[Advice to a member of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering 4/2005]
In accord with DDB 170, Robert's Rules of Order governs the conduct of business in any academic department that lacks its own Bylaw, or in the instance of any business not covered by that Bylaw. (Departments are committees of the Division, and the reach of DDB 170 extends to all agencies of the Division.)
A question arose as to what defines a "quorum" for the conduct of business in a department meeting. A department's own Bylaws may define a quorum. If the Bylaws do not define a quorum, or if a department has no bylaws in force, DDB 170 requires that Robert's Rules of Order will govern the conduct of business. Robert's defines a quorum as a majority of eligible voters. In the case of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering an ad hoc meeting of some departmental members did not meet that standard and decisions reached at that meeting are annulled.