This document serves as a guideline for ordinary SC meetings, helping to ensure that all topics are addressed in an orderly fashion.
A. Frequency, Initiation and Announcement
1. This procedure does not apply to the conduct of the Scientific Council when sitting as a court or in carrying out impeachment hearings. Seperate procedures will exist for these functions.
2. The Scientific Council will have ordinary meetings on a bi-weekly basis.
3. Any member of the SC can call for an extraordinary meeting at one day’s notice provided that the member provides written justification including a draft agenda.
4. Legislation passed by the RA can only form the basis of an agenda item for an SC meeting provided that it is ‘flagged’ by a member of the SC within 48 hours of the act being archived and published.
5. A member of the SC may flag legislation by posting a notice to the effect that an SC review is desired with a brief justification in the SC announcements forum and notifying the Dean, who will in turn notify the LRA and other members of the SC.
6. The Dean will announce meetings of the SC in the SC announcements forum.
B. The Agenda
1. An announcement must contain the preliminary agenda for the meeting.
2. Any member may suggest items to be added to the agenda in the time between the initial announcement and the actual meeting.
3. Proposed additions must be published by the Dean in extension of the initial announcement.
4. Items on the preliminary agenda must be ranked by the Dean according to an explicit principle given in the announcement.
5. A rough estimate of the total time needed for the meeting must be given by the Dean on initial posting and for each successive update of the preliminary agenda.
6. Each item on the preliminary agenda must be classified by the Dean according to the taxonomy set forth in D.1
C. Quorum and Time Management
1. The SC has a quorum on a duly announced meeting when the Dean and one chair is present.
2. Members unable to attend the meeting may forward one or more notecards giving their opinion relative to items on the agenda in accordance with what is granted by D.3. Their vote will not be counted but the opinion given will be entered into the journal of the meeting.
3. As the first action of the meeting the Dean will investigate by asking the chairs present how much time is available for conducting the meeting.
4. On the basis of the information gathered the Dean will present a revised agenda with a proposal for how much time will be allotted to each item and accordingly how the item is classified relative to the taxonomy for agenda items.
5. Chairs may suggest changes to the agenda, which will be adopted if a majority of those present agree.
6. Items may not be added to the agenda at the meeting.
7. Items may be struck from the agenda if a majority of members present decide that the time that can be allocated to it is insufficient for a satisfactory treatment of it.
8. Any items struck from the agenda of a meeting must be carried over to the agenda of the next ordinary meeting.
D. Agenda Items, Speaking and Voting
1. An item on the agenda may be classified as one of the following types: – No discussion (ND) – Structured discussion (SD) – Unstructured discussion (UD) – Unstructured discussion, open submission (UDO)
2. Each item is introduced by the Dean or another SC member chosen by the Dean, who summarises what the item is about and outlines the alternative solutions or decisions that may be taken by the SC in regard to the item.
3. For a “no discussion” item members of the SC will only be asked for their preference in relation to the alternatives outlined and a brief justification for preferring this alternative. Members will be asked in an order chosen by the Dean and all statements and votes will be recorded into the journal of the meeting.
4. For a “structured discussion” item the process described under #3 will be preceded by two rounds of debate during which each member has equal amounts of time to make the case for their preference and in the second round of debate reply to arguments made by other members. The Dean will choose the order of the debate.
5. For an “unstructured discussion” item the process described under D.3 will be preceded by a period of time during which any member of the SC may speak freely in relation to the agenda item under discussion. Cross-talk is allowed and any member may speak at any time.
6. For an “unstructured discussion, open submission” item the process described under D.3 will be preceded by a process as described under D.5 with the exception that anyone present at the meeting may contribute.
E. The Journal
1. A journal will be kept for each meeting of the SC.
2. The journal will record the revised agenda as per C.3 and for every agenda item the introduction of the item as per D.2, the outcome of any vote and the justification by individual members for their vote as per D.3.
3. It is the responsibility of the Dean that this journal is produced. The Dean may choose to delegate the responsibility to other members of the SC or a civil servant employed for the purpose.
4. The journal must be archived, made publicly available and its availability announced along with a summary in the SC announcements forum.
F. Sanctions
1. Failure to abide by this procedure may be sanctioned by admonishment, temporary banishment from meetings of the SC or impeachment as deemed appropriate.
2. Any transgression must be addressed as a point of order by a member of the SC and moved for immediate consideration at the earliest possible duly notified meeting of the SC taking priority over any pre-existing agenda.
3. The question and extent of a possible sanction for a claimed transgression in regard to this procedure must be decided upon by a majority of the SC in accordance with the provisions in the Constitution for this event.
Procedure for Scientific Council Meetings v1.2 – 2007
Approved in Colonia Nova, January 7th 2007