Plenary session

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All members of a conference are expected to attend plenary sessions PhUSE Computational Science Symposium 2016 (26133831630).jpg
All members of a conference are expected to attend plenary sessions

A plenary session or plenum is a session of a conference or deliberative assembly in which all parties or members are present. Such a session may include a broad range of content, from keynotes to panel discussions, and is not necessarily related to a specific style of presentation or deliberation.

The term comes from the Latin word 'plenus' meaning 'gathered', and has come to be used in academic settings, such as conferences, just before, or after, breaking into smaller groups. [1] This can be a time for summarising information, and may encourage class participation or networking. [2]

A plenary 'sitting' may refer to legislative gatherings, such as those held by the European Parliament. [3] In these sessions, if it is not fully attended by members, it must at least achieve a quorum. [3] Likewise, in the General Assembly of the United Nations, a Plenary Meeting requires minimum number of members to continue its procedures; and the same may apply to other groups depending on their charter or bylaws. [4]

Some organisations have standing committees that conduct the organisation's business between congresses, conferences, or other meetings. Such committees may themselves have quorum requirements and plenary sessions. So, Standing Committees of the Northern Ireland Assembly must have a quorum of five members in order for the committee to proceed. [5]

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">4th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea</span>

The 4th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) was elected at the 4th Congress on 18 September 1961. and remained in session until the election of the 5th Central Committee on 13 November 1970. In between party congresses and specially convened conferences the Central Committee is the highest decision-making institution in the WPK and North Korea. The Central Committee is not a permanent institution and delegates day-to-day work to elected bodies, such as the Political Committee, the Secretariat and the Inspection Committee in the case of the 4th Central Committee. It convenes meetings, known as "Plenary Session of the [term] Central Committee", to discuss major policies. Only full members have the right to vote, but if a full member cannot attend a plenary session, the person's spot is taken over by an alternate. Plenary session can also be attended by non-members, such meetings are known as "Enlarged Plenary Session", to participate in the committee's discussions.

References

  1. Urquhart, Doug. Up Front and All Alone: a Facilitators Guide. p. 135.
  2. Selskey, John W; van der Heijden, Kees; Ramirez, Rafael, eds. (4 February 2010). Business Planning for Turbulent Times: New Methods for Applying Scenarios. Taylor & Francis. p. 38. ISBN   9781136544187.
  3. 1 2 "How plenary works". How plenary works. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  4. "General Assembly of the United Nations". www.un.org. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  5. "Northern Ireland Assembly Standing Orders" (PDF). Standing Orders. Northern Ireland Assembly. 1998.