[GSA Council] Council Chair's Decision - Nonmembers speaking during the Council meeting

[Federico Bettini]

Dear Council Chair,

Thank you for preparing the preceding response for Council. You prove our point exactly.

1. Please recall that:
1.1. Directors (and non-Council members) at Council today agreed that non-Council members have no rights on Council unless granted by Council.
1.2. Directors agreed that Council may choose to grant speaking rights to non-members. The Chair opposed that, citing Roberts Rules.
1.3. The Question asked of the chair was not "can nonmembers be described as an annoyance by the Chair?" but instead "Where in Roberts Rules does it state that Council may not allow nonmembers to speak?"

2. The Chair provided the reference RONR. p17. While I cannot see anything on page 17 that refers to Council's ability to invite nonmembers to speak,
2.1. You describe a reference stating that Council may in fact decide to give speaking rights to non-members. This point is actually made on the following pages: P263.  In the future, I trust the Chair will not claim the right to block motions which give speaking rights to non-members.
2.2. Also, all attendees will recall that nonmembers were in fact allowed to speak for the first part of the meeting today. The fact that no directors opposed it indicates they unanimously approved. Passing an actual motion would have been ideal.

3. The Chair also provided the reference (RONR p648-649) which, in addition to stating that "the chair acts alone" and "a nonmember cannot appeal the decision" as mentioned in the Chair's response,
3.1. This reference then states that the action the Chair can take is simply to request a nonmember to leave the room, and
3.2. that  "directors can appeal the decision". The latter two points were not included in the Chair's response.

Quite frankly I still don't know the following:
i) Why, after giving everyone speaking rights, the Chair decided stop inviting nonmembers to speak at some point during the Council meeting today;
ii) How the Chair has referenced "RONR p17"  when the Chair actually acted opposed to it during today's Council meeting; and
iii) Why the Chair's citation of RONR p648-649 was incomplete.

I am not asking the Chair for an answer to the three questions, but in general, please note that the Chair acts in their capacity as chair following Council's confidence that Points of Order are heard, and that Appeals are heard. Kindly refer to section 61 of Roberts Rules. It is an important section.


Yours sincerely,

Federico Bettini


From: Timir Baran Roy <timirbaranju at gmail.com>
Sent: November 23, 2019 5:52 PM
To: meeting facilitator <meetingfacilitator.gsa at gmail.com>
Subject: Council Chair's Decision - Nonmembers speaking during the Council meeting

Dear Council Member,

This is an email response to the question if the nonmembers (members outside the Council) are allowed to talk during the Council meeting.

Following the RONR PP. 648, ll. 9 to PP. 649, ll. 15 actions can be taken against any nonmember who is creating annoyance during the meeting and action can be taken by the Chair alone. The annoying nonmember can not appeal against the Chair's decision and has to follow that.

Following the RONR PP. 17, if the Council would like to allow a nonmember to talk in a debate, the Council should pass a motion for that with the 2/3rd majority. Unless and until the motion is adopted, no nonmember shall be allowed to speak in the Council meeting. Nonmembers are given 30 minutes time prior to each Council meeting so that the nonmembers can talk to their representatives; i.e. the Directors or Executives. The nonmembers are also able to talk to the representatives outside the meeting room. The Chair shall not allow any nonmember to speak during the Council meeting unless and until a motion for such pass 2/3rd majority. The Chair will NOT recognize any nonmember, who is willing to get the floor during a discussion.

Thank you very much.

Best regards,

Timir

[https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/FQtaHxxpSiKO8R9ZQto8gyXXKLP0t7FIQBdC5kj4H853Zc2t54LjuE6FIeIbPW1CVu4Xr9ckGfoEKpaI3lh7DCrQsUEPbDJmFKabtD4jraywHUf5Dk6DuYNA54XCWi6q4MbblB83]

Timir Baran Roy, MSc.

Ph.D. Candidate (Civil Engineering)

Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science

Council Chair & Senator

Graduate Students' Association

Concordia University, 1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd West, Montreal, QC, H3G 1M8, Canada

Office: EV 11.105

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