Re: the rule of "only one motion under discussion at any one time"


There is no doubt that Roberts' Rules does not adequately cover asynchronous electronic meetings. Rather than reinvent the wheel, it would make sense to study and possibly adopt the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association electronic meetings procedure. One key way that the ASLHA procedure differs is that the resolutions committee (parliamentarian?) determines the timeline for discussion and voting on each resolution when it is introduced. In addition to the MAIN motion, SECONDARY motions may also be allowed.

I agree that the current system is quite limiting, however I also feel that having multiple motions being debated simultaneously may significantly diminish the quality of the debate and cause confusion. I file all AISDiscuss mail in one folder. As I count it, there are at least 4 topics being discussed today. Oy vey!

Submitted by your Organizational Gadfly, aka Dennis Hager


----- Original Message ----- From: "Harold Stahly" <hlstahly@umich.edu>
To: <aisdiscuss@aisboard.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 2:48 PM
Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] the rule of "only one motion under discussion at any one time"


Hello,

I have 2 cents' (or maybe only 1 cent's) worth to throw in on this subject.

The limitation, only one motion at a time on the floor, probably stems from Roberts' Rules. There is no reason that AIS must follow this rule, although it makes much sense when conducting business in a general meeting. Conducting business electronically is quite a different type of reality, where discussants are widely separated and it is impossible to have the immediacy that face to face put-and-take discussion provides. So a two week discussion period makes a lot of sense in electronic meeting. But why only one motion at a time? Allowing an unlimited number would certainly lead to confusion; but a reasonable few motions, say limited to 4 to 6 or so, would be entirely within the capability of board members to keep clearly separate in their thinking and discussion.

AIS bylaws state that Roberts' Rules prevail in situations where AIS rules, bylaws or standing rules, do not apply. There is also in AIS bylaws a provision that specifically stipulates that the officers and directors have total authority in conducting the affairs of the society. I see no reason that the board can not adopt a standing rule that allows greater freedom in the number of motions that can be on the floor in electronic conducting of business. The one-at-a-time rule, applied with a reasonable period necessary for complete discussion, seriously limits the amount of business that can be conducted electronically.

I hope this is something that the board can consider sometime in the not too distant future.

Best wishes to all of you,

Hal Stahly

On Mar 30, 2010, at 11:26 AM, Michelle Snyder wrote:

John,

If you are really making a new motion it can not be intertained until the period for voting on the existing motion has ceased which won't be until April 5.

Michelle

On 3/30/2010 8:03 AM, John I Jones wrote:
I move that the AIS immediately stop offering multiple year Irisregister subscriptions.

John

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