1. Do you have to be impartial to chair a meeting?
No. The Chair should maintain a position of professional neutrality. And the Chair should convey impartiality (1) by recognizing all speakers the same way and (2) by conducting votes fairly. But the Chair is not required to attempt impartiality in how he or she feels about a topic or issue personally.
2. Can the Chair vote?
Yes. The Chair may vote, but only in two instances: (1) in order to break a tie or create a tie if the Chair’s vote will affect the result, or (2) if the vote is a secret vote.
3. Should the Chair follow a script?
Yes. It is highly recommended that a Chair develop and use a standard script for various reasons.
- It’s helpful for repeatable tasks—e.g., acknowledging a motion or a second, recognizing members, taking a vote.
- Having a standard script helps the Chair lead in a professional manner.
- A script makes it easier to facilitate the meeting and keep things on track. Not having a script invites “rabbit trails.”
- When all the basic elements of a business meeting are scripted as a template, the Chair can adapt that standard script per the specific needs or events of each meeting’s agenda, scripting out any complicated motions that are anticipated (such as the motion to Table or Previous Question).
- A professional parliamentarian can help to draft a script if a Chair is inexperienced or is involved in a difficult or contentious situation.
4. Can the Chair debate?
No. If the Chair wants to debate an issue on which she has strong opinions, she needs to relinquish the chair for that portion of the meeting—the entire discussion on that motion or topic.
However, vacating the chair in order to publicly voice an opinion on a specific matter usually has political implications that reach far beyond the specific issue being discussed. It is wise to think long and hard about whether to enter into debate as the Chair or whether someone else could articulate the same views just as clearly.
One final note: The Chair is allowed to debate within a committee.
5. How should the Chair handle a point of order or request for information?
- In response to a point of order: The Chair should always respond, “Your point is well taken (or not well taken)” and then should give a reason for her ruling on the point of order.
- In response to a request for information: The Chair should either answer the member’s question or refer the question to a member who can answer. The Chair should not get into a back-and-forth with the member.
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