1-03 Meetings of the District Board of Trustees

Policy: 6Hx28:1-03

Responsible Executive: Vice President Policy and General Counsel

Policy Contacts: Vice President Policy and General Counsel

Specific Authority: 1001.61-65, 1004.70, F.S.

Law Implemented: 1001.61-65, 1004.70, F.S.

Effective Date: 09-14-2023

Date of Last Policy Review: 09-14-2023

Policy:

1. Regular Meetings
   Regular meetings of a District Board of Trustees shall follow a regular schedule adopted by the District Board of Trustees. The place of the meeting may be rotated among the campuses and centers of the College, other locations, or remotely via telephone or online as permitted by law, as the District Board of Trustees may deem appropriate. The location of the meeting shall be contained on each agenda.
2. Special Meetings
   Special meetings of a District Board of Trustees can be called by the Chairperson, by the President when requested by a majority of the District Board of Trustees, or by the majority of the District Board of Trustees itself. Actions at special meetings, including emergency meetings, have the same force and effect as actions at regular meetings.
3. Compliance with Florida Law
   The public notice and conduct of Board meetings and Board workshops shall follow the requirements of Florida law.
4. Quorum
   A majority of the number of District Board of Trustees members duly appointed to membership shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Members constituting the quorum must be physically present at the meeting, unless the meeting(s) is scheduled exclusively to occur virtually (online), telephonically, or otherwise, in a manner not prohibited by law. The action of a majority of the members of the District Board of Trustees present at any meeting shall be the action of the District Board of Trustees, except as may be otherwise provided by Board Policy. Subject to the provisions of this policy, a member of the Board is deemed to be present and/or in attendance if the member is physically present, or if duly approved to be virtually present (online) or telephonically present.
5. Order of Business
   The Chair, in consultation with the District Board of Trustees and the President, shall determine the order of business at regular meetings of the District Board of Trustees. The items presented within the order of business should include a report from the President, a report from the Faculty Association, new and other business, public comments as required by law, and other items as may be deemed necessary and appropriate.
6. Minutes
   The President shall cause minutes and other records to be kept to set forth clearly all actions and proceedings of the District Board of Trustees. Minutes of District Board of Trustees meetings shall be signed by the Chairperson and the President immediately after approval by the District Board of Trustees and shall be kept as a public record. Minutes shall indicate the vote of members present on all matters on which the District Board of Trustees takes action. It is the duty of each member to see that each motion and the vote thereon are properly recorded in the minutes. Unless otherwise shown in the minutes, it is presumed that the vote of each member present supported action by the District Board of Trustees in either the exercise, violation, or neglect of the powers and duties imposed upon the District Board of Trustees by law or rule, whether such action is recorded in the minutes or otherwise established. It is presumed that the policies, appointments, programs, and expenditures not recorded in the minutes but made and actually in effect were made and put into effect according to state law and/or rules of the District Board of Trustees. The President, or designee(s) shall document exceptions made to rules of the District Board of Trustees, not inconsistent with applicable laws.
7. Agenda
   The President shall prepare, advertise, and distribute in accordance with law an agenda at least seven (7) days prior to each regular meeting of the District Board of Trustees, or otherwise as permitted by law. The agenda shall be reviewed and approved in advance by the Chair, in a manner determined by the Chair. Any member of the District Board of Trustees may call the President and request an item to be placed on the agenda no later than two weeks before the meeting of the District Board of Trustees. The District Board of Trustees may address the future consideration of items not placed on the agenda as requested during the Other Business section of the meeting. Generally, only those items appearing on the prepared and advertised agenda will be considered by the District Board of Trustees, except as otherwise deemed necessary by the Board and permitted by law. After the agenda has been made available, changes may be in accordance with law.
8. Attendance
   Notwithstanding any other provision of this policy, physical attendance of members at regular and special meetings of the District Board of Trustees is encouraged and expected, unless the meeting(s) is scheduled exclusively to occur virtually (online), telephonically, or otherwise, in a manner not prohibited by law.
   
   When approved in accordance with this policy, any trustees may participate in an in-person meeting of the board by means of a telephone, video conference, or by any other similar means of communication, when all persons participating in the meeting are able to participate in discussions, to be heard by other board members and the public and to hear discussions taking place during the meeting. Such participation shall constitute attendance at the meeting.
   
   Members shall submit a written request for remote participation to the Secretary of the Board (President of the College) at least two weeks before a meeting of the District Board of Trustees and in the case of emergency or other unforeseen circumstances, as soon as possible before the date of the meeting. Such requests shall be approved or denied by the Chair of the Board in a prompt manner before the meeting date.
   
   In accordance with section 1001.61(4), F.S., it is the duty of the Chair of the District Board of Trustees to notify the Governor, in writing, whenever a District Board of Trustees member fails to attend three consecutive regular District Board of Trustees meetings in any one fiscal year, which absences may be grounds for removal.

Procedures:

None

Policy History:

Replaced former Policies 6Hx28:01-00, 6Hx28:02-00, 6Hx28:02-01, 6Hx28:02-02, 6Hx28:02-03, 6Hx28:02-05, 6Hx28:04-01 and 6H28:04-02; Amended 11-20-01; Amended 6-24-2020; Amended 12-16-2020; Amended 9-14-2023

Related Documents:

Quorum Resolution