Model UN can be overwhelming with its formal language, rules, and procedures — if you're unsure what a ‘motion’ is or how ‘caucuses’ work, this guide has you covered.
What do we mean by the Rules of Procedure?
In MUN, the rules of procedure (RoP) are the shared structure for debate, establishing when delegates may speak and what they may address.
What should you expect?
There is a certain flow to each committee session, as they all start off with a roll call and move into general debate that will be interrupted by caucuses. For unconventional or crisis committees, any variations to the RoP will be explained by the chairs during the first session of the conference.
Roll Call
Each session will begin with a roll call to take attendance. When the name of the country you're representing is called out, you should respond with "Present" or "Present and Voting".
"Present and Voting" means that you will not be abstaining during voting, but it's fine to reply either way. If you're late to roll call, send a note to the Chairs indicating that you're with us!
Setting the Agenda
If your committee has multiple topics, the first order of business is to debate and vote on which topic to discuss first. This happens through a motion (e.g. 'Motion to Set the Agenda to Topic A'). However, keep in mind that you may not have time during the conference to debate the other topic.
What are motions?
Motions are a formal request you make to the chair if you want to do something specific. They can be used to guide the discussion in a certain direction and can give you more time to negotiate and debate.
To propose a motion, you raise your placard when the floor is open and start with "Motion for...."
Some common types of motions are to start a moderated or unmoderated caucus, or to introduce draft resolutions and amendments. These are often voted on by the committee.
If no motions are successful, or once a caucus has elapsed, you return to the GSL.
General Debate
After setting the agenda (you move straight into this section if your committee only has one topic), the directors will establish the General Speakers List (GSL) that determines the order in which the delegates will give their general speeches. This list will always be open, and delegates can send a note to the chairs asking to be added to the GSL as frequently as they wish. This formal debate is your opportunity to discuss your views, answer questions, and argue your stance.
This is the main way the debate keeps moving, so keep adding your names to the GSL!
Caucuses
The general speakers' list will often be interjected with caucuses, which can be moderated or unmoderated. These will come from delegates proposing motions for a moderated or unmoderated caucus.
A moderated caucus is another format for formal debate, but it focuses on a more specific topic and is key to directing how the debate progresses.
When motioning for a moderated caucus, you should include:
the subtopic the entire committee will discuss,
the total time that the caucus should last,
and the individual speaking time for each delegate
For example, you would raise your placard to "Motion for a 15-minute moderated caucus with 45-second speaking time on the role of conflict in food insecurity".
Conversely, an unmoderated caucus serves as a break from the structured format where delegates can leave their seats and move around to freely negotiate and discuss amongst themselves. This is the time when the majority of your resolution papers will get written.
When motioning for an unmoderated caucus, you would only need to state the total time that it would take place, e.g. "Motion for a 20-minute unmoderated caucus."
Throughout the conference, you’ll work toward drafting and submitting:
Working Papers – ideas and proposals without proper formatting (meaning that you can submit pictures and slides, etc.)
Draft Resolutions – formal documents to be debated and voted on
These proposals will be covered in our next few blog posts so stay tuned!