Henry M Robert Day

I. Bylaw Nuggets or Lumps of Coal
Patricia McDougle, PRP
Not all bylaws conform to Robert or generally accepted standards of parliamentary law. That may be okay because each organization gets to define its structure, functions, and the rules it deems important. You will look at strange, out-of-the-ordinary bylaw provisions found in real-world bylaws. Some are weird, some are downright uninterpretable, and some are confusing.

II. What Robert’s and Clients Have Taught Us About Bylaws
Nancy Sylvester, PRP
Robert’s teaches us a great deal about bylaws, but so have the many experiences of working with clients. Three important lessons to explore are to begin by determining your end product, understand the important characteristics of bylaws, and follow best practices when writing bylaws.

III. Where Does This Rule Belong?
Sandy Olson, PRP
In this interactive program, you will explore the applications that should be found in an organization’s governing documents and test your ability to determine where to find the information your members need, and how to prepare an organization to maintain effective and useful governing documents.

IV. Interpreting Ambiguous Bylaws
Gregory Carlson, PRP
Bylaws are a critical document for an organization. They define an organization’s purpose and most important rules. Unfortunately, bylaws can be ambiguous or even contradictory. This presentation provides tools for interpreting ambiguous bylaws with examples inspired by real-life situations. Participants will see how rules of order placed within bylaws work.

V. Rethinking Revisions
Colette Trohan, PRP
Revisions are risky business. Months of work can be undone by a single vote. The process outlined in RONR takes away all the protections of notice and scope of notice and makes adopting a revision a free-for-all. This presentation will offer another way to handle a revision that minimizes risk and maximizes reward.