The Brown Act is law designed to protect the public’s right of access to decision-making processes of local agencies. Brown Act guidelines applying to the Academic Senate:
define regular, special, and teleconference meetings
require public posting of meeting agendas and set essential agenda elements
ensure the rights and opportunities of the public to address meetings
limit discussion of agenda items and actions outside of meetings
ensure recording of meetings and reporting of actions taken and votes
permits closed sessions of meetings under limited circumstances
Brown Act rules require voting members to attend in person. AB 2449 offers provisions for voting members to participate via Zoom under "just cause" circumstances or requested accommodations. The Zoom link for each meeting can be found on the agenda.
For the purposes of this training, please simply be aware of these regulations on the public nature of Academic Senate business. If you are interested, you may explore further. Please prepare insights and inquires to share with your colleagues.
To explore further, use these Brown Act guidelines and watch the ASCCC 2023 webinar, "Understanding the Brown Act and Recent Legislation"
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