Don Mills Collegiate Institute | Model United Nations

DMCI Model United Nations

Rules of Procedure
THE SESSION FLOW
Chair - the chair will give an opening speech to the delegates present, concerning the topic at hand
and the state of the debate. Afterwards the chair will start roll call for present delegates.
1.

ROLL CALL: The chair will call on each country and the delegate is responsible to

reply Present or Present and Voting.

a. Present and voting: you must vote in favour or against every motion or resolution. You
cannot not abstain (not voting).
b. Present: You do not need to vote on motions or resolutions but you must vote on
procedural motions.
2.

SET THE AGENDA: The chair will entertain motions to open the Speakers List.
a. Primary Speakers List: Unless otherwise specified, the default speaking time is one
minute and the default yield is to one point of information (POI). After the primary
speakers list is opened, you may raise your placard to be added to the primary
speakers list. Introduce the topic you wish to address first.
b. Secondary Speakers List: Once a topic has been put to the committee, debate
resumes on that topic. The defaults are one minute, default yield to one POI. On the
secondary speakers list, you may motion for:
i.

Moderated Caucus: You must set the speaking time, the yield, the length of the
moderated caucus, and the specific subtopic you want to discuss (ideal length
is 10 minutes, 1 minute speaking time, with yield to the chair or POIs). A
moderated caucus enables a freer exchange of opinions than would be
possible in formal debate.

ii. Unmoderated Caucus: You must set the length of the unmoderated caucus.
During an unmoderated caucus, you can leave your seats to mingle and speak
with your fellow delegates informally, without the chairs adjudication. This time
is ideal to write working papers and draft resolutions, and gauge interest.
After you finish speaking, you may yield your time to the chair, to another delegate or to POIs.
RESOLUTIONS AND VOTING PROCEDURE
1. DRAFTING RESOLUTIONS: Resolutions are usually drafted during an unmoderated caucus
along with other delegates. To understand what a resolution is, take a look at our guide on
resolution writing in the Guides and Materials folder.

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2. INTRODUCING RESOLUTIONS: Hand in the resolution during the unmoderated caucus to the
chair. After the committee has returned back to the secondary speakers list, it becomes a
draft resolution with a motion to introduce your working paper to the committee. If the motion
passes, the sponsors will be asked to come to the chair and read out the draft resolution to
the committee.
3. Q & A: A delegate should motion to enter a question and answer period on the draft resolution.
The sponsors should do their best to convince the committee to vote in favour of their draft
resolution with these answers.
4. AMENDMENTS: Other delegates may introduce amendments. If you allow it, it is a friendly
amendment that is automatically added. If you do not, it is an unfriendly amendment.
Unfriendly amendments will be voted upon during voting procedure, before the resolution
itself.
NOTE: You may motion for moderated or unmoderated caucuses to discuss the draft
resolution further.
5. VOTING PROCEDURE: Motion to enter voting procedure, or to vote clause by clause to vote on
your draft resolution. There must be a speaker for and against this motion. Each speaker has 1
minute to convince the committee why or why not to vote for the resolution. A 66% majority is
required to pass a resolution.
After the committee votes on a resolution, you can introduce another working paper or table
the topic.
POINTS AND MOTIONS
MOTION: a request made by a delegate that the committee as a whole do something. The different
kinds of motions are described in the Session Flow section above. You must vote in favour or against
any procedural motion. A 50% + 1 majority is required to pass a motion.
Some other motions that can be made include:
1. Table Debate: To move to another topic after having exhausted a topic (hopefully after
passing a resolution), you must motion to table debate. This returns the committee to the
primary speakers list.
1. Recess: To temporarily break the session, you must motion to recess. There will be another
roll call before debate resumes where it was previously.
2. Adjourn Meeting: To end debate, you must motion to adjourn the meeting. This will end the
committee.

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POINTS: can be made at any time, as long as you are not interrupting someone who is speaking. The
points are:
1. Points of Information should be made if you have a question for the current speaker.
2. Points of Order should be made only when a delegate is violating parliamentary procedure,
or acting in a manner completely inappropriate and informal.
3. Points of Parliamentary Inquiry should be made if you want clarification on the rules and
procedures.
4. Points of Personal Privilege should be made if something is bothering you (i.e. the speaker is
too quiet, the room is too cold)