Nerd Meetings

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NERD MEETINGS: HOW WE MEET

Article 1: Introduction:

Nerd Meetings was constructed by QC Co-Lab with influences from HacDC’s MIBS Simplified Rules of Coordinated Consensus through Chaos, Robert’s Rules of Order, and Parliamentary Procedure. The purpose of this style of meeting was to limit the amount of time spent in an actual meeting, but maximize the transparency of the group as a whole. Encouraging consensus on items, but allowing for a difference of opinions to be expressed, Nerd Meetings is built for organizations who strive to get things done.

For the purposes of this document a member is a voting member of the QC Co-Lab as defined by the corporate bylaws, Article 2, Section 2. The electronic communications system is defined in the corporate bylaws, Article 3, Section 1.


Article 2: Standard Format of a Meeting

  • Meeting Opening
  • Approval of Board Actions
  • Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
  • Consent Agenda
  • Officer Reports
  • Member Reports
  • New Business
  • Old Business
  • Meeting Close


Article 3: Meeting Item Descriptions

Section 1: Meeting Opening

1.1. Meeting is opened by clapping starting with the presiding officer once quorum has been reached. After ten seconds, no more, no less, the meeting shall be considered open.

Section 2: Approval of Board Actions

2.1. Membership will vote on actions taken by the board which require approval based upon their respective bylaws and/or resolutions.

Section 3: Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes

3.1. During this time, a call for objections or clarifications to the previous meeting minutes will be made by the presiding officer.
3.2. If an objection is made, the previous meeting minutes are pulled to new business.
3.3. If no objection is made, the minutes tacitly pass.

Section 4: Consent Agenda

4.1. All items for the consent agenda must be submitted to the electronic notification system for corporation no less than 72 hours in advance of a regular business meeting.
4.2. The consent agenda is then built of these submitted items by the Director of Records and submitted via the electronic communications system to the membership as a whole no less than 48 hours in advance of a regular business meeting.
4.3. During the meeting, each item on the consent agenda is read out loud by the presiding officer, the presiding officer will wait five seconds. If there are no objections during that time, the item will automatically pass. If there is an objection, the item will move to new business.

Section 5: Officer Reports

5.1. All officer reports will be submitted via the electronic notification system no less than 48 hours ahead of the regularly scheduled meeting time.
5.2. During this time, each officer’s report will be summarized briefly by the officer in question, in no more than two minutes.
5.3. After each officer’s report, members can ask the officer any questions about their report, for no more than an additional two minutes.
5.4. The order of reports will follow the hierarchy of directors stated in the bylaws, Article 4, Section 1.5.

Section 6: Member Reports

6.1. The presiding officer calls for member reports. Any member with a report must raise their hand at this time. All members with their hands raised will be placed onto a list in an order decided by the presiding officer.
6.2. Each member has 90 seconds to give an uninterrupted member report in the order of the presiding officer’s list.
6.3. No questions or discussion is to take place during this time, however, if a member report warrants discussion, the presiding officer can pull the item to new business as a non-actionable item.

Section 7: New Business

7.1. Any items pulled out of the consent agenda arrive in new business.
7.2. Items can be submitted to new business via a petition signed by ¾ of the voting membership as a whole and submitted to any member of the board of directors before the meeting is called. This method of adding items to new business can only be utilized after the consent agenda has closed for the intended meeting.
7.3. Combined items are addressed in an order decided by the presiding officer.
7.3.1. Agenda items that have an expected budget associated with them can have the monetary amounts amended, based on the discussion and voting rules found in Article 4, Section 2.
7.4. Items are to be discussed and voted upon based on the discussion rules found in Article 4, Section 2.

Section 8: Old Business

8.1. Any items that were tabled at a previous business meeting, shall be added to old business. Items are to be addressed in an order decided by the presiding officer.
8.2. Items in old business are to be discussed and voted based on discussion rules found in Article 4, Section 2.

Section 9: Meeting Close

9.1. Once all business is completed, the meeting will close with a declaration by the presiding officer followed by a round of applause.
9.2. The meeting can be closed at any time one hour after meeting open via a call for vote and a second. The presiding officer calls for a vote. If the vote passes, the meeting is immediately closed. All unresolved items, move to old business in the next meeting.

Article 4. Procedures

Section 1: Consent Agenda Item

1.1. Definition
1.1.1. A consent agenda item is an actionable item submitted to the membership to be approved.
1.1.2. The same consent agenda item cannot be submitted three meetings in a row.
1.2. Format:
1.2.1. All consent agenda items are to be submitted via the electronic communications system.
1.2.2. Each consent agenda item must include the following:
  • Title, in the format of: “Consent Agenda Item: (Item)”
  • Summary of the item, no more than three sentences
  • Expected budget, if item requires
  • In depth description and rationale

Section 2: Discussion and Voting

2.1. Procedure on Discussions
2.1.1. Discussion begins with the presiding officer reading the summary of the item
2.1.2. Who speaks first
2.1.2.1. The presiding officer then asks the member who objected to the item to speak first, if the item has been pulled from the consent agenda.
2.1.2.2. If the item was submitted via petition, the submitter speaks first.
2.1.3. Continuing discussion
2.1.3.1. The presiding officer controls the flow of discussion with regards to the next speaker
2.1.3.2. Each speaker has no more than one minute to make their point. At the end of one minute, the presiding officer may allow the speaker to finish their sentence, and then moves onto the next speaker.
2.1.3.2.1. Another member may call for the speaker to have an extended time for discussion, of up to no more than one additional minute.
2.1.3.3. At any point during discussion, any member may call out the speaker for being ingermane during the discussion. At that point, the speaker must return to the subject at hand or the presiding officer will move onto the next speaker.
2.1.4. If this item is an actionable item, the discussion will move into voting procedures via Article 4, Section 2.2. If the item is non-actionable, the presiding officer will close discussion at the logical conclusion of the

subject.

2.2. Procedures on Voting
2.2.1. Moving into a vote
2.2.1.1. The presiding officer can call for a vote to end discussion once the discussion has reached its logical conclusion
2.2.1.2. After five minutes, any member can call for a vote to end discussion or to table the subject. Once the call has been seconded, the presiding officer must call for a vote to determine if the discussion ends or the subject is tabled.
2.2.1.2.1. If the vote to end discussion fails, discussion continues. A member cannot call for a vote to end discussion or table for another three minutes after the failed vote. This process repeats until a call to vote passes or the item is tabled.
2.2.1.2.2. If the vote to end discussion passes, the presiding officer must call for a vote on the item.
2.2.1.2.3. If the vote to table an item fails, discussion continues. A member cannot call for a vote to end discussion or table for another three minutes after the failed vote. This process repeats until a call to vote passes or the item is tabled.
2.2.1.2.4. If a vote to table an item passes, the item is tabled and moves to old business in the next duly called meeting.
2.2.2. Voting Procedures
2.2.2.1. Presiding officers details the item to be voted on in no more than thirty seconds.
2.2.2.2. The item is then brought before the membership for a vote.
2.2.2.3. The vote is done by a raising of hands unless the board of directors designates the item for a private vote before the meeting begins.
2.2.2.3.1. If the vote is to be public:
2.2.2.3.1.1.The presiding officer shall call for all those who are in favor of the item to be voted on and the presiding officer will announce the count.
2.2.2.3.1.2. Then, the presiding officer shall call for those who are against the item and the presiding officer shall announce the count.
2.2.2.3.1.3. After the vote, the presiding officer will declare whether or not the item passes in accordance with the designated bylaw or resolution associated with the item to be voted on.
2.2.2.3.2. If the vote is to be private:
2.2.2.3.2.1. The presiding officer will distribute paper and writing utensils as necessary.
2.2.2.3.2.2. Members will write “Yes” or “No” on their paper, fold them in half, and pass them to the presiding officer.
2.2.2.3.2.3.Presiding officer will wait until all votes are received, count them, and then announce the results in accordance with the designated bylaw or resolution associated with the item to be voted on.


Article 5: Board of Directors Meeting

Section 1: Calling a Board of Directors Meeting

1.1. A Board of Directors Meeting will be called according to the corporate bylaws, Article IV, Section 3.1.

Section 2: Voting Procedures for Board of Directors Meeting

2.1. After due discussion and the present directors unanimously decide to move to a vote, the presiding officer shall call for a vote on the item.
2.2. The presiding officer shall call for all those who are in favor of the item to be voted on and the presiding officer will announce the count.
2.3. Then, the presiding officer shall call for those who are against the item and the presiding officer shall announce the count.
2.4. After the vote, the presiding officer will declare whether or not the item passes in accordance with the designated bylaw or resolution associated with the item to be voted on.