1020 - Policy on Citizen Participation During Board of Trustees Meetings

1020 - Policy on Citizen Participation During Board of Trustees Meetings

In order to provide a free flow of information between the citizens of the Washtenaw Community College District and the College Board of Trustees, and at the same time assure the integrity of agenda and orderly conduct of scheduled meetings, the following procedures will govern citizen participation during public meetings.

Members of the Community College District

Citizens who wish to address the Board of Trustees of Washtenaw Community College may do so (1) in written communication or (2) by appearing at a regular meeting, and at a time designated in the agenda speak directly to the Board of Trustees.

1. Written communication should be addressed to the Secretary of the Board of Trustees in care of Washtenaw Community College. Written communication will be presented to the total Board by the Secretary when the Board next meets.
2. Personal Appearance Members of the community who wish to speak directly to the Board at a regular meeting will be afforded an opportunity to do so at a designated point in the regular agenda. A member of the community addressing the Board will be requested to identify himself or herself by name and to indicate the capacity in which s/he is speaking, i.e. whether as a private interested citizen; or, as the representative of a specific group or organization. In the interest of preserving the integrity of agenda and to assure orderly conduct of its meetings, the Chair of the Board of Trustees retains the right to establish time limits to govern the length of an individual presentation. Further, in those instances where similar presentations of fact or opinion are made by many citizens, the Chair retains the right to move the meeting forward to the next item of business when s/he is satisfied that individual presentations are repetitious rather than informative.

Members of the WCC Faculty and Staff

Presentations by members of the Washtenaw Community College faculty, staff or a representative of a College union will be governed by the same procedures established (above) for members of the community except that the President, or agent, of the WCCEA shall appear on the agenda of all Board meetings as the first item of correspondence, verbal.

Students

Student presentations to the Board of Trustees will be governed by the procedures established above for citizens of the community college district.

Adopted: November 26, 1968
Revised: January 26, 1988
Administrative Review: May 2002
(1020)