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SUO: Voting rules - Quorum

Title:
In response to Pat Cassidy on 5/23/03 Jim Schoening wrote:
Patrick,

        Some RRO clarifications on rules:

1. A quorum is only required for in-person meetings, to prevent a
minority of voting members from making decisions.  Email ballots are
similar to letter ballots, which are sent to all voting members, so all
(except those who have lost touch) have a chance to vote.

2. There is no requirement for a certain percentage of voting members to
cast ballots.  A vote could pass with YES=1, N0=0, ABSTAIN=0, and 85
people not voting. 

3. You do not need to vote to retain voting rights.  The only voting rule
we adopted was the 6-month waiting period.  

4. Your idea for subgroups is good, but they would work via consensus or
informal votes.  

        Please correct me, anyone, if I'm incorrectly interpreting RRO.
Jim Schoening
Jim,
Your interpretation of the nature and requirement for a quorum is incorrect. 

On Dec 10, 2001 the Manager of IEEE-SA Governance sent a message to you advising you
that by unanimous vote:
The IEEE-SA BOG considered the inquiries of the IEEE 1600.1 working group
and the opinion of 7 November 2001 offered by Dorsey and Whitney and
concurs with and reaffirms the opinion stated.
...
Further, the IEEE-SA BOG encourages the IEEE-SA Standards Board to instruct
the IEEE P1600.1 working group on the principles of consensus in the
working group processes.
A part of the opinion referenced was the response from the IEEE Corporate Governance Office to questions
regarding (among other topics) a quorum.  Lyle Smith, IEEE Institute Parliamentarian wrote:
I have reviewed your questions with IEEE Legal counsel Robert Dwyer of
Dorsey & Whitney, and Director Emeritus Eric Herz who is commissioned by
the IEEE President to be the liason with governance and legal issues.
The following questions about parliamentary procedure for the SUO were answered by the Parliamentarian:
   (6)  What is the size (percent) of a quorum (assuming no parliamentary procedures - e.g. bylaws - other than RRO)

          Answer. A majority of voting members, (Specified in Ny Statute and IEEE Bylaws).

    (7)  Is a quorum required to pass a motion?

          Answer. Yes, unless a quorum had been established, some members have left and nobody has questioned whether a quorum still exists It             is then presumed to exist.

    (8)  May the chair declare that a quorum is unnecessary?

          Answer. NO

     (9)  May the rules on voting or quorums be changed without

                   (a) a vote
                   (b) a quorum
                   (c) a two thirds vote in favor of the change(s)

           Answer. No, no, and no. A quorum is established by law, or by Certificate of Incorporation, or in the IEEE Bylaws

Jim, none of this is new news to you.  You have been specifically instructed on these matters and you are bound by those instructions.

Bob Spillers