STUDY GUIDE
 
 

Codes of Conduct

Delegates are Expected to:

1.  Remain "in character," faithfully representing the positions and consistently advocating the interests of the nation which they are assigned.

2.  Seek the widest possible collaboration where possible with fellow delegates in order to resolve major global problems.

3.  Be serious about their work during the entire simulation and conduct themselves in a professional manner in committee sessions.

At the South Florida Regional High School Model United Nations, you will be representing the particular views of your assigned country.  You may find that your personal views disagree with your assigned country's policies, just as sometimes the personal views of United Nations delegates do not coincide with their countries policies.  As a MUN delegate, as in the actual United Nations, you will be required to place your nation-state's interest first.  Each delegation should select the relevant issues and major concerns of their nation-state's policies that pertain to the committees topics.  It is important that delegates are fully prepared with an accurate understanding of their country's policies and the simulation topics to insure a successful MUN.

Characteristics that make an effective delegate:

1.  A demonstrated knowledge of the assigned country's policy, of the committees and assigned topics--and of other nations' views.

2.  Knowledge of the rules of procedure.

3.  An ability to caucus, write resolutions, debate and negotiate.

4.  Accurate representation of the country in various situations.

Caucusing is an integral part of the simulation and often produces creative solutions to problems.  Caucusing should be conducted during suspension of the meeting, after the time for reconvening has been specified.

Decorum is of the highest importance throughout the simulation.  With the large size of committees, any disruption in proceedings will be ruled out of order.

The Process:

Formal Debate:

Each committee will meet throughout the days of the simulation.  Committee time is divided between formal debate and caucus.  During formal debate, delegates share their views with the entire committee using parliamentary rules of procedure.

In formal debate, delegates make speeches, answer questions from other delegates, introduce and debate proposed resolutions and amendments.  A comprehensive understanding of the parliamentary rules of procedure is, therefore, an important tool for delegates if committee work is to progress and result in the development of resolutions that address the committee's topics.

Caucus:

A delegate may call for a caucus in order to meet informally with other delegates to discuss the topic at hand and to forge constructive relationships with other delegates to create resolutions.  The process of developing a resolution that will "pass" in the committee requires cooperating, accommodating and often compromising with the goals of other delegates.  Much of the progress of the committee is a result of effective "caucusing" through the informal exchange of ideas and open dialogue between and among delegates in this unstructured setting.

A delegate calls for a caucus by raising his/her placard.  Upon recognition by the committee chair, the delegate responds, "Mr. (or Madam) Chairperson, the delegate of Nigeria moves for a fifteen minutes recess for the purpose of caucusing."

The Chair may grant or deny the request, may call for a vote on the notion by the committee delegates or may propose a shorter or longer recess.

The Plenary Session

All delegates will attend the Plenary Session on Saturday.  The Plenary will simulate the second stage of the passing of U.N. resolutions.  All national delegates meet in the plenary to approve or reject resolutions that have been created in the various General Assembly or special committees.  Since some nations do not place delegates in all the United Nation committees, the Plenary is the opportunity for all nations to exercise their vote in the passing or rejecting of  resolutions in which they have not taken part.

The Process:

The Secretary-General will preside over the Plenary Session, observing the same rules of protocol used in committee.  He/She will proceed by committee as designated in the simulation schedule (First Committee, Second Committee, etc.), referring to the resolutions, given to him by the respective committee secretaries, in order of their passing in each committee.

The Secretary in the Plenary Session will read the first resolution of the first committee, a speakers' list will be compiled of two delegates for the resolution and two delegates against the resolution.  Since some resolutions are passed without opposition, it is not mandatory to have speakers against the resolution.  Delegates on the speakers' list will make brief statements, limited according to the time set by the Secretary General at the beginning of the Plenary Session.  After the speakers on this resolution have finished, a delegate vote will be taken by show of hands.  It is customary that all country delegates vote in agreement with the representative in the respective committee whose resolution is on the floor of the Plenary Session.*  In this manner, the Secretary General will proceed through the ratification or rejection of each resolution passed in each committee in the simulation.

After the ratification of all resolutions, the decisions of the Security Council will be announced.

*It is important that all delegates portray the positions of their country's foreign policy and not their own personal views.  Al delegations to the United Nations have a unified country position that is usually reflected in all committees.  Country delegates need to confer with the other members of their delegation, explaining their vote on each resolution passed in committee.

Developing a Negotiating Strategy

1.  List the national priorities for your delegation in your committee.

2.  Identify the issues on the agenda that fit the national priorities.

3.  Define the maximum and minimum objectives for the delegation on these issues.

4.  Establish linkages between issues that are priorities and those that are not.

5.  Identify the member states that have the same priorities; those that have different or opposing priorities; and those in-between.

Arriving at the simulation, delegates will know the countries that will support or oppose their proposed resolutions and those countries that do not have a position may be be persuaded to lend their support.  Caucusing can then be most productive because time is not lost in determining where diplomatic skills should be focused.

Preparing a Position Paper

MUN Position Paper: Example
Position Paper Example,  Printable Version 

A position paper is required for this conference.  It will help delegates organize their research on the simulation's topics, enable the sponsor to evaluate the preparedness of his/her delegation and provide a useful writing assignment to help students learn how to organize and present ideas and improve writing skills.

The position paper will define your country's national interest on each committee's topics.  It will help organize information on your country's foreign policy goals, will reveal where more research is needed and help in planning a diplomatic strategy for the conference.

A position paper is outlined below:

1. Brief background of topic in the United Nations
    a.    Main elements of the problem or concern.
    b.    General positions on the issue (positions of major blocs, other nations, experts on the subject, etc.).
    c.    Action taken on the issue (e.g., U.N. Resolutions adopted, Secretariat reports or studies, and referrals to other bodies or specialized agencies).

2. Justification of the position and summary
    a.    Main reasons that support your country's point of view or position.
    b.    Draft resolution or amendment(s) your country might propose.

The position paper should be concise and brief, no more than one page for each committee topic.

After delegates create position papers on each of their committee topics, (if you have two delegates on a committee, they will work as a team on the position papers for the committee), the sponsor can review the foreign policy positions for his/her delegation in the simulation.  This is a good method for revealing weak links in country background and foreign policy research and developing strategy for creating and passing the desired resolution(s).

Delegates should arrive at the simulation with statements on their country's position on the committee topics instead of resolutions, remembering that any pre-written resolutions are subject to changes and modifications in order to gain support for passage from other country's delegations on the committee.

It is often more productive if delegates develop their resolution in the committee caucusing by meeting with delegates that would most likely sponsor and support the intended resolution, thereby developing a resolution statement that will garner support and be likely to pass in committee.  Of course, this task involves compromise, cooperation, and the ability to listen to and understand other countries' positions and reach an amenable agreement.

Please being pencil (pens) and paper in order to develop and modify your resolutions.

Remember!  All proposed resolutions must be submitted to your committee chair before presentation to the committee.  Since all delegates in your committee will require copies of your proposed resolution, we will provide facilities for duplicating.

Since most of the business of Model United Nations is conducted through resolutions, the ability to write a resolution is essential for active participation in the simulation.  Resolutions along with amendments are also the basis for debate and negotiation in committee.

A resolution is prepared by an individual nation or by a group of nations and can be either general statements on the topic under discussion or directives for action.  They can condemn actions of states, call for collective actions, or, as in the case of the Security Council, require economic or military sanctions.

Each resolution is a single sentence, with the different sections separated by semi-colons and commas.  The subject of the sentence is the organ making the statement such as the General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, or the Security Council.

The remainder of the resolution is divided into two parts: preambulatory and operative clauses.  The preambulatory clauses are justifications for actions.  They usually begin with a participle and denote Charter authorization for actions, past resolutions precedent, and statements about particular purposes for the action.

Operative clauses are the policy portion of the resolution.  Each of these starts with the verb, and taken as a whole, deals with one idea arranged in logical progression.  Each clause should not be a collection of unrelated statements on a broad topic, but should deal with only one aspect of the problem.

Sample Resolution:
Sample Resolution printable version 
 

South Florida Regional High School Model United Nation Rules:
Quick Reference Guide printable version 
 
 

Rules of Procedure

Official and working language

Rule 1:

English shall be the official and working language of the Committees.

Conduct of Quorum

Rule 2:

The Chairperson may declare a meeting open and permit debate to proceed when delegates of at least one third of the members of the Committee are present.  The  presence of delegates of a majority of the members of the body concerned shall be required for any decision to be taken.
 

General Powers of the Chairperson

Rule 3:

In addition to exercising the powers conferred upon him/her elsewhere by these rules, the Chairperson shall declare the opening and closing of each meeting of the Committee, direct the discussions, ensure observance of these rules, accord the right to speak, put questions to the vote and announce decisions.  The Chairperson, subject to these rules, shall have complete control of the proceedings of the Committee and over the maintenance of order at its meetings.  She/He shall rule on points of order.

She/He may propose to the Committee the closure of the list of speakers, a limitation on the time to be allowed to speakers and on the number of times the delegate of each member may speak on an item, the adjournment or closure of the debate, and the suspension or adjournment of a meeting.
 

Points of Order

Rule 4:

During the discussion of any matter, a delegate may rise to a point of order.  The chairperson's decision will be given immediately and will be considered final and ultimate.
 

Speeches

Rule 5:

1.  No one may address the Committee without having previously obtained the permission of the Chairperson.  The Chairperson shall call upon speakers in the order in which they signify their desire to speak.

2.  Debate shall be confined to the question before the Committee, and the Chairperson may call a speaker to order if his/her remarks are not relevant to the subject under discussion.

3.  The Committee may limit the time allowed to speakers and the number of times the delegate of each member may speak on any question: permission to speak on a motion to set such  limits shall be accorded only to two delegates favoring and to two opposing such limits, after which the motion shall be put to the vote immediately.

Interventions on procedural questions shall not exceed five minutes unless the Committee decides otherwise.  When debate is limited and a speaker exceeds the allotted time, the Chairperson shall call him/her to order without delay.
 

Closing of list of Speakers

Rule 6:

Members may only be on the list of speakers once but may be added again after having spoken.  During the course of a debate, the Chairperson may announce the list of speakers and, with the consent of the Committee, declare the list closed.  When there are not more speakers, the Chairperson shall, with the consent of the Committee, declare the debate closed.  Such closure shall have the same effect as closure by decision of the Committee.

Rule 7:

If a remark impugns the integrity of a delegate's state, the Chairperson may permit a right of reply following the conclusion of the controversial speech, and shall determine an appropriate time limit for the replay.  No ruling on this question shall be subject to appeal.
 

Suspension of the meeting

Rule 8:

During the discussion of any matter, a delegate may move the suspension of the meeting specifying a time for reconvening.  Such motions shall not be debated but shall be put to the vote immediately.

Rule 9:

During the discussion of any matter, a delegate may move the adjournment of the meeting.  Such motions shall not be debated but shall be put to the vote immediately.  After adjournment, the Committee shall reconvene at its next regularly scheduled meeting time; adjournment of the final meeting shall adjourn the session.
 

Adjournment of debate

Rule 10:

A delegate may at any time move the adjournment of debate on the item under discussion.  Permission to speak on the motion shall be accorded only to two delegates favoring and to two opposing the adjournment, after which the motion shall be put to the vote immediately.  If a motion for adjournment is passed, the topic is considered dismissed and no action will be taken on it.
 

Closure of debate

Rule 11:

A delegate may, at any time, move the closure of debate on the item under discussion, whether or not any other delegate has signified his/her wish to speak.  Permission to speak on the motion shall be accorded only to two delegates opposing the closure, after which the motion shall be put to the vote immediately.  Closure of debate shall require a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting.  If the Committee favors the closure of debate, the Committee shall immediately move to vote on all proposals introduced under that agenda item.
 

Order of motions

Rule 12:

Subject to rule 4, the motions indicated below shall have precedence in the following order over all proposals or other motions before the meeting:
a)  To suspend the meeting;
b)  To adjourn the meeting;
c)  To adjourn the debate on the item under discussion;
d)  To close the debate on the item under discussion.
 

Withdrawal of motions

Rule 13:

A proposal or a motion may be withdrawn by its sponsor at any time before voting has commenced, provided that it has not been amended.  A motion thus withdrawn may be reintroduced by any delegate.
 

Reconsideration of proposals

Rule 14:

When a proposal has been adopted or rejected, it may not be reconsidered at the same session unless the Committee, by a two-thirds majority of the delegates present and voting, so decides.  Permission to speak on a motion to reconsider shall be accorded only to two speakers opposing the motion, after which it shall be put to the vote immediately.

II  VOTING

 
Voting Rights

Rule 15:

Each member of the Committee shall have one vote.
 

Request for a vote

Rule 16:

A proposal or motion before the Committee for decision shall be voted upon if any member so requests.  Where no member requests a vote, the Committee may adopt proposals or motions without a vote.
 

Majority required

Rule 17:

1.  Unless specified otherwise in these rules, decisions of the Committee shall be made by a majority of the members present and voting.

2.  For the purposes of tabulation, the phrase "members present and voting" means members casting an affirmative or negative vote.  Members which abstain from voting are considered as not voting.
 

Method of voting

Rule 18:

The Committee shall normally vote by a show of placards, except that a delegate may request a roll call, which shall be taken in the English alphabetical order of the names of the members, beginning with the member whose name is drawn by lot by the Chairperson.  The name of each member shall be called in any roll cll, and one of its delegates shall reply "yes," "no," or "abstention."
 

Explanation of vote

Rule 19:

Delegates may make brief statements consisting solely of explanation of their votes before the voting has commenced or after the voting has been completed.  The delegate of a member sponsoring a proposal or motion shall not speak in explanation of vote thereon, except if it has been amended.
 

Conduct during voting

Rule 20:

After the Chairperson has announced the commencement of voting, no delegate shall interrupt  the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual process of voting.
 

Division of proposals and amendments

Rule 21:

Parts of a proposal or an amendment may be voted on separately if a delegate moves that the proposal be divided.  If there re calls for multiple divisions, they shall be voted upon in an order to be set by the Chairperson, where the least radical division will be voted upon first.  Two delegates may speak in favor of the motion for division, and two may speak against it.  If the motion for division is carried, those parts of the proposal or the amendment which have been approved shall then be put to a vote as a whole; if all operative parts of a proposal or an amendment have been rejected, the proposal or the amendment shall be considered to have been rejected as a whole.
 

Amendments

Rule 22:

An amendment is a proposal that does no more than add to, delete from, or revise part of another proposal.
 

Order of voting on amendments

Rule 23:

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 amendment furthest removed in substance from the original proposal shall be voted on first and then the amendment next furthest removed therefrom, and so on until all the amendments have been put to the vote.  Where the adoption of one amendment necessarily implies the rejection of another amendment, the latter shall not be put to the vote.  If one or more amendments are adopted, the amended proposal shall then be voted on.
 

Order of voting on proposals

Rule 24:

If two or more proposals, other than amendments, relate to the same question, they shall, unless the Committee decides otherwise, be voted on in the order in which they were submitted.