Study/Concurrence/Consensus
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STUDY/ CONCURRENCE/ CONSENSUS
CONTENTS
Definitions: Study, Concurrence, Consensus Adopting and Doing a Local Study Overview Some Things to Consider Beforehand Program Planning: Adopting a Study Conducting a Study Member Involvement The Committee Committee Responsibilities and Membership The Study Chair Techniques Setting a Timeline Research Published Materials Field Research Options Interviews Community Involvement Coming to Consensus Consensus Step By Step The Focus and Scope of Any Proposed Consensus Study Consensus Questions The Consensus Meeting Presentation The Discussion Leader The Recorder The Consensus Discussion Consensus Participation By Those Not Attending the Discussion Meeting Adopting a Position Statement The Wrap-Up Meeting Board Approval State and National Studies Submitting Your Study to the LWVCT: Program Adoption at Convention or Council Deciding Whether to Take Part in a State or National Study Study/Concurrence/Consensus
DEFINITIONS
Study Study is the process of formally investigating a statement or position, its supporting or contravening facts, and its policy implications. In League, study can take place at the local, state or national level, and is usually designed to provide the League with a basis for future political action.
Concurrence Concurrence is the act of agreeing – or concurring – with a previously formulated statement.
Leagues may concur with a statement or position arrived at by another League, a position stated by a study committee based on their research or reflecting widely-held views, or a position of long standing which they wish to reaffirm.
In preparing for Concurrence, your committee and board approve the statement before it is sent to your members for consideration; the study committee presents the statement and background material. The statement must be judged exactly as it is written and may not be amplified or made subject to conditions.
Consensus Consensus is an agreement among a substantial number of members, reached after study and group discussion.
In the consensus process, it is not initially the job of the study committee to produce a statement with which your membership is asked to agree or disagree. Rather, the study committee, with board approval, must first frame questions to guide your League members’ discussion, provide background materials and a presentation outline, and distribute all of these to your members prior to a consensus meeting.
If your League comes to agreement at or after the meeting, the consensus statement must be based on the points brought out during the discussion — the position statement emerges from the give-and-take of group interaction and exchange of views.
From your members’ viewpoint, the simplest distinction between the two types of studies is that in reaching concurrence they discuss and vote on a statement; in reaching consensus they discuss and vote on a question or questions. Ideally, both require a thorough examination of all facets of the issue by a committee and then by your League’s members. ADOPTING and DOING A LOCAL STUDY
SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFOREHAND
A study may be proposed by your League’s members at your Program Planning and/or Annual Meeting, or by suggestions to your board by League members or even by another organization. Studies are usually adopted by the membership at an Annual Meeting or Program Planning meeting; check your bylaws for your Program adoption procedures, as local Leagues have a great deal of autonomy in this process.
The board should ask the proponents to define the proposed
In deciding whether to accept or reject proposals for new studies, your board should consider the following criteria:
The consensus should not be narrow and restricting because it is difficult to predict exactly what opportunities for action will present themselves.
Do not duplicate past studies unless an update is required. If the issue is already covered by a current local, state, or national position, your League can consider an action approach.
In all studies, member participation is key: it is inadvisable to form a new position based on a small number of members participating. It is up to your board, not up to the study committee, to determine not only whether agreement has been reached but also whether a sufficient number of members have participated. The LWVCT recommends that your board decide, either as a matter of general policy or at the time the study starts (and at the time of decision lets your membership know) what will constitute sufficient participation: 10%? 25%? A majority vote at a general meeting at which a quorum is present? PROGRAM PLANNING: ADOPTING A STUDY
Depending on your bylaws, your League may decide to do a study at a general meeting, an Annual Meeting, a Program Planning meeting, or on line. Although you may be able to submit Program ideas to your members via e-mail, your bulletin, or telephone calls to the membership, in the absence of a meeting it will be difficult to assess if there is a strong interest in the study topic(s) and whether there are enough members who would like to participate in the study or studies.
Check your bylaws for program adoption criteria specific to your league.
The following background materials are useful when considering program or study suggestions: 1) LWVUS Impact on Issues 2) LWVCT Impact on Issues 3) Local League positions 4) Local bylaws 5) Articles that explore an issue of interest
Suggestions for Program Planning meetings: · Explain the Program Planning process to your members. · Review the considerations that apply in choosing Program (see, e.g., page 3). · Have your League president or program chair lead the discussion. · Provide visual aids (e.g., blackboard or easel with flip chart) if helpful. · Make sure attendees have o an understanding of the rules o an opportunity to participate fully.
If your League asks for study proposals to be submitted in advance of the Program Planning meeting, your board has the option to reject some or all of the study recommendations (e.g., for not enough resources, for lack of interest); in such instances, these recommendations should be presented to your membership as non-recommended items. If more than one study is proposed at your Program Planning meeting, you should ask your members to prioritize the proposed Program. CONDUCTING A STUDY
A study is a priority for any League that undertakes one, and, unless your League is very large, it is probably not a good idea to do more than one local study at a time. Studies need total board support. They can energize members and have the potential to enhance membership recruitment, visibility and community support. They can also alienate potential members and members of the community. Please do any study carefully.
MEMBER INVOLVEMENT
The study committee should involve your League’s members at all possible stages throughout the study process. In order to bring your members up to speed on the study issue, your committee may want to try the following:
THE COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES and MEMBERSHIP
The Study Committee is required to: • create and coordinate a timeline for the study. • organize the study: job assignments, research, information dissemination, member meetings, consensus questions and presentation. • provide articles and resource information to your bulletin/newsletter editor and/or public relations director. • examine all sides of the issue.
The size of the study committee depends on the focus and scope of the study. It is helpful for the committee to divide the work into smaller one-time job assignments such as investigating a particular aspect of the study, clipping articles on the topic, participating in one interview, etc.
The recruitment of committee members is the joint responsibility of the board and the study chair. Look for members who are knowledgeable and/or have an interest in the topic, and with a range of opinions on it. Write an article in your bulletin/newsletter on the topic, and appeal for volunteers. Contact potential study committee members personally; this helps to make them feel needed. Inform them of the requirements of being on the committee.
THE STUDY CHAIR
At the time your League adopts a local study, it should elect the study chair/director. It is vital that the person who directs the study maintains balance.
Your study chair should: • have strong organizational skills to lead the study process through planning, research, consensus preparation and presentation: the chair should always have an outline of the committee’s responsibilities, set the agenda for its meetings, and encourage members to finish their tasks, keep files, and write reports on time. • chair study committee meetings. • maintain files with resource information, correspondence, articles, etc. • be able to work well with a variety of people • recruit diverse study committee members; • communicate with board members; • coordinate the details of study with the board. Some Leagues appoint the study chair to the board. This provides an opportunity for the board to be current on the progress of the study, make suggestions for keeping the members updated, and prepare for approval of the consensus questions.
SETTING A TIMELINE
The study proponent, study committee, or study committee chair should set an initial timeline for the study, including a deadline for its completion. Your League’s board and membership can help set the timeline and deadline, but at the very least should approve whatever deadline is set.
It is easiest to work backwards from the chosen reporting deadline. Include time for research, interviews, informational meetings, and committee meetings.
Clearly define the plans and tasks of the committee, including completion deadlines, at its first meeting.
RESEARCH
The two basic sources of information for your study are published materials and field research. Avoid duplication of effort whenever possible: if some other League or group has gathered extensive information, ask them if you can use it as part of your research.
PUBLISHED MATERIALS
Some sources:
FIELD RESEARCH
Options include:
INTERVIEWS
Before an interview: 1. Be prepared with the purpose (what information you seek and why you want to talk to this person) and have appropriate, organized questions. 2. Make the appointment, identify yourself as a League member and state your purpose for meeting. 3. Confirm the appointment the day before.
SOME SPECIFIC DO’S AND DON’TS
Beginning the interview. Be sure you know the respondent’s name and how to pronounce it. Get the interview started as soon as you can. If asked how long it will take, don’t misrepresent, but avoid being too specific, for the length of time does vary.
Explain about the league and the study you are making. Either at the beginning of interview or in your letter asking for an appointment, give a brief explanation of the League and its study. A fact-finding interview generally takes place before the league has taken a position on the issue involved. Make it clear that you are trying to gather facts in as objective a fashion as possible and explain how the facts will be used.
If the material is to be published, explain for whom and in what form. If you want to quote the respondent or cite him as an authority, ask his permission and check back after the material is written up to be sure it is correct.
Give the interviewee a chance to be frank by trying to arrange the interview away from his or her colleagues. This is especially good if you plan to interview others from the same office later.
Good interviewing relations exist when the respondent feels relaxed and at ease with the interviewer and feels free to say what he or she really thinks or feels about a given subject, without fear of criticism or disapproval.
Be friendly and informal but objective. Be a sympathetic, interested, and attentive listener. Be respectful and never indicate that you think you know more about the subject than he does. Be neutral. Do not argue. Your job is to understand and convey to the respondent that you understand and accept what he is saying, not to approve or disapprove of it, nor to agree or disagree with it. Remember that you represent the league in his eyes, and do not lead him to believe that the league supports something that it does not. Be observant. Watch for the way in which the respondent expresses himself and for the gestures he uses. These signs may serve as cues that he is becoming ill at ease or that he is not expressing what he really feels. Last but not least, be at ease yourself. If you feel hurried or hesitant, the respondent will sense this feeling.
If there are discrepancies between answers to questions of fact, note contradictions and probe tactfully to see whether you can clear up the apparent discrepancies. It may be that you have not quite understood.
Don’t allow the discussion to digress. Avoid bringing up subjects not specified for the interview.
If you have a questionnaire, be thoroughly familiar with it so that you can read each question without hesitation or stumbling. If you hesitate or emphasize one word more than another, you can change the meaning of a question.
If you have a questionnaire, ask every question. You may feel that you already have the answer to a question in the answer to a previous question. But it is not usually safe to assume that you have a complete answer unless you ask every question on the questionnaire.
AFTER THE INTERVIEW
Write up the interview immediately. When you are planning your time to do the interview, allow time immediately afterwards to write it up. Try not to schedule two interviews without write-up time between, or you may forget which person said which thing.
Write a note of thanks afterwards. If the material is to be published, let the respondent see and check sections where he or she is quoted. When the study is published, it is good public relations to send the interviewee a copy.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Some Leagues are interested in recruiting study committee members from the community, hoping they will become members. This should be decided by your board, not by the study committee or chair.
You can submit newspaper articles to accompany a public meeting or tour.
Non-members can he present at consensus or concurrence meetings but cannot participate in the vote.
Your League may gather enough information to publish a fact sheet or pamphlet for the community. COMING TO CONSENSUS
CONSENSUS STEP BY STEP
The consensus process is a cooperative effort between your League board and your study committee. It is the board’s responsibility to monitor the process to ensure that your members are able to come to consensus in an unbiased and nonpartisan atmosphere. It is the study committee’s responsibility to maintain an unbiased approach to the facts.
If your League still uses a traditional model of the study process, you will hold your Program Planning meeting at least a month before your Annual Meeting, and submit information to your members well in advance of their Annual Meeting vote. However, many local Leagues (and the LWVCT) combine their Program Planning and Annual meetings, and a few hold their Program Planning meeting after their board is elected at their Annual Meeting.
Whichever method your League follows, the following steps must be completed before the study starts:
Once these steps have been completed:
THE FOCUS AND SCOPE OF ANY PROPOSED CONSENSUS STUDY
FOCUS is the statement of the main topic for study. Simplicity is key in wording a local study item.
The intent should be clearly stated with concise and direct wording: THIS: A study of housing alternatives for the elderly. NOT: A study of housing.
Wording should be general enough to allow flexibility as the study proceeds. THIS: A study of combining elementary school A with school B. NOT: A study to determine if there is sufficient space and teachers in Elementary school A for current and future students or if it should he combined with school B or if a new school should he built?
Avoid implied conclusions and negative wording. THIS: A study of the structure of town government. NOT: A study of the ineffectiveness and lack of coordination in the current form of town government
Wording may reflect a broad study or may be limited to a particular aspect of an issue: EXAMPLE: A study of services provided to the elderly EXAMPLE: A study of the town manager form of government.
SCOPE explains the extent and limits of the study, the areas that the league wants to explore and, sometimes, the emphasis on a particular aspect of the study. The scope is not a list of planned activities or meetings.
EXAMPLE: FOCUS: A study of utilities in town. SCOPE: A study of the administration, cost and availability of utilities in town, in particular the public water system.
Once the board approves the final wording of the focus and scope, it becomes a “recommended” study item. It may be amended by the members at the Annual (or Program Planning) Meeting. CONSENSUS QUESTIONS
One of the key factors to making consensus discussions go smoothly is well-written consensus questions. It is important that the questions have the following traits: • Use short and simple questions. Non-experts should be able to answer them. Use easy-to-understand language, and avoid technical vocabulary. • Keep the questions within the range of the Focus and Scope of the study. If necessary, prioritize the items. • Keep questions unbiased and clear. • Keep questions open-ended to expand discussion: no multiple choice, True-or-False or “Yes or No” questions. • Do not have too many questions. • Keep track of time available for questions after the study committee’s presentation. The consensus meeting should not drag on too long.
THE CONSENSUS MEETING
The meeting consists of a presentation by the study committee with member discussion and formulation of responses to the consensus questions. The intent is to elicit agreement, whether pro or con, on broad general concepts.
If your bylaws permit, you may adopt a new or reworded position at your Annual Meeting when circumstances require a quicker turn-around. The same standard of research and background material is required; approval by the board and notification of membership also apply.
PRESENTATION
The study committee compiles and edits the data they have collected into a balanced and objective presentation, with equal emphasis on all sides and viewpoints concerning the issue.
Much of the study information should have been shared with the membership before the consensus meeting. Too much information handed out at the consensus meeting can cause confusion and interrupt the flow of the consensus discussion. Use visual aids, such as graphs, charts, maps, etc., to keep the presentation stimulating.
Schedule a briefing meeting as a rehearsal for the study committee’s presentation. This provides the committee an opportunity to refine their presentation, both for technique and for selection of the most relevant information for presentation to the consensus meeting. The discussion leader and recorder should be present; this is an excellent time for them to familiarize themselves with the issue and the consensus questions.
THE DISCUSSION LEADER
It is essential to have a good discussion leader for the consensus meeting. The result of the consensus discussion depends not only on the study committee’s contribution but the effectiveness of the discussion leader. The discussion leader may, but need not, be your League President; the leader may, but need not, be the study committee director/chair.
Key points for the discussion leader to keep in mind are: • Remind those present that only League members can vote. • Establish an atmosphere where the members feel comfortable expressing even unpopular views. • Guide the group through discussion without argument or debate. Do not let an individual dominate the conversation. • Utilize inclusive language, for example, “We have heard from Mary, now does anyone disagree or have anything to add? What do you think, Jane?” • Listen carefully to discern member agreement. Recapitulate tentative areas of agreement for clarification: “What I hear you saying is that you are willing to support a new school building if there is money available? Am I correct?” • Keep the group focused on the consensus questions: “That is an interesting anecdote; we seem to have covered this point and should move on to the next question.” • Be perceptive. Watch for any obstacles to discussion, where more information is needed, if the discussion is becoming bogged down, or when there is no consensus on a particular point: “We seem to have come to an impasse; the discussion does not seem to be swaying anyone. There is no consensus on this point, let’s move on.”
The briefing meeting will help the discussion leader become familiar with the issues, clarify any of the consensus questions, and give the committee members the discussion outline for the meeting.
If there is to be more than one consensus meeting, it is very useful to have the same discussion leader. This will help the consensus be more integrated and valid.
The discussion leader should be present at the wrap-up meeting to help the study committee write the consensus statement.
THE RECORDER
The recorder is another key person for the consensus meeting. Her notes will be vital for the study committee to use in writing the consensus statement, and useful for the board in deciding whether or not your members have arrived at a consensus. The recorder may, but need not, be your League Secretary. If possible, she should also attend the briefing and wrap-up meetings.
The recorder should note the following: • the number of participants • responses to the consensus questions • areas of agreement and disagreement • minority views and their strength • areas in which the group was undecided or needed more information
The recorder can be asked to review her notes for the group at the end of any meeting. There may be points that the recorder wishes to clarify, and the group should cooperate in doing so. THE CONSENSUS DISCUSSION
There are some guidelines to use to have a constructive consensus discussion which will lead to a strong consensus, i.e., one with areas of substantial member agreement:
Pitfalls to watch out for:
CONSENSUS PARTICIPATION BY THOSE NOT ATTENDING THE DISCUSSION MEETING
Your board should decide if your League will allow separate consensus participation outside of the consensus meeting. There are several reasons to consider this option, including wider membership involvement. However, there is a down side: members who missed the meeting may be less well-informed than attendees, and their votes could outweigh the consensus of the attendee members, leading your League to a badly-informed decision.
ADOPTING A POSITION STATEMENT
THE WRAP-UP MEETING
The purpose of the wrap-up meeting (which should include the study committee members, the discussion leader and the recorder) is to enable the study committee to prepare a consensus report and formulate a position statement.. This meeting should occur as soon as possible after the consensus meeting.
The consensus report should include:
This report should be designed to be a tool for the board to use when updating the position, sharing with other leagues, and taking action.
The position statement should articulate the broad areas of substantial agreement that emerged from the members at the consensus meeting. The actual formulation of the position is an interpretive process, qualitative as well as quantitative, and should consider the full range of discussion.
In order to have the study properly result in local action, the position statement needs to reflect what your local government can do. The position statement should be broad enough to allow the League to initiate, support or oppose a variety of proposals over a period of time.
The following example of wording for a position statement comes from LWVUS Committee Guide: Planning Program from Choice through Action.
“Following the study of libraries, members have agreed that: • a new building is needed in a central location; • services - either small neighborhood branches or book mobiles - are needed to bring books to areas too far away from the central library; • there should be better cooperation between the library and the school, the jail, the hospitals and other institutions: • and the book collection should be increased.”
The brief position: “Support Of A New Central Library That Provides For Expanded Services.”
The statement of position (including both the details and the rationale): “The members of the LWV of Cityville believe that a new centrally located library building is needed in Cityville. In order to serve all the citizens, books must be available to all. Therefore, there should be small neighborhood branch facilities or bookmobiles so that access to library books and services is within walking distance of residents. “The book collection should be expanded to meet at least the criteria established for a city the size of Cityville. “In order to provide reading material for all people in Cityville, the library should arrange to lend books on an adequate basis to the schools, and to people homebound or in hospitals, jails and institutions so that no one able to read is denied access to books from the public library.”
Both the rationale — that the public library is for everyone and its books should be accessible to all — and some of the specifics are included. Yet the wording does not set the number of books, the specific places that branches or the main library should be, nor the exact methods of serving institutions. The board has room to maneuver, to act in support of, or opposition to, any specific proposals. BOARD APPROVAL
While the study committee presents the consensus report and the recommended position statement, it is your board that has the responsibility to determine if consensus exists. A substantial percentage of board members should therefore have attended the consensus meeting.
The board should keep in mind these considerations: 1) the number of participants. 2) what the board members felt was said; 3) the strength of the majority and minority opinions; 4) that all points of view were discussed; 5) undecided areas; 6) whether all members were given an opportunity to participate.
The board should not interject new ideas or opinions into the consensus position statement. It is the board’s role to assure that the consensus reflects only what was stated at the consensus meeting or determined by the total consensus vote. The board needs to feel secure that the consensus position statement is truly representative of the members’ agreement, so they may act on the position with confidence.
If your board votes to approve the position statement, then it immediately becomes part of your League’s program. Action can be taken from that point on.
The board may want to submit a press release that informs the public of the League’s new position. The board should oversee any public announcements or press releases on the study to protect the League’s reputation for impartial analysis. STATE and NATIONAL STUDIES
SUBMITTING YOUR STUDY to the LWVCT: PROGRAM ADOPTION AT STATE CONVENTION or COUNCIL
So your League has successfully completed a study. Should you bring it to the other Leagues in the State?
PRIMARY CONSIDERATIONS
If your study does not meet the following three tests, please reconsider.
1. Is it suitable?
Some local studies cry out for a wider hearing: if later high school start times are good for Wilton’s teenagers, then they might very well be good for the rest of Connecticut’s teenagers. If the LWV of Greater Hartford decides to oppose the state’s death penalty, other Leagues might be interested in joining them in that opposition. But a study of parking and traffic in your downtown area may not translate as well.
2. Do you have a study leader?
In general, the LWVCT prefers that the League or group of Leagues proposing a study also provide a study leader. The study leader does not have to be a member of the proposing League(s), but if she’s from an outside League, you should at least know if she can run a meeting, make decisions, and get her committee to meet deadlines.
3. Can your study lead to state-level political action?
The purpose of League studies is not merely to educate our members, it is to provide the LWVCT with a basis for political action. If your study has come up with a conclusion that doesn’t point the way to legislation or administrative change, it isn’t a good candidate for LWVCT consideration. Equally importantly, if your League is proposing a study without also proposing a “point person” who can lead the rest of Connecticut’s Leagues in the event of a successful concurrence or consensus, please reconsider submitting it. A study with no Public Issues Team “specialist” to lead the charge afterwards is probably a waste of time.
PROCEDURES
To be considered for recommendation, local Leagues need to make written Program proposals to the LWVCT Board at least two months before Convention or Council. According to LWVCT Program Planning procedures, only program items submitted by the deadline can be considered. The LWVCT usually solicits Program proposals in the Board Report.
The LWVCT Board then considers the recommendations and formulates a proposed Program, and submits it to the local Leagues at least one month before Convention or Council. The submission may contain both recommended and non-recommended items. As part of your proposal, you should specify whether your League is seeking a consensus study, a concurrence, or a “floor concurrence.” A floor concurrence proposes the adoption or amendment of a state position by concurrence on the floor of the Convention or Council, with the delegates acting in their capacity as representatives of their local Leagues. The advantage of floor concurrence is speed. The disadvantage is lack of member involvement.
At the time you submit your proposal for a consensus or standard concurrence, your League may — and for a floor concurrence your League must — send to the LWVCT Board enough background information, including pros and cons on the issue and an explanation of the rationale for using the proposed form of member agreement, so that the Board can decide whether or not to recommend the study to the delegates. Also, choose and name your study leader; in recent years the LWVCT Board has refused to recommend leaderless studies. DECIDING WHETHER TO TAKE PART IN A STATE OR NATIONAL STUDY
Just as some local studies are not suitable for the state League, not all state or national studies may fit your League. In deciding to take part in a LWVCT or LWVUS study, please consider the following:
■ Are my members likely to be interested? (The best way to find out is to ask them at your Program Planning meeting.)
■ Do we have time to take part? This may depend on what the deadlines for the proposed LWVUS or LWVCT study are — if they conflict with your voter service activities, or with the deadlines of a local study that your League is already doing, the state or national study might have to take a back seat or be ignored altogether.
■ Is there someone in my League who can head the study? (The study leader should usually not be the President: you’re too busy as it is.)
Only if the answers to all three questions are “yes” should you go forward.
If your League members are interested in participating in a state or national study but you do not have a study leader, or if you have a leader and one or two wildly interested members but not a large group otherwise, you might consider an inter-League study group.
INTER-LEAGUE STUDY GROUPS
Inter-league study groups can save volunteer power and money, and enable enthusiastic leagues to share ideas.
An inter-league study group operates in place of a local League study group and is responsible to all the cooperating league Boards and members. If you decide to use this option, the LWVCT office has organizational tips and guidelines you might find useful. Call 203-288-7996 or e-mail lwvct@lwvct.org. |
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