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Model United Nations
of Southeast Missouri State University

2010

 Delegate Handbook


 

   

2010 SMMUN Delegate Handbook
doc       |        pdf
 

 


 

Contents

(click any section or link, or scroll down to view the entire document)

Introduction

Section One:
The Participants

Faculty Advisor

Head Delegate

The Delegates

 Section Two:
Preparation
 

Questions to Ask About Your Country

Position Papers

Preparing Resolutions

 Section Three:
The Conference
 

Role Playing

Debate

Caucus Groups

Committee Topics
Awards

 Section Four:
Reference
Rules of Procedure:
 SMMUN Rules of Procedure
 -General Provisions
-Officers
-Members
-Conference Agenda
-Substantive Proposals
-Debate
-Points
-Motions
-Voting
-Supplemental Rules
Security Council Rules
 General Assembly Rules
 


 

Introduction

The Southeast Missouri Model United Nations (SMMUN) is designed for students to exercise and explore their abilities and talents by simulating actual United Nations proceedings. The purpose of this manual is to explain to participants what they should expect at the SMMUN, and how they should prepare for it.
 
 

 

Section One: The Participants

The Faculty Advisor

The most important function of the advisor is to provide guidance in pre-conference delegation preparation.  At the SMMUN, advisors are permitted to sit in on committee meetings and the general assembly, if they wish.  However, in keeping with the educational challenge of this exercise, we ask that advisors play as minimal a role as possible in the actual delegation decisions.

Responsibilities of  the faculty advisors:

  1. Select a head delegate from your students who is capable of handling the responsibilities of this leadership position.

  2. Arrange study sessions that may include a film, a guest speaker from your nation or region, or a presentation by another teacher.

  3. Not only must you feel confident that your delegation can adequately represent the assigned nation, but they must be familiar with the workings of the United Nations. Also help them learn parliamentary procedure and the conference rules (see 'Section Four: Reference").

  4. Prepare the delegates on the agenda items. Each committee has been assigned two topics for review.

  5. It is the faculty advisor's responsibility to send in all resolutions and other requested information and carry out any necessary correspondence. The deadline for sending resolutions will be announced in an upcoming letter to faculty advisors.

  6. Supervise students during the conference.

  7. At the advisor’s meeting during the conference, pick nation assignments for the following year.
     

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The Head Delegate

Responsibilities of the head delegate include assisting the Faculty Advisor in the pre-conference preparation. (For more information, see "Section Two: Preparation").  At the SMMUN conference, the head delegate should:

  1. Register delegation upon arrival.

  2. Submit National Flag entry, if desired.

  3. Distribute identification badges and all conference material to delegation.

  4. Acquaint delegation with the location of all rooms.

  5. Answer any questions that fellow delegates may have concerning their nation assignment during the course of the day. This includes keeping track of any reference material which may have been brought with you.

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The Delegates
Individual delegates hold the key to a successful SMMUN convention.  Delegates should remember that they are part of a team, and that team success depends upon individual responsibility.  Delegates have two primary tasks:

  1. The first is adequate preparation BEFORE the conference, in order to carry out your assigned tasks as an informed delegate.

  2. The second task is to actively contribute your knowledge in committee meetings, caucuses, and the General Assembly. Verbal participation is most vital in order for the Model United Nations to serve its purpose.

 
 


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Section Two: Preparation

SMMUN Tip

Pre-conference preparation will work best by dividing up the work among the delegates. One suggestion is to divide by committee assignments.  Research findings should be shared at study sessions so that all delegates will benefit from a general knowledge of all areas.

 
Research is the most important part of advance preparation. Consult your school librarian about what information is available to you.  Also ask teachers if they have materials in their personal libraries that you might use.

Basic suggestions for research and preparation include the following:

  1. Become familiar with United Nations functions, charter, parliamentary procedure,
    and SMMUN conference rules.
     

  2. Learn general information about your nation (history, geography, economy, culture,
    foreign policy).
     

  3. Learn general information about the United Nations (history, role, power).
     

  4. Each delegate should understand the function of his/her committee assignment, and
    the topics which are on its agenda.
     

  5. Decide what possible actions you will take on the agenda items. Prepare a list of
    these for easy reference.
     

  6. Prepare a position paper on how your state stands on the agenda items. This
    should be used for backup arguments when supporting your resolutions.
     

  7. Submit a formal resolution on one or both topics of each committee.
     

  8. These are extensive tasks for the delegate to undertake, but they are necessary if the delegate is to become a well informed, effective participant in the SMMUN.
     

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Questions to Ask About Your State
  

  1. Basic Geographical Information

    • Where is the state located?

    • What countries border it?

    • Does the state border an ocean, or is it landlocked?

    • What type of terrain surrounds it?

    • Are there any canals or major rivers?

    • How stable is the government?

    • Is the state developed or developing?

    • What is the state's primary source of wealth?

    • Natural resources?

    • What does the state export? Import?

    • Is there a predominant religion or culture?

    • Does the state fit into a general category (i.e., Arab, African, etc.)?

    • What organizations is the state a member of (e.g. OPEC, UNCTAD, NATO, EEC, etc.)?

       

  2. Basic Political Information
     

    • What type of government does the state have (democratic, monarchial, military dictator)?

    • What type of economic system does it have (market, command, traditional, mixed)?

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Position Papers

The suggested position paper should easily prove the most valuable tool of the delegate. Since the SMMUN is student run, a position paper provides students with both the facts and the confidence necessary to act independently of faculty assistance. As such, an effort should be made to come to know not only what position on major questions your country has taken, but why it has done so. A brief position paper should be prepared on each topic before the SMMUN. A suggested outline for position papers follows:

  1. Background Information on Committee Topics

    • Main elements of the issue.

    • General importance of the issue (e.g., position of major powers, blocs, and other countries).

    • U.N. action taken on the issue (e.g., UN resolutions adopted).

  2. The Country's Position on the issue

    • As stated in UN sources, including speeches, votes on resolutions adopted, and resolutions proposed.

    • As revealed in the National Press, parliament, periodical articles, speeches of the leading government officials, and subject experts.
       

SMMUN TIP

The position paper should be written in outline or paragraph form to make reference easier during the committee meetings.

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Preparing Resolutions
Most of the decisions of the United Nation's bodies are expressed in the form of resolutions. Resolutions typically are submitted under the sponsorship of one or sometimes several delegations, and they are usually first discussed in a committee meeting, where the text may undergo several amendments before approval. The resolutions, as approved by the Committee, then go to the plenary session of the General Assembly for final consideration, which will result in its adoption or rejection.

All resolutions should deal with topics listed as one of the agenda items in this handbook. The purpose of the agenda is to keep the number of topics down to a manageable level; resolutions that deviate from that agenda serve only to defeat this purpose and will not be considered.

Resolutions usually follow a regular format. All delegations are expected to observe the following directions when preparing their resolutions. All resolutions should be typed for legibility. A sample resolution is included in "Section Four: Reference."
 

Directions for Preparing Resolutions:
 

  1. HEADING

    The heading at the top of a resolution is important. If properly done, it will greatly facilitate the work of the staff in processing the resolution. At the left margin should be a section indicating the subject of the resolution, which committee it was submitted to, and which delegation proposed it.

     

  2. TEXT OF THE RESOLUTION
     

    • Preamble: The preamble is designed to explain the purpose of the resolution and to state the main reasons in support of the activating clauses to follow. The preamble often refers to earlier UN resolutions or other actions taken on the matter. Reference is also often made to some appropriate article in the UN Charter. The preamble begins with the name of the UN body concerned and continues with what the body is doing (using such words as: recognizing, believing, noting further, recalling, taking into account, desiring, noting, recognizing further, etc.) in terms of why the resolution is being proposed.
       

    • Activating Clauses: The numbered activating clauses (requests, declares, encourages, supports, endorses, invites, stresses, expresses the belief, etc.) take the form of recommendations for action, or a statement of favorable or unfavorable opinion, concerning an existing situation. The resolution may request action by Member States, or by bodies of the United Nations family.
       

    • The resolution should be single spaced within clauses and double spaced between sections. The first word or phrase opening the clause should be capitalized. Each preamble clause ends with a comma. Each activating clause ends with a semi colon, except for the last, which ends with a period.
       

Points to Remember in Submitting a Resolution for Consideration:

It should:

  1. Be clear and concise.

  2. Contain correct spelling and good grammar.

  3. Contain no more than one resolution.

  4. Not be in conflict with the UN Charter.

  5. Not appear contrary to your country's position.

  6. Be typed.

  7. Not be similar to another resolution.

  8. Be current.

  9. Mean exactly what the delegation wished it to mean, so that "representatives of government" can understand it, and therefore cast a vote on it.

Also note:

  1. Students should have notes before them for the purpose of explaining and supporting their resolution in debate.
     

  2. Resolutions will be accepted up to the specified deadline. New resolutions will not be accepted at the conference.  Delegations not submitting their resolutions prior to this deadline may be accepted, but priority will be given to resolutions received and accepted by the deadline.
     
  3. Resolutions should be no longer than one page whenever possible.
 

SMMUN TIP


2007 Conference Resolutions are available on the High School Homepage.
 Sample Resolutions are available on the Writing and Submitting Your Resolution page.

 
 


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Section Three: The Conference
Role Playing

Role playing is the essence of the SMMUN, and it stems from your preparation and research. Discovering and keeping with your national character throughout the conference is essential for creating the educational atmosphere desired.

SMMUN seeks to provide a medium for creative diplomacy, where delegates can experience the problems and frustrations of international politics; this is where role playing is most important. We ask delegates to use their imaginations and cast themselves realistically into the role of the country they are representing. In turn, the SMMUN will then be the educational tool it was intended to be.

We encourage delegates to wear national dress, if they choose to. If not, proper dress attire is expected. Delegates are expected to take their roles seriously and to dress and act accordingly.

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Debate

Debate is, without a doubt, the most important function of the United Nations. Through debate, each nation has a chance to express its views on international issues, to comment on the positions of other nations, and to propose solutions. It is argued that the role of the United Nations as a forum for international debate has contributed materially to the easing of world tensions. While general policy debates are held at the beginning of each session of the General Assembly, they are the exception rather than the rule. Most debates in the UN center on a single agenda topic and, more specifically, upon resolutions which have been proposed concerning that topic.

Due to the shortage of time inherent in the SMMUN, most speeches will be relatively short and impromptu in nature. Since it is impossible to anticipate the direction of debate or the nature of proposals considered, delegates should probably not prepare lengthy speeches in advance, because such speeches may turn out to be either irrelevant or repetitious in the context of earlier debate. With the obvious exception of the first speaker on a topic, delegates must be able to react to the flow of debate preceding their speeches. Weaker arguments of allies must be bolstered while repeated claims of opponents must be refuted. Thus, delegates must be flexible in their preparations. Good organization is essential. Additionally, it is usually possible to pre- write short segments of debate on a given issue. Those few relevant segments may then be worked into the context of a larger impromptu speech.
 


 SMMUN TIP

If a time limit is set on debate within your committee, a useful technique is to yield the floor to another delegate who holds views similar to your own. This procedure assures maximum use of available time.

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Caucus Groups

One of the most important, yet least understood aspects of the United Nations General Assembly, is that of caucus groups. Caucus groups may be thought of in terms of voting blocs; that is, member states which tend to vote together (as a bloc) on a particular issues in the General Assembly. For the purpose of the SMMUN, however, we shall consider caucus groups as informally organized and structured groups of countries with similar ideologies or needs.

The rationale behind the use of caucus group meetings within the General Assembly is a simple one. It is obviously the purpose of member states to use the United Nations both as a forum for expressing official opinions and as an instrument for protecting their national interests. As neither end could readily be accomplished with all 191 countries pulling in the opposite directions of individual national interests, it has become necessary to attempt to combine the common interests of individual nations in an effort to exert a greater amount of political influence within the Assembly. Caucus groups represent nothing more than the aggregation of interests of member states on various issues.

It is necessary to realize one major fact about caucus groups and their role in the United Nation's system: they are neither political parties nor decision making groups. Rather, they are a means of consultation and communication among nations with supposedly common interests. Seldom is absolute agreement reached within any caucusing group.

Hopefully, the utilization of caucus groups will lead to more enlightened debate and better organized proceedings in the General Assembly and its committees. One thing all delegates must realize, however, is that while caucus groups are important in the exerting of influence in the assembly, no single caucus group or voting bloc can dominate it. It is the interaction between nations and groups of nations with conflicting interests which lead to the success or failure of measures in the General Assembly.

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Committee Topics

SMMUN operates the following committees:

  • First Committee
    Political & International Security     
     

  • Third Committee
    Social, Humanitarian & Cultural
     

  • Fourth Committee
    Special Political and Decolonization
     

  • Security Council

Click here to see this year's assigned topics and read available topic guides.

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Awards

Several special awards will be presented at the conclusion of the conference.  All awards will be decided by the SMMUN staff.  They are:

Best Representation of the National Flag:
Delegations who wish to enter this competition will make and bring a copy of their nation's official flag. To be considered for this award, flags must:

  1. be approximately 2 feet by 3 feet in size; and

  2. be handcrafted and have an identification card on the back stating both the country represented and your school's name.

  3. PLEASE do not bring flag poles, as the entries will be displayed on the walls of the General Assembly room.

  4. Flags may be picked up by their delegations at the end of the conference.  Those flags left at the end of the conference will be displayed at future SMMUN conferences.

Best National Costume:
Delegates interested in this award should be as authentic as possible. If delegates choose not to dress in national costume, they should wear proper dress attire (i.e. western business attire).

Best Delegation:
Awarded for each committee meeting and the General Assembly. These will be based on delegate participation and performance throughout the conference.

Essay Contest:
First, second and third place prizes and honorable mention recognition will be awarded to the top essays.  Complete rules can be found on the Essay Contest page.  To receive an award, the student must be present during the conference.

 
 


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Section Four: Reference
 

SMMUN Rules of Procedure

 

I. General Provisions

1.1 Rule of Priority and Procedure. The rules contained in this handbook shall be the official rules of procedure of the Southeast Missouri Model United Nations and will be used for all transactions of business at the conference.  The legality of proposals will be determined according to the Charter of the United Nations unless otherwise specified by the SMMUN Handbook and the Short Form of Points and Motions.  These rules will take precedence over any other set of rules.
   
1.2 Rule Changes. The Steering Committee reserves the right to make changes in these Rules and to present these changes to the delegates at any time.  All changes should accommodate the desires or complaints of the delegates or staff so as to improve the conduct of business during the conference.

II. Officers

2.1 Officers. The Steering Committee of the SMMUN shall select persons to serve as Chairpersons, Legal Counsels, and Secretaries for each committee and any other position to help conduct the business of the SMMUN.
   
2.2  Absence of Chairperson. If the Chair should find it necessary to be absent during any part of a committee meeting, he/she shall designate an individual (preferably the Legal Counsel) to assume his/her duties with the same authority.
   
2.3 General Authority of the Chairperson. In addition to exercising such authority conferred upon the Chair elsewhere in these Rules, the Chair shall declare the opening and closing of each session of the committee, direct its discussions, ensure observance of these Rules, accord the right to speak, put questions to a vote, and announce decisions of the committee.
   
2.4 Statements by the Secretariat. The Secretary-General, or any other member of the SMMUN staff designated by the Secretary-General, may at any time make oral or written statements to a committee.

III. Members

3.1 Number of Accredited Delegates. The number of delegates allowed on any delegation of the SMMUN shall be limited to four per committee on which the delegation is a member (including the Head Delegate), with the exception of the Security Council, which requires only two delegates; each delegation shall be accorded one vote. Delegates shall be required to wear proper identification at all times.
   
3.2  Diplomatic Courtesy. All delegates MUST accord all other delegates diplomatic courtesy at all times.  Any delegate or visitor who, after being advised by the Chair, persists in an obvious attempt to divert the meeting from its intended purpose, or who otherwise attempts to disrupt the proceedings, shall be subject to disciplinary action and expulsion by the Secretariat.
   
3.3 Quorum. One-third of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum. The presence of a majority of the members of the committee, however, is required for a substantive question to be put to a vote.  It is the responsibility of the Chair to insure that a quorum is present at all times.  Any delegate who doubts the presence of a quorum or a majority may ask the Chair for a ruling.  'the Chair shall then determine, by appropriate means, whether the required number is present.  The number of delegates required for a quorum or majority shall be based upon the number of delegations in attendance at the conference.

IV. Conference Agenda

4.1  Selection of Agenda Items. Agenda items shall be selected by the SMMUN Steering Committee.  Once selected, these items are fixed for the duration of the conference and no other items will be discussed.
   
4.2 Order of Consideration of Agenda Items. Agenda items will be considered in the order in which they appear in the SMMUN Handbook, unless that order is altered by a majority of the Committee.
   
4.3 Order of Consideration of Prior-Approved Resolutions. Prior-approved resolutions are resolutions that were received by the specified deadline and were deemed appropriate by the SMMUN staff. They will receive priority over other resolutions. The order of appearance of resolutions before the Committee is determined by the date in which they were received, and is listed under the appropriate committee topic in that order in the resolution book by the Secretariat. When the Chair opens debate on any agenda item, any delegate may move for consideration of an approved resolution on the agenda item that has been submitted to the chair with signatories of 1/8 of the delegations present. If the motion is seconded, the Chair will direct the committee to an immediate vote without debate on the motion, a majority being required for consideration. If no resolution receives a majority vote in favor of consideration, the Committee will automatically have before it for consideration the first resolution in the SMMUN resolution book under that agenda item that has been received by the chair with the appropriate number of signatories.
4.4  Consideration of Resolutions without prior approval. Resolutions that were not received by the specified deadline may still be considered, but not until 1/2 of the prior approved resolutions on the agenda item have been considered.  For a resolution without prior approval to be considered, it must relate to the committee topic currently being debated, be submitted to the chair with signatories of 1/8 of the delegations present, and the delegate must supply enough copies of the resolution for each delegation present.  Once these conditions have been met, any delegate may move for consideration of the resolution.  If the motion is seconded, the chair will direct the committee to an immediate vote without debate on the motion, a majority being required for consideration.

V. Substantive Proposals

5.1  Resolutions.  Delegates will receive selected resolutions for consideration no later than at the time of the conference registration.  The delegates must submit resolutions in the proper form by the deadline set by the SMMUN Steering Committee.
   
5.2 Reporting Resolutions to the General Assembly. The Chair of each committee shall report resolutions passed by that committee to the Plenary Session of the General Assembly for its consideration.  If a committee fails to approve a resolution on an agenda item, it shall submit a "Declaration of No Report" on that agenda item.  That topic area will not be considered by the General Assembly.
   
5.3  Amendments. All amendments to resolutions must be signed by one sponsoring delegation and at least one other seconding delegation; they must be submitted on an official amendment form for approval by the Legal Counsel and must be labeled with an identifying number by the Secretary.  Secondary amendments and amendments by substitution are not acceptable.  Obvious typographical efforts will be brought to the Committee's attention and collected by the Chair with no vote required.  To move an amendment to the floor, recognition by the Chair and introduction of the amendment will suffice; no vote shall be required.  Once an amendment has been brought to the floor, the Committee shall consider only the amendments and not the Resolutions until final action on the amendment has been taken (except to the extent that the amendment pertains to the Resolution).
   
5.4  Definition of Amendment and Voting on Amendments.  An amendment is a motion that adds to, deletes from, or revises any part of a resolution.  A series of alterations proposed by a single delegation to the same resolution shall be considered as a single amendment unless a motion is made to divide it.
   
5.5  Closure of Debate. A delegate may move to close debate at any time on any matter. Such a motion closes all substantive debate on the matters before the body at that time, except when such a motion would interrupt a speaker.  Two delegates may speak against closure, and the motion will then be put to a vote.  During debate on an amendment, a delegate may move for closure of debate on the resolution. if closure passes, then the amendment shall be voted on first followed by the resolution.
   
5.6  Move a Resolution to the Floor.  Used to bring an approved resolution to the floor, this motion may not interrupt a speaker and is not debatable.  No second is required.

VI. Debate

6.1 Speeches. No delegate may address the committee without having previously obtained the permission of the Chair.  The Chair shall call upon speakers in the order in which they signify their desire to speak.  Delegates may not interrupt a speaker except on a point of order or point of personal privilege. Abusing these rights may be considered violations of diplomatic courtesy, and can result in disciplinary action taken by the chair.  Motions should be made at the conclusion of the speaker's remarks; by making a motion, the speaker yields the floor.
   
6.2 Time Limit on Debate.  The committee or the Chair may limit or extend the time allotted to each speaker and the number of times each delegate may speak on a proposal.  There may be one speaker in favor and one opposed to the limitation/extension.
   
6.3 Right of Reply.  During debate, the Chair may accord the right of reply to any delegate if a speech by another delegate contains unusual or extraordinary language clearly insulting to personal or national dignity.  The decision granting a right of reply may not be appealed.  Requests for a right of reply shall be in writing to the Chair.  The Chair will limit the time for the reply.  There shall be no reply to a reply.

VII. Points - In Order of Priority

7.1  Point of Order. If, during the discussion of any matter, a delegate believes that the committee is proceeding in a manner contrary to these Rules, he or she may rise to a  point of order.  The delegate so rising will be immediately recognized by the Chair and the point ruled upon.  A delegate rising to a point of order may not speak on the substance of any matter under discussion.
   
7.2  Point of Personal Privilege. If a delegate wishes to raise a question or make a request relating to the organization of the meeting, personal comfort, or the conduct of fellow delegates or staff, he/she may rise to a point of personal privilege.  When a delegate rises on privilege, the Chair shall take such action as is necessary. 
   
7.3  Point of Parliamentary Inquiry.  A point of parliamentary inquiry is directed to the Chair for information or guidance on procedure.  This point may not interrupt the speaker.  It is a question and does not require seconding or allow for debate.  replies by the Chair are not appealable.
   
7.4 Point of Information. If a delegate wishes to obtain a clarification of procedure or a statement of the matter before the committee, the delegate may address a point of information to the Chair.  During debate, if a delegate wishes to ask a question of the speaker, a request to question the speaker may be made in the form of a point of information directed to the Chair after the speaker consents to be questioned, all questions and replies are made through the Chair.  Delegates shall not interrupt a speaker on a point of information.
   
   

VIII. Motions

8.1  Order of Procedural Motions.  The motions as indicated in the Short Form of Points and Motions have precedence, in the order given, over all other proposals or motions before the committee.
   
8.2  Adjournment of Debate. During the discussion of any matter, a delegate may move the adjournment of debate on that matter.  One delegate may speak in favor of the motion and one opposed.  The motion shall then be put to an immediate vote.  Adjournment of debate on a resolution or amendment has the effect of tabling that item and moves the committee on to the next order of business.  See also 8.9 on Reconsideration.
   
8.3  Closure of Debate. A delegate may move to close debate at any time on any matter. Such a motion closes all substantive debate on the matters before the body at that time, except when such a motion would interrupt a speaker.  Two delegates may speak against closure, and the motion will then be put to a vote.  During debate on an amendment, a delegate may move for closure of debate on the resolution. if closure passes, then the amendment shall be voted on first followed by the resolution.
   
8.4  Move a Resolution to the Floor.  Used to bring an approved resolution to the floor, this motion may not interrupt a speaker and is not debatable.  No second is required.
   
8.5  Suspension of the Meeting. During the discussion of any matter, a delegate may move to suspend the meeting.  Suspending a meeting recesses it until the time specified in the motion; the Chair may request the mover to modify the time.  When the committee reconvenes it will continue with its business from the point at which suspension was moved.
   
8.6  Adjournment of the Meeting. The motion of adjournment means that all business of the committee has been completed, and that the committee win not reconvene until the next Annual Session.  The Chair may refuse to recognize a motion to adjourn the meeting if the Committee still has business before it.  A motion to adjourn is not debatable, and will be put to an immediate vote.
   
8.7  Decisions of Competence. Any motion calling for a decision on the competence of the Committee to discuss or adopt a proposal shall be put to a vote before the vote is taken on the proposal in question.  If a Committee decides it is not competent to discuss or vote on an amendment or resolution, the effect is the same as adjourning debate on the matter.  See also 8.9 on Reconsideration.
   
8.8 Withdrawal of Motions.  A motion may be withdrawn by its proposer at any time before voting on it has begun, provided the motion has not been amended.  A withdrawn motion may be reintroduced by any other delegation.
   
8.9  Reconsideration of Proposals. When a proposal has been adopted, or rejected through a vote of adjournment or "no competence", it may be reconsidered at the same session by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting.  The motion to reconsider must be made by a delegation which originally voted on the prevailing side of the proposal; thus, reconsideration may be moved only on the proposals voted on by roll-call.
   
8.10 Division of the Question. A motion to divide the question, proposing that parts of an amendment or resolution be voted on separately, is in order at any time prior to commencement of voting on the amendment or resolution.  Motions to divide shall apply only to operative clauses.  Permission to speak on the motion shall be granted to one speaker in favor and one opposed, after which there shall be an immediate vote.  The first motion for division to receive a majority vote shall become the final manner in which the proposal is presented.  Those parts of the proposal which are approved shall be put to a vote as a whole.  If all operative clauses of a proposal have been rejected, the proposal as a whole has been rejected.
   
8.11  Dilatory Motions. The Chair may rule as dilatory, and therefore out of order, any motion repeating or closely approximating a substantive measure on which the committee has already rendered an opinion.  Such rulings can not be appealed.
   
8.12 Appealing a Decision of the Chair.  Rulings of the chair can be appealed unless otherwise specified in these RULES.  Appeals can be debated by one speaker in favor and one opposed.
   

IX. Voting

9.1  Voting Rights.  Each member delegation shall have one vote in each Committee in which it is represented.  No delegate may cast a vote on behalf of another nation.
   
9.2 Simple Majority. Unless otherwise specified in these RULES, decisions in the Committee shall be made by a majority vote of those nations present and voting.  The phrase "nations present and voting" refers to members casting affirmative or negative votes.  Members which cast a final abstention are not voting.  If a vote is equally divided between yeas and nays, the motion fails.
   
9.3  Method of Voting. The Committee shall normally vote by a show of raised placards.  The Chair, however, may grant a request for a roll-call vote; the decision to grant such a request is not appealable.  All final votes on resolutions shall be taken by roll-call; the roll shall be called in English alphabetical order beginning with a nation selected at random by the Secretary.  Delegates shall reply "yes," 'no," "abstain," or "abstain from the order of voting." A nation may abstain from the order of voting once during the roll-call; a second abstention from the order of voting will be recorded as an abstention.  Rights of explanation are permitted on roll-call votes and may be limited in time by the Chair.  At the end of roll-call, but before rights of explanation and the subsequent announcement of the vote, the Secretary will ask for changes of vote.  A delegation may not change from "yes" to "yes with right of explanation" or from "no" to "no with right of explanation." Those abstaining may be accorded rights of explanation.  The result of the vote shall be inserted into the Committee record.
   
9.4  Conduct during Voting. Immediately prior to a vote, the Chair shall describe to the Committee the proposal to be voted on, and shall explain the consequence of a yes or no vote.  Voting shall begin upon the chair's declaration and shall end when the results of the vote are announced.  Once voting has begun, no delegate shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order or information concerning the actual conduct of the vote, or on a point of personal privilege.

X. Supplemental Rules

10.1 Precedence.  The Rules used during the Committee and General Assembly sessions of the Southeast Missouri Model United Nations shall have precedence in the following order.
              1. SMMUN Rules of Procedure;
              2. SMMUN Order of Procedural Motions;
              3. Rulings by the Steering Committee; and
              4. The Charter of the United Nations.
   

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Security Council Rules

SC.1  Security Council.  The following rules will govern the Security Council and supplement the rules above.
   
SC.2  Non-Member Participation. The Security Council may invite any member state that is not a member of the council to participate, without the right to vote, in the discussion of a question brought before the council when the council or President feels that the interests of the member are specifically affected, or when the member brings to the attention of the council any matter in accordance with article 35, section I of the Charter.  The privileges and limits of debate for the party will be determined by the council with approval of the President.  The council may also invite representatives of organizations to discuss specific matters or to make statements to the council under the restrictions herein.
   
SC.3  Meetings. All meetings of the Security Council and its committees shall be held at the call of the President and at the time(s) and place(s) as published in the schedule of events.  Any schedule may be revised by the council and/or the President as the need arises.  The President shall also call the council into session if a dispute or situation is brought to the attention of the council under article 35 or under article I 1, section 3 of the Charter, or if the General Assembly makes recommendations or refers any question to the council under article I 1, section 2 of the Charter.  Unless it decides otherwise, the council shall meet at all times in public. If the council decides to meet in closed session, the President shall issue a communique at the end of each such meeting, approved by the members, detailing issues discussed and progress made.
   
SC.4  Agenda. The provisional agenda shall be drawn up by the President of the Security Council.  This agenda shall be communicated to the members of the council prior to the convening of the first session, but in emergencies may be communicated simultaneously with the notice of a special meeting.  The first item of the agenda shall be the adoption of a wording agenda, or to change the order of the agenda.
   
SC.5 Voting on Resolutions. All draft resolutions are considered to be substantive and are subject to the veto.  The Council may consider several resolutions on the same subject matter simultaneously and it may pass on more than one resolution on an agenda topic.  In order for the council to vote on resolutions, there must be closure of debate on the agenda topic.  Upon closure of debate on an agenda topic, the Council moves into voting procedure.  All resolutions under that agenda topic will be voted on in the order of their submission.  Amendments to resolutions will be voted on in the order of their submission prior to voting on the resolution they propose to amend.  At any time prior to coming to a vote on a specific resolution or amendment, motions to divide the question may be introduced.  A motion to divide the question is the only motion permitted during voting procedure.  This procedure allows the Council to consider the various issues involved in a wide-ranging single topic item, without having to deal with them all as one single complex resolution.
   
SC.6  Main Motions.  All motions, not otherwise specified, will be considered main motions or substantive motions and are thus subject to the veto.  All main motions are voted upon in the order of their submission.
   
SC.7  Seconds.  It shall not be necessary for any main motion or draft resolution proposed by a member of the council to be seconded before it is considered or voted upon.
   
SC.8 Security Council Priority. The General Assembly may discuss but may not vote on matters concerning the maintenance of international peace and security under the jurisdiction of the international peace and security under the jurisdiction of the Security Council until the council has come to a vote on the issue.  A suspension of discussion or action of more than two hours by the council will be considered its final action on a particular issue, allowing the General Assembly to come to a vote.  While the Security Council is exercising the functions assigned to it in the Charter with respect to any dispute or situation, the General Assembly shall not make any recommendations with regard to the dispute or situation, unless the Security Council so requests.  The Secretary-General shall notify the General Assembly at each session of any matters relative to the maintenance of international peace and security which are being dealt with by the council, and also shall notify the assembly and its committees immediately after the council has ceased to deal with such a topic.
   
SC.9  Matters Seized.  The Secretary-General or the President of the Security Council shall communicate each day to the members of the Security Council a summary statement of the matters on which the council remains seized from the preceding meetings and of the stage reached in its decisions.
   
SC.10 Orders of Precedence. Principal motions and draft resolutions shall have precedence in the order of their submission.  The following motions have precedence in the order stated over all principal motions and draft resolutions relative to the subject before the meeting:  (i) suspend the meeting; (ii) adjourn the meeting; (iii) refer any matter to a committee or to the Secretary-General; (iv) close debate on an item(s) under discussion; (v) table discussion on an item(s) to a certain hour, day, or indefinitely; and (vi) introduce an amendment.  The President may refuse to recognize a motion to adjourn the meeting if the council has not completed its business.
   
SC.11  Voting Procedures. Each delegation of the Security Council shall have one vote. Voting in the Security Council shall be in accordance with the relevant articles of the Charter and with the Statutes of the International Court of Justice.  Voting shall normally be conducted by a simple show of hands.  A member has the option of a "yes," 'no," "abstain, " or "pass" vote, or the member may refrain from voting altogether.  A member may request a roll call vote on any issue.  If the President concurs, the roll call shall be taken in English alphabetical order of the names of the members, beginning with a member chosen at random by the President.  The names shall be called by the Secretary  and a member may vote in any of the aforementioned manners.  If a member does not answer the roll call the first time through, they may not vote on the second reading.  Two passes by a member shall be recorded as an abstention.  The results shall be announced immediately and inserted in the record.  No request for roll call shall be debated or voted upon.  Once voting has begun no member may interrupt the conduct of the vote except on a point of order concerning the conduct of the vote.  A member may request a change in vote only once.  The President may allow a member to explain their vote at the conclusion of a roll call and may limit the time allowed for explanations.  All matters considered by the council must receive at least nine affirmative votes to be adopted unless otherwise specified.
   
SC.12  Permanent Member Veto Power. In addition to the rights and privileges accorded to members of the Security Council elsewhere in this section, the five permanent members of the Security Council (China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, and the United States of America) shall be accorded veto power over all main motions before the Security Council.  A veto is accomplished when a permanent member nation casts a vote of "no" or abstains with prejudice.  " A veto effectively rejects whatever main motion is before the body.  A permanent member may also "abstain without prejudice" thereby not affecting the final vote.

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General Assembly Rules

GA.1  Interchangeability of Rules.  All Committee Rules apply to the conduct of business in the General Assembly, except where noted below.
   
GA.2  Officers.  The Steering Committee shall select a President of the General Assembly, Committee Chairpersons (who shall serve as acting PGA), Legal Counsels and Secretaries.  The officers shall have all the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the Committee Chairpersons, Legal Counsels, and Secretaries respectively.
   
GA.3 Order of Consideration of Agenda Items. The agenda of the General Assembly shall be set so as to allow consideration of one agenda item from each of the three Committees before a second item from any one Committee is considered.  A preliminary agenda will be announced to the delegates prior to the beginning of the Session.  Agenda items will be considered in the order in which they appear on the preliminary agenda unless that order is altered by a majority vote of the Assembly; however, one agenda item from each Committee must be considered before turning to a second agenda item from any Committee.
   
GA.4 Amendments. All amendments presented in the General Assembly must be signed by at least ten (10) seconding delegations in addition to the sponsoring delegation; they must be submitted on an official amendment form for approval by the Committee Legal Counsel and labeled with an identifying number by the Committee Secretary.  Amendments to collect obvious typographical errors, improve punctuation, or otherwise correct the form but not the substance of a resolution or amendment shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Secretary.  If approved by the President, these minor changes will be announced and incorporated into the resolution or amendment without vote.  Secondary amendments, by substitution, and friendly amendments will not be accepted.  The Steering Committee reserves the right to establish a deadline for the submission of amendments whenever it deems such a deadline necessary to expedite the Assembly's proceedings.

 

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