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Substantive Motion

One ordering something to be done, authorising some past or proposed action, expressing the meeting’s opinion with regard to some subject, or otherwise dealing with general activities, eg. ‘that the policy on late enrolments be adopted’, ‘that the Chairperson’s action in inviting Mr Smith to the next meeting be endorsed’.  Routine motions such as ‘that the minutes be confirmed and signed as a correct record’ and ‘that the report be received’ are also substantive motions. Monash University > Business and Economics > ASG > AGU > Resources Glossary of Meeting Terms Glossary of Common Meeting Terms Glossary of Common Agenda Terms Glossary of Common Minutes Terms Common Meeting Terms Adjournment Postponing or breaking off a meeting for later resumption. Amendment An alteration or proposed alteration to the terms of a motion, designed to improve the motion without contradicting it.  It can be to leave some words out, or to leave some words out and insert others in their place, or to add new words. Co-opted Member Co-opted members are usually members additional to a committee ie. they are not within the required list of members but provision is made in the terms of reference of the committee for their appointment to be made.  They may be appointed as they are persons with a particular interest in the committee’s functions or for a particular duration. Dissent If any members feel strongly about a motion that has been carried despite their opposition, they may request that their dissent or dissenting vote be recorded in the minutes. Ex Officio Members Individuals who are automatically members of a committee/board because they hold certain positions within the university, eg. Vice-Chancellor, Dean, Head of Department, University Librarian. General Business Any matter not otherwise raised during the meeting.  Provision is usually made for general business at the end of the agenda. Motion A proposed resolution before it has been adopted (that is, passed or carried) by the meeting.  May be procedural or substantive. Notice of Motion At the end of the meeting, members may give notice of their intention to move certain points at the next meeting.  This enables the other members to familiarise themselves with the issues involved in the meantime, and it ensures inclusion of the motions in the agenda of the next meeting. Point of Order Is taken when a person officially draws the attention of the chairperson of a meeting to an alleged irregularity in the proceedings.  The alleged irregularity may be one involving facts (eg. that a quorum is not present), or one involving opinions (eg. that a speaker’s remarks are not relevant to the subject of debate), or a mixture (eg. that a motion is outside the scope of the agenda). Procedural Motion Deals with the conduct of the meeting itself, eg. ‘that the meeting be adjourned’, ‘that Item 7 be discussed in conjunction with Item 14’. Quorum The smallest number of members who must be present to constitute a valid meeting.  Under Monash University Statute 1.2, no question may be decided at a meeting unless the quorum specified is present.  If a quorum is not present within half an hour of the scheduled starting time the meeting shall be adjourned to another time. Rescission Motion A motion proposing that a resolution be removed from the books, either later in the meeting which adopted it orat a subsequent meeting, eg. ‘that resolution 06/2/16 on the extension of the lunch period be rescinded’. Special/Extraordinary Meeting Held to discuss a specific topic(s) outside the normal meeting schedule. Standing Order (Or Rules of Order, or Rule of Debate), the permanent rules for the regulation of the business and proceedings at the committee/board meetings. Starring System Depending upon the type of committee/board, all items (or only selected items) may be discussed, using a starring system.  Items may be starred before the meeting by the secretary/executive officer, in consultation with the chairperson.  At the commencement of the meeting, members are given the opportunity to nominate items which they wish to star for discussion. Following is a suggested form of words for inclusion on agendas: Certain items appearing in the agenda have been marked with an asterisk. These are items that appear to need discussion by the Committee. Items that do not are unstarred. The Chair will move that the items remaining unstarred be adopted without discussion, and the action recommended be taken or the information therein noted by the Committee as appropriate. Statement of Pecuniary Interests Members having a direct commercial or financial interest in any itembefore this meeting must declare that interest to the Chair via the Committee Secretary prior to consideration of the item, and must not take part in a vote on any matter concerning it. Substantive Motion One ordering something to be done, authorising some past or proposed action, expressing the meeting’s opinion with regard to some subject, or otherwise dealing with general activities, eg. ‘that the policy on late enrolments be adopted’, ‘that the Chairperson’s action in inviting Mr Smith to the next meeting be endorsed’.  Routine motions such as ‘that the minutes be confirmed and signed as a correct record’ and ‘that the report be received’ are also substantive motions. Terms of Reference Outline of the purposes, functions, responsibilities of the committee/board. Common Agenda Terms Adopt The Committee is asked to accept the report or recommendations as representing its view, decision or position on the matter concerned. Approve The Committee is asked to support a recommendation. Confirm The Committee is requested to confirm the minutes as an accurate record of the meeting. Consider The Committee is requested to deliberate on a particular issue. Endorse The Committee is asked to support a recommendation made to another body/action taken, where the recommendation/action did not require the Committee’s formal approval. Note The Committee is informed of background information, sometimes with emphasis on a particular point. Receive The Committee receives documents that form part of the record of the meeting. Recommend The Committee supports, but does not have the power, to resolve the issue/proposal; it has to refer it to another Committee or officer. Resolve The Committee is asked to support a recommendation. Common Minutes Terms Adopted The Committee accepted the report or recommendations as representing its view, decision or position on the matter concerned. Agreed When a decision on a matter was reached. Approved When a decision on a matter was reached/recommendation supported. Confirmed The Committee confirmed the minutes as an accurate record of the meeting. Also used for emphasis on a particular point. Considered Used when the Committee deliberates on an issue. Discussed Used when a paper or proposal is discussed. Endorsed Signals the Committee’s support for a recommendation being made to another body, where the recommendation did not require the Committee’s formal approval. Noted The Committee is informed of background information, sometimes with emphasis on a particular point. This term can also be used when the Committee received and noted a paper without discussion. Ratified Endorsement of a decision/action taken in the Committee’s name e.g by the Chair. Received The Committee received documents forming part of the meeting record – often used in conjunction with noting a paper without discussion. Reported Usually when an oral report is made. Resolved When a decision on a matter was reached. (The statement is placed as a motion before the Committee and then passed by the Committee.) Recommended When the Committee recommended proposals to a higher authority. Spoke to When a speaker introduced a paper. Tabled Papers not included with the agenda are circulated at the meeting.