Crisis Committee Rules of Procedure

CTMUN Fall 2023

Note: This document is secondary to committee-specific procedure. The following may be

superseded by procedure as specified by the committee chair, crisis staff, or background guide.

Points
Raised by delegates in order to ask a question or make a statement.
1) Inquiry: Poses a question, usually procedural or logistical, of the Chair.
Example: “Point of inquiry, how do we pass a directive?”
2) Order: Calls attention to a procedural mistake made by the Chair or by another delegate.
Example: “Point of order, we forgot to vote on the motion for an unmoderated caucus.”
3) Personal Privilege: Addresses a personal concern.
Example: Room temperature, Chair’s speaking volume
Note Points of Information do not apply during a Crisis committee as there is no speaker’s list.

Committee and Delegate Actions

Instead of resolutions, the following are utilized during a Crisis Committee. They are used to
take action and correspond with the Crisis Staff or other committees.

Committee Actions
The following require a 50%+1 placard vote. Every delegate must vote during committee
actions, and there shall be no abstentions as per crisis rules. If numerous abstentions hold back
the committee from having a decisive vote, make the committee re-vote after reminding that
everyone must vote during committee actions.
1. Directives: Directives are closest to a standard-style resolution. However, they only
contain operative clauses. These are concrete actions taken by the whole committee.
Example: Moving troops, funding a vaccine, sending an envoy to another committee or
country, etc.
2. Communiques: Communication or statements issued by the committee. For the
purpose of this conference, this includes press releases.
Example: Propaganda or statements made to the press, communication with other
committees, etc.
 3. Straw Poll Vote: Straw Poll Votes are informal, non-binding votes that may be requested
by any delegate to get a better idea of the committee’s opinion on a topic during debate.
Example: “May we have a straw poll vote to gauge the committee’s thoughts on peace
with China before we discuss it?”

Delegate Actions
1) Portfolio Powers: Also known simply as “Action Orders”. Often private actions taken by
a delegate. These are delegates (or a small combination of delegates’) individual actions
and thus, use their personal resources and power. Portfolio powers do not encompass
or utilize committee resources, unless otherwise noted by crisis staff. Delegates may
wish to enact their portfolio powers through sending notes to crisis or by adopting them
into directives if they choose to disclose such private information.
2) Joint Action Orders: Joint Action Orders are actions that the committee as a whole
votes to take collectively. Delegates should:
a) Move to introduce the action order (simple majority), upon passage of the motion
it will be read to the committee, then
b) The committee will vote to approve or reject the joint action order. (simple
majority)
Unlike standard committees, there are no resolutions, speaker’s list, and there is no formal
voting procedure (all votes done by placard).

Procedure of Debate
Like standard committees, crisis committees will open with an attendance roll call and a motion
to open a session. From that point on, their flow of debate will be conducted differently.
By default crisis committees operate in a perpetual moderated caucus – this can either be done
informally, or may require regular motions (at the Chair’s discretion). Like committee actions,
every delegate must vote on procedural motions.
All motions require a 50%+1 placard vote except when specified otherwise. Every delegate must
vote. Motions cannot be amended, a separate motion should be made if a delegate is not
satisfied with other present motions. All Pro/Con speakers have 1 minute.

Motion to Introduce and/or Vote on Committee Documents

To facilitate easy and quick committee action, delegates may read the clauses of any drafted
committee action and immediately move into a vote, or at the chair’s discretion may forgo an
introduction (if the Committee Action is already understood) and allow an immediate vote.
Additionally, having a 2 for/2 against or a 1 for/1 against is smiled upon to allow more pro/con
discussion before voting on the directive.
Motion to Table Debate (or Specified Documents)
Sometimes, delegates will send up many committee actions to discuss all at once. A motion to
table committee actions sets aside specific directives that appear irrelevant to the current
debate.

Moderated Caucuses
Moderated Caucuses are the primary form of debate in any Model UN setting. In Moderated
Caucuses or “Mods,” delegates are called on to speak one at a time for a set amount of time. A
moderated caucus is typically limited to a single, narrow topic.

Round Robin
A hallmark of most Crisis Committees, a ‘Round Robin’ may be motioned for at the start of
session as an informal time for each delegate to introduce themselves in turn. Speaking time
should be set when the motion is made, and each delegate in the committee will get the chance
to speak during a Round Robin.

Unmoderated Caucuses
Unmoderated Caucuses or “Unmods” are the least formal form of debate in Model UN, and need
no topic. All delegates are allowed to move around and converse. The Director will typically
move around the committee room to listen to the discussion going on. Delegates are not
allowed to leave the committee room, except to use the restroom or with permission from the
Moderator.

Gentlemen’s Unmod
A Gentleman's Unmod is the same as a regular Unmoderated Caucus with the key exception
that delegates do not leave their seats and speak one at a time.

Motion to Summon Individuals

In some crisis committees, it will be possible to summon non-delegate individuals (ex: Secretary
of State summoned by the US Senate) to provide the committee with information on a specified
topic.

Motion to Enter Trial Proceedings

Requires a ⅔ Supermajority, and a reason to hold trial.
● Identify Prosecutor and Defendant
● 3 minute moderated caucus with 30 second speaking time
○ Prosecutor first, Defendant last
● 1 minute closing statements (Prosecutor, then Defendant)
● Verdict (¾ required to convict)
Note Normal committee procedures may be interrupted for a Crisis Interruption/Update. Crisis
Committees should expect regular interruption from external actors, officials, messengers, etc.
(both friendly and unfriendly) Occasionally, a message will allow for a subsequent questioning
period (at Chair/Crisis discretion).

Order of Disruption
Many delegates may wish to motion for various motions to advance the committee. All chairs
must know what motions the committee must vote on from most to least disruptive. The
following motions are ordered from most to least disruptive along with rationale for the order of
disruption:
Motion to Suspend Rules of Procedure This motion halts the governance of Parliamentary
Procedure in the committee, only accepted when approved by the chair. The chair will decide
when the rules of procedure are reinstated.
Motion to Adjourn/Recess This motion suggests the cessation or adjournment of the
committee and should only be used to go on break or to end committee by the end of
conference.
Motion to Table Topic/Debate This motion temporarily closes a topic of debate, allowing for a
new topic to be selected. The topic can be reopened. (2 Pro, 2 Con speakers required)
Motion to Introduce and/or Vote on Committee Documents This motion suggests that the
committee shall interrupt debate on a given subject and enter proceedings to vote on the
submitted action order, communique, and or press release.
Motion to Enter Trial Proceedings This motion suggests the committee try a delegate for
crimes against the committee. Depending on the committee, the outcome of trials varies.
Motion to Extend This motion can be used only once for unmoderated or moderated caucuses
and will halve the time of the previous caucus upon extension. Extended motions may not be
extended again. For example, an extension of a 10 minute unmoderated caucus is a 5 minute
extension; an extension for a 10 minute moderated caucus with a 30 second speaking time will
be a 5 minute extension to the moderated caucus.
Motion for an Unmoderated Caucus Disruptiveness of numerous unmoderated caucuses
depends on the length of the caucus. For example, a 10 minute unmoderated caucus is more
disruptive than a 5 minute unmoderated caucus.
Motion for a Moderated Caucus When having numerous moderated caucuses, the more
disruptive moderated caucus has more total speakers than a less disruptive caucus. For
example, a 10 minute MC with a 30 second speaking time would have about 20 speakers,
whereas a 12 minute MC with a 45 second speaking time would have about 16 speakers,
meaning that the 10 minute MC would take precedence as the more disruptive moderated
caucus.
Types of Voting
Motion to Vote by Roll Call This motion passes automatically, unlike any other motion. The
chair will then individually ask each delegate to vote yes/no.
Motion to Vote by Acclamation This motion suggests for a vote on a directive or amendment
that has widespread support (usually a voice vote; if there’s a single nay, it fails)
Motion to Reorder This motion is suggested right after entering voting procedure, and votes to
reorder the directives in an order specified by the delegate.
Motion to Introduce and Vote on Unfriendly Amendments Unfriendly Amendments are
amendments submitted by other delegates to attach onto directives whose sponsors disagree
with the content of the amendment. A vote then determines whether the unfriendly amendment
will change the directive.
Motion to Divide the Question A Division of the Question separates a draft resolution into
separate units for passing and requires four separate votes. Approved through 50%+1.
1. Vote on the motion to divide the question.
2. Single out clauses.
3. Vote on the singled-out clause(s).
4. Vote on the directive as a whole, taking into account any changes made.

Documents

Throughout the course of simulation, crisis staff will create a storyline for your
committee to react to. Typically, most of the time in a crisis committee is pent in either
moderated or un-moderated caucus, debate formats that are more conducive to the
small number of participants and the rapidly changing nature of the situation. Speaker’s
lists are rare and, usually, if a dais would like to hear the various points of view on
certain topic, they will ask for it during a moderate caucus.Your reaction to the various
situations crisis staff throws at you expresses itself through four tools that you can use:
Directives, Communiqués, Press Releases, and Portfolio Power Requests.

Directives
Directives – also known as action plans – are the main form of writing in a crisis
committee, or the most widely recognized. They consist of orders and actions that the
committee as a whole wants to take. Unlike resolutions frowned upon because the point
of an action plan is quite clear, to take action and not waste time with verbiage. While in
GA you only had power to suggest and recommend, crisis committees give you power
to take action. the directive. These include looking ridiculous in front of your committee,
miscommunication leading to consequences that were not intended, and more. The
best directives are those that are not just approved by a large majority of the committee,
but actually those that also prove an in depth knowledge of the situation at hand.

Communiqués
Communiqués are messages from the entire committee to another country,
organization, person or group of people. These facilitate dialogue with relevant actors in
a crisis. Communiqués often include negotiations, threats, and requests for aid or
support but are not limited to those topics. Keep in mind that a communiqué needs to be
just as well worded as a directive; furthermore, this is the place for your inner linguist to
shine! Seriously, the tone of a letter can absolutely change the meaning of it. See an
example of a communiqué below:

Press Releases
Press releases are similar to communiqués in the fact that they are sent from the
committee as a whole; the difference lies in the fact that a press release is addressed to
the public. Press releases can help sway the opinions of the public or provoke public
reactions to crises at hand. In some committees, press releases take on different forms.
These include propaganda, public announcements, and publication

Portfolio Power Requests

Portfolio requests are actions taken unilaterally by members of the committee. For
example, if the committee failed a directive, or if you did not want the committee-at-large
knowing what was done, then you could send in a portfolio request detailing the same
orders. You could only do that if you had the power to do so; in other words, the
Portfolio requests should not be limiting; they are a chance to show your creativity!