National Parliamentarian (Vol. 79, No. 4)

NP

Volume 79, No. 4 | Summer 2018

National Parliamentarian

Planning for the Future

Bylaw Revision Advice page 8 Buffalo, Here We Come page 13 Nominating Committees page 27

Parliamentary Resources at Your Fingertips There is only one place to turn for your parliamentary resources: NAP. Browse our online store for • Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised and In Brief – we offer spiral-bound versions not available anywhere else!

• Parliamentary reference cards • Basic information handouts • Script samples • Leadership primers for officers • Credentialing study guides • Teaching resources • And so much more

Check us out today at

www.parliamentarians.org

NP

National Parliamentarian

Volume 79, No. 4 | Summer 2018

Contents 2017-2019 NAP Officers President James N. Jones, PRP Vice-President Darlene T. Allen, PRP Secretary Kevin R. Connelly, PRP Treasurer Wanda M. Sims, PRP Directors-at-Large Joyce Brown-Watkins, PRP Ann Rempel, PRP Alison Wallis, PRP District Director Representatives Roger Hanshaw, PRP Larry Martin, PRP Parliamentarian James H. Stewart, PRP Executive Director Cynthia Launchbaugh

NAP’s Vision: To provide parliamentary leadership to the world

From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 President’s Message Planning for the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Features The 10 Best Time Savers in RONR (PART 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Advice on the Revisions of Bylaws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Nominating Committees: Recruiting, Vetting, or Ordaining? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Special Section 2018 NAP National Training Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 NAP Training Conference: Learn. Explore. Connect . . 13 Schedule at a Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Explore Buffalo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 How to Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Where to Stay & How to Get There . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Continuing Education Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Presiding Laboratory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Leadership Conference 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Departments Test Yourself How Are Your RIBs? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Parliamentary Procedure Vocabulary Builder . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Questions & Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 NAP Connections Report from the Board of Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 NAP Trains the Trainers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 NAP Welcomes New Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 New Registered Parliamentarians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Silent Gavel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 www.parliamentarians.org

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National Parliamentarian

®

Official publication of the National Association of Parliamentarians® 213 S. Main Street • Independence, MO 64050-3808 816.833.3892 • 888.627.2929 hq@nap2.org • www.parliamentarians.org

NP Submission Guidelines National Parliamentarian generally publishes only original works that have not been published elsewhere. Articles will be edited to conform to The Chicago Manual of Style (16th ed.) and may be edited for content and length. Article text should be submitted in Microsoft Word or rich text format and transmitted via email. Illustrations, photographic prints and high-resolution photos are welcome. Materials submitted will not be returned unless special arrangements are made in advance with the editor.

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Submission Deadlines

Volume 80, No. 2 . . . . . . November 1, 2018 (Winter 2019) Volume 80, No. 3 . . . . . . . . February 1, 2019 (Spring 2019) Volume 80, No. 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . May 1, 2019 (Summer 2019)

Editor

Ann Iona Warner npeditor@nap2.org

Assistant Editor

Betty Tunstall, PRP

Parliamentary Review Committee Schmuel Gerber, PRP Paul McClintock, PRP Sheryl C. Womble, PRP

Editorial Team

John R. Berg, PRP Lisa Zwarm, PRP

Parliamentary Research Committee Michael Malamut, PRP C. Alan Jennings, PRP Jim Stewart, PRP Helen McFadden, PRP

NATIONAL PARLIAMENTARIAN®

(Registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, ISSN 8755-7592) Published quarterly by the National Association of Parliamentarians ©2018 All rights to reproduce or reprint any portion of this publication are reserved, except by written permission of the editor. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those endorsed by NAP.

Subscription and change-of-address requests should be directed to NAP at the above address.

Annual subscription: $30 • Single copy: $8

From the Editor

Much of this issue is dedicated to the programs that will be available at the National Training Conference to be held in Buffalo at the beginning of September. This will be my first time attending, and I’m looking forward to the many classes that will be available. Please plan on joining NAP in Buffalo.

There is a wealth of parliamentary information available, and we are blessed to have NAP members share their knowledge with us. This month’s offerings include the conclusion of the time-savers available to meeting parliamentarians and presiding officers, information about revisions and amendments to bylaws, and nominating committees. All of these are useful topics for the practicing parliamentarian, and also for general members who can share this information with their individual organizations.

Ann Warner 2

National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

President’s Message

Planning for the Future At its spring meeting this year, the NAP Board of Directors engaged in some very productive discussions about our mission, our strategy, our future and our finances.

This frank and open exchange of ideas has stimulated an innovative view of NAP’s goals as we respond to the challenges NAP faces and the opportunities we have before us. I want to thank all who participated in the process for their commitment to this effort as we work to achieve our aspirations as the preeminent provider of parliamentary and governance learning materials. Our Strategic Plan sets out a vision for a strong future and provides guidance for decision-making that will have a profound and positive impact on NAP’s ability to meet our members’ needs and increase our public visibility.

The board also took time to assess how we communicate both individually and collectively as board members and how that communication impacts our decision-making process. NAP continues to work to approve our communication efforts with our association and unit leaders as well as with every member. The new Leadership Connection has been well received. Our aim is now to ensure that every member is consistently kept apprised of what is going on in the organization as we continue to grow.

As I look back over the past few months I am amazed at how much we as an organization have www.parliamentarians.org

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accomplished. We have increased our membership, grown our finances, added new strategic partners, developed new educational resources, and established a vision of the future that serves our members well.

I say “we” because all of NAP’s successes this past year have truly been a group effort. None of these accomplishments could have happened without committed and dedicated board members, cluster leaders, committee members and staff all working together to make good things happen. My thanks to each one of you for the good work you have done this past year.

We have a lot of work ahead of us. NAP’s collective goal at every level each year must be “to do better and be better” than we were the year before. That is not to say that last year was not a successful one. Indeed, it was very successful by all accounts. Yet, NAP must constantly raise the bar as well as our own expectations of ourselves. This commitment to unceasing and ongoing improvement will continue NAP moving in the right direction toward a strong future.

James “Jim” Jones PRP, CPP-T 44th NAP President, 2017-2019

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The 10 Best Time Savers in RONR (Part 2)

by Michael Peck, PRP

Author Michael Peck shares a number of time-saving tips he has encountered during his parliamentary career. The first two steps, agendas and voting, were covered in the Winter edition of the National Parliamentarian. The remaining eight items are covered here.

• The six steps in processing a motion in Robert’s Rules of Order, 11th ed. (RONR) Following these steps is a huge time saver. Members appreciate always knowing what is being discussed or voted on. This author did a workshop on the six steps in RONR with 300 participants.

At the end, all of the participants voted that it was easier and faster to get it right the first time following the six steps than to flounder in a meeting trying to process business without RONR’s six steps.

• Refer to a Committee Oftentimes we hear about micromanaging by a board of directors as they rehash the work of a reporting committee. It is a great time saver if we let the

committees function. The author’s rule of thumb is to allow the board five minutes to adopt the committee’s report or to send it back to the committee with the board’s concern(s). A committee is assigned the responsibility to do the legwork and report findings to the board. Let the committee do the work. If the committee’s report is unfinished or unsatisfactory, send the report back to the committee.

• Postpone definitely We can save a great deal of time by learning when it is appropriate to postpone an item of business to a later time. An item of business can be postponed to a later time in the same meeting or to the next meeting. If postponed to the next www.parliamentarians.org

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meeting, the business is placed automatically on the agenda under unfinished business and general orders. That way the postponed business comes up in order and is not lost or forgotten. No member has to spend time to remember to place the postponed business on the next agenda.

• T he motion to “table” a motion The motion to lay on the table is an often misused and misunderstood motion in RONR. The motion to lay on the table is not the proper motion to kill a motion. The proper motion for that purpose, as parliamentarians know, is the motion to postpone indefinitely.

The motion to lay on the table is used to speed up a meeting by allowing business to be set aside for something that is of more importance at that moment in time. It can frequently be done with no objection from the assembly. RONR (p. 302) states that if the motion is not taken from the table before the end of the next meeting (within a quarterly time interval), it dies. So, if no member moves to take it from the table, it probably was not important business. The motion to lay on the table is not debatable. However, it is in order to determine if the motion to lay on the table is in order. If there is no business that is of more importance, the chair can properly rule the motion out of order, usually leaving the member who offered the motion speechless, 6

National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

as he or she probably would not understand what just happened or why. It would then be prudent for the chair to state why the motion was ruled out of order.

• Recess A recess can speed up a meeting by providing time for participants or the assembly to caucus and come up with a common solution.

A recess can also be used to corral members to obtain a quorum.

RONR says that the motion to recess is one of the very few motions that can be properly made when a quorum is not present. It is a time saver because if a quorum is not present, calling a second meeting can be time-consuming and expensive, requiring proper notice and waiting the proper length of time.

• Motion to Amend The motion to amend can also be a great time saver. It can, in short order and many times by general consent, perfect a bad motion with a few words or a simple phrase.

Oftentimes this is referred to as a friendly amendment. Although RONR does not endorse friendly amendments, this author believes it is nothing more than allowing the will of the assembly to quickly correct a poorly worded or badly proposed motion. In general terms this is done easily by unanimous consent. If all members believe the motion is better with the proposed words or phrase, it is a very fast

way to keep the business moving and to accomplish the goal of the assembly.

• Professional Presiding Officer (PPO) How many times have you been to a meeting where the chair had little or no parliamentary training?

We elect officers because of trust or their willingness to serve; almost never do we elect leaders because they are fluent in RONR. The author began his career as a professional presiding officer working for a small business association. There were three lawsuits within the association.

Everybody seemed to be suing everyone. The author was hired because the president was involved in two of the suits and it was felt he could not fairly preside. The author processed 19 of the amendments by unanimous consent. The other 20 amendments were hotly and thoroughly debated. As soon as the members understood that the PPO had no vested interest in the outcome and was only interested in the process, there was an amazing transformation. It took 6 hours to complete the meeting and all 39 amendments were decided.

Obviously, there is higher compensation for a PPO than for

a professional parliamentarian who can only give advice and not rule.

• Setting the time to adjourn Setting the time to adjourn sets a time sensitivity on the meeting and on every item of business. When drafting an agenda, the chair can set a time for each agenda item.

If the agenda is adopted with the time assignments, then is that not the will of the assembly? This can be a huge time saver. It can also allow for better planning by the members, especially regarding air travel or long-distance driving to attend the meeting. In addition, we are being sensitive to the members’ needs while allowing them to decide on the time frames for the business to be accomplished. Peck’s Law: Time taken or allowed for motions is inversely proportional to their importance in monetary terms to the members of the organization. In other words, how long does it typically take the organization to approve a multimillion-dollar budget?

Then compare that to a policy or rule that is being debated by the assembly that has literally little or no monetary value to the members or the organization. I have seen such debates take hours of the members’ valuable time.

Michael Peck, PRP, is a member of the Arizona Alpha Unit, where he has served multiple times as president. He has served as the state president in Arizona and has been an officer in three different state parliamentary associations. He has been a member of AIP since 1976 and a continuous member of NAP since 1978, receiving his PRP in 1991. Peck is currently the chairman of the NAP Professional Development Committee. www.parliamentarians.org

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e c i v d A

on the

Revisions

of

Bylaws

by James H. Stewart, PRP

Let us begin by reviewing the differences between amendments to bylaws, and a revision of bylaws.

Amendments are changes to wording in one place in the bylaws, or the same change to several places, or changes to several places related to the same subject (the latter often referred to as consequential and conforming amendments). Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 11th ed., pp. 592-593, states that the change covers only one topic, covers only the language specifically proposed in the amendment, only the proposed amendment language is subject to further amendment from the floor, and a scope of notice applies.

A revision is a complete rewrite of the bylaws, start to finish. All language/ words in the proposed revision are open to amendment from the floor, and there is NO scope of notice.

While some language from the existing bylaws may come intact into the revised bylaws, that language is subject to amendment from the floor, just as new language would be.

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

When should a revision be undertaken? A thorough review of the bylaws should be undertaken (by a professional parliamentarian if possible) at least once every 10 years, but revisions should not occur more frequently than once every five years, especially if the association allows piecemeal amendments at annual meetings or conventions.

The goals of the revision should be: • Reconciliation of internal inconsistencies • Clarification and simplification of language • Consistency in language, style, phraseology, and references • Removal of arcane material • Addition of needed requirements (far too many bylaws omit articles on parliamentary authority and dissolution) • Updates to current operating situations (e.g., technical issues such as notice by email or fax) • Moving ‘administrivia’ to policies and procedure manuals

And, the overriding goal of a revision is to create a set of bylaws that helps the association function and prosper by providing explicit parameters for operations and governance while also allowing the flexibility within those parameters that is needed in our highly changing world, and, by use of inclusive language, minimizes the need for future amendments.

When contacted to do a review/ revision, the parliamentarian should determine the following:

2. Draft the revision;

• Why is the request being made?

And finally, payment. I usually ask for three equal payments: the first at the signing of the agreement, the second upon delivery of the first draft (the first draft is 80% of the work), and the final payment upon delivery of the final documents.

I give them two documents: the clean revision for adoption, and an annotated, marked-up version of the old bylaws with the revised language (strikethrough, underlined, highlighted) and explanations and rationale for the changes.

I create the “clean” version first; this is the working draft. After it is approved by the committee, I return to the current bylaws and create the marked-up version. Trying to keep up with changes in a marked-up file is a daunting task, even with “track changes” or similar software.

• Is there a particular situation that has sparked this review/revision, or is it policy to do a review every X number of years?

• Who does the request come from (the board, the president, a convention body etc.)? And are they authorized by the current bylaws to undertake a revision?

• Is there a bylaws committee that you will work with? If not, suggest that one be appointed, as it is difficult to wordsmith with a large group such as a board.

• What is the time frame for the completion of the revision?

• Who is the approving body?

The process of revision that I use is: 1. Meet with the committee and go over the bylaws one part at a time, agreeing on what needs to be deleted, what needs to be changed (and how), and what needs to be added;

3. Send a draft to the committee a week or so before meeting with them again; 4. Repeat the above until the committee approves the document; 5. Attend the board meeting at which the revision will be discussed to educate the board and answer questions; and 6. Do likewise for the membership meeting where the vote is taken (or a forum if the vote is by mail).

Do’s & Don’ts

see page 1

0

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on the

Revisions Advice

of

Bylaws

Do’s

Don’ts

DO refer to statute by a general phrase or by stating an article/section number • Ex: Notice shall be given by whatever means practical, in accordance with current state statute • Ex: Any such suspension or termination must be done in good faith and in a reasonable manner that satisfies the requirements of the California Corporations Code §5341 and these bylaws.

DO NOT quote or paraphrase the law.

Remember that bylaws are the rules the association makes for itself, and therefore, rules made by others do not go in the bylaws. If you include the law and then the law is amended, you will have to amend your bylaws to eliminate the conflict.

DO spell out any abbreviation in the text the first time they are used (or in a footnote if they are too long to be in the text). Bylaws must be understandable to all (the general public) not just the members • Example of explaining jargon: ‘ holding an active C-27 landscape contractor’s license issued by the Contractors State Licensing Board of the State of California” — The remainder of the bylaws simply refer to the C-27 license • Example of spelling out abbreviations: “Be awarded a degree as a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) from an American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) accredited institution, be a member of the American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO), and at least one of the following: — Be a Fellow of the American Academy of Osteopathy (FAAO) — Be Board Certified in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine/ Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (C-NMM/OMM) — Hold a Certificate of Special Proficiency in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (C-SPOMM)”

DO NOT use jargon (words, phrases or abbreviations that are unique to a specific industry or knowledge base), unless there is no reasonable alternative.

If there is no alternative, explain the jargon the first time it is used or in a footnote/appendix to the bylaws.

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

Do’s

Don’ts

DO say it in plain English • Revised version: — Section 1. Directors and Officers shall be indemnified to the maximum amount allowed by current California Corporation Law. — Section 2. The corporation shall hold such Directors and Officers Insurance and General Liability Insurance as it deems necessary

DO NOT use legalese • Original text of bylaws section — SEC.A. DEFINITIONS. For the purposes of this Article XIII, “Agent” means any person who is or was a Director, officer, employee or other agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a Director, officer, employee or agent of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or was a Director, officer, employee or agent of a foreign or domestic corporation which was a predecessor corporation of the corporation or of another enterprise at the request of such predecessor corporation; “proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative; and “expenses” includes without limitation attorney’s fees and any expenses of establishing a right to indemnification under Section D. or E. 2. of this Article XIII.

DO use nouns and pronouns that are gender-neutral, such as “theirs,” “the President’s,” “the [name of office].”

We cannot assume, in any organization, the gender of the individuals

DO NOT use gender-specific pronouns such as him, her, his, hers

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on the

Revisions Advice

of

Bylaws

Do’s

Don’ts

DO use an outline format (allows a specific citation for each line, and clears up the ambiguity of the block format by giving you the relationship visually in the layout) • OUTLINE FORMAT — Section 1. The activities and affairs of this Corporation shall be exercised by, or under the direction of, the Board of Directors pursuant to California Corporation Code §5210.

— Section 2. The Officers of the Corporation shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary, Finance Director and Treasurer.

— Section 3. The Board shall consist of the Officers of the Corporation named above and the following Directors: ° Director of Publications ° Director of House, Theatre and Grounds ° Director of Membership ° Director of Historic Collections ° Director of Programs ° Director of Development ° Director of Governance ° Director of Rest Cottage Association ° Director of Scholarship ° Director of Public Relations and Marketing

DO NOT use a “block” format (unless the client insists). This format makes it difficult to interpret the relationship of statements on various lines, what applies to what, what is subordinate to what, etc.

• BLOCK FORMAT — The Officers of this Club shall be a President, a First Vice President, a Second Vice President, a Third Vice President, a Fourth Vice President, a Recording Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary, a Treasurer, a General Chairman of Departments, a Chairman of Finance, a Chairman of Development, a Chairman of Public Relations, a Chairman of Theatre, a Chairman of Rest Cottage Association and a Chairman of Scholarships. These officers, by virtue of their election, are Directors of the corporation and shall constitute the Board of Directors. Each member of the Board of Directors shall be responsible to keep the Procedure Book up to date and to pass it on to his/her successor upon completion of term.

James H. Stewart, PRP, NAP Parliamentarian

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

Training 2O18

NAPConference

September 7-9, 2018 • Buffalo, NY

NAP Training Conference: Learn. Explore. Connect.

What makes NAP’s training conference a not-to-miss event?

It’s the largest conference on parliamentary procedure in the country. It will offer the highest caliber of training available through 30-plus workshops and presentations taught by experts in the field.

Personalized learning through four specialized tracks that directly align with the established areas of competency identified for parliamentarians at all levels. Skill level and prerequisites will be identified making it easier to determine the best choices for you.

In-depth interactive learning such as the new Presiding Laboratory.

With coaching from the experts, you will be able to practice presiding relevant to your level of experience.

Round out the experience by making the most of your time in Buffalo and beautiful upstate New York. Niagara Falls isn’t the only attraction here. Buffalo is home to numerous sites of historical, architectural, and cultural interest. It also offers fun boutique shopping and is a foodie’s heaven.

Regardless of whether you are a volunteer parliamentarian or a professional registered parliamentarian, you and the organizations you serve deserve the best, which comes from investing in your continuing education. There’s always something new to learn at the

NAP Training Conference.

We look forward to seeing you in September.

www.parliamentarians.org

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NAPTraining Conference

September 7-9, 2018 • Buffalo, NY

Schedule at a Glance 2018 PRE-CONFERENCE EVENTS Schedule is subject to change

NAP PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSES Separate registration required

Wednesday, September 5, 2018 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. – PRP Qualifying Course (PQC) 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. – PRP Renewal Course (PRC)

Thursday, September 6, 2018 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. – PRP Qualifying Course (PQC) 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. – PRP Renewal Course (PRC)

NAP LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE Separate registration required

Wednesday, September 5, 2018 4 p.m.-8 p.m. – NAP Leadership Conference

Thursday, September 6, 2018 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. – NAP Leadership Conference 12 p.m.-1:30 p.m. – Leadership Lunch

NAP EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION Thursday, September 6, 2018 8:00 a.m.-5 p.m. – NAPEF Niagara Falls Tour (ticket required)

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

The education is the best part – always something new to learn.

2018 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE Schedule is subject to change

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Saturday, September 8, 2018

4 p.m.-8 p.m. – NAP Board of Directors Meeting

7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. – Registration Open

6 p.m.-8 p.m. – Registration Open

Thursday, September 6, 2018 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. – NAP Board of Directors Meeting 4 p.m.-8 p.m. – Registration Open 5 p.m.-6 p.m. – First Timers’ Orientation 1 p.m.-6 p.m. – NAP Bookstore Open 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. – Welcome Reception

Friday, September 7, 2018 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. – Registration Open 8 a.m.-9:30 a.m. – NAP Annual Meeting & Breakfast (included in registration) 9 a.m.-5 p.m. – NAP Bookstore Open 9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m. – Educational Workshops 11 a.m.-12 p.m. – Educational Workshops 12:15 p.m.-2 p.m. – Lunch (included in registration)

8 a.m.-9:30 a.m. – Breakfast (included in registration) 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. – NAP Bookstore Open 9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m. – Educational Workshops 11 a.m.-12 p.m. – Educational Workshops 12:15 p.m.-2:30 p.m. – Lunch with the Commission on Credentialing (included in registration) 2:45 p.m.-3:45 p.m. — Educational Workshops 4:30 p.m.-10 p.m. – Canadian Wine Tasting Tour & Reception (separate registration & ticket required; will require a passport)

Sunday, September 9, 2018 7:30 a.m.-8:15 a.m. – Interfaith Inspirational Service 7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. – Breakfast and 2019 Convention Preview (included in registration)

2:15 p.m.-3:15 p.m. – Educational Workshops

8 a.m.-11:45 a.m. – Membership/RP Module Exams (requires separate application)

3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. – Educational Workshops

8:45 a.m.-10:45 p.m. – Presiding Laboratory 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. – NAP Bookstore Open 9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m. – Educational Workshops 11 a.m.-12 p.m. – Educational Workshops

www.parliamentarians.org

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NAPTraining Conference

September 7-9, 2018 • Buffalo, NY

Explore Buffalo If you haven’t been to Buffalo recently, you don’t know what you’re missing.

The city has undergone a renaissance over the last few years. It has redeveloped the waterfront and revitalized neighborhoods and spawned a burgeoning craft beer scene.

According to The New York Times, which named Buffalo one of the 52 places to visit in 2018, “Buffalo is making a big comeback in large part by repurposing its historic buildings…

Downtown Buffalo now buzzes with life thanks in part to the ever-expanding Canalside entertainment and recreation complex and a host of new dining and drinking establishments.”

If you like architecture, you can visit seven Frank Lloyd Wright structures, including one of his crowning achievements, the Darwin Martin House. Take in the breathtaking view from the City Hall’s observation deck. (Be prepared to walk up three flights to reach the pinnacle.) The building is a stunning example of

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

Art Deco with beautiful murals in the grand lobby.

A great way to see the city is to take the OpenAirBuffalo autobus tour of the city’s historical and architectural attractions.

If you’re into history, board a river cruise into the city’s industrial past and visit the place where Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as president of the United States. It also has a rich, vibrant African-American heritage.

Experience big band jams at the historic Colored Musicians Club, the only remaining African-American club of its kind in the United States, where jazz legends like Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis once played.

Into craft beer? You’re going to love Buffalo, which is home to 26 craft breweries and six distilleries. (We hear wings go great with beer…)

Gotta get me some beef on weck!

For you foodies out there, Buffalo wings aren’t the only dishes the city is known for. If someone asks you about a “beef on weck,” don’t be alarmed. “Weck” is just shorthand for kimmelweck, a unique, salty roll with caraway. Add carved roast beef and horseradish and you have a beef on weck. (It also goes well with ice-cold beer, they say.) The Buffalo dining scene, however, is about more than wings, wecks, and beer. They also have an exciting collection of farm-to-table restaurants, eateries owned by “young, enthusiastic chefs,” and many ethnic restaurants from which to choose.

These are just highlights of Buffalo.

See www.bisitbuffaloniagara.com for more information.

Jazz, beer, wings, history – lots of fun things to do in Buffalo.

Come early and play!

Spend Labor Day in Buffalo at the National Buffalo Wing Festival

Don’t Forget Niagara Falls!

A visit to Buffalo MUST include a trip to the awe-inspiring Niagara Falls. Located about 30 miles northwest of Buffalo, many consider Niagara Falls to be one of the top natural wonders of the world.

You can visit the falls from either the New York side or the Canadian side. You’ll use the Rainbow Bridge to cross (remember to bring your passport). Do yourself a favor and visit both sides to get the full effect of the falls and the surrounding areas. www.parliamentarians.org

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NAPTraining Conference

September 7-9, 2018 • Buffalo, NY

How to Register Registering for the 2018 National Training Conference is easy.

Choose one of these convenient, secure options: • Register online • Register by mail or fax using the enclosed registration form • Register by calling 816.833.3892

Registration & Activity Fees Convention registration fees include all submitted handouts on a USB drive; welcome reception Thursday; buffet breakfast Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; buffet lunch Friday and Saturday; snacks and beverages during daily breaks.

One-day registration includes meals and breaks offered only on the selected day.

MEMBERS

NON-MEMBERS

$450 $475

$500 $525

FULL CONFERENCE Regular (6/1-7/31) On-site (after 7/31)

ONE-DAY CONFERENCE (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday) Regular (6/1-7/31) On-site (after 7/31)

$275 $300

ADDITIONAL FEES Printed Workshop Materials — $15/copy NAPEF Niagara Falls Tour (Thursday, Sept. 6) – $135

Cancellation Policy Registration refund requests must be received in writing by NAP Headquarters no later than August 15, 2018. A $75 cancellation fee will apply. No refunds will be issued for no-shows or cancellations received after August 15, 2018.

A $30 handling fee will be assessed for all returned checks.

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

Where to Stay & How to Get There The Hyatt Regency Buffalo, site of the 2018 NTC, is located right in the heart of the city, just a few blocks from the waterfront and many boutique shops and restaurants.

• Room rates for the 2018 NTC are $129 (plus taxes) The easiest way to reserve your room is online at www.parliamentarians.org/ 2018ntc/hotel. Or call Hyatt Central Reservations at 888.421.1442.

Be sure to say you are with the NAP Training Conference to get the discounted rates.

These rates are effective beginning Friday, September 1, thru Wednesday, September 12. The reservation deadline is August 6.

Transportation to and from the Airport Buffalo-Niagara International Airport is 9 miles from the Hyatt Regency Buffalo. You can arrange for Uber, Lyft, or a taxi to and from the airport. The Niagara Frontier Transit Authority (NFTA) runs an Airport-Downtown Express Shuttle that runs non-stop service between the airport and Buffalo’s central business district, making its first stop in front of the Hyatt Regency Buffalo. One-way fare (in most cases) is $2.50. Service runs weekdays, approximately every 30 minutes, during peak drive time.

If driving to the hotel, the hotel offers overnight valet parking for $25/day, which includes guest in and out privileges. Less expensive self-park options are available nearby with prices set by each lot.

Hyatt Regency Buffalo 2 Fountain Plaza Buffalo, NY 14202 www.hyattregency.com

Cool hotel in the heart of downtown – can’t wait to see you there! www.parliamentarians.org

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NAPTraining Conference

September 7-9, 2018 • Buffalo, NY

Continuing Education Sessions Learn something new, refresh your knowledge, and learn how others handle common parliamentary issues. The following workshops and sessions will be offered at this year’s training conference. Watch the NTC website (www.parliamentarians.org/2018ntc) for additions and changes.

Parliamentary Potpourri These great workshops offer an array of parliamentary perspectives and ease perplexing problems you may be facing.

2 Ethics for Non-Profit Board Members

Helen McFadden, PRP This workshop will discuss the conflicts that arise from being a board member on a non-profit board and will reference IRS regulations, statutes, and best practices from the Better Business Bureau and other similar organizations.

1 It’s Telling: Who Counts the Most

Alison Wallis, PRP This workshop will discuss common problems with tabulating election results.

Duties of tellers will be explored and myths exploded. Practical advice will be shared to give tellers the tools they need to be fair and accurate. Background sources will be multiple parliamentary authorities and manuals, case law, and professional experience. Handouts will include references to citable provisions and helpful tools.

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

4 Jeopardy, The NAP Way!

Wanda Nelson, PRP and Wanda Sims, PRP The workshop scope will cover a series of parliamentary procedures categories using Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR) 11th edition and AIP Standard Code.

2 Major Differences Between Robert’s Rules and Rules for Governmental Bodies Peter A. Senopoulos, RP This presentation will provide information about the significant differences between Robert’s Rules of Order and the rules used for conducting business of government bodies. Significant variations exist in such areas as: the role of the chair, taking minutes, notice requirements, executive session and decisions by secret ballot.

4 Robert Does Not Recycle Motions

Lorenzo R. Cuesta, PRP The concept of a motion’s renewability teaches that an assembly may consider the same question again during the same session but only under certain conditions or general rules. This session will cover renewability guidelines as grouped by Robert into three major conditions and four general rules.

1 Beginner 2 Intermediate 3 Advanced 4 Overview 2 The Psychology of Ballots

James H. Stewart, PRP This workshop will discuss the effects of layout, content, ancillary information, voting area layout, and other issues related to ballot voting.

1 The RP Exam – Journey and Destination

David A. Whitaker, RP This workshop will feature the experiences of one member completing the RP exam from preparation, testing, to outcomes.

Attendees will be able to identify their learning style and how to effectively plan study time. Attendees will also be able to speak with a panel of new RP’s to share their tips and tricks to a successful testing outcome.

4 What All NAP Members Need to Know

NAP Ethics Committee Learn how the NAP Bylaws Sections on Ethics Complaints and Member Discipline Complaints affect you. The members of the NAP Ethics Committee will review current NAP bylaws and the role of the committee and the board of directors in handling complaints. Attend this session, and you will also be able to offer your input on proposed bylaw amendments for possible consideration at the 2019 biennial convention.

Professional Presiding The professional presider must juggle many moving parts. From understanding the governing documents, handling motions, and respecting debate, these great workshops will help boost your presiding knowledge.

2 Dealing with the Problem Child – Tips for Handling Disrupters & Troublemakers Kevin R. Connelly, PRP Discussion of tips for handling and preventing disruptions at the meeting by members and/or non-members. What the parliamentarian, as well as regular members of an association can do to fend off that member(s) who insists on flouting the rules at a membership or board meeting.

2 EXCUSE ME! A Study of Motions That Can Interrupt

Dr. Charles A. Schulz, PRP There are 16 motions that can interrupt after someone has been assigned the floor. These motions concern rights or have time constraints. This is an interactive workshop with role play.

www.parliamentarians.org

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NAPTraining Conference

September 7-9, 2018 • Buffalo, NY

Continuing Education Sessions Professional Presiding

(continued)

3 “In Order Or Not In Order”

Jeanette N. Williams, PRP This interactive workshop will work through a script for the new business portion of a meeting. Participants will determine whether a motion or other meeting procedure is in order at that time during the meeting. Some situations may not be as straightforward as you might think!

2 “The Chair Recognizes...”

Mary Remson, PRP RONR states “Before a member in an assembly can make a motion or speak in debate – he must obtain the floor, that is he must be recognized by the chair...”.

The chair is responsible for properly determining who to assign the floor. This session will explore who has the right to the floor.

1 What Would You Do!

Daniel T. Jackson, PRP What would you do if your chairman/ presiding officer: (a) Did not recognize you with a properly made motion, (b) if a point of order was made and ignored, (c) if an appeal to the decision of the chair was made, voted upon and the results ignored, (d) if the presiding officer tries to remove you (a member) from the assembly for being disruptive. This interactive workshop will address these issues.

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

2 “Who’s on First? The Vagaries of Governing Documents…”

Eli Mina, PRP Theoretical parliamentary knowledge is one thing. Knowing how to cope with real life challenges is another, especially when governing documents and other factors come into play. Which governing document supersedes another? And, is there a role for that plain old common sense? In this workshop we’ll discuss real life examples that illustrate the complexities and potential traps when trying to provide definitive parliamentary advice to clients.

Parliamentary Toolbox Hone your skills as a parliamentarian and better serve your organization with the tips and tricks shared in these interactive workshops.

4 Classes of Motions

Richard D. Hayes, PRP This workshop will explore the five classes of motions, the characteristics of the classes, the motions that comprise each class, and the relationship among the motions in each class; punctuated with humor.

1 Beginner 2 Intermediate 3 Advanced 4 Overview

1 Communication: Yours, Mine & Ours!

Ramona Marsalis Hill, PRP Communication knowledge, skills, and ability (KSA) are critical to effective presiding and serving as parliamentarian.

Building communication KSA’s are important to Body of Knowledge Leader Domain 1.

Self-awareness of communication KSA’s is critical to being an effective presiding officer or parliamentarian.

2 Dashed Motions in the Tinted Pages of RONR

Lorraine Talbot, PRP This program will review Proposals for Filling Blanks, Making Nominations, To Not Proceed to the Orders of the Day, When Orders of the Day are Pending, and to Call up the Reconsideration Motion. Motion scripts for the debatable motions Filling Blanks and Making Nominations will be provided for interaction.

1 Filling in the _________

Dr. Atul Kapur, PRP Through a Question and Answer exercise and role-playing/scripts – supplemented by lecture – participants will have a thorough understanding of the benefits and process of creating/filling blanks as a device to amend motions. They will also learn tips on introducing the concept to organizations who are unfamiliar with it.

2 Is Something Missing?

Parliamentary Abs – Absence and Abstention

James K. Lawson, RP SUNDAY MORNING Learn how the words absence and abstention are referenced in RONR and how they can be applied in your parliamentary experiences.

4 RONR: The Members’ Bill of Rights

John R. Berg, PRP Member-governed organizations become dysfunctional when the leaders are ignorant or abusive of the members’ rights under parliamentary law. Members must become educated as to these rights, and specifically those under RONR. Like-minded members must work together to exercise these rights and effect reforms to discipline leaders.

2 Trivia or Trivial?

David Mezzera, PRP Would you like a short respite from our great technical educational workshops?

This presentation will include discussing up to two dozen RONR factoids whose understanding is actually important to grasp.

www.parliamentarians.org

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NAPTraining Conference

September 7-9, 2018 • Buffalo, NY

Continuing Education Sessions Parliamentary Toolbox

(continued)

4 Your Opinion Matters

Dr. Cynthia Mayo, PRP and Margie R. Booker, PRP This is a “hands-on” interactive workshop on writing and providing parliamentary opinions developed from questions or cases. The workshop is designed to provide parliamentary questions and the steps and templates to writing or verbally giving parliamentary opinions.

Technology More organizations are conducting meetings electronically and depending on members to engage with social meeting. This track features workshops to hone your e-meetings and to become tech suave.

1 Beginners Guide to Using Facebook for Your Group

C.J. Cavin, PRP Learn how to create a Facebook page for your unit, association, or district (or any other group you belong to) and the basic operations of a Facebook page. This can be a great recruitment or retention tool for your organization.

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

3 Email Voting by Boards, the Pitfalls and the Procedures Needed

Kirk Overbey, PRP Voting by email? Many nonprofit boards are doing it these days, but is it legal, safe, and wise? This workshop will survey state laws on email voting, discuss the decision-making pitfalls that arise, and present methods for making email voting permissible and effective (asynchronous meetings will not be covered).

4 Moving Forward with an Electronic Agenda Meeting Management System

Debi Wilcox, RP In an increasingly digital world, many organizations still rely on paper-based processes to manage their meetings. In this fun interactive workshop, participants will learn the tools needed to review the technology available; how to evaluate the technology for your specific organization and how to launch a successful electronic meeting management system.

3 Special Rules for Electronic Meetings

Gregory Goodwiller, PRP As the current edition of RONR points out, it isn’t enough to simply authorize electronic meetings in an association’s bylaws. Special rules of order also need to be adopted – based on the technologies being employed. We will cover a wide variety of meeting types and possible special rules.

1 Beginner 2 Intermediate 3 Advanced 4 Overview

4 Technology Tools for the Parliamentary Trainer

Michael Peck, PRP This workshop will prepare trainers to present Parliamentary Presentations using the current tools and learning materials for presentations. An emphasis is placed on hardware, software, and budgeting.

2 Using a Spreadsheet for Parliamentary Purposes

Kim Goldsworthy, PRP Stop using paper. Use software to automatically sum up your parliamentary points accrued, and to speed up your recertification process, and to log your parliamentary expenses. You can use spreadsheets to log anything or to add up anything.

2 Yes, You Can!

Dr. Mary Q. Grant, PRP This presentation is designed to help remove fear of technology. No matter how great or small, a person can become an effective leader with the ongoing society demands in achieving their goals.

NEW Presiding Laboratory Do you need a safe space to practice presiding for the first time? Do you need more intense presiding practice? Or are you somewhere in between? Then the NTC Presiding Laboratory is the place for you. This opportunity will be provided at the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels. Each participant will have time with a panel of experienced credentialed parliamentarians who will provide your practice opportunity along with useful feedback and presiding tips.

The Presiding Laboratory will offer you the opportunity to 1. think on your feet in a “life like” presiding setting; 2. demonstrate your knowledge of actions required of a presiding officer; 3. practice in a safe environment or strut your stuff!!

The Presiding Laboratory will be held on Sunday morning of the 2018 National Training Conference.

The request to participate form will be available online in mid-May. Increase your presiding skills – sign up for this session.

Another NAP opportunity supporting “Your Education – Your Way”

www.parliamentarians.org

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Leadership 2O18

NAP Conference

September 6, 2018 • Buffalo, NY

E

Partners in Progress: Units, Associations, and NAP

nhance your leadership skills at the

2018 Leadership Conference. Learn

how to fully engage your unit and association members through active learning techniques.

WHEN

Come ready to engage as we:

September 6, 2018 Leadership Conference 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

• Share and receive program ideas for your units and/or associations

September 5, 2018 Welcome Reception 3 p.m.-5 p.m.

• Learn how to identify, recruit, and develop members

WHERE

• Review how you can utilize NAP’s resources to be of assistance to your unit and/or association

Hyatt Regency Buffalo 300 Pearl St. Buffalo, NY 14202

• Discuss how to use technology to convert provisional members to full members

REGISTRATION

• Network with other leaders and members

Regular: $90

Current and future leaders at the unit, association, and national level, as well as members, will benefit greatly from this day-long conference.

COORDINATORS

Register online at parliamentarians.org/2018leadership

Edna Arrington, PRP Assistant Coordinator

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

Sadie Boles, RP Coordinator

Nominating Committees Recruiting, Vetting, or Ordaining?

by John R. Berg, PRP

While most organizations use a nominating committee in the process of electing their officers, the composition and function of the committee can vary widely.

For some, it is simply a task of recruiting officers for the next term.

For others, it involves a process of screening many potential candidates for contested elections. Either way, the committee has a powerful influence in shaping the future of the organization.

In volunteer societies, where all the officers and members are unpaid volunteers, people participate because they want to and perceive some benefit from the use of their time and resources. That could be a sense of satisfaction at furthering the object of the organization, or it may be power, or glory, or gain from the networking that their involvement provides.

Serving as an officer may be a thankless task. This often makes recruitment of officers difficult. If an organization is having difficulty

recruiting officers, it may need to assess how the organization is achieving its object or the social dynamics and culture within the organization. Do the perceived benefits of serving as an officer justify the time and effort of the volunteers?

If future officers cannot be recruited, it could be time to consider dissolving the organization.

The selection and composition of the nominating committee is very telling of the power structure and dynamics of an organization.

In many organizations, the president appoints all committees. However, Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 11th ed., (RONR) recommends that the nominating committee not be appointed by the president (p. 495, ll. 26-28). Other authorities concur (American Institute of www.parliamentarians.org

27

Parliamentarians, Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (2012), p. 162; Hugh Cannon, Cannon’s Concise Guide to Rules of Order (2001), p. 130). The same holds true for the president serving on the nominating committee, either as a regular member or ex-officio (RONR, p. 433, ll. 14-16; p. 456, ll. 28-32; p. 579; ll. 31-33).

RONR provides several ways to appoint committees, other than by the president (pp. 492-497). The recommended way to appoint a nominating committee is through election by the membership when possible (RONR, p. 433, ll. 10-12). In large organizations and those having annual or biennial conventions, it may not be practical to elect the committee that far in advance. Also, a temporary majority may be able to exclude minority factions from representation on the committee. Some organizations prescribe the composition of the committee in their bylaws to help ensure that it is representative, such as prescribing that some be board members, some not board members, and some representing different geographic areas or membership groups.

The bylaws could provide for a nominating committee made of only members holding specific offices in the organization. This eliminates the need to appoint individual members to the committee before each election. An example would be a state organization with the nominating committee composed 28

National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

of the presidents of the subordinate units.

There seems to be a range or balance between stability on one side and innovation and change on the other. Having a nominating committee composed of the three immediate past presidents would obviously provide a great deal of stability in the leadership of an organization. It would be very difficult for a candidate advocating change and reform to get nominated by those entrenched in how things have always been done.

Some nominating committees are authorized, encouraged, or even required to present more than one nominee for an office (RONR, p. 433, ll. 22-28; p. 573, ll. 13-18.). While this is discouraged, General Robert writes, “If it is desired to have the committee report two nominations for each office, both parties should be well represented on the committee, and the first nominee for each office should be chosen by the majority and the second nominee by the minority on the committee” (Henry M. Robert, Parliamentary Law (1991), p. 213).

A nominating committee has a duty to the organization to vet and select the most qualified individuals for the offices, regardless of any personal biases of the members of the nominating committee.

Perceived defects in the slate presented by the nominating committee can be addressed with nominations from the floor or write-in ballots, unless specifically limited

in the bylaws. However, the election process itself can make nominations from the floor or write-in ballots less effective. Obviously, if the election is conducted by mail or electronically rather than at a meeting, the opportunity for nominations from the floor and campaigning in opposition to the nominating committee’s slate is limited.

One organization has a low attendance at the state annual meeting at which the elections are held. With the intent to be more democratic and allow all members to participate by voting, the ballots are mailed out, returned, and counted at the annual meeting. The nominating committee submits a single slate that is invariably elected. Under such circumstances, there is no opportunity for nominations from the floor and little for any campaigning by write-in candidates. The effect is that the election is pre-determined or ordained by the nominating committee (which is appointed by the president, by the way) and rubber-stamped by the members, the vast majority of whom do not bother to come to the meeting. If the election were held at the meeting, it would be determined by those who care enough to come to the meeting. I have been unsuccessful at changing that practice.

Another organization designates write-in ballots as illegal votes and requires candidates running from the floor to file their intent to run for a specific office prior to the convention.

The nominating committee nominates one or two candidates for each office.

They recently revised the bylaws, against my advice, to set the filing deadline for running from the floor to be before the nominating committee announces its slate. Thus, a candidate running from the floor has to make a decision before seeing the official slate.

The official slate from the nominating committee generally has an advantage in an election. This makes running from the floor or a write-in campaign an uphill battle.

In most organizations, the other members at least have the advantage of seeing the nominating committee’s selections before having to decide whether to run for office.

In order to preserve the principles underlying parliamentary law (RONR, Introduction, p. li), nominating committees should be configured and function in such a way that they do not overpower any opposition but leave the final election outcome to the voters.

John R. Berg, PRP, is currently President of the Washington State Association of Parliamentarians, and has served as parliamentarian for a number of national organizations.

He resides near Port Orchard, Washington.

www.parliamentarians.org

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Test Yourself

How Are Your RIBs?

Do you own a copy of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief, 2nd ed.

(R.I.B.)? Have you read it from cover to cover? If you have not already done so, check out the inside of the front cover: “If you have about…90 minutes – read Chapters 1-11 – and you’ll have the basics as a member.”

Here are 10 True/False questions to see how familiar you are with R.I.B. T

F

R.I.B. may only be adopted as a parliamentary authority for small assemblies (i.e. six members or fewer).

R.I.B. points out that one of the beauties of using RONR and associated charts is that a presider never has to memorize anything.

In answering the question “Do abstention votes count?” R.I.B. clarifies that abstention votes may be counted only in elections for officers.

A key methodology in R.I.B. is that a reader who needs additional information is referred to the page numbers in RONR where more in-depth information may be found.

One of the drawbacks of R.I.B. is that it does not contain an index but refers the reader to the index of RONR. In ranking the order of rules, R.I.B. introduces law, charter, bylaws/ constitution, rules of order and standing rules; but it does not get into the details of custom so as not to confuse the reader.

R.I.B. refers to the tinted pages of RONR without explaining what they are or how to find them.

Even though RONR on page 54 recommends the term “unanimous consent” over the former term “general consent,” R.I.B. still uses the term “general consent” since it was printed before the 11th edition of RONR was published.

One of the shortcomings of R.I.B. is that, while it helps someone run better meetings, it does not cover the issue of serving as a delegate at a convention.

Although R.I.B. does not provide helpful information for someone serving on a board, it does include a section to help in serving on committees.

Answers on page 38

David Mezzera, PRP, is a past president of the California State Association of Parliamentarians, past District VIII Director and currently chairs NAP’s Micro Certificate Project Subcommittee.

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

Test Yourself

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

Vocabulary Builder

Use the underlined letters and the definition to complete the word, and then write the answer in the blank provided.

EXAMPLE: men

A motion used to change the wording of another motion.

amend ____________________

1. oor

After a member is recognized by the presiding officer, he or she is “assigned the,� and is the only member entitled to make a motion or to speak.

____________________

2. sid

The presiding officer chosen by election or appointment; the Chair or Chairman.

____________________

3. res officer

The officer conducting the meeting.

____________________

4. ium

A platform upon which one stands.

____________________

5. ern

A reading desk with a slanted top.

____________________

6. tio

The business before the assembly; the motion after it has been placed by the presiding

____________________

7. lif

To limit or modify a motion in some manner by adding words.

____________________

Continued on page 32 www.parliamentarians.org

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Test Yourself

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

Vocabulary Builder

continued

8. ion

Putting the _______ to a vote by the presiding officer.

____________________

9. ail

The winning side which may be either the affirmative or negative.

____________________

10. men

A consultant who advises the officers, committees, and members on matters regarding parliamentary procedure.

____________________

11. niz a member

The chair acknowledges and grants a member the right to speak.

____________________

12. con

A motion used to ask for a new vote on a motion.

____________________

13. our

A privileged motion to officially close a meeting.

____________________

14. opt

Pass, accept, or agree to by a vote.

____________________

15. tee

One or more members appointed or elected to complete a specific task.

____________________

Answers on page 39 Shane D. Dunbar, MEd, PRP, PAP, has conducted over 540 parliamentary procedure workshops nationwide.

He has over 16 copyrights dealing with parliamentary procedure instructional materials (including 15 vocabulary builder worksheets) that can be reviewed on www.northwest.net/parli-pro.

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

&

Test Yourself

Questions Answers The intent of this column is to provide general answers or advice (not formal, official opinions) about the questions asked. The answers are based on Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 11th ed., unless otherwise indicated, and do not take into account such governing authorities as statutes, bylaws, or adopted special rules of order.

Questions should be mailed to NP Q&A Editor, 213 South Main Street, Independence, MO 64060, or emailed to npeditor@nap2.org.

Q

Question 60: In our bylaws I see a description of a voting threshold, i.e., the vote requirement for a motion to pass, which reads, “approval of action requires a majority vote of members present.” Some argue that “majority vote of members present” means that if there are more “yes” votes in favor of a motion than there are “no” votes against it, the motion will be adopted, as a “majority vote” usually means majority of those present and voting, in other words, “more than half of the votes cast” (RONR, p. 400). “Majority of the members present,” on the other hand, usually means that there must be more “yes” votes in favor of a motion than there are “no” votes and abstentions taken together for the motion to be adopted (RONR, p. 403). Some of my parliamentarian friends tell me that the phrasing “majority vote of members present” is ambiguous and it could possibly have either of these two different meanings. How can we resolve the ambiguity?

Answer: The problem is that the phrase “majority vote of members present” mixes together two “standard” and unambiguous phrases describing two different voting thresholds, as found in RONR on page 400 and pages 403ff.

One of the two phrases is simply “majority vote,” meaning, of course, that there needs to be more “yes” than “no” votes for adoption (abstentions not counted). The other phrase is “a vote of a majority of the members present,” which means that there must be more “yes” votes than half the number of members in the room, and that the number of “no” votes is really not relevant. The latter phrase can be a higher threshold than the former if some of the members present choose to abstain.

The “mixture” leads to two different ways of interpreting “majority vote of members present,” in particular the last two words: “members present.” One approach is to consider this question: “Well, who else can vote other than the members present?” The obvious answer is “nobody else” – the words “members present” are essentially redundant, could be left out, and the original threshold statement then reduces to the standard “majority vote” in this interpretation. www.parliamentarians.org

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Test Yourself

&

Questions Answers continued

The fourth “Principle of Interpretation” of bylaws, in RONR, page 589, lines 34ff., however, provides guidance leading to a different conclusion: “There is a presumption that nothing has been placed in the bylaws without some reason for it” (emphasis added). With this in mind, it appears that the reason the phrase “members present” is there is to serve as the basis for the calculation of the numerical majority (“More than half of what?”); the words are not redundant, and the threshold statement reduces to a “majority of the members present.” That would be a good reason to include the reference to the members present.

There are at least three ways to address the ambiguity in the bylaws. One, the best way, is to avoid including the ambiguously phrased voting threshold in the first place when drafting or revising bylaws. Then the voting threshold will revert to the RONR default with its well-defined meaning. A second would be to amend the current bylaws. Using the exact phrases found in RONR to make it crystal clear what the desired voting threshold is supposed to be and is preferable. But it would be possible, in case there is strong sentiment attached to the existing bylaws, to augment the ambiguous phrase just enough to remove the ambiguity. For example, it could be amended to read “majority vote of members present and voting” which clearly disambiguates the original, reducing it to the traditional meaning of “majority vote,” or “vote of a majority of the members present,” which makes it clear that the vote is to consider all those present in calculating the required vote. Other ways of amending the phrase are also possible, depending on the desire of the members.

Until the organization can amend its bylaws, however, it needs to interpret them consistently and fairly. If the voting threshold becomes a material issue, on a point of order and appeal, the organization would have to address the ambiguity and would do so by an initial ruling of the chair as to the meaning of the phrase, subject to appeal to the body. Alternatively, a question of privilege affecting the assembly could be raised in advance if the issue becomes a burning question for the members. “Each society decides for itself the meaning of its bylaws. … An ambiguity must exist before there is any occasion for interpretation.” RONR, p. 588. The question for the members in resolving the ambiguity is to determine, to the extent possible, the intent of the original framers of the provision in the bylaws.

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

&

Test Yourself

Questions Answers

Q

continued

Question 61: Our bylaws allow the board to adopt a bylaw revision, subject to the following article: Section 12.2 Ratification. Notwithstanding adoption and approval of a bylaw revision by the board of directors, such revision shall be submitted to the members of XYZ at the next membership meeting. The notice of that membership meeting shall specifically state that the ratification of the bylaw revision will be considered at that meeting and a copy of the bylaw revision may be inspected at the office of XYZ. If the bylaw revision is not ratified by a majority of those present and voting at such meeting of the membership, it shall nevertheless remain in effect until the membership shall ratify other bylaws, unless a majority of these members present and voting affirmatively declare that these bylaws shall not remain effective, in which case the bylaws in effect before the adoption and approval of the bylaw revision by the board of directors shall return to effect. In any case, no act taken or performed under the bylaw revision prior to such vote shall be invalidated.

We are confused. This seems to say that the board can adopt a bylaw revision and work under it until the next membership meeting. The membership must then, if it wishes to reject the revision, vote twice: once to defeat a motion to ratify the bylaw revision (which sends the board back to the drawing board, but keeps the revision in effect, perhaps indefinitely, until the board submits a new revision to the members), and then to re-enact the bylaws that were in effect before the board adopted the revision.

Is the ratification process described in this provision allowed? Should the provision be changed?

Answer: Yes, the process is allowed. And yes, the procedure for revising bylaws probably should be changed.

Robert provides that an organization’s bylaws may contain provisions that conflict with, and therefore supersede, the general parliamentary law. The bylaws, however, are superseded by the rules of a parent body, or national, state, or local laws affecting the organization. RONR, p. 10. But just because such provisions are permissible does not make them good practice. In this case, the bylaw provision for ratification is not only confusing and unduly complex, it also deprives the general membership of the opportunity to make decisions about their bylaws before they become subject to them and makes the process to reinstate the original, member-approved bylaws unduly cumbersome.

RONR provides that voting twice on the same issue at the same meeting (in this case whether to approve a bylaw revision) is not allowed. RONR, p. 111 www.parliamentarians.org

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Questions Answers continued

states, “No main motion is in order that presents substantially the same question as a motion that was finally disposed of earlier in the same session. …”

If the members vote against ratifying the board’s bylaw revision, that should be sufficient to rescind the revision, even if the revised bylaws were in effect until the motion to ratify failed. With the failure of a motion to ratify the revision, the prior bylaws should again take effect.

But the ratification provision of the bylaws must be followed even if it is confusing and contrary to the general parliamentary law. In this case even the term “ratify” is used in a way different from its standard parliamentary meaning.

Under RONR, “ratification” means to approve action previously taken when such approval is necessary because the prior action was invalid or incomplete: “The motion to ratify (also called approve or confirm) is an incidental main motion that is used to confirm or make valid an action already taken that cannot become valid until approved by the assembly” (RONR, p. 124).

Under the organization’s current bylaw, the board’s bylaw revision takes effect immediately and is binding on the organization until the general membership defeats a motion to ratify. That situation sets up the awkward (and possibly organization-crippling) requirement for a second vote to re-enact the original bylaws.

Thus, it becomes clear that a change in procedure is in order. Requiring any revision to be approved by the members before it could be given effect would conform to the general parliamentary law. Even if the provision allowed the board’s revision to be in effect until the membership approves or rejects it, the prior member-approved bylaws should be reinstated automatically if the board’s revision is not adopted.

The ratification provision reads like it was written by a lawyer who wanted to ensure that the board could revise the bylaws easily and the members could have as little say as possible. After the membership votes not to ratify, the members are likely to move on in the meeting without realizing that a second vote is necessary under the bylaws to reinstate the original bylaws.

At that point, under the ratification provision as written, the board’s revision remains in effect. The board could choose to bring another revision to a subsequent membership meeting, but it does not have to. It is not clear under the ratification provision whether, at a subsequent meeting, the members could raise the motion to reinstate the prior bylaws, or if that opportunity is lost if not exercised at the meeting that voted on ratification.

This committee suggests that the organization consult an attorney familiar with the nonprofit corporate law of the applicable state to assist in drafting a bylaw revision procedure that ensures that the members are able to approve or reject a board revision efficiently. Legal advice is important when the organization is subject to statutes providing a significant role for the board in the amendment or revision of bylaws.

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&

Test Yourself

Questions Answers

Q

continued

Question 62: I belong to a 12-Step fellowship (an addiction recovery organization based on the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous). We have monthly regional meetings (intergroup meetings) at which all members of the fellowship with two years of abstinence who reside in the region are welcome and entitled to vote. Most members of the fellowship participate in one or more weekly local meetings, but some, who are located in rural areas, have no local group affiliation and work directly with a sponsor. Because one of the principal tenets of the organization is anonymity, we cannot prepare an accurate list of the members of the regional organization. How do we determine the quorum?

Answer: The regional area organization of your fellowship has an open-ended membership. The only qualifications for members are to subscribe to the basic principles of the organization and whatever specific requirements are stated in the bylaws. There are no dues and members are expected to give contributions within their means instead of dues, but there is no minimum contribution requirement for voting. It would be a violation of the organization’s principles to prepare a list of members or try to count the membership of the local groups because doing so would violate the tradition of anonymity. The rule stated in RONR, p. 346, applies in this situation: “In organizations such as many churches or some societies in which there are no required or effective annual dues and the register of members is not generally reliable as a list of the bona-fide members, the quorum at any regular or properly called meeting consists of those who attend.” In other words, for the regional 12-Step organization you inquired about, and any other organization without a fixed membership, there is no minimum quorum requirement unless the organization’s bylaws so provide. In effect, whatever number attends the regional group meeting (a fluctuating number depending on the season, the weather, and competing events) constitutes the quorum.

Questions & Answers Research Team

Michael Malamut, PRP, Q&A Research Editor

C. Allen Jennings, PRP, James H. Stewart, PRP, Assistant NAP Parliamentarian Q&A Research Editor Advisor: John Stackpole, RP

Helen McFadden, PRP, Parliamentary Consultant

www.parliamentarians.org

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Test Yourself

Answer Key

How Are Your RIBs? from page 30 1. False. It should never be adopted itself as a parliamentary authority. See page 7 of R.I.B.: “Because this book is only an introduction and guide to RONR, it is not itself suitable for adoption by any organization as its ‘parliamentary authority’.”

2. False. According to R.I.B. page 136, a presider should know verbatim standard wording for recognizing members to speak and in handling and voting on motions. See Table A (pages 187-192) for this terminology.

3. False. See page 115 of R.I.B.: “The phrase ‘abstention votes’ is an oxymoron, an abstention being a refusal to vote.” Continue reading that section on the effect of abstentions on a vote requiring a majority of the members present.

NOTE: Chapter 13 includes 20 questions and answers with some great information for your clients.

4. True. This is one of the best features of R.I.B. for people who wish to know more about a particular topic. An example is on page 76 of R.I.B.: “Other methods of voting, such as roll call and mail votes, are described in RONR (11th ed.) pages 419-429.”

5. False. At times, R.I.B. does refer the reader to the index of RONR for further information, but it also has its own very helpful index (with page numbers for definitions in boldface) on pages 177-184.

6. False. The role of custom is fully covered on pages 87-88 of R.I.B. 7. False. R.I.B. page 103 says: “On pages tinted gray at the outer edges, in the back of the book just before the index, are found charts, tables, and lists,” and a subsection starting on page 107 elaborates on “using the tables on the tinted pages of RONR.” 8. False. The entirety of page 68 of R.I.B. helpfully explains the use of “unanimous consent,” the preferred term, and does not mention the term “general” consent. In fact, the 2nd edition of R.I.B. was published to coincide with the 11th edition of RONR so all page references are up to date.

9. False. An entire chapter of R.I.B. is devoted to conventions (Chapter 20), with special emphasis on delegates and their alternates on pages 167-169.

10. False and true. Yes, R.I.B. devotes an entire chapter (Chapter 19) to committees, committee chairs and committee members. But it also has a chapter (Chapter 18) on boards and their procedures.

P.S. By this point have you read it from cover-to-cover? It’s worth your while!

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

Answer Key

Test Yourself

continued

Vocabulary Builder from page 31

1. floor 2. president 3. presiding 4. podium 5. lectern

6. question 7. qualified 8. question 9. prevailing 10. parliamentarian

11. recognize 12. reconsider 13. adjourn 14. adopt 15. committee

NAP Connections

Report from the Board of Directors The Board of Directors of the National Association of Parliamentarians met on-line on May 8, 2018.

• NAP membership showed a gain of about 130 members over the same time last year. Two new units have been chartered: The Tar Hell Electronic Unit in North Carolina, and the Buffalo-Niagara Parliamentarians of Western New York. Additionally, the Ontario Association of Parliamentarians has successfully re-chartered.

• Work is almost complete on a set of Board Governance documents.

• Qualifications have been completed for the STAR program which is a new leadership development certificate program that will be comprised of five courses. The Technology Online Learning subcommittee is working on the course design structure in the online classroom.

• Work continues on the development of on-demand courses based on the NAP Body of Knowledge as well as an educational landing page for the website.

• The Social Media sub-committee reported that Parliamentary Law Month was well-observed via Facebook videos, with over 1,900 views of videos from NAP members talking about the value of parliamentary procedure.

www.parliamentarians.org

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NAP Connections

NAP Trains the Trainers

Front Row (left to right): Ann Guiberson, PRP, instructor; Ramona Marsalis-Hill , PRP, instructor; Sandra K. Olson, PRP, instructor.

Back Row (left to right): Daniel T. Jackson, PRP; Susan Eads Role, PRP; Mary L. Remson, PRP; Cynthia Mayo, PRP; James H. Stewart, PRP; Jason A. Abellada, PRP; Daniel W. Fitzpatrick, PRP; Alison Wallis, PRP; Russell A. Guthrie, PRP; Wanda M. Sims, PRP; Michael L. Swift, PRP; Mary Q. Grant, PRP.

The National Association of Parliamentarians welcomes 12 new individuals who successfully completed a Train the Trainer Course sponsored by the National Association of Parliamentarians. Education Cluster Leader Ramona Hill, PRP; Past President Ann Guiberson, PRP; and NAP Educational Foundation Chairman Sandra K. Olson, PRP, served as instructors for the class.

The redesigned course focused on process, skills and strategies for teaching and will enable these new trainers to serve as NAP ambassadors and facilitators in the new offerings

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

that will be unveiled by NAP over the upcoming months. These courses, which are aligned with the NAP Body of Knowledge, will support the organization’s “Your Learning – Your Way” campaign.

Students of the class commented that the course provided “good discussions about adult learning theory. Information can be used immediately,” and that the “content is very useful in any professional training subject, not just NAP training.”

Feedback from the students will be used to fine-tune the program before the next offering.

NAP Connections

NAP Welcomes New Unit The Buffalo-Niagara Parliamentarians of Western New York (BNPWNY) was chartered as NAP’s newest unit on April 30, 2018. The charter’s mission and Front Row (left to right): James N. Jones, PRP, NAP President; Rosemary vision is to promote the Seghatoleslami, PRP, District One Director; Beverly Tatham, PRP, President, New York Association of Parliamentarians, Kendra M. O’Toole, study of parliamentary President, New England Association of Parliamentarians. procedure and provide Back Front (left to right): Donna P. Mitchell; Alicia L. Lester; Dawn Cobb; engaging educational Tomasina L. Cook, President, Buffalo-Niagara Parliamentarians of Western New York; Leah A. Bassett-Mitchell; Patrice Battle; Lynnette P. workshops and Smith; Cyndy Launchbaugh, Executive Director, NAP. consulting services to local groups and organizations to support and encourage the proper practice of parliamentary procedure.

The unit’s 2018-2020 officers are Tomasina L. Cook, President; Leah A. Bassett-Mitchell, Vice President; Patrice C. Battle, Secretary; Lynnette P. Smith, Treasurer. The unit’s membership comes from Erie and Niagara Counties.

In addition to the officers, other charter members of the unit are Dawn Cobb, Alicia L. Lester and Donna P. Mitchell.

The newly chartered unit will serve as the local host for the upcoming 2018 National Training Conference in September 2018. The members look forward to welcoming fellow parliamentarians and guests.

N E W R E G IS T E R E D P A RLI A M E N T A RI A N S *

NP congratulates the following individuals on becoming Registered Parliamentarians: Todd Brand (AB) Johnine N. Clark (MD) Carol Ann Farmer (KS) Patrick W Hardy (CA) Christopher Howe (TX) Margaret K. Jenschke (TX)

Yvette G. Keesee (CO) Carolyn Malik (TX) Jerome H. McIver (DC) Laura Rabb Morgan (IL) Ryan Alan Mueller (WA) Mike Prest (ON)

Ann Quinn (NJ) Thomas F. Reeder (WY) C. F. Van Gorder (DC) Michelyn Washington (TX) Gladys T. Bransford (TX)

S i l ent G ave l *

NP commemorates members who have passed from our midst; may they rest in peace: Elaine J. Biscobing (WI) Mary J. Mullins (KY)

Hope Hotchkiss Niedling (WI) Nancelyn Ross (MB) * For the period March 21, 2018 thru June 15, 2018 www.parliamentarians.org

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NAP Connections

N ew M embe r s *

A warm welcome to NAP’s newest members.

Felica Adams (NC) Roderick Adams Jr. (OH) Tonya Allen-Shaw (MD) Cynthia Alvarez (NY) Carol Anderson (TX) Esteban Andrade (NY) Evan Ashman (NY) Delores Bagby (VA) Esther Bailey-Young Sandra (TX) Lorie Baker-Allen (MD) Leah Bassett-Mitchell (NY) Roxann Battise (VA) Justine Baugham (VA) Karen Bazemore-Person (VA) Valerie Beard (VA) Sherri Belfield (NC) Natalie Bennett (MD) Diana Benson (MD) Steven Berke (VA) Jean Black (NC) Thierry Boubert (NY) Aenna Bowe (TX) Sara Brandt (MI) Kimberly Braxton (VA) Daniel Brown (NY) Danielle Brown (MD) Edith Brown (MD) Vashti Burke (NY) Carlene Burke (NY) Danielle Burton-Lee (MD) Thomas Cable (TX) Paulette Caldwell (MD) Ava Callender (NC) Stephen Campbell (ON) Junita Carn (NY) Taniqua Carter-Brown (MI) Mary Cauley (NC) Angelie Chaljub (NY) Beverly Chandler (CA) George Chavis (VA) Jean Cherfils (NY) Harry Cho (HI) Edith Choe (FL) 42

National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

Charlotte Clinger (VA) Bobby Codjoe (NY) Irena Collins (AB) Doreatha Cook (DC) Cassandra Cooks (VA) Betty Cooper (NC) Judith Cooper (VA) Beatrice Cox (NC) Tina Crockett (NY) Patrick Crowley (TX) Alex Dallman (WI) Brenda Dancil-Jones (MD) Allison David NY) Steven Davis (KS) Wayne Dehn (WI) Marjorie Dienstag (NY) Karen Dixon (NC) Bangali Doumbia (NY) Diana Duncan (NY) Tony Dunlap Sr. (OH) Maryann Dwyer (OH) Kesha Edelin (MD) Lisa Egbert (OH) Amanda Eure (NC) Edwina Fanner (TX) Tremayne Ffriend (NY) Reuben Finerson (NY) Dominique Finley (MD) Quantral Fletcher Jr. (DC) Danielle Florence (MD) Delores Forrest (VA) Lucas Fralick (WY) Stephen French (MI) Tanya Fuller (MD) Daniel Gadabor (NY) Millisa Gary (VA) Trini Garza (TX) Adonica Gibson (PA) Elizabeth Gilmore (NC) Jodi Gollehon (OR) Jacqueline Gooden-Seay (VA) Rachiim Grant (NY) Celia Green (NY)

NAP Connections

Brenda Griggs (ELEC) Linda Gubba-Reiner (CA) Jo Haedge (TX) Sandra Harper (NC) Ashley Harris (NC) Betty Harris (TX) LaVonda Harris-Claggett (MD) Linda Harvey (GA) Michael Hatcher (NY) Lifeng He (CH) Noah Herringshaw (WA) Mary Hickman (TN) Floyda Hicks (ELEC) Robert Hill Jr. (PA) Rachel Hilliard (CA) Devlin Hillman (MD) Irene Hobbs (CA) Judith Holland (VA) Lori Hollingsworth (TX) Sherrish Holloman (NY) Naadiya Hopkins (NC) Sonya Hoskins (ELEC) Tremelle Howard I. (GA) Jeannine Hunte (NY) Sandra Hyatt (NY) Shirley Irick (NY) Derrick Isaac (NY) Nicole Jackson-Williams (VA) T J. Johnson (ELEC) Ralph Johnson (DC) Constance Johnson (AZ) Johnel Jones (TX) Bonita Jones-Moon (MD) Juanita Joyner-Hicks (NY) Marcie Kamei (HI) James Kaminski (NM) Willie Kennedy (NC) Grace King (ELEC) Rosemary Lawrence (NC) Sylvia Layne (VA) Sheila Lea (NC) Debra Lee (PA) Michael Lee (WI) Cherita Lewis (VA) Christi Lewis (MD)

Karon Lilly (NY) Jing Lin (CH) Tanya Lue Tsing (NY) Felicia Malone (NY) Vicki Marsden (TX) Christina Masnyy (WA) Jackquline May (VA) Cantrise Mayfield (VA) Pamela Mayo (PA) Teresa McCall (NC) Azareal McCarthy (NY) Dermal McCrear (NY) James McIntosh (NY) Nicole McIntyre (NY) Denisha McPherson (NY) Beverly McQueary-Smith (NJ) Natasha Mercer (VA) Laura Miles (NC) Cirilo Miller (NY) Elvira Moon (CA) Joanna Moore (MD) Kimberly Morgan (VA) Michael Mouritsen (ON) Christopher Naylon (HI) Roseanne Neal (ELEC) Christopher Nowotarski (IL) Kayla Odom (ELEC) Dennis Osborn (IN) Kimberly Parker (MD) Annie Parrish (CA) Margaret Peele (NC) Terry Perkins-Black (MD) Ceresh Perry (VA) Tanea Pettis (NC) Tiffany Powers (NC) Lisa Radcliffe A. (NY) Kathy Rafter (BC) Eric Rankin (IL) Melody Ratliff (ELEC) David Wayne (TN) Tiesh Reaves (NJ) Mary Richardson (NY) Louis Rivera (FL) * For the period March 21, 2018 thru June 15, 2018 www.parliamentarians.org

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NAP Connections

N ew M embe r s

( c o nt i n u ed ) *

Cheryl A. Roberts (DE) Danielle Robinson (NC) Robert Robinson (NY) Yvonne Rolle-Watts (NY) Kent Rooen (TX) Katherine Russell (OH) Stephanie Sanderson-Garrett (VA) Luz Santiago (DE) Henry Silentman (NM) Vernay Simmons (NJ) Tannisha Simmons (NC) Tracy Simons M. (OH) Karen Smaw (VA) Lynnette Smith (NY) Shirley Smith (VA) Tiffany Smith-Williams (MD) Deneen Snow (VA) Sharon Sowders (GA) Ray Spears E. (DC) Phillipe St. Luce (NY) Dawne Stanton (MD) Latoya Stevens (NC) Sajah Stiller (ON) Adrian Stratton (NY) Tashika Sutton (NC) Gigs Taylor-Stephenson (NY) Cynthia Thomas (PA) James Thomas Jr. (TX) Gregory Thomas (NY) Xiomara Thomas (TX) Kwashee Totimeh (NY) Holli Townsend (DC) Doug Trouten (MN) Glenda Turner (VA) Alden Vaughan (VA) David Vela (TX) Felicia Washington (NC) Allen Weathers (NY) Rita Wheelright (ELEC) April Wiggs (VA) Starlyn Wilfred (VA) Matthew Williams (IL) Korri Williams (VA) Margaret Williams (NC) Deborah Williams (CA) 44

National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018

Rhonda Williams (ELEC) Zacary Wilson-Fetrow (NM) Shronda Wise-Schimpf (NJ) Ivan Witty Jr. (NY) Tyler Wolanin (NEAP) Kenneth Wright (VA) David Young (OH) Terry Young (CO) Zhimin Zhong (CH)

Thank You to Our Instructors A special thank you to the instructors of the aforementioned new members Betty S. Green, PRP Beverly Tatham, PRP Carolyn Stubbs, PRP Cindy Hinckley Dacia Robertson, RP Darlene Allen, PRP Debra Henry, PRP E. Marie Wilson Edna Arrington Ferial S. Bishop, PRP Gloria F. Cofer, PRP Jason Flores Joyce Gleason Joyce Henderson Kay Crews, PRP Kevin Connelly, PRP Lucy H. Anderson, PRP Margie R. Booker, PRP Marian J. Martin, PRP Marie Frasca, RP Patricia A. Koch, PRP Patricia Koch, PRP Reba Hollingsworth Robert Robinson Ron Stinson, PRP Sheryl Womble, PRP Valoree Althoff, PRP Victoria Cohen Vivian Vincent, PRP Wan Chun Sun William Puette, PRP * For the period March 21, 2018 thru June 15, 2018

Show Your Pride

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National Parliamentarian • Summer 2018