Board of Regents Policy Public Participation at Board of Regents (BOR) Meetings

Overview

The BOR welcomes thoughtful communication from within the CSCU system and from the public on specific matters pending before the Board and on general matters of concern to the CSCU institutions.

• The pandemic required the BOR to create opportunities for remote meeting protocols which continue to evolve over time.

• Written communication to the BOR continues to be an important medium for students, employees, and members of the public who wish to present their views to the Board. These communications are presented to the Regents immediately prior to a regularly scheduled Board meeting for careful review and consideration.

• Although the BOR is not required to provide for oral public comment, the Regents believe this is an opportunity to receive valuable information helpful in their deliberations and general understanding of issues confronting the system.

Procedure

Under the conditions described below, the Regents may hear brief oral presentations from students, employees, and members of the public who wish to express their views on matters pending before the Board or on other issues of general concern to CSCU.

1. The decision to include public comment for full Board meetings will be consistent with the necessity to ensure that Regents have sufficient time to discuss and act upon matters pending before them.

2. The agenda for each regular open meeting will indicate whether time will be allotted for the Regents to hear brief presentations from students, employees, and members of the public, at what point in the meeting agenda, and what form the presentations must take. Public comment will not be invited for Special meetings of the Board or for Committee meetings of the Board.

3. The notice for public comment and the form it will take for that specific meeting will appear clearly at the top of the agenda for each regular open Board meeting. Agendas will be posted on the Board webpage and distributed via email to all CSCU employees at least 48 hours prior to the Board meeting.

4. If any student, employee, or member of the public is unable to attend the meeting in real-time due to a lack of physical location or electronic equipment, they may request assistance by emailing the Board Office at least 24 hours before the meeting.

5. Written comments will be accepted concerning any matters and will become part of the permanent record of the meeting. Written comments must be received via email to the Board Office at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. All emails received will be compiled, shared with the Regents, and posted on the Board webpage in advance of the meeting, as well as attached to the meeting minutes. The author’s name, affiliation (public, faculty, staff, student) and, if applicable, college or university affiliation must be included. Anonymous emails will not be posted or shared.

6. If oral presentations are invited, requests to address the Regents shall be made to the Office of Board Affairs at least 24 hours before the beginning of the meeting, but in no case after the meeting has been called to order. In signing up to address the Regents, each speaker shall specify the subject to be addressed.

   1. If a quorum of the Board will be present at one specific location, oral presentations may be made in person from that site or conducted virtually.

   2. If the majority of the voting members of the Board will participate in a meeting virtually, oral presentations will be conducted virtually.

7. If oral presentations to the Regents are invited, a receipt email is sent to those wishing to participate. The email will state that if time allows for their comments, speakers will receive a confirmation email with instructions concerning the location of the meeting (if in person) or how to access the meeting (if virtual) the day before the meeting. Speakers will also be encouraged to provide a written version of their public comment in case technical issues or unexpected time constraints arise.

8. If more speakers request the opportunity to address the Regents than time permits, the speakers will be encouraged to submit their testimony in writing.

9. In fairness to all who wish to address the Regents, each speaker must abide by a three-minute time limit. At the end of each speaker’s allotted time, the speaker will be asked to yield to the next speaker.

10. If public comment is invited at a regular Board meeting, thirty (30) minutes will be allotted for public comment on the agenda. Presenters and their planned comments will be prioritized based on the agenda of the meeting. First, the Regents will hear comments on action items before them; students will speak first, followed by the public, faculty, and staff. If time remains within the 30 minutes allocated to public comment, general presentations will be heard first from students followed by the public, faculty, and staff. Supplemental information may be provided in written form for distribution to the Regents. Again, should time not be sufficient to accommodate all speakers, written submissions are encouraged.

11. The Chair of the BOR (or designee) shall recognize each speaker, maintain proper order, and require adherence to time limits.

12. The BOR will give due attention to all oral presentations but is neither required nor expected to respond immediately to questions or issues.

13. Speakers and members of the audience must avoid disruptive behavior that interferes with the orderly conduct of a public meeting. Placards, banners, and hand-held signs are not allowed in Board or committee meetings, and speakers and members of the audience should avoid personal affronts, profanity, and other disruptive conduct. The Board Chair may direct that anyone who disrupts a meeting be removed from the room or expelled from a virtual meeting.

14. No member of the public (students, staff, others) shall be called upon by the Board Chair to provide commentary outside of the “Public Comment” portion of the meeting. The Board Chair may recognize members of the Board, the CSCU System Chancellor, the System Office staff, institution presidents/CEOs and/or content matter experts engaged in the meeting agenda items.

15. At the Chair’s discretion, an informal forum of the Regents (non-quorum) may be announced so that they may discuss issues of concern with students, employees, and the public.