Julie AdamsLesley Kawaguchi

A. Mandatory B. Voluntary C. A California anomaly D. Part of the Education Code E. A U.S. military organizational system

A. They provide a form of protection for all participants.

B. Rules result in better meetings with better input and outcomes.

C. Consistent meeting formats create a fair playing field for everyone in the meeting.

D. Robert’s rules have proven effective in debate to enable all sides to speak with the goal of a better resolution.

E. All of the above.

For most organizations orderly process is voluntarily protected by parliamentary procedures.

Any organization empowered to act on behalf of the People will have mandatory elements to ensure good processes are in place.

In the U.S., General Henry Martyn Robert (1837-1923) went to West Point and served in Union Army during the Civil War.

As with many a new senate president, he was called to preside over a meeting and discovered he didn’t know what to do.

As a result he developed rules of order from◦ what worked◦ the U.S. Congress◦ the British Parliament

His first rule is: If you can get the job done without this rule book, then put it away until you need it.

Legal Code and Parliamentary Procedures protect our rights◦ For the People to participate (Code)◦ For the Body to move forward◦ For the majority to rule◦ For the minority to have voice◦ For the individual to engage or not without undue

harassment

A. Mandatory for everyone everywhere?B. Voluntary and well organized committee behavior? C. A federal code for organizations?D. California law assuring public access to procedures and decisions of public institutions?E. A suggestion for fair communication with the public?

§54950The people of this State do not yield their

sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created.

Public will have access to all proceedings and be made aware of them in a reasonable manner.

Limited exceptions for closed sessions, public still has access to results.

Proceedings must be public◦ Prohibits electronic or written communication◦ Serial meetings are prohibited

A. Board of Trustee MeetingsB. Academic Senate meetingsC. Subcommittees of the Board of TrusteesD. Senate Subcommittees and Curriculum committee meetingsE. All of the above

What meetings must comply? Per the Act, Attorney General and case law:

◦ All Board meetings◦ All Academic Senate meetings

By similar reasoning◦ All Curriculum Committee meetings◦ Possibly all other consultation meetings

Practical versus required contradict There are no Brown act police

◦ It takes a legal challenge to enforce Practice transparency and openness and

minimize risk◦ Meetings that exist to influence Board process are

under the act.◦ Meetings that exist to implement Board policy are

not under the act.◦ Meetings that do both????

The Brown Act influences parliamentary process.

A. True B. False

A. The presidentB. The voting processC. The motionD. DiscussionE. All of the above

Central to parliamentary processAll action revolves around the main motion◦Resolution is just a fancy main motion

Main motion can be acted upon in a myriad of ways

Chair presides with impartiality ◦Avoid making motions

Standard rules can be modified◦E.g. define a quorum differently

The rules are not the goal -- they are the means!

Common parliamentary faux pas◦Call the question◦Move to table (to kill motion)◦Chair doesn’t vote except to tie break

◦Second readings (not required in RONR)

◦Process challenge

Like debate without action, a sequence of motions does NOT make for an effective meeting.

A meeting without a plan is at best a social event.

A. AgendasB. MinutesC. Adequate collegial consultationD. Posting the above in accordance with the

Brown ActE. All of the above

Keep them brief◦ Approve agenda, minutes, calendar◦ Reports◦ Old business◦ New business◦ Information◦ Adjourn

Move newly introduced items to next session (Brown Act)

Minutes should emulate agenda Clearly list action and follow up items

◦ Identify who, what, when, where Minutes are not depositions – summarize Can be modified anytime by anyone

◦ Requires two-thirds vote usually

Effective collegial consultation means:◦ Your hands get dirty◦ Your pencil is worn out◦ You’re tired but you can taste progress◦ The unexpected happened

If the results are as expected, it is possible you could have put it in writing instead.

A. Absolutely B. Only when they are considering 10+1

matters C. Only when they are considering actions

or decisions D. Only when all voting members are

present E. There is no clear answer therefore NO, it

does not need to comply

The Brown Act is designed to keep processes open and transparent.

Robert’s Rules are designed to facilitate those processes.

Questions - Discussion