Types of Motions

        

Types of Motions

General Main Motion Parliamentary Pointers You may not interrupt a speaker A second is required It is debatable It is amendable To adopt, a majority must vote "yes"

Incidental Motion To secure a rising vote, when in doubt of the result of a voice vote or a vote by show of hands, you say: "Division" or "I call for a division of the house" Parliamentary Pointers: You may interrupt a speaker A second is not required It is not debatable It is not amendable No vote is required

Subsidiary Motion To modify the original motion so that it is improved, you say: "I move to amend the motion by ______________________" Parliamentary Pointers: You may not interrupt a speaker A second is required It is debatable It is amendable To adopt, a majority must vote "yes"

Privileged Motion To end the meeting, you say: "I move that we adjourn" Parliamentary Pointers: You may not interrupt the speaker A second is required It is not debatable It is not amendable To adopt, a majority must vote "yes" To correct undesirable conditions or get immediate action for an emergency, you say: "I rise to a question of personal privilege" or "I rise to a question of privilege affecting the assembly" Parliamentary Pointers: You may not interrupt the speaker when speaking (unless unavoidable) A second is not required It is not debatable It is not amendable The chair must rule for or against the question

Possible Issues to Bring Up Cafeteria issues Lavatory issues Bullying issues School spirit Dance policies Destructive behaviors, drinking, drug abuse Teen Pregnancy Youth issues Community issues Educational issues Student representation on school boards Student/faculty relations Achievement gap. scholarship issues. e.t.c

Project guidelines:
An organization's success or failure often depends on the outcome of it's projects. Much planning, work, and effort must go into each project. Projects should:

• Be an extension of the goals and purposes of the council. Projects should not be undertaken simply to prove that the council is busy or because "that's the way it's always been."
• Have educational or social value and be within the ability and comprehension of the association members.
• Have an organizational plan with a budget.
• Encourage initiative, creativity, responsibility, and cooperation
• Be evaluated upon completion. Evaluations should include remarks by those who planned the project and by those who participated in or received the benefits of the project. An unsuccessful project should serve as a valuable learning experience.

How to get started:
To engage student interest and avoid scheduling problems, councils, should plan their projects systematically. Prior to the start of the school year, the executive committee--and possibly the entire council--should develop an overall plan for the year. One process that the executive committee can follow is to:

1. List the general areas upon which the association wishes to focus. these might include community service, school service, career development, fund-raising, social functions, and school spirit.
2. Weigh any suggestions for program expansion or cutbacks in specific areas, making sure that the treasurer is actively involved.
3. Prepare a draft calendar of the activities for the year to make sure the association does not take on too many projects at a time.
4. Submit recommendations about program expansion or cuts to the appropriate committees via the committee chairperson.

The 12 of Project Planning

1. WHAT are you planning to do
2. WHY do you want to do this project?
3. WHEN and WHERE will the activity take place?
4. WHO will benefit from the project?
5. WHAT staff members will need to approve the project?
6. WHAT funds are needed?
7. WHEN will the basic planning be done?
8. WHAT committees are necessary?
9. WHAT kind of publicity is needed?
10. WHO deserves a special thank you?
11. WAS the project worthwhile?
12. WHAT'S next? WHERE do we go from here?

Preparing an Effective Questionnaire
The association may want to develop and administer a Questionnaire to get students' opinions on its project ideas. It may also use questionnaires. to help evaluate projects. Here are some guidelines for preparing effective questionnaires:

1. Determine the length of the Questionnaire. Shorter questionnaires usually have a better chance of being completed and returned than longer ones.
2. Determine the types of questions to ask. There are four possibilities
   1. Essay: What is your opinion of the student council dance help last Saturday, January 10?Please comment on the music, ticket cost, decorations, and anything else you wish to include
   2. Short answer:Please nominate three juniors who you believe meet the criteria for the annual Student Leadership Award.
   3. Multiple choice. Please indicate which type of student assembly you like best. Check only one.
      1. Guest speaker
      2. Film
      3. Musical performance
      4. Panel discussion or debate
      5. No preference
3. Based on the purpose of the questionnaire, determine who will receive the questionnaire.
4. Determine when the questionnaire should be distributed. Questionnaires distributed to students on Friday afternoon, to be returned the following Tuesday, might get lost during the weekend.
5. Determine a logical order for questions. Short, easy questions often make a good beginning and a good end.
6. Determine whether the questionnaire can be easily tabulated. Do you have time to read a large number of essay responses? Are the multiple choice questions easy to tabulate?
7. Publicize the results of your questionnaires to the council and the student body.

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