College Council Rules of Order

If a quorum is present when the Chairperson calls the meeting to order, the quorum is presumed to continue until adjournment unless, in the course of the meeting, it is chaIIenged and it is ascertained that a quorum is no longer present.
After the Chairperson has called the meeting to order, only one person may speak at a time, and only after being recognized by the Chairperson, except as provided below.
The Chairperson shall propose an agenda at the beginning of each meeting, which shall become the order of business unless a motion to amend it is made and adopted. Discussion will be in order on each subject as it comes up on the agenda, and may be on any aspect of each subject as a whole until a specific motion is introduced.
When any member wishes a decision on a topic he/she may secure recognition from the Chair and make a motion specifying what it is proposed that the Council decide. The Chairperson may request motions when he/she believes motions will aid the discussion.

When a motion properly made and seconded is stated by the Chair, it becomes the business on the floor, and all discussion must apply to it until it is disposed of, except as provided below.
a) When a motion has been made and seconded, the Chairperson shall state it and call for discussion on it. When every member who wishes to speak has done so, the Chair shall call for a vote. Approval by a majority of those voting shall be necessary to adopt a motion, unless otherwise specified in these rules, the practices or constitution of Council. In case of a tie vote, the Chairperson may exercise a casting vote.

b) Voting shall be by show of hands unless some other method is decided upon by motion. In elections, voting shall be by secret ballot.

c) Substantive motions may be considered a second time at the same meeting only through a motion to reconsider, which may be made at any time when no other motion is on the floor. If a motion to reconsider is adopted, the original vote or the subject is inoperative and the question is reopened for discussion and decisions.
The Chairperson may summarize discussions, respond to questions, and present information and alternatives for consideration, but may participate in debate on substantive motions only by relinquishing the chair. The Chairperson may state his own opinion (a) in deciding a point of order or (b) if the pending question is an appeal from a ruIing or a point of order.
The principal forms of motions, their order of precedence, and their essential governing rules shall be as presented in the tabular summary on page 4 of these Rules. In addition, the following rules shall be applicable:

a) Amendments and motions to reconsider amendments to motions which are still pending, may be considered one at a time as presented. Amendments to amendments (amendments in the second degree) may be made, but not amendments in the third degree.

b) Motions which are noted as not subject to debate or amendment, may be debated or amended by unanimous consent, or at the discretion of the Chairperson.
a) Any member wishing information on a point under discussion when no one else has the floor may call out "point of information", in which case the Chair shall recognize the member for a brief question, and either give an answer or recognize someone to do so. Points of information may also be raised while a member-is speaking, unless he/she has asked not to be interrupted, and such questions shall be directed by the Chairperson to the speaker.

b) A member who believes that the Rules are being violated or that action is needed to handle an emergency, or who wishes a count on a vote may call out "point of order" at any time, in which case he/she shall be recognized for the sole purpose of stating briefly what he/she believes to be the correct procedures.

c) A member who believes that a privilege has been violated may call out "a point of privilege" at any time, in which case he shall be recognized for the sole purpose of stating briefly what he believes to be the situation. Privilege is regarded as the right of a member to correct inaccuracies or explain circumstances he deems to affect him detrimentally or reflect improperly upon the organization as a whole.
The Chairperson shall decide all points of order, but such decisions may be appealed by any member who calls out, "I appeal the ruling of the Chair". In that case the Chairperson and the member making the appeal shall state briefly the reasons for their views, after which an immediate vote shall be taken. A majority of those voting shall be sufficient to uphold or overrule the ruling of the Chairperson. It shall be the duty of the Chairperson to rule out of order all dilatory motions and tactics and any undignified behaviour or remarks but the Chairperson must recognize all appeals even if he/she believes them dilatory unless he/she has already been upheld at the same meeting on an appeal by the same individual or on the same or a similar issue.
a) The Chairperson or any member may recommend that any substantive problem be considered by preferential ballot.

b) Consideration by preferential ballot means that several solutions to a problem suggested by the members will be listed and discussed together, after which a preferential ballot will be taken.

c) Whenever a request for this procedure is made, the Chairperson shall explain its meaning after which an immediate vote shall be taken, a majority of those voting determining whether the method shall be used in the case concerned.


Order of Precedence	Can Interrupt?	Requires second?	Debat- able?	Amend- able?	Vote required?	Applies to what other motion?	Can have what other motions applied to it (in addition to withdraw)?
PRIVILEGED MOTIONS
1. Adjourn 2. Recess 3. Question of privilege	no no yes	yes yes no	no yes(r) no	no yes(r) no	majority majority none	none none none	none amend (r) none
SUBSIDIARY MOTIONS
4. Postpone temporarily 5. Vote Immediately 6. Limit debate 7. Postpone definitely 8. Refer to committee 9. Amend 10. Postpone indefinitely	no no no no no no no	yes yes yes yes yes yes yes	no no yes (r) yes (r) yes (r) yes yes	no no yes (r) yes (r) yes (r) yes no	majority 2/3 2/3 majority majority majority majority	main motion debatable motions debatable motions main motion main motion rewordable motions main motion	none none amend (r) amend (r), vote imm, limit debate amend (r), vote imm, limit debate vote imm., limit debate vote imm., limit debate
MAIN MOTIONS
11. (a) The main motion (b) Specific main motions Reconsider Rescind Resume consideration	no yes no no	yes yes yes yes	yes yes yes no	yes no no no	majority majority majority majority	none main motion main motion main motion	spec. main, subsid., obj. to cons. vote imm., limit debate vote imm., limit debate none

INCIDENTAL MOTIONS
No Order of Precedence	Can Interrupt?	Requires second?	Debat- able?	Amend- able?	Vote required?	Applies to what other motion?	Can have what other motions applied to it (in addition to withdraw)?
(a) Motions Appeals Suspend rules object to consideration (b) Requests Point of order Withdraw a motion Division of question	yes no yes yes yes no	yes yes yes no no yes	yes no no no no yes	no no no no no yes	majority 2/3 2/3 neg. none none yes	decision of chair none main motion any error all motions main motion	vote imm., limit debate none none none none none
r = restricted Four motions are open to restricted debate: recess, postpone definitely, refer to a committee and limit debate. Restricted debate means brief discussion of the advisability and time of the recess. Debate on postpone definitely is restricted to the advisability of postponing and the time of postponement. Debate on the motion to refer a motion to a committee is restricted to the advisability of referral, the selection, membership, and duties of the committee, or instructions to it. Debate on limited debate is restricted to the type and time of limitations. None of the motions subject to restricted debate opens the main question to debate.