BRIMUN 2015 Rules of Procedure

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Rules of Procedures

1. Quorum:

The committee can only commence session when 50% +1 of all delegations are present.

2. Roll Call:

Roll call is taken by the chair in alphabetical order. Present delegations may respond with "Present" or "Present and voting", bearing in mind that delegations responding by "Present and voting" waive their right to abstain in voting on substantive matters.

Delegations walking in late can only be recognized as present if they send

a note to the Chair announcing their presence and voting status. If a

delegation is not recognized as present, it is not to be given the floor to

speak, and its votes will not be counted.

3. Adopting the Agenda:

The chair reads out the provisional agenda and opens the floor for two

points of clarification.

If there are no objections or amendments to the agenda, the agenda is

automatically adopted.

Amendments to the agenda are proposed by raising placards.

Voting on the amendments to the agenda is substantive and amendments

are voted upon from most destructive to least destructive.






4. Opening Speeches:

Opening speeches are entertained by alphabetical order.

A delegate can give their speech, waive their right to speak, or postpone

their speech.

When going through delegations that have postponed their speech, it is in

reverse alphabetical order. (The first to postpone is the last to speak)

5. Speakers' List:

The chair keeps track of the speakers' list. Delegations may add their

names on the speakers' list by raising their placards until recognized by

the chair.

Delegations may send a note to the chair to add, remove, or re-add.

If there are no delegations on the speakers' list, the chair announces the

list as closed and automatically moves on to voting on available draft

resolutions. If there are no draft resolutions at hand, topic is closed

without voting.






6. Forms of Debate:

a) Formal debate:

- Debate is in the form of the speakers' list.

- Motions and points of order are only entertained during formal debate.

- Voting on substantive matters can only be conducted in formal debate.

b) Caucus:

- Less formal form of debate.

- Delegations form blocs and use this time for lobbying and creating

working papers.

7. Points of Order:

a) Points of personal privilege. (Repeat the last statement, raise/ lower

voice… etc)

b) Points of clarification. (Rephrase the previous statement for

clarification purposes (during a delegate's speech), clarify/ rephrase a

point within the crisis or resolutions for clarification purposes)

c) Motions.






8. Procedural matters:

Voting upon by a two-thirds majority. Delegations may respond with yes

or no and observers must vote.

If several motions are raised at once, they are entertained in order of

precedence.

1) Motion to move into another form of debate: only entertained during

formal debate.

Delegations raising a motion to move into another form of debate must

specify a time frame which is then kept track of by the chair.

If objections are made to the motion raised, the first delegate may amend

his/her motion. If the delegate does not wish to amend the motion, the

second delegate is asked if he/she would like to raise a separate motion.

The two motions are then voted upon in the order they were received in.

Voting on these motions is a procedural vote.

2) Motion to overrule the chair: The motion is only valid when raised

because the chair committed an error pertaining to rules of procedure.

This motion requires a speaker for and a speaker against and can only be

entertained during formal debate.






3) Motion to adjourn the meeting: only at the end of the conference.

4) Motion to suspend the meeting: entails coffee and lunch breaks. Delegate

raising this motion must specify a time period. Roll call is taken again

upon returning from suspension.

5) Motion to adjourn debate: entails the closure of debate on one issue and

moving on to another topic.

6) Motion to close debate: voting on any available draft resolutions.

Delegates do not return back to formal debate upon voting on draft

resolutions.

7) Motion to vote on draft resolutions.

9. Substantive matters:

50% +1 majority.

Delegations may respond with yes, no or abstain. Observers cannot vote.

1) Points of Agreement.

2) Working paper: must contain at least five sponsors before being

presented to the director.

3) Draft Resolution: a codified working paper becomes a draft resolution.

Observers can only co-sponsor a resolution.

4) Upon passing of a draft resolution, it becomes a resolution.






- Voting on amendments:

Delegation:

Type:

Resolution:

Line No.:

Clause Before:

Clause After:

1) Amendments that are not in the correct format are automatically

disregarded.

2) Amendments are sent to the chair by notes in the above format.

3) Types of amendments:

-‐ Deletion: deletes an entire clause from the resolution.

-‐ Addition: adds a new clause to the resolution.

-‐ Modification: changes a word, phrase, or syntax of a clause.

An amendment is declared either friendly or unfriendly by the sponsors

of the resolution. If an amendment is unfriendly, it is put to a substantive

vote.






Amendments are addressed in the order of most destructive to least

destructive.

After all amendments have been addressed, the amended draft resolution

is re-read.

-‐ Voting on draft resolutions:

Prior to voting on draft resolutions, three points can be entertained.

These points are raised through a point of order.

1) Withdrawal of sponsorship. (Automatically adopted)

2) Voting by roll call. (Automatically adopted)

3) Voting clause by clause. (Procedural vote)

Voting clause by clause and voting by roll call are not mutually

exclusive. If both points are raised, both are carried out.

10. Closing Debate:

After concluding voting on the draft resolutions, debate is closed and the

meeting is adjourned until another time. (Must be specified)

BRIMUN 2015 Rules of Procedure

Documents

present delegations

speakers list

formal debate

points of order

formal form of debate

delegations form blocs

forms of debate

provisional agenda