Documents
What are Resolutions?
Events and decisions that affect their lives naturally concern students. These concerns are valid and insightful and it is important that students have a voice in the issues that impact them. AASG has provided a vehicle by which students may convey their ideas and opinions to those who make important decisions that influence their lives. AASG accomplishes this by adopting resolutions presented biannually at the spring and fall general meetings.
Anyone can write a resolution and present it to the General Assembly of AASG for review. When writing a resolution, students should ask themselves the following questions: Does the resolution accurately portray the opinion of most students? Does the resolution seem appropriate for AASG’s scope of influence? Will the resolution have a positive affect on student life? Resolutions that address state and national issues are encouraged. Some resolutions, especially at the Spring Conference, will take a position regarding an issue currently before the Alaska Legislature. This is a powerful tool by which delegates might affect change and express the student voice to a community and state audience.
Resolutions are presented, discussed, amended, and voted on by the general assembly using parliamentary procedure. They are passed, failed, withdrawn, or postponed until a future meeting. If a resolution passes, it is sent by the AASG Vice President or Public Relations officer to the appropriate persons or agencies with authority to act on the resolutions. All considered resolutions are also posted on the AASG web site.
There is a specific format to be followed in writing a resolution. A cover sheet is required to be attached to it when it is submitted. Advisors are urged to guide students to do the work necessary to present a well-researched, well-written, and professional appearing resolution. Assistance is available from experienced advisors, students, and the State Director and Administrator, as well as some of the administrators and school board members in your district. The first workshop(s) at a conference will include a session on resolution writing for those needing last minute assistance before the submission deadline.
All resolutions must be turned in to an Executive Board Member by the announced time. Resolutions must be typed and submitted in disk form readable by Macintosh Word. The Executive Board will review all the submitted resolutions before making them available to every school for consideration at their region meetings and the general business meetings.
Guidelines for Discussing Resolutions in the General Business Meeting
Listed below are a few guidelines for the proper etiquette to use when discussing resolutions in the general business meetings. They have been designed to help increase the efficiency with which the resolutions are dispatched and keep the often-heated debate at a professional level. They are adapted from Robert’s Rules of Order.
- The author (or author’s representative) will read the resolution.
- The author has the first chance to debate immediately after the reading of the resolution.
- Each school may only speak twice on each resolution and must wait for their second turn until all others who wish to speak have done so.
- There will be a pro and a con microphone placed on opposite sides of the auditorium. These microphones will speak alternately as indicated by the President.
- The school’s corespondent must introduce the speaker before he/she may speak.
- People wishing to speak should line up behind the appropriate microphone with their correspondent and placard and wait to be recognized by the President before speaking.
- Amendments and their debate should be made at the pro microphone.
- Comments should be concise and in good taste. No swearing, indecent gestures or personal attacks on the anyone involved in the process is allowed.