Senate Parliamentary Procedures
8 / 31 / 06
Senator Responsibilities Include But Are Not Limited to the Following
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Submit Senate agenda recommendations to Senate President no later than the
Monday prior to a Senate Meeting.
Resolutions must be submitted to the Senate President at least 7 days prior to a
Senate meeting.
Post Senate agendas in division office.
Read draft minutes and email corrections to Senate President at least 24 hours
prior to the next meeting.
Read Senate materials prior to arriving at Senate.
Actively participate in Senate discussions.
Post approved minutes in division office.
Report Senate information at division meetings.
Solicit division faculty to serve on committees and task forces.
Poll division faculty on issues and concerns and report findings to Senate.
Participate in Senate recognition ceremony [or other event]
Compliance with the Open Meetings Acts
Senate meetings follow the requirements of the Open Meetings Act (Government Code
§§54950-54960.5), also called the Ralph M. Brown Act, as well as the Bagley-Keene Act
(Gov. Code §11120 et seq.), cited as the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act governing “state
bodies.” These two laws have direct bearing on how the Senate must conduct business.
You will want to familiarize yourself with these two acts, available on numerous websites,
including http://www.oeginfo.ca.gov (click on “California Law”).
Setting and Posting Agendas
The Open Meetings Acts outline the legal responsibilities for posting an agenda at least 72
hours prior to a meeting. Agendas are posted in the encased exterior bulletin board on
Building 200 and in the lobby, in the mailroom, and electronic posting on the Senate
webpage. Suggested agenda items must be submitted to the Senate President the Monday
prior to the Thursday Senate meeting. The Executive Committee, chaired by the
Academic/Faculty Senate President, will develop the Senate agendas, coordinate senate
committee reports and recommend actions to the Senate.
To Start Meeting
Meetings start on time with one rap of the gavel. Senate President says: “The meeting will
come to order.” A quorum must be present before the meeting is called to order. A
quorum is one half plus one of the voting Academic/Faculty Senate membership. If there
is not a quorum, the Senate can:
1. Fix the time to adjourn,
2. Adjourn,
3. Recess, or
4. Take steps to obtain a quorum
If urgent business requires action, it must be ratified at a later meeting at which a quorum
is present.
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Chabot Faculty Senate
The Handling of a Motion
1. A senator makes a “motion,” Says, “I move that…”;
2. Another senator seconds it. Says, “Second”;
3. The Chair states the question (motion);
4. The Chair asks for discussion;
5. Chair puts question to a vote (asks for “ayes” and nays”);
6. Chair announces results and assigns responsibility.
Worth Knowing
Amendments must be germane, i.e. closely related to the pending motion.
Call the Question: Motion to stop debate and vote.
Bylaws cannot be suspended.
Quorum: Number of senators, entitled to vote, who must be present in order to legally
transact business. A quorum for meetings of the Academic/Faculty Senate shall be one
half plus one of the voting Academic/Faculty Senate membership.
No Senator may speak more than twice to the same question without consent of the
body.
Majority: Means more than half.
2/3 Vote should be a hand raising or role call vote.
Committee: body of one or more to consider, investigate and/or act for the Senate.
Proper Form for Use by Chair and Senators
1. Main Motion: SDAMR (S=Second Required, D=Debatable, A=Amendable,
M=Majority Vote, R=Can Reconsider) to introduce business. Can be moved
only when no other business is pending.
Senator: Mr. President (or appropriate title)
Chair: The chair recognizes…
Senator: I move that…(Second Required)
Chair: It is moved and seconded that…
(D)
Chair: Is there any discussion?
Chair: Are you ready for the question?
(M)
Chair: All those in favor, say Aye. (Pause)
Chair: Those opposed, say Nay. (Pause)
Chair: The Ayes have it and the motion is adopted.
Chair: The Nays have it and the motion is defeated.
(2/3)
Chair: All those in favor will raise their hand…Thank you.
Chair: Those opposed will raise their hand…Thank you.
Chair: There are two-thirds in favor and the motion is adopted.
Chair: There are less than two thirds in favor and the motion is defeated.
Chair: Is there any further business?
Chair: The next Item of Business is…
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2. Postpone Indefinitely: SDMR + To reject motion.
(S)
Senator: I move that the motion be postponed indefinitely.
(D)
Chair: It is moved and seconded that the motion be Postponed Indefinitely.
3. Amend: SDAMR Modify wording of pending motion.
(S)
Senator: I move to amend the motion by…
inserting…before (or after)
adding…(at end of motion)
striking…(delete word or words)
striking…and inserting
substituting…(substitute motion)
(D)
Chair: It is moved and seconded to amend the motion by…(as moved)
4. Refer or Commit: SDAMR To allow further study.
(S)
Senator: I move to refer the motion to the …committee
(If special committee, mover may name committee, chairman, number
of members and if members are to be appointed or elected.
(D)
Chair: It is moved and seconded to refer the motion to the…committee.
5. Postpone Definitely: SDAMR Move to a later time.
(S)
Senator: I move to postpone the motion until…
(D)
Chair: It is moved and seconded to postpone the motion until…
6. Limit or Extend Debate: SATR Regulate debate (*T=2/3 Vote)
(S)
Senator: I move to limit (or extend) debate to…
(Number of minutes, speakers, or time)
(Q)
Chair: It is moved and seconded to limit (or extend) debate…(as moved)
7. Call the Question: STR To stop debate and vote.
(S)
Senator: I move the previous question.
(Q)
Chair: The previous question has been called for.
8. Table: SM Set aside temporarily.
(S)
Senator: I move to lay the motion on the table.
(Q)
Chair: It is moved and seconded to lay the motion on the table.
9. Call For Orders of the Day: IC Follow Agenda.
Senator: I call for the Orders of the Day.
Chair: The orders of the day have been called for. If there is no objection,
we will proceed to the proper order of business. (If put to a vote,
requires 2/3 vote not to conform to agenda.)
10. Recess: SAM Short intermission in proceedings.
(S)
Senator: I move that we recess for…
(Q)
Chair: It is moved and seconded that we recess for …(Can amend as to
time).
(When not privileged it is an incidental main motion and subject to
rules SDAMR).
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11. Adjourn: SM To adjourn or close the meeting.
(S)
Senator: I move we adjourn.
(Q)
Chair: It is moved and seconded that we adjourn.
(When not privileged it is an incidental main motion and subject to
rules SDAMR).
12. Fix Time to Which To Adjourn: ASMR Set time when an adjourned
meeting will be called to order.
(S)
Senator: I move that when we adjourn, we adjourn to meet at …(time and
place).
(Q)
Chair: It is moved and seconded that when we adjourn, we adjourn to
meet at…(time and place) (When not privileged it is an incidental
main motion and subject to rules SDAMR)
13. Point of Order: IC To call the Chair to order.
Senator: Point of order.
Chair: State your point of order. (Response). Your point of order is well
taken. (Chair Corrects error), or
Chair: Your point of order is not well taken. (Chair proceeds, subject to
appeal).
14. Appeal: ISDMR To challenge decision of the chair.
(S)
Senator: I appeal from the decision of the chair.
(D)
Chair: (After explanation) Shall the decision of the chair be sustained?
(Not debatable if indecorum, priority of business, or pending
question is not debatable).
15. Suspend The Rules: ST Set rules aside temporarily.
(S)
Senator: I move to suspend the rules to…
(Q)
Chair: It is moved and seconded to suspend the rules to…(as moved)(2/3)
16. Object to Consideration of the Question: IT-FI To prevent consideration
of an original main motion.
(S)
Senator: I object to consideration of the question. (Must interrupt speaker
before he starts discussion).
(Q)
Chair: Consideration of the question has been objected to. Shall the
question be considered? (Requires 2/3 in negative not to consider).
17. Division of the Question: SAM To divide motion.
(S)
Senator: I move to divide the question to consider separately the motion
that…and that…
(Q)
Chair: It is moved and seconded to divide the question to consider
separately the motion that…and that…(Each part must be able to
stand alone).
18. Consider Seriatim: SAM Consider by paragraph.
(S)
Senator: I move to consider the motion seriatim.
(Q)
Chair: It is moved and seconded to consider the motion seriatim or by
paragraph.
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