Skip to content

General Meetings & Standing Orders

This document covers the rules and procedures of general meetings in-session.

0. The Constitution

https://progsoc.org/constitution

The ProgSoc Constitution is the authoritative source and lays the ground work for these rules.

1. Definitions

  • Chair: The individual who leads meetings, maintains order and makes rulings based on these standing orders,
  • Minute-taker: The individual who notes business discussed and the results of votes,
    • Typically the Secretary of the club.
  • Attendee: Any financial member present in-person, or via an online link,
  • Absentee: Any financial member not present at the meeting,
  • Proxy: An attendee, who will cast a vote in-place of an absentee,
  • Observer: Any non-member who is present at the meeting.

2. Approving Minutes

  1. Chair or Minute-taker reads/shows details of previous general meeting,
  2. Chair calls for vote of acceptance,
  3. Minute-taker records vote.

3. Motions

Where not otherwise specified, votes will be decided by a simple majority (>50%).

Notice

Some motions, such as constitutional amendments, will have been given to the secretary with notice (see constitution § 8.2. AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION - Amendment Notice).

Constitutional Amendments

Before any such motions are to be put, the chair will read the relevant sections in the constitution regarding amendment process:

The chair announces the threshold (exact number of votes based on total attendees, 2/3 * attendance) for a successful vote.

The chair then reads out voting procedure for motions successfully seconded:

  1. Each attendee shall cast one vote, this will either be FOR, AGAINST or ABSTAIN,
  2. In the case of a tie of FOR and AGAINST, the chair holds an additional casting vote, which should generally be used to preserve the status quo.

Attendees will then be allowed to move amendments (chairs should generally not motion. If the chair is the author, they should ask another attendee to do so in their place).

Process

The chair will move through motions given notice, calling the motioners for each.

  1. An attendee will move an item to be discussed,
    • "I move that the following <item> be put: ..."
  2. Another attendee must second that motion, otherwise it is lost,
    • "I second the motion."
  3. The chair proposes the question,
    • "The motion has been seconded, I propose the question that the <item> be put."
  4. The room discusses the <item>,
    • The author should discuss their intent here,
  5. Attendees may move subsidiary motions recursively which must be resolved before proceeding,
    • This can include small changes to the amendment text
  6. An attendee will move that the question be put,
  7. The chair puts the question,
    • "I put the question that we resolve to <item>.
  8. A vote will occur,
  9. The chair announces the result and the minute-taker records it in the minutes.
    • "This motion is resolved in the AFFIRMATIVE/NEGATIVE"

5. Nominations

Before opening for nominations, the chair reads the relevant sections in the constitution regarding nomination process:

The chair states voting procedure:

  1. A first-past-the-post vote will be opened,
  2. Candidates will exit the room,
  3. Every attendee casts a single vote for a single candidate, or they may ABSTAIN,
  4. In the event of a tie, the chair will not have a deciding vote, and another vote will be held.

The chair states nomination procedure:

  1. The chair will announce candidates who have self-nominated with notice, the president will be the seconder to each nomination.
  2. An attendee may nominate themselves, or be nominated by someone in the room
  3. The nomination must be seconded (assuming it is accepted),

The chair states the campaign procedure:

  1. Each candidate will have the opportunity to speak uninterrupted (generally 1-2 minutes)
  2. The candidate can then be asked questions by the room,
  3. The process is repeated until their are no more candidates,
  4. The vote will open (all attendees may vote),
  5. The candidates will leave the room while a brief (1-2 minute) discussion is held, then they will return when called,
  6. The vote will close,
  7. The chair will announce the successful candidate and the minute-taker will record the result.

The chair states what positions are vacant.

Nominations begin.