motion for unmoderated caucus

An unmoderated caucus is a temporary suspension of formal debate during which delegates leave their seats and negotiate directly with one another, typically to draft working papers, build blocs, or merge competing proposals. The motion to enter one is among the most frequently used procedural tools in Model UN committees.

To raise the motion, a delegate is recognized by the chair and states: "Motion to suspend the meeting for an unmoderated caucus of [duration] for the purpose of [topic]." Most rule sets require the delegate to specify both a time limit and a purpose. Common durations range from 5 to 20 minutes, though caps vary by conference.

Procedurally, the motion is not debatable and requires a simple majority to pass. When multiple motions are on the floor, chairs typically order them from most disruptive to least disruptive, meaning longer unmoderated caucuses are voted on before shorter ones, and unmoderated caucuses are usually considered more disruptive than moderated caucuses. If a motion fails, the next in order is put to a vote.

Unmoderated caucuses serve distinct strategic functions across a committee's lifecycle. Early in a session, they are used for bloc formation — delegates with aligned policy positions gather to identify shared priorities. In the middle stages, they facilitate working paper drafting, allowing sponsors and signatories to write operative clauses collaboratively. Late in committee, they are essential for merger negotiations between competing draft resolutions and for whipping votes before substantive voting procedure.

Conference rules of procedure differ on extensions: some allow a delegate to motion to extend an unmoderated caucus by up to half its original duration, while others require a fresh motion. Harvard's HNMUN, NMUN, and most THIMUN-style conferences each codify slightly different conventions, so delegates should consult the specific committee's rules handbook before relying on procedural assumptions.

Chairs may rule the motion dilatory if it is raised repeatedly without progress, or if substantive debate has not yet produced material to negotiate over.