Speaker Manual
A Manual for the Speaker of the Board
University of Toronto Engineering Society

Last Revision: April 30, 2026

Contents

For Candidates #

0.0 # Role Summary

1. 0.0.1 # The Speaker of the Board is a Neutral Officer chiefly responsible for chairing meetings of the Board of Directors, but also for interpreting Bylaws and Rules of Order, overseeing and supporting other Neutral Officers, and other impartial duties.

0.1 # General Responsibilities

1. 0.1.1 # The Speaker organizes and chairs all meetings of the Board of Directors, and chairs General Meetings, in accordance with the Bylaws, the Standing Rules, and Robert's Rules of Order.
2. 0.1.2 # The Speaker makes rulings on the interpretation of Bylaws and Rules of Order both during meetings and asynchronously.
3. 0.1.3 # The Speaker oversees the Ombudsperson and Chief Returning Officer, and takes over their responsibilities in certain situations.
4. 0.1.4 # The Speaker has other responsibilities listed in Chapter 2 of this Manual.

0.2 # Required Qualifications

1. 0.2.1 # The Speaker must be impartial in all aspects of the role.
2. 0.2.2 # The Speaker must be familiar with the Bylaws of the Society.

0.3 # Useful Qualifications

1. 0.3.1 # Skills and/or experience in the following are beneficial for the Speaker to have:
   1. 0.3.1.a # Meetings with formal rules of order, e.g. Model United Nations
   2. 0.3.1.b # Attendance at meetings of the Board of Directors
   3. 0.3.1.c # Chairing meetings
   4. 0.3.1.d # Policy interpretation
   5. 0.3.1.e # All qualifications mentioned in the Ombuds Manual, section 0.3
   6. 0.3.1.f # All qualifications mentioned in the Returning Manual, section 0.3
2. 0.3.2 # Knowledge of the workings of the Engineering Society is an asset.

0.4 # Role Takeaways

1. 0.4.1 # A Speaker missing qualifications listed in section 0.3 may gain them by exercising the role.
2. 0.4.2 # The Speaker role is useful experience for a prospective candidate for President to have.

Summary and Structure #

1.0 # Role Summary

1. 1.0.1 # The Speaker of the Board is a Neutral Officer chiefly responsible for chairing meetings of the Board of Directors, including interpreting Bylaws and Rules of Order, but also for overseeing and supporting other Neutral Officers, and other impartial duties.

1.1 # Transition

1. 1.1.1 # The Speaker shall transition their successor as described in the Transition Policy.

1.2 # Executive Structure

1. 1.2.1 # Ombudsperson
2. 1.2.2 # Chief Returning Officer
3. 1.2.3 # Other than the above direct reports, the Speaker does not typically have executives.

1.3 # Executive Responsibilities

1. 1.3.1 # All responsibilities of the role itself fall on the Speaker.

1.4 # Reporting Structure

1. 1.4.1 # The Speaker is overseen by the Board of Directors.
2. 1.4.2 # The President takes over the Speaker's responsibilities when the Speaker is unavailable, unless the Board resolves otherwise.

Manual of Responsibilities #

2.0 # Ongoing Responsibilities

1. 2.0.1 # The Speaker chairs each Board and General Meeting, including without limitation:
   1. 2.0.1.a # maintaining the orders of the day as prescribed in the Bylaws, the Standing Rules, and Robert's Rules of Order
   2. 2.0.1.b # barring Directors of the Board from voting on motions where the member has a conflict of interest
   3. 2.0.1.c # stepping down as chair for the duration of the motion at hand if, in their judgement or on a motion passed by the meeting, a substantive conflict of interest arises between their duties as Speaker and the motion at hand
2. 2.0.2 # The Speaker has regular duties at each Board Meeting, as outlined in section 2.2
3. 2.0.3 # The Speaker has regular duties at each General Meeting, as outlined in section 2.4
4. 2.0.4 # The Speaker investigates all formal complaints against Directors of the Board (including Officers), and all complaints which the Ombudsperson is unable to investigate themselves, as described in the Policy on Complaints.
5. 2.0.5 # The Speaker submits motions to begin procedures to recall Directors of the Board who are absent in excess of the quotas specified in Bylaw 1, section 4.11.3, or excuses such absence if warranted in their judgement.
6. 2.0.6 # The Speaker interprets the Bylaws in the event of ambiguity, and submits discussion items to the Policy and Structures Committee where the Bylaws are ambiguous.
7. 2.0.7 # The Speaker serves ex officio on the Policy and Structures Committee.
8. 2.0.8 # The Speaker calls Special Meetings of the Board of Directors in accordance with Bylaw 1, section 4.8.
9. 2.0.9 # The Speaker assumes the responsibilities of all the Officers if all of the Officer positions become vacant, and upon doing so:
   1. 2.0.9.a # Orders the Webmaster or Sysadmin to provide access to the VP Communications Google account,
   2. 2.0.9.b # Calls a Special Meeting of the Board of Directors to appoint Acting Vice Presidents for all vacant VP positions, using the VP Communications account to send notice of the meeting,
   3. 2.0.9.c # Ensures that the Chief Returning Officer arranges a snap by-election (or adds the Officers to any shortly-upcoming election), and uses the VP Communications account to send out election notices as applicable,
   4. 2.0.9.d # Performs the minimum number of actions as Interim President necessary to maintain the Society's operations until a new Officer team is elected.

2.1 # Time-fixed Responsibilities

1. 2.1.1 # Upon election, the Speaker:
   1. 2.1.1.a # chairs the rest of the May Board meeting,
   2. 2.1.1.b # obtains control of the speaker@skule.ca account from the former interim Speaker,
   3. 2.1.1.c # decides the dates for the June, July, and August regular Board meetings,
   4. 2.1.1.d # books rooms, schedules online meetings, and sends electronic calendar invitations for those dates.
2. 2.1.2 # In August of their term, the Speaker verifies that the President and VP Finance are entering their Final Year of an undergraduate Engineering program.
3. 2.1.3 # Before the first day of classes of the Fall session, the Speaker:
   1. 2.1.3.a # surveys the Directors of the Board for their availability for the September, October, and November regular Board meetings,
   2. 2.1.3.b # decides the dates for those meetings,
   3. 2.1.3.c # books rooms, schedules online meetings, and sends electronic calendar invitations for those dates.
4. 2.1.4 # By the end of September, the Speaker:
   1. 2.1.4.a # decides the date of the Annual General Meeting and Accountability Meeting,
   2. 2.1.4.b # books a room and schedules an online meeting for that date, sends an electronic calendar invitation to the Board,
   3. 2.1.4.c # submits to the VP Communications an email providing notice of the meeting to all Members (described further in section 2.4.2), and sends notice to the Society's auditor.
5. 2.1.5 # Before the first day of classes of the Winter session, the Speaker:
   1. 2.1.5.a # surveys the Directors of the Board for their availability for the Winter Ratification, January, February, Spring Ratification, March, and April regular Board meetings,
   2. 2.1.5.b # decides the dates for those meetings,
   3. 2.1.5.c # books rooms, schedules online meetings, and sends electronic calendar invitations for those dates.
6. 2.1.6 # Before November of their term, the Speaker shall complete a form of Equity Training and Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Training mandated by the Ombudsperson.
7. 2.1.7 # Before the March Policy and Structures Committee meeting in their term, the Speaker reviews this Manual and submits any updates to the Committee for comment before adopting them in accordance with Bylaw 1 section 7.5.4.d.
8. 2.1.8 # Before the first day of classes of the first sub-session of Summer, the interim Speaker:
   1. 2.1.8.a # surveys the Directors of the Board for their availability for the May, June, July, and August regular Board meetings,
   2. 2.1.8.b # decides the date for the May regular meeting,
   3. 2.1.8.c # books a room, schedules an online meeting, and sends an electronic calendar invitation for that date.

2.2 # Board Meeting Responsibilities

1. 2.2.1 # At least two (2) weeks before each month's first regular Board meeting, the Speaker emails the Directors of the Board reminding them of the regular deadlines to submit motions, reports, appendices, and RSVPs.
2. 2.2.2 # One (1) week before each regular Board meeting, the Speaker finalizes the agenda for the meeting and uploads it to the public meeting folder. If any motions listed in section 2.3 are missing, the Speaker adds them on their movers' behalf.
3. 2.2.3 # One (1) week before each Board meeting, the Speaker submits to the VP Communications an email providing notice of the meeting to all Members.
4. 2.2.4 # 96 hours before each Board meeting, the Speaker reminds Board Representatives to submit RSVPs, and reminds Officers to submit Officer Reports and appendices, in time for the 72 hour deadline.
5. 2.2.5 # Up to two (2) hours before each (regular or special) Board meeting, the Speaker obtains any meeting food and brings it to the meeting venue.
6. 2.2.6 # Up to one (1) hour before each (regular or special) Board meeting, the Speaker, with an Officer's help, obtains meeting equipment and physical materials (e.g. a gavel) and brings them to the meeting venue.

2.3 # Regular Motions to the Board by Meeting

1. 2.3.1 # Every month
   1. 2.3.1.a # a motion by the VP Finance to approve the monthly Finance Committee recommendations
   2. 2.3.1.b # a motion by the PSC Chair to approve the monthly Policy and Structures Committee recommendations
   3. 2.3.1.c # a motion by the VP Student Life to approve the monthly Affiliation Committee recommendations
   4. 2.3.1.d # if following one or more Project Directorship elections, a motion for each Directorship, by the Chief Returning Officer, to approve the hiring committee recommendation
2. 2.3.2 # June
   1. 2.3.2.a # a motion by the VP Finance to approve the Spring Operating Budget
3. 2.3.3 # July
4. 2.3.4 # August
5. 2.3.5 # September
   1. 2.3.5.a # a motion by the Chief Returning Officer to ratify the results of the Fall elections
   2. 2.3.5.b # a motion by the VP Finance to approve the Fall Operating Budget
   3. 2.3.5.c # a motion by the VP Finance to approve EngSoc audited financial statements
   4. 2.3.5.d # a motion for each Standing Committee, by its Chair, to elect Board members to vacant Board-member seats of the Committee, if applicable
6. 2.3.6 # October
   1. 2.3.6.a # a motion by the Chief Returning Officer to ratify the results of the Fall by-elections, if applicable
7. 2.3.7 # November
   1. 2.3.7.a # a motion by the Chief Returning Officer to ratify the results of the Fall by-elections, if applicable
8. 2.3.8 # Winter Ratification
   1. 2.3.8.a # a motion by the Chief Returning Officer to ratify the results of the Winter by-elections, if applicable
9. 2.3.9 # January
   1. 2.3.9.a # a motion by the VP Finance to approve the Winter Operating Budget
10. 2.3.10 # February
    1. 2.3.10.a # a motion for each extant Temporary Internal Director, by its overseeing Officer, to renew the Directorship
    2. 2.3.10.b # a motion for each levy renewal/increase/establishment approved by the Finance Committee, by the VP Finance, to call a referendum for such purpose
    3. 2.3.10.c # a motion by the VP Finance to approve the annual cost of living increase as described in Bylaw 1, section 1.3.3 and amend Bylaw 1, section 1.3.2 and Bylaw 7, section 1.0.1 accordingly
    4. 2.3.10.d # a motion by the President to strike the Search and Review Committee
11. 2.3.11 # Spring Ratification
    1. 2.3.11.a # a motion by the Chief Returning Officer to ratify the results of the Spring elections
12. 2.3.12 # March
13. 2.3.13 # April
    1. 2.3.13.a # a motion by the President to receive and approve the report by the "Review" component of the Search and Review Committee
14. 2.3.14 # May
    1. 2.3.14.a # a motion by the VP Communications to audio-record Board and General Meetings
    2. 2.3.14.b # a motion by the Chief Returning Officer to elect the new Speaker
    3. 2.3.14.c # a motion by the President to strike the Executive Committee
    4. 2.3.14.d # a motion by the VP Finance to strike the Finance Committee
    5. 2.3.14.e # a motion by the VP Communications to strike the Policy and Structures Committee
    6. 2.3.14.f # a motion by the VP Academic to strike the Academic Advocacy Committee
    7. 2.3.14.g # a motion by the VP Student Life to strike the Affiliation Committee
    8. 2.3.14.h # a motion by the VP Finance to authorize summer Orientation spending
    9. 2.3.14.i # a motion by the VP Finance to authorize summer Blue and Gold Committee spending

2.4 # General Meeting Responsibilities

1. 2.4.1 # Two (2) weeks before the Annual General Meeting and Accountability Meeting, the Speaker finalizes the agendas for the meetings and uploads them to the public meeting folders.
2. 2.4.2 # If any of the following items are missing from the Annual General Meeting agenda, the Speaker adds them on their movers' behalf:
   1. 2.4.2.a # a motion by the VP Finance to receive and adopt EngSoc audited financial statements
   2. 2.4.2.b # a motion by the VP Finance to appoint the auditors for the current year
   3. 2.4.2.c # a motion by the VP Finance to approve the non-essential spending quota, as described in Bylaw 1 section 4.13.2
   4. 2.4.2.d # a motion by the VP Communications to ratify amendments to the Bylaws made by the Board of Directors between the previous year's AGM and the most recent Board of Directors Meeting
3. 2.4.3 # If any of the following items are missing from the Accountability Meeting agenda, the Speaker adds them on their movers' behalf:
   1. 2.4.3.a # reports by each Officer or their designates
   2. 2.4.3.b # a motion for each Officer, by the Chief Returning Officer, to recall the Officer from their position
4. 2.4.4 # Notice for a General Meeting includes:
   1. 2.4.4.a # The date, time, physical location, and online location of the meeting
   2. 2.4.4.b # Links to where proxy forms and anonymous/absentee questions may be submitted in advance
   3. 2.4.4.c # For the Annual General Meeting and Accountability Meeting, a summary of the mandatory agenda listed in section 2.4.1
5. 2.4.5 # The Speaker collects additional proxy forms in person at each General Meeting.