A Parliamentarian in Toastmasters plays a crucial role in ensuring that meetings, particularly business sessions, are conducted according to established rules and protocols, primarily Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised or other relevant parliamentary guides depending on the region. This role is essential for maintaining order, fairness, and transparency in decision-making processes within Toastmasters clubs and Districts.
The Parliamentarian's responsibilities extend to various levels within the Toastmasters organization. At the District level, the Parliamentarian assists the District Director with planning and conducting District meetings, including District Council meetings and District Executive Committee meetings. Their duties include interpreting Toastmasters bylaws and policies, reviewing District operating procedures, and offering guidance on rules and procedures. They are an invaluable resource for the District Director, providing help, guidance, and support during meetings and answering any questions related to rules and procedures. This ensures that discussions are orderly, decision-making is efficient, and all activities align with Toastmasters International rules and established etiquette. They also provide training to District officers and members on effective parliamentary procedure and meeting standards.
At the club level, while not always a formally assigned role in every regular meeting, the principles of parliamentary procedure are often applied, especially during business sessions. Some clubs, like Big "D" Toastmasters, have a rotating Parliamentarian role for their business meetings to ensure adherence to Robert's Rules of Order. The Parliamentarian's evaluation in a club setting might focus on how the meeting chair handled the business session, ensuring proper procedure, adherence to the agenda, and maintaining decorum. This includes checking if the meeting started on time, if a quorum existed, and if the chair acted fairly and maintained control.
The core tenets of parliamentary procedure, which the Parliamentarian upholds, include ensuring an equal count of all voting members' votes, protecting the rights of the minority to be heard, upholding the rights of all members to express their views through fair debate, respecting the rights of the majority to decide, facilitating smooth business transactions in a spirit of cooperation and harmony, establishing a quorum for the group to conduct business, and ensuring that the chair remains impartial. Knowledge of parliamentary procedure is considered a valuable transferable skill that Toastmasters members can apply in various professional and community settings.
