Resolform

The Steps in Getting a Resolution on the Floor and Approved:

-Content. The first step is to have your coalition decide upon the content of the resolution. If you wrote a good working paper it can serve as the basis for your resolution. There will, however, undoubtedly be a need to make several changes. Therefore, you and your coalition will have to review all the ideas that have come before the committee (the ideas you have detailed in your coalition's working paper, the ideas in other working papers, any new ideas, etc.). Analyze each idea, judging it on the basis of how good an idea it is, how in keeping it is with your coalition's interests, and how much support it has in the rest of the committee. Based on these criteria, select the ideas that you will incorporate into your resolution.

-Outline. Take the necessary time to outline your resolution. Critically review the outline: Are all the ideas compatible? Is it logically organized? Is it comprehensive enough? Will it have enough popular support? It is far easier to make changes at this stage than after you have typed it all out. Also, you can later use this outline to efficiently and tangibly illustrate the ideas in your resolution to new delegates without waiting for them to read through the entire resolution word for word.

-Rough Draft. By limiting the number of delegates actually involved in the drafting process, you will have more control over the content of the resolution. However, keep in mind that you will be under continual pressure to compromise the ideas you have and the positions you have taken in order to gain support.

-Announcement. Up to this point, all you have really done is to write an extremely comprehensive working paper. What you need to do now is win broader support. To this end, during formal debate, broadly outline the contents of your resolution to the committee. Tell them that during the next caucus you are going to review the resolution one final time and that if a delegate has any suggestions he/she should meet with you then.

-Review. During the next caucus, as per your announcement, you and your coalition should gather all your allied delegates and all interested delegates and review your draft resolution clause by clause. You do not have the time to let everybody read through the draft resolution. Instead, read each operative clause out loud and after each clause explain the reasoning behind it and ask if there are any comments or suggestions. If a delegate does suggest a modification, then you have a couple of options.

A-Immediate Alteration. This is obviously the strongest (i.e. most radical) option available. You should use this option if the suggestion is a valuable one which not only Is in keeping with your coalition's interests, but also would greatly broaden your support base if you incorporated it. Although immediately altering the resolution is a relatively large concession, if you do so, you will most likely get the undying support of the delegate whose suggestion you incorporated.

B- Amendment process. If you do not have any strong objections to a suggestion or your coalition is not in total agreement on whether or not to incorporate it, then tell the delegate who suggested it to submit it as a formal amendment during the amendment process. This option gives you and your coalition more time to consider the various pros and cons of the suggestion and it prevents you from making a modification that ultimately turns out to be unpopular.

-Final Resolution. No matter how you have drafted your resolution, before you type up the final version you should review your resolution with a CÆA president After getting the president's advice and making any necessary changes, present it to the president for inclusion in the resolutions packet for the end of the year meeting. You are now ready to type it out and read your resolution at the Spring Retreat or May meeting of the CÆA Board.