Patrick's Proposal to Streamline Meetings

As a veteran of many spacesim meetings gone horribly wrong, especially meetings at worksessions, I think some sort of organizational system for streamlining the spacesim meetings would be in order. Hence, Patrick’s proposal to streamline meetings.

Reasons needed

Especially at worksessions, meetings have a tendency to derail and fall into a pattern of the people on the mezzanine trying to regain control of the meeting, and the people in MC making hilarious interjections. While this may contribute somewhat to the culture of spacesim when in moderation, it usually devolves to the point where the meeting must be ended early because no progress is being made. The only methods of controlling these outbursts are “HANDS ON TOP”, “SHUT UP”, “EVERYONE”, “BE QUIET”, “EVERYONE BE QUIET” and “SHE’S SPEAKING”. This is inefficient, and each comeback loses its ability to quiet people every time it is used. The random interjections may be as a result of the informality of spacesim meetings.

How this proposal will affect meetings

The set of rules will bring a definite structure to spacesim meetings. This will help maintain order, and help ‘disciplinary measures’ to be enforced, if that is ever to be implemented. These rules will give an orderly path for the meeting to follow, and any questions, comments, concerns or insults will have their time and place, as decided by members at the meeting. As a result, there will be less reason for any members to interject (there was no reason, now there is even less) into the conversation.

Rules of Procedure

• The Chair is the authority presiding over the committee. They take all necessary and reasonable measures to ensure that the rules of procedure are observed correctly and also judge all decisions regarding these rules.
• Courtesy is required to be shown from the chair, staff and all delegates.
• Hands should be raised by delegates when seeking the attention of the chair.
• The Chair decides the agenda, and the order that items shall be placed on the agenda.
• A speakers list will be opened once the agenda is set. The chair will ask delegates to raise their hands if they wish to be added to the speakers list. A delegate may raise his/her hand to be added to the speakers list once it has been made.
• A Point of parliamentary inquiry may be motioned by a delegate if wishing to ask the chair a question regarding the rules of procedure. This may not interrupt a speaker.
• During voting procedure, a delegate may either vote for, against or abstain from voting on a particular resolution or amendment.