Decision Making in GRASS

Decisions in GRASS are made by consensus. The term group conscience refers to both the process and the meeting itself. 

As a process, group conscience is consensus-based decision-making. It involves listening to one another and coming to a general agreement. The process depends on hearing different voices, respecting other opinions, and working together to decide how the group operates. 

A Group Conscience meeting is the group’s monthly business meeting. Each group should designate a standard time to hold a monthly Group Conscience meeting. 

Group Conscience meetings should be held either before or after the regularly scheduled meeting on a certain day each month (for example, the third Tuesday of each month), but not during regular meeting time. 

Any group business should be handled during the Group Conscience meeting. This includes: 

• Fill group service positions (lead, host, co-hosts, and others as needs arise)
• Make suggestions for changing group rules, format, or the meeting script
• Bring group problems to the table and work to find solutions
• Vote on any changes to the group structure
• Discuss and vote on Intergroup Motions

Each group can decide who chairs their monthly Group Conscience meeting. It can be a Group Secretary, Group IG Rep, or another designated member of the group. 

Group Conscience meetings should work toward solutions. All participants should uphold the GRASS Code of Ethics. Discussions should be centered around principles and not individual personalities. (If there are issues with individuals, those should be handled privately.)

Note: This is the second article in a series of GRASS explainers. READ NEXT: GRASS Group Service Roles