3.5.8 Open and Closed Meetings
Section 3: Board Operational Policies and Procedures
3.5 Conduct of Meetings
3.5.8 Open and Closed Meetings
Date initially approved: December 12, 2007
Date revised: May 12, 2010; June 29, 2020
3.5.8.1 Each Board meeting shall consist of an open session and in camera session.
3.5.8.2 At the request of any Board member, and in compliance with a simple majority vote of those Board members present, any agenda item may be moved from the open agenda to the in camera agenda, or vice versa.
3.5.8.3 At the request of any Board member, and in compliance with a simple majority vote of those Board members present, any document may be excluded from access by the public or the Board may impose conditions on the release of such documents.
3.5.8.4 Any document identified on the open Board agenda which is not explicitly protected by the Board pursuant to Section 3.7.3 is accessible by the public.
3.5.8.5 Meetings will normally be open to the public for all governance related matters except where those policy matters relate to litigation and personnel issues. Any Board member may request that the Board go in camera, but the reason must be stated.
3.5.8.6 Authority to go in camera is vested in the Chair unless overridden by a simple majority of Board members present.
3.5.8.7 When the Board goes in camera it may invite anyone it chooses to attend.
3.5.8.8 Where possible, announcement of the intention to go in camera should be on the agenda.
3.5.8.9 No right is extended to public observers to actively participate in meetings.
3.5.8.10 No recording devices or cameras are permitted without the permission of the Chair. Any recording made on behalf of the Board will only be retained with the explicit direction from the Board.
3.5.8.11 Minutes will be kept for the open session.
3.5.8.12 Minutes of the open session are available to the public only after they have been approved by the Board of Regents. Upon approval, they will be placed on the College’s website.
3.5.8.13 Minutes shall consist of motions made, topics discussed and reports given without providing details of those discussions or reports.
3.5.8.14 Information on decisions at open meetings by the Board of Regents may be released to the public by the Chair of the Board or under the authority of the President of the College.
3.5.8.15 Board member comments and Board member votes at open meetings shall not be recorded in the minutes unless specifically requested by a Board member. For in camera sessions, Board member opinions and votes are to be kept strictly confidential.
3.5.8.16 When a request from a delegation to meet with the Board is approved by the Chair and the President, they shall also determine whether the matter is placed on the open agenda or the in camera agenda.
3.5.8.17 The procedure for delegations at Board meetings is set out in Section 3.5.12.
