Frequently Asked Questions
We recommend you bring your research binder, your notes for working papers, extra pens, and extra note cards. Please see your ‘Delegate Resource Guide’ available for your viewing anytime under the _____ tab for a more detailed list.
The cost to participate in CSUMUN is $25.
The first one or two times I participated in a Model UN simulation, I was quite nervous. I thought that people would be upset if they didn’t agree with what I said. However, once you realize you are acting like your own country, you are acting as the Swiss delegation, and not as yourself- it becomes very easy. Naturally, everyone else is doing the same! North Korea and South Korea will not agree on much, even if they are very close friends in person. Speak up if other countries' positions do not align with your own. And the old Model UN secret fits nicely here: no one has any idea what they are doing. You do not have to be an expert on how you say things- that’s what the Chair is for.
If you are unsure about parliamentary procedure, we recommend you would ask your advisor from your school. However, if this is not possible as you actually are in committee, points of inquiry are accepted, also if you are unsure of how to approach an issue and find it not suitable to interrupt debate, simply write a note labelled “Dais” with your country name underneath. The chair or co-chair will compose a reply as soon as they can. To help avoid this issue, please check your Delegate Resource Guide.
Sometimes, debate gets bogged down with too many similar motions. Disagreements on speakers’ time, lengths of unmoderated caucuses and the like, can limit substantive debate. A motion that is declared “dilatory” does not mean that someone cannot motion it later. It simply means that too many delegates already have motions that adequately cover the issue. Or, the motion is too ridiculous to be taken seriously. If there are any motions deliberately being made to halt or suspend debate, they will be recognized as dilatory- and if they continue to be made, further action will be taken. Take the following example:
Chair: Are there any points or motions at this time? The chair recognizes Mongolia.
Mongolia: The nation of Mongolia motions for an unmoderated caucus of 10 minutes.
Chair: That motion is in order… are there any other points or motions at this time? Yes, Tuvalu?
Tuvalu: Tuvalu would like to motion for a 15-minute unmoderated caucus.
Chair: Thank you Tuvalu, that motion is in order… are there any other points of motions at this time? The chair recognizes The United States of America.
United States of America: The United States motions for a 12-minute and forty-six second unmoderated caucus.
Chair: The chair recognizes this motion as dilatory. The chair will now proceed in order of most disruptive…
Your partner still may need some help during the conference if they have not researched their topic. Make sure they research the night between the two-day conference, even if you have to tell them a bit about your country’s position on the topic in committee.
Awards are given to delegates who exhibit the recommendations and rules explained in the Delegate Resource Guide. In short, a delegate that is selected to win an award will have clearly researched the topic and applied in their actions in committee, and have been thorough in their understanding of parliamentary procedure. Making motions and asking questions clearly and effectively also help.
There is a reason the other name of an ‘unmoderated caucus’ is a ‘suspension of the rules.’ In effect, if you need to use the restroom or anything during this time- and know that you will be able to return before the end of the unmoderated caucus (try to write down the time you are required back!), by all means do. However, try to have at least one of your fellow delegates from your delegation present to speak to interested parties. Unmoderated caucuses tend to fragment the group into little groups. This doesn’t mean that you have to stay with your group of countries! Walk around and ask what their views on the issue are.
We select the topics to be interesting to most, if not all, countries involved. If you have exhausted all avenues of research or have questions, please ask your advisor from your school before the conference.
We are very fortunate to have middle-school volunteers to act as pages. They will pass notes that are pertinent to discussion between Member States, and between delegations and the Dais. Please be kind to these volunteers, and keep your notes on topic. Notes should be written on papers that aren’t too small. I recommend using note cards- or note-card sized slips of paper. Write clearly what Member State it is to and what Member State it is from on one side, or on the outside if folded.
CSU will use its ‘Cougar Cafe’ for this event. Your committee will have a pre-determined lunch time in which your committee will be driven to and from the Cougar Café in the CSU shuttles. However, this will not include dinner. A specific dinner time will be observed for all committees, in which they will not be expected to return to CSU until the closing ceremonies.
