Informal? Quasi? Of the Whole?

If you want to see a glazed look in people’s eyes, start talking about Informal
Consideration, Quasi Committee of the Whole, or Committee of the Whole. It is very
difficult to remember the unique characteristics of each. For instance, how do you get
out of each of these? What happens to the result of each? Who chairs each? What
happens to the minutes of each? What is the recommended size and required quorum for
each?

Fortunately Robert’s Rules of Order is based on common sense. All we have to do is

remember two facts:
1. Informal Consideration is not a committee. It is the assembly with a relaxed
limit on debate. The individuals are still functioning as in the regular assembly,
and are still limited to 10 minutes per motion, but they get to speak as many times
as they wish.
2. Committee of the Whole (CoW) functions as a true committee except that it
includes every member present at the general meeting.

If we remember these two facts we can see why any motion handled under Informal
Consideration exhibits the following characteristics:
1. It is treated as any other main motion at a general meeting;
2. Any vote during Informal Consideration is binding on the general assembly;
3. The original presiding officer still chairs the meeting; and
4. The minutes go right into the minutes of the general assembly.
5. The general assembly merely moves to consider a motion informally to start, and
then moves to consider the motion formally to end this activity.
6. Consider Informally reminds us of another way of moving to extend the limits of
debate.

On the other hand, any motion handled under Committee of the Whole (CoW) exhibits
the following characteristics:
1. It is treated as any main motion in a special committee;
2. Any vote during CoW still requires a separate vote for adoption at the general
assembly;
3. The chair of the CoW is appointed and probably different form the chair of the
general assembly; and
4. The CoW minutes do not go in the minutes of the general assembly.
5. The general assembly merely moves to go into Committee of the Whole to start,
and then moves to Rise and Report.
6. Rise and Report reminds us of the life span of a special committee.

Quasi Committee of the Whole (QCoW) is called that because it is almost identical to
the Committee of the Whole except that the chair of the general assembly remains in the
chair as presiding officer.

A few additional facts:

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 1. The quorum for any of the above is the same as that for the general assembly.
2. Since debate is less restrictive during Informal Consideration, this process is more
suitable to smaller groups (less than 50 in attendance if it is a friendly group;
much less than that if it is a confrontational group). QCoW is best for
intermediate size assemblies and CoW is for assemblies larger than 100 in
attendance.
3. You could possibly have someone move all four forms of the Motion to Refer
during the handling of one motion. The form holding the highest rank is the
CoW, followed by the QWoC, and then Informal Consideration. Below in rank to
these three is the Motion to Refer to a Committee that we are all familiar with.

So why bother with all of these differences?

I would say that the only form (other than the Motion to Refer) that you really need to be
comfortable with as a presiding officer is Consider Informally. The alternative would be
for the chair to call a Recess or resort to breakout groups. But these options are too time-
consuming without increasing the chances of a resolution for an issue. The presiding
officer can easily sell Consider Informally to the assembly and can handle it effortlessly.
Most importantly, the quick results will convince the assembly that the presiding officer
is a great leader.

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