Chair

What does the chair do?

The chair is like a judge, without the power of a vote during a debate. He/she is able to over-rule any interference during a speaker's speech, select who has the floor or who may have a point of infromation. The chair may approve/disapprove of any movement to remove a nation from the forum. The chair may decide to move into any section of the debate procedure if it is needed, he/she holds the power to extend debate time, You may send notes of inquiry to the chair. Notes to the chair are usually less constrained for content, however in THIMUN the majority of notes are scanned and censored according to relativity and content.

Points of order - this is used by the delegate when/if the delegate feels that the chair has made a wrong decision concerning parliamentary procedure, e.g. if the chair calls for a vote on extend debate, when there is no vote required, the delegate can call out "point of order" and tell the chair that there is no vote in extend debate.

Points of personal privilege to the chair may be on account of things such as audiability, it can be used however when a delegate feels abused or neglected. It can be called out anytime except during voting. Refers to delegates rights and comforts.

If the delegate that is speaking mentions another nation, and that nation wishes to comment on what has been said the delegate may, if he/she wishes, call a "right to reply" and defend themselves without posing a question, unlike a point of information.

A point of Information can be directed at both the speaker and the chair. For the speaker, this point is basically a way by which you can ask you can ask the speaker questions regarding the resolution. A point of Information must be short, and must be a short statement followed by a short question.  A point of information to the chair is used by the delegate to get information not pertaining to parliamentary procedure, but to other Model United Nations proceedings, e.g. " When do we break for lunch?"

Orders of the day are used by the delegate when the delegate feels an issue being debated on the floor has gone off track and does not pertain to the agenda e.g. the resolution is about refugees in Somalia and the speaker starts talking about the Flintstones.

Point of parliamentary inquiry - should be used when delegates wishe to get information about a point in parliamentary procedure they don't understand, e.g. "Could the chair please tell me how many votes the main motion requires?" Use it as much as possible if you don't understand the proceedings in the assembly.

Appeal is used when the chair has made an arbitrary decision that does not pertain to parliamentary procedure.

To withdraw a motion is when the sponsor of a resolution/amendment (motion), feels that the motion is too weak or is wasting the assembly's time. The sponsor can withdraw the motion.

Objection to the consideration - this is used by the delegates who feel that the resolution being discussed is useless and/or a similar resolution proposing the same ideas was already debated before. This objection must be called before the chair asks for a second. The delegate will have 30 seconds to explain their objection.

Lay on the table - this motion is only used during debate time against, (in some cases during open debate). If the delegate against the resolution feels that there is no point in debating this resolution further, he/she calls to table the resolution. if the motion passes, the resolution will be tabled and the assembly will move on the next resolution.

As a delegate, you may only speak if the chair recognizes you. To be recognized you must raise your placard. If you wish to interrupt a speaker for a point of personal privilege, you may call "point of personal privilege" and raise your placard. If the chair recognizes you, then you may speak, if not, then you should lower your placard and wait until the speaker has concluded. All other Debate processes go by recognition by raising placards.