Membership

Membership in the Sooner Unit Parliamentarians

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 come to a meeting and join the Sooner Unit.

Dues are $10 per year and if you pay dues for the first time between September 1 and December 31, your dues will cover you for the remainder of 2015 and all of 2016.

Seal of the Sooner Unit Parliamentarians

As a new 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

Benefits of membership in the Sooner UnitWhat are the Benefits of Membership in the Sooner Unit Parliamentarians:

  • Certificate of membership in the Sooner Unit Parliamentarians;
  • Exclusive, Sooner Unit members-only Yahoo Group list serve where members can participate in on-line discussions about parliamentary procedure and have parliamentary procedure questions answered by the more experienced members, as well as access the extensive bank of previously asked questions about Robert's Rules of Order;
  • Lesson plan for studying and learning parliamentary procedure according to Robert's Rules;
  • Mentoring by members of the Sooner Unit Parliamentarians;
  • Participate in Sooner Unit educational workshops and other activities;
  • Work with parliamentarians who are willing to help other organizations;
  • Participate in April Parliamentary Law Month activities;
  • All this and more for only $10 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 coaches and mentors young people in school programs devoted to teaching parliamentary procedure. 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.

Let's shake on it!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.

Guests are always welcome at the Sooner Unit!

Contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Those who wish to study parliamentary procedure are welcome to join any of the six Units of the National Association of Parliamentarians throughout the state of Oklahoma, located in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Lawton, 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