parliamentarian decides as requested, cannot reconsider decision.
APPEAL DECISION OF THE CHAIR. "I appeal the Decision of the Chair. (state appeal)" Used when it is thought that the Chair has made a wrong decision. Must be made immediately after the decision and is settled by vote. Can interrupt person in debate, second required, debatable, cannot amend, majority vote required, can reconsider vote.
SUSPENSION OF RULES. "I move to Suspend the Rules in order to/that ---." Temporarily waives parliamentary rules of order for the specific purpose stated. Cannot interrupt person in debate, second required, not debatable, cannot amend, 2/3 vote required, cannot reconsider vote.
OBJECT TO CONSIDERATION. "I Object to the Consideration of this motion." Used to avoid consideration of embarrassing, irrelevant or contentious motions. Must be made before any debate. Can interrupt person in debate, no second required, not debatable, cannot amend, 2/3 negative vote required to kill motion, cannot reconsider affirmative vote.
DIVISION OF ASSEMBLY. "I call for a Division of the Assembly." Verifies by rising vote a vote taken by hand or voice, or by ballot or roll call. If abused to the Assembly´s annoyance, it can be ruled out of order by Chair. Can interrupt person in debate, no second required, not debatable, cannot amend, presiding officer decides as requested, cannot reconsider decision.
INQUIRY/INFORMATION/WITHDRAW. "I rise to a Parliamentary Inquiry. (state inquiry)" or "I rise for Information. (state question)" or "I request to Withdraw my Motion." Inquiries and requests are addressed to the Chair. The member can make a withdrawal before the Motion is stated or with general consent before the Main Motion is taken up. Once a motion is stated and seconded the motion belongs to the Assembly and cannot be withdrawn. Inquiries and requests can interrupt person in debate, but withdrawals cannot; no second required; not debatable; cannot amend; presiding officer decides as requested for inquiries and requests, general consent decides withdrawals; cannot reconsider inquiries or requests, cannot reconsider affirmative withdrawal.

UNCLASSIFIED MOTIONS

These have the same rank as motion to which they are attached.

TAKE FROM TABLE. "I move to Take From the Table the Motion that ---." Picks up for consideration a Motion which was tabled. May be used after some other business has intervened, but no later than the next meeting. Cannot interrupt person in debate, second required, not debatable, cannot amend, majority vote required, cannot reconsider vote.
RECONSIDER THE VOTE. "I voted with the prevailing side of the Motion which (repeat motion), and move to reconsider the vote (or reconsider and have it entered on the minutes)." May reconsider when no business is pending (has Floor at once), business is pending (gains Floor next) or entered on minutes (taken up at next meeting). Cannot interrupt person in debate, second required, debatable only when reconsidered motion is debatable, cannot amend, majority vote required, cannot reconsider vote.

Last updated 2023