Do you feel like you are not able to get your point across at meetings? Are you being taken advantage of at meetings because you don't know or understand the rules of meeting procedure? In meetings, what you don't know about the rules of parliamentary procedure CAN hurt you. If you don't speak up at the time, it may be too late to object later. Knowledge of correct meeting procedure is helpful to a member's participation in any group of any size. You don't have to be a parliamentarian to benefit from networking with others and learning more about Robert's Rules of Order.

If you are interested in learning more about parliamentary procedure and Robert's Rules, and networking with others who share this interest, then join the Sooner Unit today and start enjoying the benefits of membership and this online community today, including having your question answered with First Priority.

The Sooner Unit will never disclose your name or personal information to any outside parties. New Membership dues of $10.00 covers you through December 31, 2008. Pay online with security and confidence by clicking the PayPal button below to enroll in the Sooner Unit, which will take you to a secure PayPal site.

 Annual Membership Dues - for new members of the Sooner Unit:

Click the PayPal button to pay your New Member membership dues online. If you don't have a PayPal account, you will be given an option to create one or you can use your regular credit or debit card or bank account. (If you are already a member of the Sooner Unit, click here to renew your membership dues for 2008.)

Note:
You may prefer to mail your new Sooner Unit membership dues of $10.00 (which covers you through December 31, 2008) to the following address. If that is the case, please let us know at soonerunit@parlipro.org and mail your membership dues to:
 Sooner Unit Parliamentarians
 c/o Rod G Davidson, Professional Registered Parliamentarian
 P.O. Box 60912
 Oklahoma City, OK 73146-0912
New Membership Application

As a member of the Sooner Unit, you will receive a Certificate of Membership, along with a leaflet of BASIC PARLIAMENTARY INFORMATION including the following:

	Motion Chart Showing Rank of Motions: precedence and whether debatable and/or amendable
	Vote Required to Adopt Motions: two-thirds vote, majority vote
	Procedure for Handling a Main Motion
	Process of Amending a Motion
	Standard Order of Business: sample with descriptions
	Phrases for the Chairman to Use While Presiding
	Forms of Voting: voice, rising, show of hands, counted, ballot
	Other Pertinent Facts about Parliamentary Procedure

What are the Benefits of Membership in the Sooner Unit Parliamentarians:

• Sooner Unit members' questions are answered with First Priority;

• Certificate of membership in the Sooner Unit Parliamentarians;

• Exclusive, Sooner Unit members-only list serve where members can participate in on-line discussions about parliamentary procedure and have parliamentary procedure questions answered by the more experienced members;

• Lesson plan for studying and learning parliamentary procedure according to Robert's Rules;

• Mentoring by Professional Registered and Registered Parliamentarians;

• Receive a copy of Sooner Unit Bylaws, Standing Rules, and Special Rules of Order;

• Participate in Sooner Unit educational workshops and other activities;

• Work with Professional Registered and Registered Parliamentarians who are willing to help other organizations;

• Participate in April Parliamentary Law Month activities;

• Access to members-only areas of the website;

• All this and more for only $5 membership dues per year!

How Does Your Membership Benefit the Sooner Unit?

• Your membership dues allows the Sooner Unit to provide this website as a service to the global Internet community, as well as to provide services to our local community and surrounding areas. An online Question/Answer forum is provided for Sooner Unit members, who can benefit by seeing how real-world questions are answered by applying the rules of parliamentary procedure. Reading the rules in the book is one thing, but seeing parliamentary procedure in action is the key to true understanding.

• Each year, the Sooner Unit conducts several free workshops in parliamentary procedure for local and surrounding communities. Workshop materials and transportation costs add up, and your support as a Sooner Unit member allows us to reach beyond our local community.

• The Sooner Unit sponsors and mentors the Oklahoma City NW Classen FFA Parliamentary Procedure Youth Group, one of only a dozen affiliated Youth Groups of the National Association of Parliamentarians. While we are the leaders of today, our youth are the leaders of tomorrow!

• Members of the Sooner Unit judge a number of youth group competitions in parliamentary procedure locally and throughout the state.

Interested in joining the Sooner Unit?

According to the Sooner Unit bylaws, there are three classes of memberships in the Sooner Unit:

• Primary member

• Affiliate member

• Provisional member

Primary members are members of the National Association of Parliamentarians (NAP) who are counted in the unit as of March 1 of the NAP convention year for the purpose of determining the number of delegates to which the unit is entitled at the NAP convention.

Affiliate members are NAP members who are primary members of another unit and who are not counted for the purpose of determining the number of delegates to which the unit is entitled at NAP conventions.

Provisional members are individuals who are preparing for NAP membership. Provisional members are not NAP members and are not counted for the purpose of determining the number of delegates to which the unit is entitled at NAP conventions. Provisional members may hold elective office with the exception of the office of President or Vice President.

Here are a few testimonials from some recent satisfied New Members of the Sooner Unit Parliamentarians:

• "Your information has changed me from a person being bullied to a person that can handle the attacks and that was a wonderful change to go through."

• "You gave me wonderful advice and I can now handle another crazy situation - you are a wonderful asset and always give me more than I asked for and amazingly answer questions I forgot to ask."

• "Thank you for your assistance and I am grateful for being a member of the Sooner Unit."

• "THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HELPING THROUGH A SITUATION. AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE I AM THANKFUL I FOUND YOUR WEB SITE AND ORGANIZATION. I APPRECIATE YOUR GUIDANCE AND INFORMATION. THIS INFORMATION IS JUST WHAT I NEEDED!!!!"

• "Thank you so much for your immediate reply to my inquiry. Your comprehensive explanation was very clear. My questions were answered."

• "I am so happy to have found your organization last year. The information has been invaluable. Almost every question has had something to do with circumstances I deal with either at a committee, board or council level. Thank you!"

• "WOW! Thanks for the speedy -- and clear -- response."

• "Thanks for a clear, speedy and thorough response. I'm glad I joined. If you don't mind, I'll use you as a reference in the future."

• "You have helped me tremendously, and I thank you very much."

• "Thanks for the additional info. I 'treasure' (as in keep!) virtually all of the Q and A's from your online service. Many have helped me run better -- more efficient and less contentious -- meetings."

• "Thank you for more great advice - I will definitely be taking advantage of all your organization has to offer."

• "Thank you for guiding me to the books I will need next year as parliamentarian of my club - I did order the books recommended through your site. Thank you for making it so easy to order."

• "This organization is fantastic - wonderful web site - thrilled I have joined - the last question was answered so quickly and with full information and even more than I needed. Thank you."

• "I am very grateful to you for getting us through this."

• "Thank you so much and yes your advice was very helpful."

• "Thank you for this. I understand and it makes sense."

• "First of all.. I would like to thank you for the quick response to my inquiry....it is greatly appreciated."

• "Thank you for your fast response."

• "Thank you very much for the response, it was very helpful."

• "Thank you for your very clear opinion....You have been a great help."

• "You have always been so helpful, I am hoping you can offer more advice!!"

• "Thank you very much for your assistance."

• "Great help, thank you very much."

• "Thank you. The situation is now very clear to me."

• "The information you have sent me to date speaks volumes. Hopefully a new board will solve all our problems. However it is good to know there is help available if we need it. Thanks again for delivering more valuable and needed information than asked."

• "Thank you very much for the speed and clarity of your response. I'm impressed."

• "Thank you for answering my question. I was especially pleased with your answers, because of the time taken by yourself to show the reference pages. where the answers can be found. Given the enormity of information, covered in the Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR) your knowledge is impressive. It is wonderful to have a place where one can get answers from a Professional Registered Parliamentarian. I will be purchasing the new Robert's Rules of Order from the Sooner organization."

• "Thank-you for your reply it was very helpful."

• "Wow! Thanks for such a quick response!"

• "Thank You for your answer, I appreciate it."

• "Thank you for the response, it was timely and very much appreciated."

• "Thank You for such a quick response."

• "Thank you for a quick response, and yes, you answered my question."

• "Thank you, thank you. Your kind reply helped me think through all the ways we can tackle this issue and you did indeed answer my question"

• "I sincerely appreciate the prompt reply."

• "Thanks for your quick response."

• "It certainly does answer my question and I thank you for your time."

• "Thanks for the speedy and thorough, as always, response."

• "Perfect! Thanks! This is exactly what I was looking for but couldn't find in the RONR Online."

• "Thanks for the speedy and thorough response."

• "Thank you so much, you are wonderful, I am learning so much."

• "I read your posts with great interest. You give me the hope that RONR will be able to solve my problems. However, the reality in my Union is challenging my every hope. Will your optimism materialize for me? Is there hope for integrity in our meetings?"

• "Your answer was certainly thorough and complete."

• "Thanks for your insightful response. Very helpful."

Guests are always welcome at the Sooner Unit!

Those who wish to study parliamentary procedure are welcome to join any of the eight Units of the National Association of Parliamentarians throughout the state of Oklahoma, located in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Lawton, Bartlesville, and Yukon. If you are interested in starting a study unit in your area of the state, please contact us and we can provide additional information.

The National Association of Parliamentarians is an organization of approximately 4,000 members, with Units across the USA, Canada, and other countries. Visit the NAP website to learn more:
http://www.parliamentarians.org/services.htm

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