Date & Time: Monday, February 12, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Webinar Fee: $65 
This program is online only.

 Robert’s Rules of Order in Practice:
Virtual and Hybrid Meetings under Robert’s Rules

Faculty

Hon. Michael Malamut, Housing Court, Northeast Division

Professional Registered Parliamentarian, Certified Professional Parliamentarian & Teacher, Certified Governance Consultant

During the COVID-19 crisis, almost all public and private meetings had to be held virtually, often through special legislation. As society adapted to COVID-19, organizations and government bodies utilized various Virtual and Hybrid-conferencing formats, which, in turn, created a variety of procedural uncertainties. 

Fortunately, the reworked Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (12th ed. 2022) (“RONR”) now provides clear procedural guidance for the following four common types of Virtual and Hybrid meetings:(1) fully virtual audio-video meetings; (2) telephone meetings with internet support for votes and shared documents; (3) live meetings with support for virtual participation by a few absent members; and (4) traditional teleconference meetings.

This presentation will consist of a series of scenarios, Groundhog Day style, demonstrating the different ways these four types of virtual and hybrid meetings address similar procedural issues.

Program topics include:

▪     Who can interrupt a pending motion and how in the virtual setting?

▪     How to create a fair speakers list in a hybrid format when there are several members rising and clamoring for attention at the same time and alternative levels of technological ability

▪     What are common virtual delay tactics and how to avoid them

▪     What methods of voting are most suited to the virtual format?

▪     Alternative voting strategies to ensure privacy in online voting, compromising between privacy concerns and time and fiscal constraints

▪     How can members be disruptive in virtual meetings. What can be done?

▪     Some members feel that they are not being heard/allowed to speak as much as others. What are the members to do?

▪     The pace of the meeting is difficult to keep up with, given the number of different inputs. How can the Chair keep up?

▪     A member is completely lost in the procedure. What can the member do?

The scenarios will be accompanied by brief lecture-discussions presenting the best practices for virtual and hybrid meetings demonstrating lessons learned over the past several years of experimentation. The accompanying materials will present these best practices in a coherent, and easily accessed manner. This program can be useful in planning for and handling complex issues that arise in virtual and hybrid decision making meeting formats.

Online registration is encouraged. For assistance, questions on group discounts, accommodations requests, special billing, program content, out-of-state CLE credits, and general CLE information contact Michael Saporito by email at  msaporito@socialaw.com . Registrations accepted in order of receipt. Registration fees are non-refundable. Most Social Law Library CLE events are recorded. The recording is available by digital download, generally within a week after the program date. People registered for the program will receive the video recording and materials. CLE credit, when applicable, is only granted when the live webinar is attended.