General

  • The 2025 World Service Business Conference (WSBC) is scheduled from Sunday, May 4, 2025, through Saturday, May 10, 2025.
  • Please familiarize yourself with the entire schedule, including online presentations.
  • Only registered WSBC 2025 delegates, including Board of Trustees and region chairs, World Service Office (WSO) staff, center microphone monitors, parliamentarian, interpreters, and audio-visual techs are authorized to attend the Literature Questions and Answers meeting, All About Conference workshop, Reference Subcommittee meetings, Trustee Nominee Speeches and Questions and Answers meeting, and Business Meetings I-V.
  • All Conference-related meetings and workshops, except Reference Subcommittee meetings, will be in English as the main language. Literature Questions and Answers meeting, All About Conference workshop, Trustee Nominee Speeches and Questions and Answers meeting, and Business Meetings I-V will offer Spanish interpretation. Workshops and the Forum will offer French, Greek, Portuguese, and Spanish interpretation.
  • Zoom meeting information will be available to all registered delegates approximately one week before scheduled meetings. Please review the Zoom requirements at the end of this document. It is important that all participants are using the latest Zoom software. The use of a computer will be required to vote.
  • Please print these instructions and have the Delegate Binder available for reference during Conference meetings.
  • The Business Meetings I-V room will open 30 minutes before each session. Please plan to arrive early so you can be admitted, and your credentials can be verified.
  • Delegates may NOT call into the WSBC by phone ONLY. Delegates must login using the required Zoom software. Phones may be used for audio purposes only.
  • Virtual backgrounds will not be allowed during WSBC meetings.
  • When logging into the meeting, your naming convention should be as follows (Standing Rule 1E—Delegate Binder p.22):

Delegates—D: First name, Last initial, Service Body Name (ex. D: Janet G., ABC IG)

Interpreters—I: First name, Last initial

Region Chairs—R: First name, Last initial, Region # (ex. R: Bob B., Region 2)

Trustees—T: First name, Last initial, Position (ex. T: Sally T., Trustee or T: Mark J., Virtual Region)

  • Please use your registered badge name. Contact the World Service Office (sgurule@oa.org) if you want to confirm your badge name. We recommend updating your naming convention before attending WSBC meetings. For instructions on changing your naming convention, please refer to this article. You may not be admitted if we cannot recognize your credentials.
  • All delegates will be muted during the meetings. To participate in debate or ask a question, please use the Raise Hand located in the React icon on your toolbar and keep your hand raised until you are finished speaking. A designated host will unmute you after you have been recognized by the chair. Once you have finished speaking, a designated host will mute you and lower your hand.
  • Delegates may choose to turn on their cameras for the duration of the session. If you are debating a motion, asking a question, and when voting, cameras MUST be turned on unless you have asked for an accommodation (Standing Rules 8A and 10—Delegate Binder pgs. 24 and 25).

Debate

  • Debate will consist of three pro speakers and three con speakers, speaking for two minutes each. Accommodations will be made for three minutes if the speaker’s first language is not English. (Standing Rules 8C and 9E—Delegate Binder pgs.24 and 25).
  • When debate is announced, if you want to speak pro or con, please use the Raise Hand button located in the React icon on the toolbar. When you are recognized by the chair, a designated host will unmute you and mute you/lower your hand when you have finished speaking. The chair will ask if you are speaking pro or con. Note: A message will appear on your screen asking you to unmute. Please click this button before speaking.

Questions

  • There are two center microphone monitors. Ask your question of the center microphone monitor (CMM) whose title includes the first letter of your first name based on your badge name. CMM: Francene A-K (all first names that begin with A through K); CMM: Denise L-Z (all first names that begin with L through Z).
  • When asking a question, please use the Raise Hand button located in the React icon on the toolbar and send your question to the appropriate CMM through the chat function.
  • The center microphone monitor will notify the chair of the appropriate parliamentary inquiry (ex. Jane A. has a Request for Information). Once the delegate is recognized by the chair, a designated host will unmute you and mute you/lower your hand once your question is answered. Note: A message will appear on your screen asking you to unmute. Please click this button before speaking.

Voting

  • All voting will be conducted using the Zoom Polling or green checkmark/red X button features. The chair will notify the delegation which feature to use when voting on each item.
  • When voting, all delegates will be instructed to turn on their cameras for credentials accuracy unless you have asked for an accommodation (Standing Rules 8A and 10—Delegate Binder pgs.24 and 25).
  • Results will be announced immediately after the vote.

Amendments

  • When making an amendment, please email your amendment to amend-announce@oa.org. Please use the Amendment Template downloadable from the Delegate Secure web page. Note: You will receive an email notification confirming receipt of your amendment.
  • Please allow time for the amendment to be reviewed and posted to the screen. We recommend you submit your amendment as early as possible.
  • If the amendment is accepted, the chair will ask for a second to the motion, recognize you, and a designated host will unmute you and mute you/lower your hand when you are finished speaking. Note: A message will appear on your screen asking you to unmute. Please click this button before speaking.

Emergency New Business

  • If an Emergency New Business (ENB) Motion is to be submitted, please email your ENB motion to enbm@oa.org. Please use the ENB Motion Template downloadable from the Delegate Secure web page. Note: You will receive an email notification confirming receipt of your motion.
  • The deadline for Emergency New Business is Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 4 p.m. mountain time.
  • The Reference Subcommittee will review all Emergency New Business Motions submitted by the deadline at their meeting on Friday, May 9, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. mountain time.

Zoom Requirements

Please be sure your system is running the latest Zoom software update.  Please refer to this Zoom article for all requirements and recommendations.