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Effective Meetings. Dianna Chiabotti, Napa Valley College Julie Bruno, Sierra College. Burning Questions. ?. The Brown Act!. COMMITMENT TO: Openness Transparency Public Access to information. The Brown Act!. Applies to meetings of all legislative bodies (GC 54952)
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Effective Meetings Dianna Chiabotti, Napa Valley College Julie Bruno, Sierra College
The Brown Act! COMMITMENT TO: Openness Transparency Public Access to information
The Brown Act! • Applies to meetings of all legislative bodies (GC 54952) • What is considered a meeting?
Applying the Brown Act All meetings are open!!
Applying the Brown Act Who’s “in charge” of the agenda?
Applying the Brown Act • Agendas • Publically posted 72 hours prior • Mail 1 week before • Must Include: • Time & Place • Public comments • Action items with brief description
Rules of Order • Must adopt rules of order and incorporate into meetings • Most common is Robert’s Rules of Order • http://www.robertsrules.com/
Rules of Order • Can choose elements to use • Parliamentarian??? • Check your local senate constitution and by-laws for established processes
Agenda Items • What do you include? • What should you include?
Agenda Changes? • Can change order • Cannot add items • Time limits?
Action Items • Format of action items? • Need a first reading • Published agenda items only! • Exceptions??
Decision Making • How will decisions be made? • Voting • Consensus • Other
Motions • President needs to know how to • Close debate, limit or extend debate • Refer to committee • Modify wording of a motion • Suspend rules • Divide motion • Table
Discussion Items Discuss only, no action
Important to note: • All information must be available to the public • Documents become public documents
Discussion & Debate • Limit to a topic • Courteous comments • “Decorum of Debate” • Get comfortable with Conflict
President’s Role in Meetings Prioritize Balance discussion and debate with decisions Keep agenda moving
President’s Role in Discussions Should the president participate in discussion and debate?