ARTICLE II - BOARD SESSIONS
Section 1. Business to be considered at each session may include:
a. Determination of a quorum by Chair
b. Approval of minutes of previous meeting
c. Reports by Chair and President and Chief Executive Officer
d. Committee and Council Reports
e. Miscellaneous business, new business, etc.
f. Executive Session(s) (with no votes to be taken)
g. Adjournment
Unless another procedure is specified in policy, at any time prior to a Board session, the Board Chair may designate a particular piece of business to be considered by the Board as requiring a first and second reading. The consequence of this designation will be to prevent Board action on the first instance that business is before the Board and to delay action until the next Board session. The Board Chair’s decision may be overruled by a majority vote of the Board upon any member’s motion.
In a case where the Board Chair has not designated a particular piece of business to require a first and second reading, Board members may require an item to go to a second reading upon any member’s motion.
Section 2. Any member so requesting shall have his or her vote recorded in the minutes. No vote shall be taken by secret ballot.
Section 3. Under prevailing statutes, the Board may go into Executive Session by a motion to recess an open meeting for an executive session that includes (1) the justification for closing the meeting, (2) the subjects to be discussed during the closed or executive meeting, and (3) the time and place at which the open meeting shall resume. The motion to recess requires a second and a majority vote.
Section 4. Upon the request of a Board member, a motion, resolution, or other proposition being considered by the Board shall be reduced to writing before being voted on.
Section 5. The following parliamentary rules shall apply to all Board Sessions
Rule 1: Role of the Chair
The Chair of the Kansas Board of Regents is responsible for the timely and orderly conduct of Board meetings. Generally, the Chair will have the final decision on questions of procedure. However, if a Board member disagrees with the Chair’s decision, the decision may be appealed and put to a vote. A majority vote will overturn the decision, and the Chair will amend its ruling.
Rule 2: Convening the Meeting
The Chair is responsible for verifying a quorum is present before a Board meeting may be convened. After announcing the quorum is present, the Chair may convene the meeting.
Rule 3: General Discussion
(The text of Rules 3, 4, 5, and 6 is substantially taken from The Modern Rules of Order: A Guide for Conducting Business Meetings, 2nd Edition by Donald Tortorice. Copyright 1999 Donald A Tortorice. Reproduced by permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or downloaded or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.)
Issues that require consideration of the Board may be discussed with or without formal motion. An issue may be resolved by recording (a) the general consensus or “sense of the meeting,” or (b) a formal motion made, seconded and carried.
Rule 4: General Principles for Discussion or Debate
Discussion of any issue is subject to regulation by the Chair to assure adequate consideration of relevant points of view in the best interest of the Board. The objectives of discussion are to:
a. Determine the will of the body and to articulate decisions for conduct of business;
b. Assure sufficient discussion and consideration of issues so that each Board member’s point of view is considered;
c. Maintain at all times the dignity of the meeting so that each recognized speaker’s views are made known to voting Board members and to ensure that appropriate respect is accorded all Board members; and
d. Present the consideration of business in a manner understood by all Board members.
Rule 5: General Consensus or Sense of the Meeting
When the Board members participating in the meeting embrace a course of action by a clear consensus, the Chair may, if there is no objection, state that action upon the issue is resolved by “general consensus” or the “sense of the meeting.” A ruling as to general consensus or the sense of the meeting shall be recorded in the minutes as the decision of the Board.
Rule 6: Use of Motion Practice
Where a sense of the meeting cannot be determined with reasonable certainty (as discussed in Rule 5), or where by reason of importance of the matter formal approval or a count of the votes is desired or required by law, the Chair or any Board member may state the proposal as a motion. Any motion clearly stated and seconded shall be taken to a vote after an opportunity has been given for discussion of the motion or questions as to the motion. A roll-call vote need not be taken unless required by law for a specific Board action.
Rule 7: Consent Agenda
When the consent agenda is up for consideration, any Board member, without requiring a motion, a second, or vote, can request an item be removed from the consent agenda and placed on the discussion agenda. The Chair shall comply with the request. Action items to authorize debt transactions (bond resolutions) shall not be placed on the consent agenda.
Rule 8: Recess and Adjournment
The Chair is generally responsible for recessing and adjourning a meeting, although Board members may also make a motion for a recess or adjournment. Recess generally occurs when a break in the business is needed, such as a break for lunch or to continue the meeting on the following day. Adjournment generally occurs after completion of the agenda and when Board members indicate no further business is on hand. The Chair may recess or adjourn either by motion or by general announcement. If adjournment occurs before the agenda is completed, the Chair or the Board member who is responsible for the motion to adjourn will announce the reason for early adjournment.
Rule 9: Supplemental Parliamentary Procedure
If the parliamentary rules adopted by the Board do not answer a procedural question, the authority to resolve the issue will be The Modern Rules of Order: A Guide for Conducting Business Meetings, 2nd Edition. Any member can request that The Modern Rules of Order be consulted without a motion, a second, or vote.