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This FAQ is designed to facilitate taking part in
the ASR RT by outlining the basic courses of action participants might
want to take. It is in particular intended for those who do not wish
to wade through the pseudo-legal language of the RT Rules and Procedures.
It is hoped that everybody submitting to these general guidelines will
make the RT both more efficient and more pleasant.
** I want to say something about the topic
currently under discussion. What do I do?
The answer is simple: Just write up what you wish to say, making sure
that you comment on ideas rather than people and/or their motivations.
Contributions which address the topic currently on the floor are always
welcome, but make sure that the discussion period has not yet expired.
** I want to comment on the way people have
been behaving. What do I
do?
We don't want to talk about how people are behaving (unless some event
merits raising a point of order (see below)) - the conversation should
be centred on the proposal at hand and nothing else. Experience shows
that such rants (and, yes, 'Things you all should be made to listen
to' usually come out as such) do nothing to improve the atmosphere -
in the worst case, more off topic contributions will be provoked. If
you want to do something to change the atmosphere the best thing to
do is to set an example accordingly.
**I want to make a contribution to the discussion,
but the discussion period has just ended and voting is about to begin/has
begun.
Unfortunately, you are too late. This can be annoying, but please bear
in mind that if *you* aren't prepared to follow the rules, then everybody
else is entitled to the same liberty. Imagine thirty to forty people
talking without any structure being imposed upon them.
** I think everything about the topic has been
said and the RT should move on. What do I do?
Make a motion to shorten debate (or second the motion if somebody else
gets there first). Since there is a 24 hour objection period to such
motions, this will effectively only shorten the debating period if there
are more than 24 hours of discussion still to come.
** I think we need more time to discuss the
proposal at hand, or to vote on it (eg. because there is a holiday which
is likely to prevent people from participating). What do I do?
Make a motion to extend debate, or lengthen the voting period - unless
somebody else has done this already.
** Somebody's made a motion I support. What
do I do?
Second the motion. There's no need to make *another* motion, or to write
up a speech in support. Just say: "I second A's motion." If you want
to, you can quote the original for clarity. But, beware of the following
situation:
** Somebody's made a motion I support. It's
been seconded, but I want to tell people I am in favour of it, too.
Don't do anything. Another second is not necessary and would just clutter
up people's mailboxes. Just imagine what the RT would be like if all
thirty to forty delegates did this...
** I think representative A got carried away
when arguing the case and used a mode of debate which I find offensive.
What can I do about this?
Raise a point of order. ASR prides itself in having members from all
over the world, and different cultures do have different notions of
what is permissible. By raising a point of order, you let others know
that in your opinion, a line has been crossed. Be careful to just point
out what caused the offence without attacking the offender and thus
making matters worse.
** I think that the RT is confused about/disregarding
existing rules or established practice. How can I point this out effectively?
Raise a point of information. You do this by directing a question at
the Chair, sending it to the whole RT. It is the Chair's responsibility
to answer it, but he or she may defer to somebody else who has particular
experience regarding the issue in question.
** I am confused about the rules. Who can I
talk to?
If you think the matter is of interest to the whole RT, see the reply
to the previous question. Otherwise, ask the Chair in private.
** I would like to reply to a point of information,
because I know the answer, and it would save the Chair time. May I?
Sorry, but this is the responsibility of the Chair. Just imagine what
the RT would be like if everybody would try to give their answer...
** I would like to register a vote. How do
I do that?
Go ahead, send it to the list, making sure that it is still relevant
(see below). If the Chair has suggested a format, it makes it easier
for the Secretary if you stick with it. In any case, make sure that
you clearly indicate whether you want to vote Aye/Nay or whether you
wish to abstain, who you are, and which unit/position you represent
- and that there's *nothing else* in that mail, in particular not a
comment on why you voted this way. If you do not stick to this, your
vote might be declared void.
** I would like to register a vote, but the
Secretary has already published the result/the voting period has expired.
Can I have my vote included in the tally nonetheless?
Unfortunately, you are too late. The idea is to have the RT move along
as swiftly as possible so that everybody can return to writing as soon
as possible. So once the outcome of a vote has become clear, the next
topic on the agenda may be considered.
** I have an idea for a proposal. What do I
do with it?
Have you discussed your idea with the administration? Bear in mind that
by bringing it to the RT, you force thirty to forty people to spend
time on it. Maybe the administration agrees it should be implemented,
so everybody's time and energy could be saved. On the other hand, there
are measures that the administration cannot implement without the RT,
or maybe they did not like it while you personally think it would do
ASR a lot of good. In that case, go ahead and submit it to the Chair
and the Secretary. A standard format is to have a 'formal' section describing
the desired measure and a short rationale for why it should be implemented
(be brief there - the discussion is still to come!).
** I submitted a proposal, and the discussion
brought up a few good points that I would like to take into account.
Can I change my proposal still?
As the author, *you* have the sole right to your proposal. You can change
it at any time, and this includes the option of withdrawing it altogether
(maybe with the idea of thinking it over, discussing it some more in
private, soliciting people's opinion, and resubmitting it next time).
If there are several authors, there needs to be agreement about changes.
** I've got something I want to say, but it
doesn't fit under any of the above. What do I do now?
Chances are that any contributions which don't fit under any of the
above are out of place. Admittedly, however, the rules can never cover
every possibility - so send private email to the Chair and he or she
will help you.
** Robert's Rules contain lots more motions
than the RT Rules and Procedures. Why?
We want to keep the RT as simple as possible. This is an interactive
fiction club, and the RT only exists to provide some framework within
which people can raise concerns or ideas. If you're interested in parliamentary-style
debate, you'll be better of finding like-minded individuals in other
venues. The RT just isn't the place for this.
** Why does the Chair get to decide that much?
Somebody has to. If the RT were to vote on every motion or issue then
it would spend lots and lots of time doing just that - 48 hours each
time to ensure that everybody gets a chance to submit a vote. See the
Chair as a referee in a match. Sure, he or she may get it wrong sometimes,
but it's still the best way of resolving conflicts. Bear in mind that
if the Chair were to be seriously unfair, the resulting worsening of
the atmosphere in ASR would probably hit him or her the worst. If you
think the Chair has proven him-/herself to be incapable of fulfilling
his or her responsibilities, there is always a vote of no confidence.
Be aware, however, that this is an extremely drastic measure and unlikely
to improve anything in the short term.
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