This Guidebook is consistently under revision, a completed version will be noted. Revision 10/19*

Country Selection

Model United Nations as a simulation of the United Nations begins with a country selection process. This process determines which country each school will represent. At the Sonoran Desert Conference, in an effort to keep committee sizes reasonable, the country availability is limited to the “preferred country list.” The list is between 60-75% of the countries represented in the United Nations. The limit is to help reduce the size of committees and encourage schools to fill entire country teams before selecting additional countries to represent. Countries can have as few as 4 committees and as many as 13. It is recommended that each program finds a country that fits their team size. Please do not select a country if you cannot fill the seats available.

For brand new or beginner programs we recommend picking countries that are larger in population and UN representation but, not represented regularly in the "must staff" committees. Please select a country that the students want to represent, while also being mindful of the available information on each topic for each country. Recommended countries for new programs include:

Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Ireland, Norway, Germany, Canada.

The list of good countries for new programs may vary from year to year.

Some committees that are considered small (10-20 members) will require representation in order to ensure the quality of participation. If a country is selected that is represented in one of these “must staff” committees the school will be required to staff that committee with a delegate. If delegates are unable to attend the conference, please be sure they have a backup representative ready to represent in that committee in their place.

These “must staff” committees will always include ICJ and the SC. These are also “double delegate” committees. This means that each country will have two delegates representing the country. These are the only two committees that will have “double delegate” participation. Other committees may have “must staff” seats, but only ICJ and SC will have two delegates in each committee.

Additionally, there will be medium sized committees that require 75% or more of the committee to be filled. These will be considered “priority” committees. We will ask that each school consider “must staff” and “priority” seats and to select from those countries first. After those countries are selected, we will open selection to the “preferred country list,” which is the available countries for any given year’s conference.

MCCMUN will indicate on the agenda if a committee is a “double delegate,” “must staff,” or “priority,” committee. Please see the current agenda to ensure that the country you are ready to pick is the right one for your team.

At the Sonoran Desert Conference, we emphasize the Top Country Award as the most representative award in the conference. We encourage schools to fill out large country teams to be eligible for this award. Please see the Top Country Award for details on the requirements of this award. MCCMUN will identify which countries qualify for the Top Country Award.

“Must Staff” & “Double Delegate”

If one of these countries are selected, committees indicated must be filled. If the selected delegate is unable to attend for any reason, please note that the program will be asked to have another representative take their place.

“Priority Committees”

Some committees require 80% participation to be considered full, schools that select these countries will be required to fill the seats in the “priority committees.”

“Preferred Country List”

The countries that are available to be represented at the SDC for that particular year.

The Resolution

The following sections of the guide will cover Resolution Writing, Policy Statement Writing, Formal Debate, Informal Debate and Consensus Building Strategies. We hope that this section of the guide will give you the information you need to be effective in your preparation for conference leading to a better conference experience. This Conference Preparatory Guide will refer to sections following. Each reference will have a link to take you directly to that location in the Delegate Guide. We hope that this assists you in your study.

Purpose of Resolutions

Resolution writing is not the end of UN action on any particular issue. However, it is the foundation of UN action and negotiation. Almost all Model United Nations conferences revolve around resolution writing. The SDC is no exception. The SDC focuses on the accurate simulation of resolution negotiation and writing as a cornerstone to the simulation provided to delegates. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of resolutions is essential in creating the most accurate submitted work and drafts at conference.

“United Nations resolutions are the formal expressions of the opinion or will of United Nations organs.” This definition from the UN website is the most straightforward way to describe what a resolution is and does. It is important to remember that, as an international governmental organization, United Nation action is dictated by its membership. United Nations membership is made up of sovereign nations. These members draft and vote on resolutions. Thus, the action of the United Nations is dictated through the direction of those sovereign nations. A resolution is used to formalize a commitment by Member States or to authorize the bureaucracy of a UN agency to take action. As a simulation of the United Nations the ultimate goal of committees at the SDC will be to draft and vote on resolutions.

Resolution Format

The resolution has a similar format to the policy statement. Starting with 12pt Times New Roman font and single-spaced paragraphs. Please see specific information for format, and the resolution example for specifics.

Resolution Heading

The heading of a resolution should appear in the upper left corner of the first page in single spaced lines. On the first line, the committee’s name should appear. These include the Security Council and General Assembly. On the second line, the annual session during which the resolution is being submitted should appear. The first annual session of the Sonoran Desert Conference was in 1999. An example of the annual session: SDC 26th Session. The third line should be the official name of the country submitting the resolution. The name of the school representing the country is not included.

Resolution Title

Titles of the resolution should be the same as the agenda item to which it refers. The title should be centered a few lines below the heading.

The text is composed of two parts: the preambular clauses and operative clauses. Each clause is written as a separate paragraph with the first line of each indented five spaces and the initiating phrase italicized. Each paragraph is single spaced with double spaces between them.

Preambular Clauses

Preambular clauses contain the justification for the resolution’s submission and passage. They begin with initiating phrases that are available below. Each clause ends with a comma.

Operative clauses

Operative clauses denote the action to be taken. They begin with verbs, available below. Each clause ends with a semicolon, except the last clause, which ends with a period. Each operative clause is numbered. When writing resolutions delegates are to use only those initiating phrases listed on the following pages of this guide.

Resolution Research

Effective research strategies are formed over time. The nature of the internet is changing, and so websites often look and flow differently from year to year. Because of this, your fellow team members, specifically your returning delegates are going to be your biggest asset in resolution writing.

The second most important resource in resolution writing will be your policy statement. The policy statement should house the specific strategies that your country would like the UN to employ to solve any specific issue. We focus on the resolution and resolution writing as the foundation and start of UN understanding. However, before you start writing your resolution you should start writing your policy statement. A great policy statement, as well as effective research will give you everything you need to write a great resolution. Draft and adopted resolutions are available on the UN and UN agency websites. A great resource to look at draft or passed UN resolutions is the Dag Hammarskjöld Library, specifically theUN Digital Library.

Finally, we recommend looking at draft resolutions supported by the represented country. This will help a delegate find the voice and specific language a country uses when adopting or negotiating resolutions. We have included a sample resolution for use as a basis for the minimum expectation of submitted materials.

Initiating Phrases

These are the words or phrases that start each preambular or operative clause. These phrases should proceed each clause, be italicized, and operative clauses should be numbered.

Sample Resolution

Please see the sample resolution with the appropriate formatting here. Resolutions submitted should have the same formatting as this sample.

The Policy Statement

The Policy Statement is a one page, three paragraph document, meant to establish the delegate's understanding of the topic and country’s position. A policy statement is required for each committee topic a delegate is representing. Security Council delegates will write a policy statement on a topic of their choosing. The runner-up and best policy statement for each committee will be awarded at the conclusion of conference. The ICJ, World Press, Security Council and General Assembly will have slightly different prep work expectations. All other delegates will be required to provide two policy statements each. One policy statement per topic. Please see the ICJ and World Press Sections for their documentation requirements.

The Security Council will require two policy statements. The Security Council is a “double delegate” committee. Meaning there will be two representatives in the committee for each country. The conference will still only require two policy statements total; the statements will be on relevant security related topics of the delegate’s choosing. Both delegates will share the overall policy statement score.

The General Assembly only has 1 topic. This means that the delegate is only responsible for providing one policy statement on that topic. The delegate will also be asked to provide a country profile for the country in place of the secondary policy statement. This will be reviewed for accuracy but not included in the overall scoring. Please see the awards section Best Policy Statement for the scoring for General Assembly.

Policy Statement Structure

A policy statement is the declaration of a country’s position on the topic being discussed in the committee. The policy statement is meant to establish competency in the topic by the delegate. A policy statement must be one page in length. The statement must be typed, Times New Roman 12pt font, single spaced with 1” margins, left-justified and only one agenda item per page. It must have the country’s name in the upper left-hand corner, the committee’s name on the following line and the agenda topic on the third line. It must consist of three paragraphs.

Paragraph One: UN Historical Policy

The first paragraph should provide a historical overview of the issue and any action the UN has previously taken. It is global in scope and should provide the foundational events of the topic. Such as a global treaty like the Paris Climate Accords. Supplemental information provided in the first paragraph should be relevant to the topic but should also establish a framework to the arguments made by your country in the rest of the Policy Statement.

Paragraph Two: Country Historical Policy

The second paragraph should provide the country’s official policy on the issue, including past action the country has previously taken. This paragraph is generally domestic in scope but can focus on a country’s work abroad. A good second paragraph paints a picture of the country’s actions related to a specific issue. It may identify specific statistics, but they are less effective than direct action taken by a country.

Paragraph Three: The Statement of Policy

The third paragraph should provide the country's proposed solutions. This paragraph should outline exactly what your country wants to achieve at the UN in regard to this topic. A good paragraph will include specific UN organizations and provide concrete solutions.

Sample Policy Statement

Please see the judging matrix and sample policy statement here.

Formal & Informal Debate

A Model United Nations conference is generally split between Formal Debate and Informal Debate. The difference between formal and informal debate is the suspension of the procedural rules. Formal debate requires rules of procedure facilitated by a chairperson, where informal debate is the process of suspending the rules of procedure for a temporary period of time to allow for the free flow of conversation and negotiation. During formal debate delegates are able to address the committee using speeches on a speakers list ordered by the chair (P23), and comments (P23) or questions (P25, inquiry) on those speeches. During informal debate, because the rules are suspended, delegates are free to talk and work amongst each other. Effective implementation of strategies, behavior and negotiation in each form of debate is what leads to the best overall Model UN experience.

Both forms of debate are essential to effective collaboration and the creation of successful and comprehensive resolutions. Conferences and committees often lean on informal debate as this is where delegates feel freer to express their opinions without the pressures of public speaking. Unfortunately, a reliance on informal debate will limit effective participation to a significant number of delegates, especially if one or two regional voting blocs have a significant number of the votes and control in the committee. Formal debate allows delegates on the fringes of the conversation to effectively participate in an unbiased debate.

Formal Debate

Formal Debate is the type of debate that is often depicted when Model UN conferences are represented to new participants. It is the formal process of speeches and questions and comments from delegates within a committee. At the SDC time spent in formal debate is primarily made up of the speakers list, however, formal debate also consists of voting on motions, and voting bloc generally. Most emphasis on training in formal debate is directed at the speakers list. The following information will provide some tools to improve speeches, as well as, comments and questions. Delegates should also review the strategic use of the procedural rules section.

Speeches

One of the most effective ways of building credibility within a committee is to give a speech during Formal Debate. The most common form of speech in Model UN is a canned, prewritten, rehearsed speech. This type of speech is never the most effective, however. During conference you are likely to hear dozens of these practiced speeches. Only the first few, or very emotional, speeches given in this manner are very effective. We suggest you take a different strategy to stand out.

Build your speech like a 5-paragraph essay. Lean into an emotional, but relevant, attention getting introduction. An effective attention getter will grab the committee’s focus. Then deliver 3 points. Make sure the 3 ideas are active parts of the committee's discussion. Be adaptable, this will allow you to change 1 or 2 of your ideas based on the direction of the committee’s discussion, and the ideas that are the focal point of each resolution. Lastly conclude with a wrap up of your ideas and reference to your attention getter. Delegates who are able to be adaptable and connected to the flow of discussion in committee will be able to deliver a relevant speech that challenges the committee to think of the topic with their ideas in mind.

It is effective to talk about ideas you determine as valuable and ideas you would like to challenge. Additionally, when referring to other countries we suggest that you identify ideas that are connected to the country and not directly name the country, unless it is a compliment. Additionally, remember that an effective speech almost never takes 3 full minutes. If you are given 3 minutes to speak; take 2, maybe 2 and a half. Lastly, a strategic use of pauses on important ideas or changes in your inflection depending on the mood you are trying to represent are very effective in connecting with delegates. Your speech should feel like a conversation.

P-23s & P-25s

During the General Debate and Substantive Debate, delegates will be giving speeches regarding their positions and solutions for the topic. The conference structure differs with each conference, but for the Sonoran Desert Conference, generally each speech will have two P23 (comments) and two P25 (questions) motions for each speech. This number will change depending on the needs of the committee. When a delegate is giving a speech, the other delegates can rise under a P23 (Short Speech or Comment) or P25 (Point of Inquiry) to ask questions about the speaker’s solutions or their current efforts on the topic.

Effective Use of Comments and Questions

Consensus Voting

This section will change prior to conference due to significant feedback from GA delegates. We are committed to the best processes for consensus voting possible. *

1. General Debate will require 1 submitted document. This document will be started as a google doc by the dais. The document will be continuously displayed by the dais. Members may submit clauses in their working papers. Preambular clauses are final and must pass a “vote not to vote” in general debate. P-28 clause by clause.

2. Substantive Debate will require a speakers list. It will not require a moderated caucus due to having only 1 resolution. The debate process will begin with a roll call, then a call for opposition to specific clauses. Any clause that passes unanimously will not be called on again unless an amendment is submitted asking a change to language.

a. Once consensus is reached move to P21 and vote on the resolution one by one.

3. We will not transition to Voting bloc due to the back-and-forth nature of the consensus process. Instead, under P3*, we will establish role and instate Voting Bloc rules during voting times (no note passing, no entry once voting starts, etc.) There will be no transition back to substantive just an automatic resumption of debate after the process if a no vote is present. Once consensus is reached move to P21 and vote on the resolution one by one.

Security Council

The Security Council is the second major body of the UN system. According to the UN Charter, the primary function of the Security Council is to maintain international peace and security. The Council consists of five permanent seats with veto power: China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In the "Gentlemen's Agreement" of 1946, six other non-permanent seats were added and are elected to two-year terms. Four additional non-permanent seats were added in 1965.

The Security Council is a special committee for MCCMUN for a number of reasons. The topics for this committee are brought in by the delegates. The committee will vote on the topics at the beginning of the session and complete them in order. The rules for this committee are the same, however, the process is somewhat different. Additionally, there is a simultaneous crisis that runs through the Security Council. The committee is a “double delegate” committee. While one delegate is working on the traditional Security Council topics, the supporting delegate is working on the crisis scenario. Each conference will have 2 crises. They will each take place on each day. It is strongly suggested that the delegates switch for the crisis. This will enable each to organize and work both aspects of the Security Council.

Establishing an Agenda for Security Council

The Security Council does not have an established agenda prior to the conference. Delegates will vote to determine the topics and order of discussion as a first order of business, Security Council delegates are to prepare two policy statements and a resolution like all other delegates prior to conference but can decide for themselves what topics to write them on. Any and all major issues confronting the world's peace and security may be brought to the table for debate.

At the beginning of the conference, after the roll call, the chair will ask for delegates to provide items for the agenda. Once prompted by the chair delegates will rise under P-23 to propose agenda items. The chair will number the topics as they are provided by the committee. Once the requests are exhausted, using the P-10 Order of the Agenda delegates will propose the order of the agenda. The Agenda for the Security Council will be limited by the items in the passing P-10. If all items are completed, at the completion of the final topic, the delegates may, under P-23, add additional items.

Crisis Simulation

The Security Council must be prepared to assess and confront any situation that threatens international peace and security. All Security Council delegates must be prepared for a crisis to occur at any time. Delegates should have extensive knowledge of traditional crisis areas, such as the Balkan region, the border between India and Pakistan, the Great Lakes region of Africa, and the Middle East, and should be aware of the potential for new crisis areas in other parts of the world. In other words, be prepared for anything.

At the beginning of the conference after roll is called, a crisis will be announced by the Secretariat. The delegates that will be working directly on the crisis will then reconvene in an adjacent meeting space to work directly on the crisis. The first crisis will be run through the first day and conclude at the end of the first day of conference. All delegates will report to the main Security Council room at the beginning of the second day. Once roll is called on the second day of conference the Secretariat will announce a second crisis topic. The delegates that will be working directly on the crisis will then reconvene in an adjacent meeting space to work directly on the crisis.

International Court of Justice

The introduction of the International Court of Justice committee was intended to provide an alternative to the standard committee at the Sonoran Desert Conference. Although each delegate will present arguments relevant to their country and past and current issues at the ICJ, delegates will spend the vast majority of their time determining the outcome of past and current ICJ filings. The International Court of Justice at the Sonoran Desert Conference aims to:

• Provide an accurate and immersive simulation of international dispute resolution,
• Create a level of engagement that is as challenging and fulfilling as the experience for country delegates,
• Encourage research and meta-discussion around the nature and use of global dispute resolution systems; their sources, consequences, and resolutions; and to encourage holistic understanding of international justice,
• Broaden the scope of the conference discussion of global events by showing them in different stages in development and resolution,
• Provide as accurate an introduction to international legal proceedings and legal argumentation.

The International Court of Justice in Action

The conference will simulate oral and written arguments for four cases from the immediately preceding session of the International Court of Justice. Cases are selected by the Secretariat in advance and will be announced with the topics for each year. Each case has two country-based parties, a plaintiff and a defendant leading to a simulation of eight unique parities.

ICJ teams will consist of two-person teams with dual roles. Role 1: Each 2-person team will represent a country litigating a case before the court. Role 2: Each participant will preside as a Member of the Court during the cases for which they are not a party. The simulation will have two Secretariat Members assigned, one serving as President and the other as Court Registrar. Each case will have four litigators arguing the case and will be heard before the other 13 members of the court, including the President.

Each litigation team will be given 20 minutes of argumentation time. Litigation teams must decide how to divide that time between primary arguments and rebuttal and must announce how much time to reserve at the beginning of their statements. The Court Registrar will keep time. During the arguments, Members of the Court may interrupt and ask questions. Litigants should pause to allow the question and, after answering decorously and succinctly, the party should return to the regular flow of their oral argument.

Plaintiff argues first, then the Defendant, then any rebuttal by the plaintiff, and finally any rebuttal by the Defendant. Litigant teams should alternate speakers so that all four litigants speak once.

The President will then announce the retirement of the court. The Registrar will call for all to rise and the Members will exit. Court Members will privately review the evidence, filings, and arguments together in camera. They should deliberate only on those arguments made by the parties in filings or oral arguments. Members of the Court must write a majority decision within 2-3 hours. Members of the Court may request, by majority vote, a second abbreviated round of rebuttal (no longer than 10 min each) if they feel that additional clarification is required to reach a majority decision. Members of the Court who wish to express an alternate view to the Majority may file concurring or dissenting opinions as they wish.

During deliberation, litigant teams are encouraged to work the “court of public opinion” by giving interviews with the World Press while they await a decision from the Court.

After a decision is drafted, the Registrar will recall the parties and the Members will again reenter the Court to announce their decision. The majority decision will be read by the President and any concurrences or dissents by the parties who drafted them.

Participant Expectations During Conference

Each participant is required to be fluent in the arguments presented in the briefs filed in all cases prior to attending the conference. Each member is expected to be prepared sufficiently to participate in oral argument questioning and to follow up on questions they, and other Members, pose. Members of the ICJ are expected to have formed basic opinions on the cases to be heard before them prior to attending the conference. Each member is expected to participate in deliberations and drafting of the opinions of the Court and to be sufficiently attentive as to ensure that the decision is rendered in a timely manner. Participants who preside over oral arguments are expected to complete a draft decision within the time constraints of the conference.

Court Opinions Must Include:

• the date on which it is read,
• the names of the judges participating,
• the names of the parties,
• the names of the counsel of the parties,
• a summary of the proceedings,
• the submissions of the parties,
• a statement of the facts,
• the reasons in point of law,
• the operative provisions of the judgment,
• the number and names of the judges constituting the majority,
• a statement as to the authority of the judgment.

Members of the ICJ are expected to keep the arguments used to form the Court's decision confidential as part of the published decisions.

Typical ICJ Agenda During the Sonoran Desert Conference

Opening Plenary → SDC Secretariat will host an ICJ informational session during UNITAR → Friday Lunch → Agenda Item 1 → Friday Dinner → Agenda Item 2 → End of Friday → Agenda Item 3 → Saturday Lunch → Agenda Item 4 → Closing Plenary

Each Agenda Item session will be organized to be given the same amount of time.

International Court of Justice Preparatory Materials

Each Country Team is required to write 1 brief to be submitted to the Court prior to Conference as part of the Team Packet. Failure to provide a brief will result in a default judgment and the Country Team will not be allowed to appear before the ICJ. The Country Team Brief is a 3-page document that is intended to show that the delegate fully understands their country’s case at the International Court of Justice. This document is unique and intended to resemble a filing on behalf of a plaintiff or defendant. The brief should be no longer than 3 pages, including the cover page. All briefs should be single spaced with 1” margins in Times New Roman 12pt font.

Here are links to the judging matrix and example of a team country brief.

Each Country Team is expected to read and be familiar with the briefs filed by the opposing party sufficiently to be able to refute the opposing party’s arguments and assert their own. Each Country Team should be practiced at maintaining their composure, decorum, and flow despite interruptions with questions from Members of the Court. Litigants (participants) must show proper deference to Members’ questions. They should be prepared to answer questions about their own arguments and those of the opposing party. The litigants should be prepared to use their time wisely as each country is given only 20 minutes for arguments.

The Cover Page

The cover page is intended to reflect a brief version of actual ICJ court filings, including the title, parties involved, filing number and table of contents. The case filing number should read “SDCICJ” the session number (the first Sonoran Desert Conference was held in 1999), the year, and the topic number as listed on the conference agenda. ex SDCICJ 21-2019-04. The cover page should include the following:

• Committee and conference number,
• The name of the case file,
• The names of each party with the plaintiff on top,
• Identify the country of origin for the brief,
• Case filing number,
• Date of original filing with the ICJ,
• Table of contents,
• Names and school for the representatives.

After the cover page the brief must include the following 5 sections:

• a summary of the argument,
• a statement affirming jurisdiction,
• a statement of the facts,
• requested reasons in point of law,
• requested judgment and relief.

Remember that the brief should be no longer than 3 pages total, including the cover page. Please note that this will require delegates to include the most relevant information in their brief as there is limited space. Additionally, remember that google docs automatically sets the spacing between lines at 1.15. Changing this setting to single spaced is expected and will give delegates a couple of extra lines to work with.

A Summary of the Argument

This section should detail the argument that the Country Team is making to the ICJ. This section should be detailed enough to identify the specific items of a country's argument. However, it is important to remember that this section is a summary of arguments, and the delegate needs room to cover the following four sections.

A Statement Affirming Jurisdiction

This section will identify the jurisdiction that the International Court of Justice has to review the case presented. The delegate will have to identify specific items of legal precedent, articles within treaties or other documents, or the International Court of Justice's own mandate.

A Statement of the Facts

This section will cover events that have led to this filing. Each case is different and may include different types of events or dates depending on the situation. The delegate should focus on telling a story of events leading to the initial filing with the International Court of Justice. The items should be factual and should also show the facts that the country wants the court to focus on.

Requested Reasons in Point of Law

In this section the delegate should identify the specific legal question that is being debated in their case. Which articles, legal precedent or documents should the court be reviewing to determine the delegate's desired outcome.

Requested Judgment and Relief

The delegate should make their recommendation on the outcome of the case to the International Court of Justice. This section should clearly instruct the court on the country's desired outcome. The requested judgment and relief will need to be within the court's power, and the outcome should be a culmination of the arguments, jurisdiction, facts and point of law.

World Press

World Press is a traditional part of many Model UN conferences. News and international politics are intertwined, and an accurate simulation of the UN requires an accurate simulation of the World Press. At the SDC our objective is to provide a more robust, world press experience that is a more realistic and immersive environment for all conference participants, while simultaneously engaging the students participating as World Press in a way that is as demanding and fulfilling as participating as a country delegate. This parallel simulation allows the Sonoran Desert Conference to incorporate increasingly important lessons regarding media bias, social media influence, and critical media consumption. In this section we will briefly describe the role of the World Press at the SDC, and the prep work required from World Press delegates. For a more detailed and in depth look at the World Press please see the World Press primer.

The World Press in Action

The World Press is made up of 5 Publications. Representing a publication is like representing a country and the team should be fully staffed if a school decides to represent a publication. The SDC utilizes a twitter like simulation at conference as its output source. Delegates will write their articles and “publish” them on the team "twitter" page (click links in publications section.) The simulation of twitter reflects how many individuals consume modern media and allows our World Press delegates to release timely informative bites of information that the conference can react to. In preparation for the SDC, each World Press reporter will submit one article on a topic of their choosing. The best articles will be selected to comprise the "AP Wire," handed out conference wide on the first day. Additionally, teams will be asked to provide a “News Desk Broadcast” and a “Media Bias Essay” details of which are provided in the conference preparation section. Teams should be between 3 and 5 students, News Directors act as team captains for their respective outlets. news Directors should expect a small-time commitment preconference to work with the Editor in Chief and the Deputy Editor (which comprise the dais for the World Press committee.) Publications must have a minimum 3 reporters, teams bringing fewer than three reports may be reassigned to bolster other outlets.

The Simulated Publications

At the SDC we simulate 5 press outlets that are representative of the voice of world news stories. Each outlet will have 3-5 press reporters, including on News Director. Five outlets are available, representing various biases:

• MBC – Mesa Broadcasting Company (NBC/BCC)
• La Prensa Mesa – Latin tabloid (La Prensa, Nicaragua)
• Al-Mesa – A Lebanese, Pro-Sunni Islamist paper (Aljazeera)
• MesAfrica24 – West African Centered Out of Nigeria (News24)
• MCCNA – East and Southeast Asian Media Outlet Centered out of Singapore (CNA)

Conference Preparation Guide

Just like in standard committees at the SDC prep work is required to establish competency in the committee. Each reporter will be required to provide a written article and each Publication will be required to provide a News Desk Broadcast and a Media Bias Essay. Please see the requirements for each below:

Full-length Article

• Topic should be covered by the outlet and be relevant to the conference themes,
• Unlike Policy Statements this must be entirely in the reporters own voice,
• 500-700 word minimum (approx. 1 page),
• Basic AP Style Principles LINK,
• Use 12pt, Times New Roman, single spaced,
• Header should include Publication, Topic, Reporter Name.

Television News Desk Broadcast

• Production value: simple, scripted, and creative; recorded on a cell phone is fine,
• Should demonstrate an understanding of the differences between print and TV news,
• Topics should be chosen from those written by team reporters in full-length articles,
• No longer than 3 mins.

Media Bias Essay

The Essay should be 6-8 paragraphs, MLA style and should include:

• Discussion of media/press freedom in the region,
• Brief history of the press outlet being modeled,
• Identification of the biases of the modeled outlet, its sources and how it manifests,
• Discussion of how the biases and history will inform reporting at the conference.

The World Press at Conference

Twitter Simulation

The goal of the World Press at the SDC is to report what is happening during the conference. Reporters should be present in committee, speak with and interview delegates, and “tweet” their interpretations of what is happening. Did the C-24 find that New Caledonia should have a new referendum for independence? Did the Security Council resolve a pirating crisis in the Malacca Strait? Did the ICJ resolve the dispute between the US and Iran? Stories about what delegates and committees are working on make for a robust and interesting World Press. And those stories will be represented over a span of “tweets” or bites of information in the simulated twitter.

It is important that the World Press Simulation be academic, safe and fun. The SDC no longer publishes the tweets on Twitter so the tweets will not be considered public. The new format enables the conference to safely provide all delegates with the World Press platform. The News Editor will review all tweets to ensure that they are appropriate and representative of the conference and media outlet that posts any simulated tweet. Any simulated tweet that is deemed inappropriate or does not align with the Mesa Community College, and Mesa Community College Model United Nations’ code of conduct will be removed by the Editor and subsequent action may be taken.

Simulated Tweet Guidelines:

• No longer than 140 characters,
• May contain the live news desk broadcast,
• May contain interviews with delegates that have signed the conference photograph waiver,
• May contain links to full articles.

Live News Desk Broadcast

Each day each publication is expected to publish a “Live News Desk Broadcast” using the same principles as the “Television News Desk Broadcast” provided as prep work for the conference. The topic and content can be of the outlet’s choosing:

• Production value: simple, scripted, and creative; recorded on a cell phone is fine,
• Topics should be chosen by press team covering the issues relevant to conference,
• No longer than 3 mins.

Performance Criteria

Each reporter will be evaluated on their conference performance in addition to their prep work. Scores for pre-conference work and at conference performance listed will be included in the awards section of the guide. Each reporter is expected to:

• Draft and publish regular tweets from the perspective of their outlet,
• Work with teammates and the editorial staff to prepare and publish a Live News Desk Broadcast,
• Draft a full-length article on a subject of their choice,
• Grow outlet readership by encouraging peers to follow Outlet handles,

Procedural Rules

P-3 General Powers of the Chair

The Chair shall have complete control of the proceeding of the Body and the maintenance of order at its meetings. The powers of the Chair include, but are not limited to:

• The limitation of the time to be allowed to speakers;
• The limitation of the number of times that each delegate may speak on any matter under consideration;
• The closure of the speakers list;
• The suspension of the meeting;
• The adjournment of the meeting;
• The postponement of agenda item under discussion;
• The adjournment of debate on the item under discussion;
• The closure of the agenda item under discussion.

P-10 Order of Business

Each Body shall normally consider items in their order on the agenda. However, prior to general debate, delegates have the option of reordering the agenda items. Proposals for reordering shall be voted upon in the order in which they are proposed. The first proposal to receive a majority vote shall be the order of business.

P-11 Resolutions

Resolutions, while initiated by individual members or groups, are basic statements of the Body’s policy. Resolutions and amendments shall be submitted in writing to the Chair, who shall circulate copies to all delegations. Resolutions shall be turned in up to 1/2 hour after the end of General Debate. Debate on resolutions will not begin before they have been distributed to all delegates. Resolutions require a two-thirds majority to pass. If two or more resolutions relate to the same agenda item, the Body shall consider them in the order proposed by the Chair, unless a delegate rises under P-11 and requests to reorder the resolutions. Proposals to reorder resolutions are in order after the conclusion of Substantive debate and before voting on the resolutions has begun. Proposals to reorder shall be voted on in the order in which they are proposed. The first proposal to receive a majority vote shall be the voting order.

P-14 Introduction, Sponsorship and Withdrawal of Proposals

A proposal may be made by any member of the Body. Procedural motions are introduced orally, discussed and voted upon without written presentation. Procedural motions may be withdrawn at any time prior to voting on it has commenced. An amendment to a resolution shall also be introduced orally by the proposer during substantive debate. However, if substantive debate is closed or adjourned, the Chair may accept additional amendments at his or her discretion prior to voting bloc. Any member may sponsor a resolution. Sponsorship or withdrawal of sponsorship of a resolution will be allowed only up to the end of substantive debate. However, a sponsor may withdraw their sponsorship prior to voting on it if their resolution has been amended. If all sponsors withdraw their sponsorship of a proposal and no member wishes to sponsor it, the whole proposal is considered withdrawn. Once a resolution has been passed by the Body, the Body itself becomes the sponsor of the resolution.

P-21 Method of Voting

All Bodies shall normally vote by a show of placards. The Chair may obtain approval of a procedural motion by statements which permit approval without a formal vote, i.e., “hearing no objections.” Any representative may request a roll call vote. The vote shall be taken in alphabetical order. The delegate shall respond with “yes,” “yes with explanation,” “no,” “no with explanation,” “abstain,” or “pass.” Only one pass per delegate per vote will be allowed.

P-23 Speeches and Comments

The normal conduct of business shall include a period of speeches for general debate on the agenda item under consideration, as well as a period for substantive debate on resolutions and substantive amendments. Delegates must obtain the permission of the Chair prior to speaking. To obtain permission, a delegate shall rise under P-23 and ask to be added to the speakers list. The Chair shall place delegates on a speakers list in the order in which they have signified their desire to speak. No delegate may interrupt a speaker except on a point of order. Short comments may be allowed only on the previous speech and at the discretion of the Chair.

Additionally, committees with agenda items determined credentialed delegates will rise under P-23 to suggest agenda items to the committee. Delegates may do so only when prompted by the chair. If a committee’s topics are exhausted, once prompted by the chair, delegates may suggest additional items rising under P-23. If the chair has not directly requested additional items to be added to the agenda, any use of P-23 to add additional items will be considered out of order.

P-25 Points of Procedure

A delegate rising under P-25 must specifically state to which point they are rising.

Point of Information

If a member wishes to obtain clarification Rules of Procedure Rules of Procedure of procedure the delegate may address a point of information to the Chair.

Point of Inquiry

During debate a member may wish to ask a question of another representative. Such a question shall be addressed to the Chair and shall reference the agenda item currently under discussion. The delegate to whom the question is directed may then decide whether to answer the question now, respond to it in writing, or refuse to accept the question. Any verbal response shall be addressed to the Chair.

Point of Personal Privilege

If a member wishes to raise a question or make a request relating to the organization of the meeting, the comfort of its members, or the conduct of its members and/or officers, he or she may rise to a point of privilege. A member may not interrupt a speaker to rise under this point. Point of Order During debate, if a member believes that the Body is proceeding in a manner that is contradictory to the Rules of Procedure, the member may rise to a point of order immediately. A point of order raised at any time shall refer to the matter at hand at the time only.

Dilatory

Only the Chair may rule that a motion is dilatory. A dilatory motion shall be defined as any motion that seeks to obstruct the will of the Body, or the progress of the meeting. If the Chair rules that a motion is dilatory, the motion is considered not in order.

P-27 Suspension or Adjournment of Meeting

During debate, a delegate may move for the suspension of the meeting. The delegate shall specify the time and reason for the motion to suspend (i.e., move to suspend the meeting for 10 minutes for the purposes of caucus). This motion shall not be debated but put to an immediate vote and requires only a simple majority to pass. The Chair shall propose to adjourn the meeting when the Body has concluded all of its business. A delegate may not move for adjournment of the meeting until all of the Body’s business has been concluded.

P-28 Postponement of Debate

A motion calling for postponement of debate shall state the time at which debate on the agenda item shall continue. If debate is postponed, the Body shall move on to the item with the next highest priority. Debate on this motion shall be limited to two speakers in favor of the motion (including the proposer) and two speakers against the motion. A simple majority is required to carry out the motion.

P-29 Closure of Agenda Item

At any time during debate a delegate may move to close the agenda item under discussion. This motion requires two speakers in favor (including the proposer) and two speakers against and a two-thirds majority to pass.

P-30 Adjournment of Debate

During debate a delegate may move to adjourn debate on the current agenda item. there will be two speakers in favor (including the proposer) and two speakers against. This motion requires a two-thirds majority. If General debate is adjourned the next order of business shall be Substantive debate. If Substantive debate is adjourned, the Chair shall ask for any remaining amendments. The next order of business shall be voting bloc.

Transition Guide

Please see guide here (click for PDF)

The general flow of a standard committee that ensures the most comprehensive discussion of each topic will be the following:

Complete General Debate 1 → Postpone Substantive Debate 1 → Complete General Debate 2 → Postpone Substantive Debate 2 → Complete Substantive Debate 1 → Complete Voting Bloc 1 → Complete Substantive Debate 2 → Complete Voting Bloc 2.

Election of the Rapporteur

The Rapporteur is a representative position appointed by the committee for each topic. At the commencement of each topic the chairs will initiate a vote for the delegate that the committee would like to represent them. The chair will announce the top 2 vote getters and they will receive Rapporteur and Runner-Up Rapporteur awards. If the same delegate is selected by the committee, the delegate will be considered the “runner-up”, and the second highest vote getter will receive the Rapporteur award and represent the committee in GA.

The role of a committee rapporteur is to represent the will of the committee when the General Assembly is voting on their committee’s resolutions. The rapporteur is selected by their peers. Delegates should look for a delegate that is supportive, well spoken, prepared, and be willing and able to accurately represent the will and goals of the committee when presenting resolutions in GA. Winning this award requires a delegate to build coalitions, not win arguments.

Awards

The Sonoran Desert Conference is committed to a high academic standard. To effectively reward delegates for their hard work and success in conference MCCMUN has committed to a number of recognitions that touch all facets of the SDC. We encourage participants to strive to achieve their awards and recognitions, however, it is important to remember that the greatest skills that Model United Nations teaches us is not represented in a certificate.

Top Country Award

This award is the focal point for the SDC staff. At MCCMUN we believe that Model United Nations is a team sport. In creating an award for the highest average score on any given country at the SDC. There are some limitations to this award. The Top Country Award will be given to countries that have 6 delegates or more. The countries available for this award are indicated by bold on the country assignment list. This award is meant to recognize a team effort at conference, as well as, and commitment to the academic excellence that this conference encourages. The winning program will receive a flag of the country they represented, if the flag is unavailable the school will receive a United Nations flag.

The Rapporteur

Please refer to the Rapporteur section of this Guidebook for specific details on how a delegate may be selected as Rapporteur. Each Rapporteur will receive a certificate at the end of the conference in honor of their significant achievement.

Rapporteurs are not scored and will not impact the delegate, country or overall team awards.

Top Policy Statement

This award is given to the best Policy Statement in each committee. Prep-work is graded for each committee. For all committees with the exception of ICJ, World Press and General Assembly, delegates are required to submit two Policy Statements. The General Assembly will submit one Policy Statement and a Country Profile. For World Press and ICJ awards please see those sections. For information on the structure and content of the Policy Statement please see that section of the Delegate Guide.

The Top Policy Statement award is graded on a rubric by 3 impartial judges. Each Policy Statement is given a grade out of 50. The two Policy Statements are then combined together to create a total prep work score. The rubric (FOUND HERE) is designed in such a way that the vast majority of scores will bunch up in the middle. Meaning there will be a lot of scores in the 25-35 range and few in the 40s. An example of the typical score spread is provided below.

The General Assembly policy statement will be scored out of 50 per the policy statement rubric. The score will be averaged by the three judges. The score will then be multiplied by 2 to get the overall score.

Each judge submits a score out of 50 and the average score of the 3 judges is awarded. Example:

General Assembly total score would be 84.334 (42.167 x 2)

The Policy Statement scores are then added to the Diplomat scores to create the Delegate score.

Top Diplomat

Each delegate is scored on their performance at conference. This score is given out of 100. Delegates are scored based on the quality of their comments, the way they work with other delegates, and their active participation in all parts of debate. This means that it is not always the most talkative delegate in the committee who will earn the highest score. It will be awarded to the delegate who is most effective with their participation. The delegates are scored by the chairs of the committee with assistance from supporting judges in the committee. The scores are discussed and ranked to ensure that the delegate who earns the highest score is agreed upon by all secretariat members in the committee. Due to this judging method, there will only be one score per delegate, out of 100. Please see the rubric for more information on the scoring criteria.

The diplomat score is added to policy statement 1 and 2 to create the Delegate score.

Top Delegate

The Top Delegate is an award that combines the total Policy Statement score and Diplomat score to create an overall conference score. The top Delegate scores are meant to reflect the entire process of Model United Nations. As an academic conference prep work and performance are taken into consideration when determining which delegate’s work stands above the rest. The average of each policy statement will be added together and then added to the diplomat score. The delegate with the highest combined score will win the award.

Distinguished Delegate

A combination of the total Policy Statement and Diplomat scores, the Distinguished Delegate award is given to the top percentage of all delegates in each committee. This award aims to highlight delegates who not only submit great prep work but are also effective Diplomats in committee. The Distinguished Delegate award is calculated in the same manner as the top Diplomat score with the sum of Policy Statement 1, Policy Statement 2, and the Diplomat Score.

Top ICJ Brief

The highest and runner-up scored ICJ Brief will receive this award. There is only one ICJ Brief delivered per country so this score will be out of 100. The scores will be graded by three judges and the score will be an average of the scores given. Please see the rubric for more information on the scoring of the document.

The score will be added to the diplomat score to determine the overall delegate score and award.

Top World Press Article

Top Story

Top Outlet

Top School

The oldest award at the Sonoran Desert Conference. This award is given to the school with the highest average score rewarding their school for their commitment to academic excellence. To be eligible for this award the school must staff at least one country eligible for the Top Country award.

Important Links

The following links will assist you in your preparation: