HOW TO WRITE A RESOLUTION
Do you think the Wisconsin Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs should take a stance on some issue? Help your club to write a Resolution to be voted on by the Club Delegates and Executive Board at the Annual Business Meeting!
Please submit a copy of your proposed Resolution to the WOMOTC President by August 31, to be included in the Agenda and the Convention Booklet.
A RESOLUTION IS A FORMAL WAY OF STATING INTENDED ACTION BY A
GROUP.
THE SECTIONS OF A RESOLUTION ARE WRITTEN IN THE FOLLOWING FORMAT:
The Following sections make up the resolution:
1. A TITLE which identifies the problem or issue or its proposed solution.
AUTHOR lists which club of Executive Board member is submitting the Resolution.
2. The PREAMBLE which is used when factual information is necessary to support
the RESOLVED section. Each PREAMBLE clause should be written as a separate
paragraph, beginning with the word Whereas. The first word should begin with a
capital letter. The PREAMBLE, regardless of its length and number of paragraphs,
should never contain a period. Each paragraph should close with a semi-colon.
The next to the last paragraph should close with a semi-colon, after which a
connecting phrase such as Therefore or Therefore Be It or Now Therefore, Be It
is added.
3. The RESOLVED section indicates what action is proposed. There may be more
than one Resolved clauses, each stated separately. The word RESOLVED is
underlined and printed in capital letters, followed by a comma and the word
THAT. Each resolved clause must be a separate paragraph and may be ended with a
period or a semi-colon and in the case of the next to the last clause, be
followed by the word AND,.
4. A BIBLIOGRAPHY should be included for all references and resources.
5. Estimated Cost of Implementation.
RESOLUTION STRATEGIES
Here are some hints to help you get your resolution passed:
1. Be concise. The delegates will get copies of
all resolutions and this means a lot of reading. If your resolution is too
wordy, it will not get the attention it deserves. Try and limit your resolution
to five "whereas" clauses: choose the strongest five facts and use the others in
discussion and debate. Resolutions should not be longer than 2 pages.
2. Be realistic. The resolved statements should include specific actions that are realistic and implementable. Resource availability (both human and financial) will affect the implementability of resolutions.
3. Be positive. A positive approach always works better than a negative one. Write positive statements, and address the issue positively when you are speaking to it.
4. Be knowledgeable. Know the facts about all parts of your resolution. Be aware of other resolutions that have been passed on your issue and be sure to state in your resolution why reaffirmation of the same stand is timely.
5. Gather support and assistance. Your club should not be the only ones involved in getting your resolution passed. Try to involve other chapters and members in supporting your resolution. Share your facts and ask others to speak pro to your resolution. This will not only help you get your resolution passed, it will also encourage other WOMOTC members to get involved.
6. Use your time on the floor wisely, time is limited. As the author, you will have an opportunity to speak to the resolution first. Remember that the delegates have a copy, so don't read it to them. Instead, take this opportunity to state some of the facts that might not be included in the "whereas" clauses.
7. Be available. Make sure you are available to the Delegates to answer questions. Be on time for all meetings.
8. Have your documentation handy. Make sure you have at least two copies of your documentation with you –questions may be asked that need further clarification.
SAMPLE RESOLUTION
TITLE: IN SUPPORT OF BILLBOARD REGULATION
SUBMITTED BY: University of Pittsburgh Nursing Students' Association
WHEREAS, "tobacco and alcohol industries are the largest, most powerful clients of billboard companies" whose billboards are heavily concentrated in low socioeconomic areas (Godshall, 1993); and
WHEREAS, 535,095 people die annually of smoking and alcohol related causes (Mintz, 1991);and
WHEREAS, minors are targeted by these industries to be consumers of their products (Mintz, 1991); and
WHEREAS, billboards, strategically placed within crucial camera angles at sports events, are inconsistent with the current ban on TV advertising (Hwang, 1992); and
WHEREAS, 80% of adults who smoke began as youths, 50% by age 13, 25% by age 11, influenced by billboard cartoon characters such as Joe Camel and Kool's Willie Penguin (Levin, 1992;Dagnoll, 1991, Green, 1990); and
WHEREAS, alcohol-related accidents are the #1 cause of death among Americans age 3-19 (MADD chapter brochure); and
WHEREAS, a 1992 Gallup survey showed that most respondents believe the power to regulate billboards should reside within community councils (Hume, 1990); therefore be it
RESOLVED, that NSNA encourage its members to support the legislative regulation of billboards which protects minors from these suggestive influences; and be it further
RESOLVED, that NSNA urge its constituents to support billboard regulation as a Community Health/Legislative project; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the implementation guidelines and outcome criteria of the Community Health/Legislative Project be printed in Imprint, if feasible; and be it further
RESOLVED, that NSNA send a copy of this resolution to the American Nurses Association, the National League for Nursing, and any others deemed appropriate by the NSNA Board of Directors.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Dagnoll, J. (1991). Three faces of Kool. Advertising Age.
(44), 54.
Godshall, B. (1993, January). "Action Alert: Tobacco & Alcohol Billboard Control
in Pittsburgh.”
Smokefree Pennsylvania.
Green, M. (1990). Luring kids to light up. Business and Society Review. 73
(spring), 22-28.
Hume, S. (1990). Regulate outdoor ads: poll. Advertising Age. 61 (33), 20.
Hwang, S. (1992, July 17). Some stadiums snuff out cigarette ads. Wall Street BI
Journal. Section B6, p.1.
Levin, G. (1992, April 27). Poll shows Camel ads are effective with kids.
Advertising Age.
MADD aka Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Allegheny County Chapter. It's the
little things that make us MADD.
Mintz, M. (1991). The tobacco pusher's marketing smokescreen. Business and
Society Review. 79 (Fall), 49-54.
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Press Office. Don't let alcohol shatter your
dreams: Facts and issues about underage drinking.
Whaley, L., and Wong, D. (1991). Nursing Care of Infants and Children. (4th ed.)
Mosby Year Book: St.Louis, p.980.
ESTIMATED COST OF IMPLEMENTATION
Document Size 2 pages
Photocopy Costs $.10/page x 2 pages = .20/copy x 2 mailings .40
Postage Costs: $.32/copy x 2 mailings .64
Envelopes: $.05/envelope x 2 envelopes .10
Total Cost: $1.14