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Brainteaser Archive 2006 |
March 15, 2006 (Difficulty level = 4)
Question: An organization is required to hold regular meetings each month. At the February meeting date, there are not enough members present for the meeting to be held. Has the organization violated its bylaws by not meeting in February, according to Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th Edition)?
Answer: "But if a quorum fails to appear at a regular or properly called meeting, the inability to transact business does not detract from the fact that the society's rules requiring the meeting to be held were complied with and the meeting was convened--even though it had to adjourn immediately." RONR (10th Ed.) § 40 (p. 336).
April 1, 2006 (Difficulty level = 5)
Question: If your parliamentary authority is Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th Edition), is it in order to move to a Division of the Question on an amendment if the amendment contains several parts, each of which is capable of standing as a complete proposition if the others are removed.? Can the motion Division of a Question also be applied to a main motion while an amendment is pending?
Answer: "If applied to an amendment, it also takes precedence over that amendment; but a motion to divide the main question cannot be made while an amendment to the main question is pending." RONR (10th Ed.) § 27 (p. 262).
April 15, 2006 (Difficulty level = 4)
Question: A motion and amendment are pending at a meeting that follows Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th Edition). The presently pending amendment proposes to strike several words from the main motion. What type of amendment can be made to the pending amendment?
Answer: "The motion to amend by striking out certain words can be amended only by striking out words from the primary amendment. The effect of such a secondary amendment is that words struck out of the primary amendment will remain in the main motion regardless of whether the primary amendment is adopted or rejected." RONR (10th Ed.) § 12 (p. 140).
May 1, 2006 (Difficulty level = 3)
Question: An organization that follows Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th Edition) is holding its annual multi-day convention. At the end of each day, the assembly recesses until the following morning, at which point there are introductory ceremonies, including an invocation and a supplemental report of the Credentials Committee. Should this be a "recess" or an "adjournment"?
Answer: Adjournment. "From the viewpoint of the effect of a recess or an adjournment on the procedure the next time the assembly is called to order, the difference is that at the conclusion of a recess there never are any 'opening' proceedings, but business is always immediately resumed where it was left off, just as if there had been no recess." RONR (10th Ed.) § 2 (p. 83).
May 15, 2006 (Difficulty level = 4)
Question: Your organization follows Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th Edition). You have proposed a motion that "The President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall each receive a $100 gift certificate to Smith's Department Store." The motion has been amended so that it now it now reads: "The Treasurer shall receive a $1 gift certificate to Smith's Department Store." Can you speak against the pending motion, since it is quite different that you originally intended?
Answer: No. "In debate, the maker of a motion, while he can vote against it, is not allowed to speak against his own motion. . . . If he changes his mind while the motion he made is pending, he can, in effect, advise the assembly of this by asking permission to withdraw the motion (pp. 283-86)." RONR (10th Ed.) § 43 (p.381)
June 1, 2006 (Difficulty level = 2)
Question: Your parliamentary authority is Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th Edition). If a motion is coming from a committee, does it need a second?
Answer: Yes, although this question is a bit tricky. The question is better asked, "does it need an additional second." "A motion made by direction of a board or duly appointed committee of the assembly requires no second from the floor (provided the subordinate group is composed of more than one person), since the motion's introduction has been directed by a majority vote within the board or committee and is therefore desired by at least two assembly members or elected or appointed persons to whose opinion the assembly is presumed to give weight regarding the board's or committee's concerns." RONR (10th Ed.) § 4 (p.35).
July 1, 2006 (Difficulty level = 4)
Question: You are at a convention that uses Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th Edition) as its parliamentary authority. If a roll call vote is taken, should the doors be closed and no one allowed to enter or leave the room?
Answer: Not unless the convention rules so provide. After all, the concerns in counting a standing vote (that members moving around may confuse the count) are not present in taking a roll call vote (no one can vote unless called upon, and no one who has voted will be called upon a second time). In contrast, this language exists in the section on counting a rising vote: "In all but small assemblies, the doors should be closed and no one should be allowed to enter or leave the hall while a count is being taken." RONR (10th Ed.) § 45 (p.397).
July 15, 2006 (Difficulty level = 3)
Question: According to Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th Edition), should nominations be seconded?
Answer: "No second is required, but sometimes one or more members will second a nomination to indicate endorsement." RONR (10th Ed.) § 46 (p. 418).
August 1, 2006 (Difficulty level = 4)
Question: If the secretary of your organization is absent at a meeting and your parliamentary authority is Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th Edition), how should a replacement for that meeting be determined (if there is no governing language in the bylaws or elsewhere)?
Answer: "In the absence of the secretary, a secretary pro tem should be elected; the corresponding, financial, or executive secretary in organizations having such officers is not an automatic replacement." RONR (10th Ed.) § 47 (p. 443).
August 15, 2006 (Difficulty level = 5)
Question: You are a delegate to a convention that follows Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th Edition). Various committees for the convention have been appointed by the President (and approved by the convention) to make proposals to the assembled delegates. The Convention Committee is composed of five members, but only one is an elected delegate. When the Convention Committee presents is recommendations to the convention, is an additional second needed from the floor or does the committee report carry its own second?
Answer: Despite the fact that only one member of the committee is a delegate, the language in RONR suggests that no additional second from the floor is absolutely necessary (but may be politically wise).
"A motion made by direction of a board or duly appointed committee of the assembly requires no second from the floor (provided the subordinate group is composed of more than one person), since the motion's introduction has been directed by a majority vote within the board or committee and is therefore desired by at least two assembly members or elected or appointed persons to whose opinion the assembly is presumed to give weight regarding the board's or committee's concerns." RONR (10th Ed.) § 4 (p.35). Following this provision, the motion is "made by direction" of a "duly appointed committee of the assembly," "the subordinate group is composed of more than one person," and the "motion's introduction has been directed by a majority vote within the" committee, and is "therefore desired by at least . . . appointed persons to whose opinion the assembly is presumed to give weight." In further support of this argument, the authors of RONR could easily have used the phrase, "provided the subordinate group is composed of more than one MEMBER," but instead used the word "person."
September 15, 2006 (Difficulty level = 4)
Question: If your parliamentary authority is Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th Edition), how are the usual rules of debate modified during a debatable Appeal?
Answer: "When an appeal is debatable, no member is allowed to speak more than once except the presiding officer--who need not leave the chair while so speaking, but should stand." RONR (10th Ed.) § 24 (p. 249).
September 15, 2006 (Difficulty level = 4)
Question: If your parliamentary authority is Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th Edition), how are the usual rules of debate modified during a debatable Appeal?
Answer: "When an appeal is debatable, no member is allowed to speak more than once except the presiding officer--who need not leave the chair while so speaking, but should stand." RONR (10th Ed.) § 24 (p. 249).
November 15, 2006 (Difficulty level = 3)
Question: Under The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (4th Ed.)("Sturgis"), what is the name given to the five motions that do not present a new proposal "but concern actions that were previously taken"?
Answer: Restorative Main Motions. The Standard Code, p. 16.
December 1, 2006 (Difficulty level = 5)
Question: Under The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (4th Ed.)("Sturgis"), name the five "Restorative Main Motions."
Answer: (1) Amend a previous action; (2) Ratify; (3) Reconsider; (4) Rescind; and (5) Resume Consideration. The Standard Code, p. 16.
December 15, 2006 (Difficulty level = 3)
Question: If your parliamentary authority is Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th Edition), name at least one action that cannot be rescinded.
Answer: "(1) When it previously has been moved to reconsider the vote on the main motion, and the question can be reached by calling up the motion to Reconsider; (2) when something has been done, as a result of the vote on the main motion, that is impossible to undo; or (3) when a resignation has been acted upon, or a person has been elected to or expelled from membership or office, and the person was present or has been officially notified of the action." RONR (10th Ed.) § 36 (p. 297-298).
December 30, 2006 (Difficulty level = 1)
Question: According to Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th Edition), what is the title of the first article in basic bylaws ?
Answer: Name. RONR (10th Ed.) § 56 (p. 553).
