student-government-association-handbook.pdf — PaddleOCR-VL (Baidu)

LAY ON THE TABLE

PREVIOUS QUESTION

LIMIT OR EXTEND DEBATE

POSTPONE TO A CERTAIN TIME

REFER TO A COMMITTEE

AMEND

POSTPONE INDEFINETLY

MAIN MOTION

Discipline

Every organization has the right to enforce its rules and expect ethical and honorable conduct from its members. Most organizations have discipline problems from time to time. A discipline problem may be something as simple as a member misbehaving at a meeting or an officer overstepping the boundaries of his or her office. If the problem is not corrected when it arises, it can escalate into something more serious, requiring that someone be removed from office or membership. However, the organization can often solve discipline problems by taking the member or officer aside and talking with him or her about it, which saves both the member and the organization embarrassment. Many problems that cause difficulties in organizations are the result of inflated egos, personality conflicts, or ignorance of proper procedures. If egos or personalities are the root cause, it takes diplomacy, patience, and skill to solve the problems.

Penalties

The chair cannot impose a penalty for misbehavior, only the assembly can do so. A member can raise and make a motion proposing a penalty, or the chair can ask, “What penalty should be imposed on the member?” Possible motions that the assembly can make include:

A motion that the member must apologize
A motion that the member must leave the hall during the remainder of the meeting
A motion to censure the meeting

If the assembly wants the member to leave the hall while they discuss the penalty, someone must present this option in the form of a motion, which takes a majority to adopt. If the assembly does not ask the member to leave during the discussion, it should allow that person to speak briefly in his or her defense. Any penalty other than expulsions requires a majority vote to adopt; expulsions takes a two-thirds vote.