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Before an organization can legally transact any business at a meeting, a quorum must be present. Quorum is a Latin word meaning “of them,” as in “do we have enough of them, the members?”
A quorum is the minimum number of members who must be present in order to conduct business. Sixty percent of the total membership of the Senate shall constitute a quorum. If, as a member, you're unsure whether a quorum is present, you may ask the presiding officer after he or she calls the meeting to order. To do this, stand and say the following:
Member: Mr. Chairman, I rise to a parliamentary inquiry.
Chairman: Please state your inquiry.
Member: Is there a quorum present?
If the Chairman says yes, then say “Thank you” and sit down. If the president says no, remind him or her:
Member: Mr. Chairman, we cannot conduct business without a quorum.
Never conduct a business meeting without a quorum present. If business is transacted without a quorum, it is null and void. It is also important that a quorum be present throughout the entire time that business transactions take place. If you notice that people have left the meeting and a quorum is no longer present, it is your duty to raise point of order by informing the presiding officer that a quorum is no longer present and any business transacted now will be null and void
Member: Mr. Chairmen, Point of Order.
Chairman: Please state your point.
Member: Members have left and there is no longer a quorum. Any further business transacted is now null and void.
Chairman: Thank you. Your point is well taken. Since there is no longer a quorum present, this meeting is adjourned.
If no quorum is present and there is no hope of getting one soon, the Chairman can call the meeting to order to satisfy the Constitution requirement that the meeting is held and then announce there is no quorum and adjourn the meeting. Or, the Chairman can call the meeting to order, announce to the membership that there is no quorum, and entertain a motion to recess which enables members to try to obtain a quorum.