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

[Manuel Michael Lepage Lévesque]

Good morning Council members,

In regards to both emails, I would like to remind Council that I did
attempt to bring forth a motion that allows nonmembers to talk.
Unfortunately, the Chair refused such a motion. I am kindly reminding that
the Chair must uphold the GSA Bylaws and the RONR correctly. I would also
request the page number in RONR 11th edition, where it states that the
Chair can disregard a "Call the question" by a Council member, before any
other member has the chance to second. I would also like to kindly remind
Council that any decision made by a Chair can be appealed by Council
members.

Thank you for your time,

MMLL



On Sat, Nov 23, 2019 at 11:18 PM Federico Bettini <
federico.bettini at mail.concordia.ca> wrote:

> 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
>
> *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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