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

[Jacqueline Ristola]

Hello all,

The minutes are finalized; they are accessible here
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pp6_JYh2NEvHRqg1Lo6GYHaGnNhIdOXJVbQykv4FFzE/edit?usp=sharing>
.

Regards,
jacqueline

On Mon, Nov 25, 2019 at 3:44 PM Manuel Michael Lepage Lévesque <
manuel.lepage.levesque at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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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-- 
Jacqueline Ristola
PhD Candidate, Concordia University
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