The final version of the Business Meeting Agenda (pdf) is now available as of October 9, 2023.
2023 WSFS Business Meeting Agenda.pdf
PLEASE TAKE NOTE: The linked document comprises the complete agenda and all committee's reports. Printed copies provided at the Business Meeting will only contain New Business and Business Passed On items along with
their accompanying commentary, in an effort to reduce paper consumption. If you wish to review the complete agenda during the Business Meeting, please feel free to do so at the table located at the rear of the room.
We will have a maximum of five full agendas available on-site.
The WSFS Business Meeting is a standing conference activity convened by each World Science Fiction Convention to address issues such as additions, deletions, and revisions in the areas of WSFS Constitutions and Standing Rulls.
What Kind of Membership is Required to Participate in the Business Meeting?
For the 2023 Chengdu Worldcon, there are three types of memberships available: Online Membership, In-Person Membership, and WSFS Membership. Only WSFS members have the privilege to actively participate in this year's Business Meeting.
Becoming a WSFS member also grants you additional benefits, including the right to nominate for the Hugo Awards in 2023 and 2024, the ability to vote for the Hugo Awards in 2023, and the opportunity to vote for the location of the 2025 World Science Fiction Convention.
Preliminary Business Meeting：
2023.10.19 10:00am - 13:00pm
Main Meetings:
2023.10.20 10:00am - 13:00pm
2023.10.21 10:00am - 13:00pm
If Required:
2023.10.22 10:00am - 13:00pm
What is the Daily Schedule for the Business Meeting?
The initial session of the gathering is commonly referred to as the Preliminary Business Meeting. Its purpose is to examine the agenda for the subsequent sessions, establish debate durations (which can be adjusted as needed), and afford members the opportunity to voice objections to the discussion of specific business items (this process involves a specific voting procedure that requires the presence of members). This session may also involve the presentation of financial reports for past and upcoming World Science Fiction Conventions, reports from various committees, and the voting on specific resolutions.
Subsequent to the Preliminary Meeting, the meeting progresses to the formal sessions where it addresses business items in a structured order. This includes debates and, when necessary, voting on business matters. Business items can either be subjected to a vote or referred to committees for further review, which may occur either during the current year or in subsequent years. As previously mentioned, during the third session, the Site Selection team unveils the voting results, and the newly appointed Worldcon committee delivers a presentation.
What are the Meeting Rules?
The Business Meeting typically adheres to Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised (RONR), unless specific deviations from RONR are outlined in the WSFS Standing Rules.
It's important to note that the concept of "fairness" in this context doesn't always equate to getting one's personal preferences. The meeting operates as a deliberative assembly with democratic principles, meaning that occasionally, not everyone will achieve their desired outcomes. Nevertheless, the fundamental principle is that all participants must abide by the same set of rules.
For your reference, you can access the current Standing Rules and a copy of the WSFS Constitution on the WSFS website. Or you can click the attachments below:
WSFS-Standing-Rules（现行规则英文版）.pdf
How Do I Submit a Proposal?
Members who are either Attending or Supporting can jointly submit resolutions for consideration during the meeting. If you require assistance in formatting your proposal correctly, please feel free to reach out to our business meeting staff at the provided contact address.
Please note that the deadline for submitting proposals for the 2023 WSFS Business Meeting is Monday, September 18th, 2023. Proposals received after this date will typically not be reviewed, unless otherwise specified in Standing Rule 2.1.
