AN ACT ESTABLISHING

SPECIAL RULES OF ORDER FOR STUDENT SENATE PROCEEDINGS

PERTAINING TO DISCUSSION AND VOTES ON MOTIONS

AUTHORED BY: A&S Senator Skylar Graudick

BACKGROUND

Special rules of order amend the rules of order set forth in a body’s parliamentary authority. The special rulesof order set forth in this resolution would supersede the rules governing discussion of a motion as set forth in Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.

The purpose of this resolution is to establish special rules of order which prevents discussion on a motion from endingwhile there remain voting and ex-officio members of the SGA Senate who wish to continue discussion.

The de facto distinction between a member of the SGA Senate and a non-member of the SGA Senate is narrow, and the formal powers afforded to members of the SGA Senate as compared to non-members of the SGA Senate are few where those distinctions exist. A member of the SGA Senate’s formal power lies in the ability to speak at SGA Senate meetings, and to vote on motions of the SGA Senate.

Senate Resolutions are improved through discussion and amendment on the Senate floor, where members from diverse backgrounds possessing diverse perspectives are afforded the opportunity to openly and for the public record express their opinions. Any one well-reasoned comment or incisive critique has the ability to alter the position of the entire body, and thus alter or even reverse the body’s course of action. The discussion and amendment process is always at risk of being cut short, and at risk of never beginning in the first place, so long as motions to call the question are given precedence to members’ ability to voice their viewpoints.

If the SGA Senate values the opinions of its members, desires to sponsor the most productive legislation, and wishes to protect its formal powers, then members’ ability to express their opinion must not be infringed upon, and the spirit of the body must be allowed to prevail over the rules it has established to govern its processes.

Section 1. The Student Senate of the University of Louisville finds and declares that:

(1) The Preamble of the SGA Constitution states that the purpose of SGA is:

“to provide an effective organization for the administration of student affairs; to promote and protect student rights and responsibilities;… to provide official channels through which student opinions may be expressed; to promote full cooperation among students, administration, faculty, and staff; to improve student physical, social, and cultural welfare;… to improve the status of students in the University community; and to promote diversity and fairness on campus and in the Student Government Association.”

(2)Voting and Ex-Officio members of the SGA Senate draw their formal powers from the ability to speak on the Senate floor;

(3) The purpose of creating a diverse representative body, whose membership hails from diverse backgrounds, is to bring together members with differing viewpoints and opinions, and the purpose of giving those members the formal ability to speak is to create a rich, balanced, and informative discussion which results in fair and productive decisions;

(4)Any one well-reasoned comment or incisive critique has the ability to alter the viewpoints of the SGA Senate’s members, and thereby alter the actions of its members;

(5) The discussion and amendment process is always at risk of being cut short, and at risk of never beginning in the first place, so long as motions to call the question are given precedence to members’ ability to voice their viewpoints;

(6) It is essential for the health of a democracy for the public to know that its elected representatives are representing their desires and viewpoints;

(7) Unless members of the Senate are permitted to express their viewpoints and the viewpoints of their constituents, those’ viewpoints will not appear in the public record;

Section 2. Therefore, Be it enacted by the Student Senate of the University of Louisville that:

Section 202.81 Shall be added to the By-Laws and contain the following language:

202.81

(a) Any motion upon which Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised or any other special or standing order adopted by the SGA Senate does not permit discussion, discussion shall be permitted.

(b)That no motion permitted under Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised or any other special or standing order adopted by the SGA Senate which has the effect of ending discussion on a motion shall be the first motion permittedupon the SGA Senate’s entering into discussion on a motion.

(c) No motion permitted under Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised or any other special or standing order adopted by the SGA Senate which has the effect of ending discussion on a motion shall be permitted while, in the opinion of the Senate Parliamentarian, there is at least one Voting or Ex-officio member of the SGA Senate who wishes to discuss or continue discussion on a motion.

(d)Discussion on a motion shall be ended only when, in the opinion of the Senate Parliamentarian, no Voting or Ex-officio member of the SGA Senate wishes to discuss or continue discussion on a motion.

(e)For the purpose of facilitating the business of the SGA Senate, the Senate Speaker may suggest to the Voting and Ex-officio members of the SGA Senate that discussion on a motion be concluded, but that such a suggestion shall be nonbinding on the Voting and Ex-Officio members of the SGA Senate.

(f) The Senate Speaker may revoke the speaking rights of a Voting or Ex-Officio member of the SGA Senate if it is the opinion of the Senate Speaker that a Voting or Ex-Officio member of the SGA Senate is acting in bad faith by intentionally and grossly abusing the speaking rights set forth in this resolution, for the duration of the Senate meeting during which the bad faith effort has taken place.

(g) Any vote to pass or indefinitely table a piece of legislation shall be recorded and placed in the minutes, with the names of Senators and their respective vote of Aye, Ney, Abstention, or Not Present indicated.

Section 3. Upon its passage, or upon its failing passage, a copy of this act be sent to President Ramsey, Provost Willihnganz, Vice President Tom Jackson, Vice President Larry Owsley, Director of the Cultural Center Dr. Michael Anthony, Dean of Students Michael Mardis, Dean Robert Fox, Karen Newton of Campus Health Services, and Director of First Year Initiatives Christy Metzger.