The Chat Box: Boon or Boondoggle?

THE CHAT BOx:

Boon or Boondoggle? • • •

By Carl Nohr, PRP

This article considers whether the chat box is a boon or boondoggle in the conduct of business at formal meetings, and how it can be useful in formal and informal meetings.

The recent shift to electronic meetings (e-meetings) was disruptive, but also created new opportunities. While some regard an e-meeting as a poor substitute for an in-person meeting, an e-meeting has its own advantages. Such meetings will be a permanent part of our future, and it is useful to understand how they can best serve the needs of organizations.

Electronic meetings present some new features that do more than replicate in-person functionality. Such features may help or hinder the democratic process in deliberative assemblies. One such commonly available feature is the chat box. This is a field in which attendees can enter text. This function usually has several possible settings; attendees can chat publicly or privately with each other, only with the meeting host, or be disabled completely. The entered text can be saved.

Is the chat box a help or a hindrance in the conduct of business at a deliberative assembly meeting?

First, let’s determine if the use of the chat box meets the definition of a deliberative assembly. A deliberative assembly is a group of people meeting in a setting that allows simultaneous aural communication among all participants.1 The opportunity for all members to hear each other is fundamental to the deliberative process. A group using texting, emails, chat rooms, and faxes does not constitute a deliberative assembly.

Next, by reviewing relevant parliamentary principles, let’s examine why the use of such texting functions does not meet the definition of a deliberative assembly.2

One person has the floor at a time.3 Before a member can speak in a meeting, they must obtain the floor. This is done through recognition by the chair that the member has the exclusive right to be heard at that time. In a chat box, multiple members may enter text without recognition.

Only one question can be considered at a time.4 This long-standing parliamentary principle is essential to allow members to know exactly what is being discussed and decided at any given time. The presiding officer has the responsibility to control the meeting in such a way that this principle is respected. Such control over what members may enter in the chat box is not practical.

All remarks must be germane to the single question under consideration.5 This is an essential principle to allow fair and efficient conduct of business. Even an excellent presiding officer, with support, would be challenged to monitor the chat box and rule entries out of order if they were not germane.

1 RONR (12th ed.) 1:1 2 RONR (12th ed.) 9:34 3 RONR (12th ed.) 3:30 4 RONR (12th ed.) 5:4 5 RONR (12th ed.) 43:20

Remarks must not attack a member’s motives.6 Again, monitoring the chat box for personal comments would overwhelm the most experienced presiding officer. Furthermore, comments may be made privately between individuals, making it impossible for the presiding officer and other members to even know what is being said.

All remarks must be addressed through the chair.7 This is an important principle in decorum so that business can be conducted impersonally regardless of the mood of the assembly and the attendees. An open chat box defeats this principle, both in the public and the private comments that can be made.

No member may speak more than twice to the same question on the same day, unless the organization has adopted rules permitting this.8 In the chat box, prolific members may enter any number of comments without seeking recognition. This property of the chat box is less important in committee of the whole and its alternate forms, where this limitation on number of speeches is lifted.9

No member may debate a second time on the pending question as long as members who have not yet spoken wish to do so.10 Again, if used for debate, the chat box allows unlimited entries without recognition, defeating this principle.

The use of names of members should be avoided.11 This principle helps maintain a neutral and impersonal atmosphere, respecting all members equally. The author has noticed the frequent use of “@name” in the chat function at meetings; this contravenes this parliamentary principle.

Reports, quotations, and other materials may not be read without permission.12 While members could seek permission to enter text from a report or hyperlinks to documents or websites, they can also enter such materials into the chat box without recognition and permission, thus circumventing this requirement.

Refrain from disturbing the assembly.13 No member should be permitted to whisper or otherwise disturb the assembly. Using the chat box is the equivalent of talking out loud during a meeting without recognition to do so. The chat box is certainly distracting to presiding officers and members, if not outright disturbing, and thus is hostile to this parliamentary principle.

Distracting members of an assembly is incompatible with good governance and attentive participation. Assembly members may be considered to have a fiduciary duty to prepare for, attend, participate in debate, and vote on matters of interest to the organization. The chat box can easily distract from these responsibilities, whether used publicly or as a private conversation between two members. Some organizations may have a code of conduct that addresses the duty of members at meetings; regardless, attentiveness to the business at hand is always the best approach to individual and organizational success.

Minutes should record what was done at a meeting, not what was said.14 The text entered in the chat box may be saved. Recording what members have written contravenes this parliamentary

6 RONR (12th ed.) 43:21 7 RONR (12th ed.) 43:22 8 RONR (12th ed.) 43:12 9 RONR (12th ed.) 52:2 10 RONR (12th ed.) 42:9 11 RONR (12th ed.) 43:23 12 RONR (12th ed.) 43:26 13 RONR (12th ed.) 43:28 14 RONR (12th ed.) 48:2

principle on record keeping. If both verbal debate and the chat function are used during a meeting, saving the chat text provides an uneven and undue level of recording of comments made by members in the chat box, compared to comments made verbally. If members are aware the chat box may be recorded, they may also limit their comments, which will decrease the diversity of thought that is foundational to good decision making. There is also a legal concern, in that a preserved copy of the chat comments may be discoverable.

It is thus apparent that the chat feature does not meet the definition of a deliberative assembly, and that attempting to use it, at least for most activities during a formal business meeting, presents several parliamentary process problems.

However, there are three ways the chat box can be used effectively in a formal meeting. The first is as a communication tool, allowing members to seek recognition. Members may indicate the desire to debate by entering “debate” or “d.” If the chair wishes, the members may be asked to indicate whether they are in favor or opposed to the pending question by adding a “for” or “against” or for shorthand, “+” or “-.” This will allow the chair to alternate speakers in debate to respect the minority and generate a diversity of thought.15 Also, members may indicate that they are seeking recognition to make an interrupting motion by entering the name of the motion, for example, point of order, or “poi.” The subtleties of interrupting a member who has started to speak, or has been recognized but not yet started to speak, can be managed in this manner, albeit demanding an alert and attentive presiding officer. This is of course, also the case in an in-person meeting!

Second, the chat box may also be effectively used to enter the exact wording of a main motion or amendment that a member has moved verbally. Having the text entered will allow the members to see it, the chair to read it exactly as the mover intended, and the secretary to record it accurately. Alternatively, this function can also be managed by using the white board function of some platforms, or a shared document outside of the meeting platform.

Third, the chat box may be used effectively to make proposals to fill blanks. This would include nominations, unless the nominator wishes to debate, which requires recognition.16

Is the chat box useful outside of formal business meetings? Members appreciate the opportunity to “chat” with other members at meetings. This social interaction is a vital aspect of membership and the foundation of many great friendships that develop as we meet together. The chat box can be very useful as an adjunct to conversation in this setting, to help us find new ways to nourish old friendships and develop new ones through membership in associations and participation at meetings. The chat box can be enabled during breaks and dedicated times outside of formal meetings to accomplish this.

In summary, the use of a chat box presents several problems during formal meetings except if used as a restricted communication tool to seek recognition, to enter the text of main motions and amendments, and to make proposals to fill blanks. It can, however, be used effectively for important social interactions outside of formal meetings.

15 RONR (12th ed.) 42:9 16 RONR (12th ed.) 46:6

Here are some suggestions for rules that organizations can consider ensuring all members understand and use the chat function correctly.

1. The chat box shall be used only to seek recognition, enter the text of a main motion or an amendment, or to fill blanks. Only the “everyone” chat box function shall be used. All other use of the chat box either publicly or privately is not in order. 2. All rules of decorum apply to the chat box. 3. To seek recognition, a member shall enter into the chat box “debate” or “d,” and may indicate whether they are in favor or opposed to the immediately pending question by adding “+” or “-.” 4. A member intending to make a motion that may interrupt a speaker shall enter the title of the motion in the chat box. The member shall then be recognized to state the purpose of the motion. If the chair does not immediately recognize the member, they may unmute and seek recognition verbally. 5. After making a main motion or amendment verbally, the mover shall enter the text of the motion or amendment into the chat box. 6. A member wishing to make a proposal to fill a blank may enter the proposal into the chat box. In the case of a nomination, the name of the nominee shall be entered. 7. If a member wishes to post material or a hyperlink in the chat box, they shall request permission of the assembly through the chair to do so. They shall indicate this request in the chat box by entering

“request to post material.” After recognition, they may make their request, which shall be ruled on by the chair, or the decision turned over to the assembly. 8. The chat box text shall not be saved. NP

carl Nohr, M.D., PRP, joined the NAP in 2013 and became a PRP in 2018. He serves as a Director, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Speaker for several associations. He is a student of good governance, meeting management, and decision making. He loves to share knowledge and believes we can all learn much from each other.