Dais

In Model United Nations, the dais refers to both the physical front-of-room platform and, more commonly, the group of staff seated there who preside over a committee. The term is borrowed from parliamentary and ceremonial usage, where a dais is a raised stage for presiding officers.

A typical Model UN dais includes:

• Chair (or President) — runs the flow of debate, recognizes speakers, rules on points and motions, and enforces the rules of procedure.
• Vice-Chair (or Moderator) — assists the Chair, often handling the speakers list, timing, and voting procedure.
• Director (or Crisis Director in crisis committees) — writes the background guide, manages substantive content, evaluates position papers, and in crisis committees directs the staff response to delegate actions.
• Rapporteur or Assistant Director — handles notes, working paper review, and logistical support.

Structures vary by circuit. Collegiate North American conferences such as NMUN, HNMUN (Harvard), and NCSC often distinguish Directors (substantive) from Chairs (procedural), while many high school and European conferences combine these roles. THIMUN-style committees, which use consensus-based procedure rather than formal motions, typically use a smaller dais led by a President and Deputy President.

The dais also evaluates delegates for awards, issues directives or press updates in crisis simulations, and decides when to entertain motions for moderated or unmoderated caucuses. Delegates address the dais in the third person ("the chair," "the dais") and submit notes, amendments, and draft resolutions through it.

Beyond procedure, the dais sets the tone of a committee — pacing debate, calling on quieter delegates, and steering the room toward a workable resolution. Strong dais teams balance strict procedural control with substantive engagement, while weak or inconsistent dais work is a frequent delegate complaint in post-conference feedback.