Penn State Harrisburg Model United Nations

Penn State Harrisburg Model United Nations

Rules of Procedure

Delegate Preparation:

Many factors contribute to a successful experience at PSHMUN. Here are a few tips to ensure you get the most out of your experience:

1. Read about your Committee and Country:

Familiarize yourself with background information about your Committee and its mandate, as well as about the specifics and international status of your country.

1. Understand the Topics:

Do some research on the various topics of your debate so you are well-versed on all the topics that will be discussed during the conference.

1. Review PSHMUN Procedures:

Become familiar with the PSHMUN rules and procedures and any special rules that may apply to your committee. Please, remember that each MUN conference is different and there may be differences in the procedures of each conference.

1. Write a Position Paper

Delegations are required to submit a Position Paper. A Position Paper represents the delegation’s stand on the topics on the Agenda of their assigned committee. At least, one page is required per topic from all delegations. Since a double delegation acts as a single delegation, both delegates will be expected to submit a total of at least one page per topic. The required format is: 12-pts, Times New Romans, Double Spaced and 1-inch margins. This is an example of a position paper, please make sure to follow the exact submission instruction from the Google Drive and the correct title format as in the example.

PSHMUN Organs Described:

General Assembly:

The Four Main Committees of the General Assembly (GA) represented at PSHMUN

The First Committee: Disarmament and International Security (DISEC)

The Third Committee: Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian (SOCHUM)

The Fourth Committee: Special Political and Decolonization (SPECPOL)

The Sixth Committee: Legal

The Functions and Powers of the General Assembly:

Established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly occupies a central position as the chief deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations. According to the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly may:

●Consider and approve the United Nations budget and establish the financial assessments of Member States

●Elect the non-permanent members of the Security Council and the members of other United Nations councils and organs and, on the recommendation of the Security Council, appoint the Secretary-General

●Consider and make recommendations on the general principles of cooperation for maintaining international peace and security, including disarmament

●Discuss any question relating to international peace and security and, except where a dispute or situation is currently being discussed by the Security Council, make recommendations on it

●Discuss, with the same exception, and make recommendations on any questions within the scope of the Charter or affecting the powers and functions of any organ of the United Nations

●Initiate studies and make recommendations to promote international political cooperation; the development and codification of international law; the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms; and international collaboration in the economic, social, humanitarian, cultural, educational and health fields

●Make recommendations for the peaceful settlement of any situation that might impair friendly relations among countries

●Consider reports from the Security Council and other United Nations organs

While debating and writing Draft Resolutions, please keep the powers of the General Assembly in mind.

Security Council

The Security Council (SC) is amongst the most important organs in the United Nations. Debate follows traditional parliamentary procedure found in the GA but it sometimes operates differently from other committees (see Provisional Rules of Procedure of the Security Council). It houses five permanent members – China, Russia, The United Kingdom, France, and the United States – without their agreement on a resolution, it can not be passed. There are ten other temporary members.

Before committee, The Chairs will expect that delegates have read the following rules. Note that some rules may deviate from the typical Model UN procedures to which delegates are accustomed. Any major deviations in a given committee will be clearly stated by the Chair at the start of Session One.

General Remarks:

Scope of the Rules:

At PSHMUN every delegate is expected to understand and follow the rules detailed in the PSHMUN Rules of Procedure.

Topics for Debate:

A committee’s topics for debate will be established by the Secretariat and communicated to the Member States prior to the opening of the conference. However, in the case of a Crisis, other topics may be added if the committee so desires.

Functions of the Chair:

The Chair shall open and close each committee session, enforce these rules, recognize speakers, put questions to a vote, and announce decisions. The Chair has the right to act at their own discretion to ensure the smooth operation of the committee. To this end, the Chair has ultimate authority over the committee’s proceedings and the maintenance of order therein. The Chair has the power to entertain, deny, or question the propriety of any motion.

Addressing the Committee: No member may address a committee without having first obtained the permission of the Chair. The Chair may call a speaker to order if his remarks are not relevant to the subject matter under discussion.

Terms:

Consensus:

Consensus is when a document is passed without a vote. Since the General Assembly documents are not binding, it is important that as many nations as possible agree to the document. In recent years, an effort has been made to achieve consensus on issues, rather than deciding by a formal vote, thus strengthening support for the Assembly’s decisions. Consensus is mainly achieved through negotiations during Unmoderated Caucuses. PSHMUN staff will strive for consensus on all passed Documents when possible.

Simple Majority Votes:

A simple majority vote is herein defined as one in which there are more member-states voting in favor of a motion than voting against. Numbers for simple majority should be announced at the beginning of each session.

Two-Thirds Vote:

A two-thirds vote is herein defined as one in which there are more than twice as many Member-States voting in favor of a motion as voting against. Numbers for two-thirds majority should be announced at the beginning of each session.

Substance and Procedure:

A substantive matter is herein defined as a resolution or amendment. A substantive vote is a vote on a substantive matter. A procedural matter is all that which is not substantive. A procedural vote is one that decides a procedural matter.

Voting Rights:

Each member-state of a PSHMUN committee will have one vote in all matters. Only when voting upon a resolution or amendment may a member-state abstain; that is, abstentions are not permitted on procedural motions.

Member-States that abstain from voting are considered as not voting and shall not be counted in determining majority or the effective number of voting member-states. Observer-States will have one vote in proceduralmatters only. These nations are not allowed to vote on amendments or resolutions.

Draft Resolution

All actions of a PSHMUN committee take the form of a Draft Resolution. A Draft Resolution is introduced to a committee by one or more Member States who choose to co-sponsor the Draft Resolution.

These sponsors are interested in passing the Draft Resolution and usually author it. A sponsor of a Draft Resolution may withdraw his sponsorship of that Draft Resolution at any time before voting procedure begins. If at any time a Draft Resolution is without sponsors, sponsorship of that Draft Resolution will be offered to any members of the committee that wish to accept it. If no member of the committee wishes to accept sponsorship of that Draft Resolution, it will be removed from consideration.

The committee Chair will specify the required number of sponsors on a Draft Resolution

A Draft Resolution is termed a working paper until it has the necessary signatures, has been submitted to and approved by the Chair, and has been read aloud to the committee. At the discretion of the Chair, sponsors may request an amount of time to discuss their resolution and to take questions. This is done in the format of a moderated caucus. For a resolution to be withdrawn, all sponsors must agree.

A Draft resolution will be a collective effort of multiple nations. Remember, pre-written Draft Resolutions (or Working Papers) are prohibited. Our staff is trained to define a pre-written Draft Resolution. Delegates will face repercussions by the dais for submitting a pre-written Draft Resolution.

Here is an example of aGeneral Assembly Draft Resolution

Here is an example of aGeneral Assembly Resolution

Here is an example of aSecurity Council Resolution

Here is a complete list of General Assembly resolutions since 1946.

Here is a complete list ofSecurity Council Resolutions since 1946.

Amendments

The amending process is given equivalent important to that of a Draft Resolution. The Chair will announce a time after which no amendment will be accepted to Draft Resolutions. When an amendment is moved to a proposal, the amendment shall be voted on first. When two or more amendments are moved to a proposal, the committee shall first vote on the amendment furthest removed in substance from the original proposal and then on the amendment next furthest removed therefrom, and so on until all the amendments have been put to the vote. Where, however, the adoption of one amendment necessarily implies the rejection of another amendment, the latter amendment shall not be put to the vote. If one or more amendments are adopted, the amended proposal shall then be voted upon. A motion is considered an amendment to a proposal if it merely adds to, deletes from or revises part of the proposal.

Stages of Meetings & Sessions of the General Assembly:

General Assembly Plenary Meeting

First Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly of PSHMUN 45th (Opening Session):

This session is known as the Opening Session. During this session, the Secretary General will take Roll Call and open the conference. Also, during the Opening Session the adoption of “Allocation of agenda items for the 45th session of the Penn State Harrisburg Model United Nations” will take place. The recommended agenda will be the topics recommended by each of the four Main Committees. The “Allocation of agenda items for the 45th session of the Penn State Harrisburg Model United Nations” will look similar to this.

Committee Sessions:

Committee Sessions will be where most of the debate and negotiations will take place. The goal from Committee Sessions is to adopt a draft resolution on the topics on the agenda. Each committee may pass more than one Draft Resolution. The number of Draft Resolutions passed on to the General Assembly per topic is determined by the Chair of each committee. The procedures of each committee are detailed below:

1.Roll Call: The first order of business at any committee session is a roll call. The Chair shall call the name of each delegation. If that delegation is present, it shall answer, “Present.” In certain committees, “Present and Voting” is an acceptable response, meaning that the delegate withdraws the right to abstain on substantive matters. If a delegation is not present when the Chair calls that delegation, but arrives later during that session, a note must be sent to the Chair stating that the delegation is present. Roll call should be taken at the beginning of each session.

2.Work Programme: A Work Programme is the order and amount of time allocated for each stage of the committee Sessions. It will not include the order in which topics will be debated. A Work Programme will be proposed by the committee Chair. The Chair might allow time for the member states to speak on the Work Programme.

3.Setting a Topic: The Chair will open a temporary speakers list for the purpose of debating which topic will be discussed. At any time during that debate, a motion to set the topic will be in order, at the Chair’s discretion. In the event of such a motion, the Chair will entertain one speaker in favor of and one speaker against setting that topic. This motion requires a simple majority to pass. If the motion carries, debate will be opened on that topic and no other (i.e. there shall be only one topic discussed at a time). If the motion fails, then the committee will proceed with the temporary speakers list until another such motion is made. If all topics fail such a motion, the Chair shall have the discretion to select a topic or to continue debate. Topics that are not on the Agenda of the committee may be discussed only after the committee have discussed all of the topics on its Agenda.

4.Speakers’ List: Once a topic has been chosen, the Chair shall open a speakers’ list to be followed for all debate on that topic area. Speakers may comment generally on the topic area being considered, any resolution on the floor, or any proposed amendment to any resolution on the floor. The Speakers List will be the main method for Member States to obtain the floor and will act as the main board for debate. After a speakers’ list has been created, a Member-State may add its name to the list if it is not already on the list and if the list has not been closed. Such a request may be submitted in writing or, if the Chair specifically allows, by a show of placard. When the speakers’ list is exhausted and no other nations wish to speak, debate will be considered closed and the committee will move directly into voting procedure at the discretion of the Chair.

5.Unmoderated Caucuses: During an Unmoderated Caucus, the rules of Procedure are suspended and delegates may move freely around the room. This time could be used to meet with other delegates to discuss different ideas or concerns. During this stage, ideas are formulated into Draft Resolutions. All negotiations take place during this stage. This stage is crucial to the final results of the committee. It is recommended to make use of facilitators,

1.Facilitators: Individuals that help facilitate negotiations between individual member states or their blocs. Negotiations could be just an agreement to start cooperating on a new Working Paper or Draft Resolutions or negotiating a Working Paper or Draft Resolution Merger. Facilitators should be be impartial and in charge of keeping track of all what is agreed between the different parties of the negotiations. Facilitators could be staff or delegates. Staff will be available to help facilitate as needed.

2.Remember that the ultimate goal of Unmoderated Caucuses is to help reach a consensus. For an agreement to become possible, delegates will have to think critically and creatively.

6.Moderated caucuses: Decorum shall be maintained during Moderated Caucuses. During Moderated Caucuses, Working Papers and Draft Resolutions may be introduced. If a Moderated caucus is exhausted, the Chair will move back to the Speakers List at their discretion.

7.Alternating Previously Mentioned Stages: The Chair will alternate between Unmoderated, Moderated Caucuses and the Speakers’ List for the duration of the debate. The ultimate goal is to come to Draft Resolutions that passes through a Consensus. The Chair will entertain and recommend stages at their discretion to ensure the attempts to reach a Consensus. The Chair may entertain moving into Voting procedures, known as Action Phase even if a Consensus is not met, at their discretion.

8.Action Phase: Voting Procedures will take place in this stage. Refer to “Voting” under Points and Motions.

Topic Cycle: Once an Action Phase is arrived to, the topic may be closed and a new topic may be set.

General Assembly Plenary Meeting

Second Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly of PSHMUN 45th (Closing Session):

Next step for Draft Resolutions to be adopted as Resolution is by passing them in the General Assembly. The Secretary General will take Roll-Call, then will move into introducing and voting on Draft Resolutions on a Topic by Topic basis. Once a Draft Resolution is passed, it will become a Resolution and will receive the official Documentation.

UN Document Symbols:

PSHMUN uses the same document symbols used bythe UN, below is summarized list of the codes that will be mostly used during PSHMUN:

Principal Organs

The first part of the code, a letter will depend on the organ that is submitting the document or the organ issuing the document:

General Assembly: A/-

Security Council: S/-

Subsidiary Organs:

A Second Component will only be required in the General Assembly Committees. The component will be as follows:

General Assembly: A/C./-

“C.” shall be followed by the number of the committee. For example, a working paper by the First committee would be labeled as follows: A/C.1/-

Element denoting the nature of the document:

For purposes of PSHMUN. There will be one possible Special components.