Appendix 1 Table of Commonly Used Motions
Approved by Academic Council on November 16, 2000
The following table includes the most commonly used motions. The details can be found in Merriam Webster’s Rules of Order by Laurie Rozakis. Each motion is followed by the rules regarding its use. A motion which is further down in the list has precedence over motions above it. (Copyright permission granted.)
| Primary Motions | Second | Debatable | Amendable | Approval |
| Main motion | Yes | Yes | Yes | Majority |
| Adopt a committee report. Recommendations from the report should be treated as main motions. | Yes | Yes* | No | Majority |
| Subsidiary Motions | ||||
| Amend the main motion. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Majority |
| Refer the motion to committee | Yes | Yes | Yes | Majority |
| Postpone action to a certain time | Yes | Yes | Yes | Majority |
| Limit or extend debate | Yes | No | Yes | Two-thirds |
| Call for the previous question (close debate) | Yes | No | No | Two-thirds |
| Table the main motion | Yes | No | No | Majority |
| Take a motion from the table | Yes | No | No | Majority |
| Incidental Motions | ||||
| Point of order | No | No | No | None |
| Move to divide a motion | Yes | Yes | No | Majority |
| Suspend the rules | Yes | No | No | Two-thirds |
| Privileged Motions | ||||
| Call for the orders of the day (return to the agenda) | No | No | No | None |
| Move to recess for a period of time | Yes | Yes | No | Majority |
| Move to adjourn | Yes | No | No | Majority |
| Move to go into executive session | Yes | No | No | Majority |
| Appeal the ruling of the chair | Yes | Yes | No | Majority |