National Convention
Convention Handbook
Introduction
About the Convention
Before the Convention
At the Convention
Rules of the Convention
At The Convention
As a Voting Delegate, the two activities which will take up most of your time at the convention are the Reference Committee meetings and the Legislative General Session. This section describes these two important fuctions and also provides some guidelines about politics and convention policies.
Reference Committees
The Reference Committes serve an important function at the convention. Each committee reviews all proposed legislation under their area of responsibility and discusses each item in depth. The committee then decides which will make it onto the agenda of the convention's Legislative General Session. Without these committees, the general session could easily last a week.
If your chapter has introduced legislation to be considered at the convention, it is a good idea to contact the Reference Committee which will work on your legislation. This should be done early so you don't miss an opportunity to testify before the committee.
Also, if your chapter wants to suggest a nomination for one of the national officers, you should go to the Nominating Committee room the first night of the convention and ask to testify before the committee.
Committee Organization
Each committee consists of a delegate from each region and a chairperson. In addition, each committee will have two or three alumni as advisors. The advisors and the committee chair are appointed by the National President before the start of the convention.
The committee chair should be prepared to lead and organize the activities of the committee. He or she will preside over the discussion of the various topics on the agenda. The chair should appoint a committee secretary to record the discussions and decisions of all topics. The chair may also appoint a timekeeper if the committee agenda is heavy and a Sergeant-at-Arms to keep order.
The advisors will help the committee to remain focused, but generally remain in the background. Additionally, advisors provide expertise on legislative technique that may help the committee with wording or understanding the history of a particular issue.
How Committees Operate
The committee begins by prioritizing the legislation before it. They will group similar proposals and possibly eliminate some proposals which are redundant or not pertinent. They will then create a schedule which lists each proposal that the committee will discuss. This schedule will be posted on their door to inform people who wish to testify before the committee.
Several proposals may concern the same issue; the committee will sift through these common items and come up with the best possible motion to present to the Legislative General Session. While doing this, keep in mind that the most broadly worded motion gives the convention the greatest latitude in passing a motion that best meets the Fraternity's needs.
The committee should examine each issue from both the pro and con sides. In addition to discussion by committee members, the committee will hear testimony by interested parties. This will not only improve the quality of legislation which makes it onto the agenda, but will also allow the committee to better answer questions and objections which are raised on the floor. Many a promising amendment has failed because of a negative argument that was not effectively countered during the debate on the floor of the Legislative General Session.
The committee may decide not to include a particular proposal on their agenda for various reasons. Realize, however, that any Voting Delegate can still make a motion to bring the proposed legislation up during the Legislative General Session. This may occur when someone feels strongly that a proposal should be passed. The committee decision to kill the proposal should have been based on sound reasoning, and the committee should be prepared to present these substantive arguments if the legislation is brought up again during the Legislative General Session.
Most committees put off writing the report until after their portion of the agenda has been set and they are tired. Instead, the committees should summarize the reasons for and against each piece of legisltation as it is placed on the agenda, while it is still fresh in their minds. If possible, actually write a rough draft of that part of the report before the committee moves on to the next piece of business.
If you can bring a laptop or notebook computer to the committee meeting, this would be very helpful. If you do decide to bring your own computer for this purpose, please contact the Printing & Publications Committee so they can coordinate computers in committee meetings.
Resources Available to the Committees
The committee will have to consider amendments which have not been clearly explained by the chapter or member proposing them. The committee is responsible for obtaining sufficient information to evaluate each proposal and decide which proposals will be presented to the Legislative General Session by the committee.
Often, interested parties will request to testify before the committee. This testimony will provide much information about the matter, but will most certainly be biased toward one side of the issue. Additionally, committees have the power to subpoena various Fraternity officials or other knowledgable persons as witnesses to obtain further information on the proposals. Once the committee decides who they want to subpoena, they notify the committee's Sergeant-at-Arms who then takes the steps necessary to get the person to testify before the committee. This method can reveal much information and clear up confusion.
Please remember the members of the National Board are busy people with many responsibilities at the convention. Be considerate of this and do not over-use the power to subpoena.
The Committee's Report
After many hours of discussion, your committee will have to come up with a set of amendments to place on the agenda. However, the committee is not finished with its work. It still has a report to write. Although the reasons for approving your amendments will be very clear to the committee members, you must remember that there are 200 or so other delegates that do not know what the legislation is all about, or why they should vote for it. In fact, major misconceptions may exist about some proposals that could cause them to be rejected.
The best weapon you have to counter these problems is a clear, consise and complete committee report. In this report, the committee summarizes all the legislation on the agenda and presents the justification for each item. Although the motions themselves must be formally worded, the justification should explain the reasons for and effects of the motion in terms which are easy to understand. A well written report will include the strongest pro arguments as well as facts to refute the major con arguments and clear up possible areas of misunderstanding. In some cases, the committee report may also include an opposing "minority opinion" which will be presented to the general session.
As a committee member, you may want to "talk up" some of your legislation with other delegates. This can be done formally at regional meetings, or informally at meals, parties, etc. The idea is to be sure the Voting Delegates are informed on the issues. However, when stating opinions on controversial issues, be sure to differentiate between the "committee opinion" and your personal feelings. Above all, remember that your duty as a Voting Delegate is to represent the wishes of your chapter.
Final Preparation Before the Legislative General Session
Select an articulate member of the committee to give the report to the general session. This does not have to be the committee chairperson. A well delivered report will dispel many objections. The general session can be confusing and people can be distracted (or obstinate). People will no doubt bring up some objections during the discussion period. Committee members (other than the committee's presenter) should be prepared to go to the microphones to speak in favor of their amendments, but do not over do it. A good understanding of the pro and con considerations will again be helpful.
The Legislative General Session
All Voting Delegates participate in the Legislative General Session. It is where all legislation is discussed and accepted or rejected.
The legislative sessions are fairly fast-paced and can be a bit confusing. A lot of material has to be covered in a short period of time. Reading through the proposed amendments before discussion begins will help reduce the confusion.
[Diagram of the Convention floor with stage for the chair at the front, the stage for committee reports on the right side, rows of tables for voting delegates facing the stages and divided by two aisles with microphones. These two aisles serve as entrance and exit respectively from the observation gallery in the back.]
Discussion and Voting
As shown on the sample floor map, there is a separate entrance and exit from the floor. This allows the "Floor Services" personnel to keep an accurate count of the number of delegates on the floor. When entering and exiting the floor, it is important to use the correct "doorway."
There are microphones on the floor to allow delegates to voice their opinions on issues before the assembly. To be recognized by the chair, you must state your name, the chapter that you represent and your intent for obtaining the floor. The chair will recognize delegates at each microphone in sequence. For some discussions, certain microphones will be designated for speakers who wish to present discussion "for" the motion and others will be designated "against."
Since amendments to motions cannot change the intent or expand the scope of the motion, delegates should limit their discussion to alternatives which are possible. The Appendix of this handout presents more details about the conduct of business and how to use parliamentary procedure.
You should plan to be on the floor throughout as much of the general session as possible. No one can cast your vote if you are not present on the floor, except for unusual circumstances where you actually leave the convention entirely (e.g., illness)
When considering an issue, remember that the Reference Committee spent 8 to 12 hours reviewing and debating the merits of their proposed amendments before presenting them to the Legislative General Session. They have examined alternative proposals and checked out all the nitty gritty details. The resolutions that make it out of committees are generally worthy of your careful consideration.
Floor Services
There are volunteers available on the floor to carry messages and packages between delegates and others. They may also be of assistance if you have questions concerning the conduct of the Legislative General Session. Non-voting Delegate members of your chapter's contingent may be accessed via Floor Services personnel to obtain aspirin, nourishment, refreshment, support and humor. This support will keep your spirits up during the long legislative sessions, and can increase the fun-factor by quite a bit. Messages may also be sent to Regional Directors, Sectional Chairs, or to people in the gallery.
Please keep in mind that messages between delegates on the floor may be used for support and questions, but cannot be used for caucusing or lobbying since that is forbidden on the convention floor.
Lobbying and Campaigning
Campaigning or lobbying for what you believe in is a fact of life and takes place on various subtle and not so subtle levels at the convention. If you recognize it going on, it can be amusing to watch, educational, and, hopefully, beneficial.
The most obvious lobbying is for the next convention location. You may hear a pitch for one of the bidding cities even before you get to your hotel room. The cities will have hospitality suites where you can get information about what each city has to offer as a convention site, including vital information such as statistics on hotel elevator capabilities and the like. You can also get assorted freebies such as stickers, buttons, etc. Go to the suites, have fun, and gather information to make a decision for the city that will be the best convention location.
People who are running for national office campaign at the convention. They make formal presentations at regional suites, and may offer informal stump speeches in hospitality suites. The idea is to ensure that you have all the information needed to make an informed decision in the election.
Various emotional and controversial topics will be discussed during the convention. For example, one controversy at recent conventions was changing the words of the Toast Song. You should realize that people feel strongly about these issues and respect their opinions, even if you disagree with them. We are all in the same Fraternity, and this should be remembered during debate.
You may want to spend some time lobbying for the amendments that you feel strongly about. As long as it is not done on the convention floor, it is perfectly acceptable. The more people who know the reasons behind an amendment before it comes up for a vote, the better the chance of a decision which most benefits the Fraternity. Give careful thought to an issue before making a decision. Many issues are ones that people instinctively vote against, such as rasing fees. However, careful consideration can reveal that this is the best course of action when confronted with the reality of rising costs, for example.
Convention politics is not bad; it is a necessary and valuable part of the legislative process. If delegates are aware of politicking, they can use it to garner and spread valuable information. As a delegate, your main responsibilities are to be informed on the issues and to vote according to your chapter's wishes.
If any questions arise about these issues, do not hesitate to contact your Regional Director or Sectional Chair for advice.
Convention Alcohol Policy
As participating citizens we have an obligation to comply with all federal, state, and local laws. To this end, the National Board of Directors has adopted this National Convention Alcohol Policy:
- "All Brothers of Alphi Phi Omega are responsible for compliance with laws regarding alcohol consumption;
- No alcoholic beverages will be served or consumed at convention functions (i.e., dances, casino nights, talent shows, regional or sectional meetings, etc.);
- No alcoholic beverages in open containers will be transported or consumed in common or public areas of the hotel (i.e., halls, lobbies, elevators, etc.) excluding bars open to the public;
- Violation of local laws or hotel regulations while under the influence of alcohol will be viewed as a violation of the Fraternity's Convention Alcohol Policy."
Be sure to read all convention registration literature carefully for details of this and other policies which govern the convention.
A Final Word
As you have read, there is a lot going on at the National Convention. The delegates make many important decisions at the convention which determine the future direction of the Fraternity. There are big important issues and little mundane issues; all must be discussed and voted on. The process can be both frustrating and confusing. However, the rewards outweigh any negative aspects.
Hopefully, this handbook has helped prepare you to successfully navigate the seas of the National Convention. Although delegates must work hard, they should also have a lot of fun. So smile, and remember to have a good time at Nationals! See you there.
By the way, please take a few moments after the convention to write down anything you wished we had told you about in this handbook. Send your comments to the National Office and we'll include your hints and ideas in the next edition.
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