Basic Parliamentarian ProceduresLeadership Development Training

Zeta Chi Omega Chapter

Presenter

Soror Barbara Bellamy WarrenMid-Atlantic Representative

International Constitution Committee

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Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

An Overview of Basic Parliamentary Procedure

An Overview of Governing Documents for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®

• Charter

• Constitution and Bylaws

• Manual of Standard Procedure

• Chapter Bylaws

• Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 11th Edition

Workshop Outline2

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Minimum number of officers (Presiding Officer and a Secretary)

• If Chair and Vice Chair are absent, the Secretary should call the meeting to order and preside over the election of a Chairman Pro Tem.

Minimum number of members to conduct substantive business (quorum)

• Meetings may begin before a quorum is present, but only items that do not require a vote can be discussed.

What’s needed to get the meeting started?

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Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Reading and approval of minutes

Officer Reports

Committee Reports

Unfinished Business

New Business

WHAT’S MISSING?

Standard Order of Business4

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

• Minutes are the secretary’s (Grammateus) official record of the meeting.

• Minutes should contain what was done at the meeting, not what was said by members.

• Minutes do not become the official record of proceedings until approved, perhaps with corrections, by an organization.

Minutes5

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

• A motion is a formal proposal by a member for the group to take a certain action.

• The member must first obtain the floor (i.e. be recognized by the Presiding Officer) before the motion can be made.

• The member should state the motion positively to avoid confusion when the vote is taken.

• The maker of the motion must be in agreement with the motion before

debate occurs (Based on points raised during the debate, she is permitted to

change her mind when it is time for the vote).

• The soror seconding the motion does not have to be in favor of the motion.

• A second is not needed for some “incidental motions”.

• The maker of the motion should be the first soror recognized during the

debate period.

Key Points About Motions6

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

• Debate issues, not people.

• Address all remarks, even questions, to the Presiding Officer.

• Keep remarks germane to the questions

• Personal attacks are not permitted.

• The presiding officer should relinquish the Chair if she has strong opinions on a subject and wishes to participate in the discussion. (She may not return to the Chair until the topic has been resolved).

Debate Tips7

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

1. A member makes a motion

2. A member seconds the motion

3. The Chair states the motion

4. Members debate the motion

5. The motion is put to a vote

6. The Chair announces the results of the vote, whether it passed or failed and the effect of the vote.

Steps for Action By An Assembly8

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

General Consent/Unanimous Consent

Voice

Rising

Show of Hands

Ballot Vote

Roll Call Vote

Methods for Voting9

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

• Must be specifically allowed in the chapter’s bylaws.

• Both are not recommended.

• Fundamental principle of parliamentary procedure is that only members physically present at a legally called meeting can vote.

Absentee and Proxy Voting10

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Majority

Two Thirds (2/3)

Plurality

Number of Votes Needed to Pass A Motion or Elect A Candidate

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Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Standing-Ongoing (committee’s role is included in the chapter’s bylaws).

Ad hoc or special – Formed to address a specific issue.

Standing Committees should be listed on the agenda in the order they are shown in the bylaws.

Ad hoc committees should be listed in the order they were created.

Committees 12

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Stand at Ease

Recess

Adjourn

Fix the Time to Which to Adjourn

Ways to End A Meeting or Take a Break 13

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

• Charter

• Constitution/ Bylaws

• Manuals of Standard Procedure

• Chapter Bylaws

• Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 11th

Edition.

Governing Documents14

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

QUESTIONS

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Q & A

Soror Barbara Bellamy WarrenInternational Constitution CommitteeMid-Atlantic Representiveollie3aka29@aol.com

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