2008 Woodie Awards
Dean of students defends committee meeting closure
Andy Blais
Issue date: 3/13/08 Section: News
03/13/08 - On Friday the Cigar filed a complaint with the state attorney general against the University of Rhode Island dean of students, alleging she violated open meetings law by removing a reporter from a committee meeting.
On Feb. 29, Fran Cohen, assistant vice president of Student Affairs and dean of students, asked people not part of the Student Rights and Responsibilities Committee to leave the room to make the environment "more comfortable" for committee members.
Yesterday, Cohen responded to the Cigar's complaint in an interview, saying, "The university attorney has told me that the open meetings law does not pertain to the university. The university is not a public body with independent legal status as defined by this law."
The University of Rhode Island is charted by the Rhode Island General Assembly, receives state funding and its employees are considered state workers.
State law defines a public meeting as "the convening of a public body to discuss and/or act upon a matter over which the public body has supervision, control, jurisdiction, or advisory power. As used herein, the term 'meeting' expressly includes, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, so-called 'workshop,' 'working,' or 'work' sessions."
Cohen said that even if the committee met the definition of a public body, the complaint would be baseless.
"Now let me say that even if the open meetings law did pertain to the university, there was no quorum, personnel issues were being discussed and when that happens even with an open meetings law type meeting you can close it and the third item was no policy issues were discussed and no votes were taken," she said.
Including Cohen, at least seven members of the 12-member committee were present after the dean asked the public to leave, according to the reporter asked to leave. Under state law, a simple majority of members is required to constitute a quorum.
Cohen said that she had announced an end of meeting "discussion" between her and the student members.
On Feb. 29, Fran Cohen, assistant vice president of Student Affairs and dean of students, asked people not part of the Student Rights and Responsibilities Committee to leave the room to make the environment "more comfortable" for committee members.
Yesterday, Cohen responded to the Cigar's complaint in an interview, saying, "The university attorney has told me that the open meetings law does not pertain to the university. The university is not a public body with independent legal status as defined by this law."
The University of Rhode Island is charted by the Rhode Island General Assembly, receives state funding and its employees are considered state workers.
State law defines a public meeting as "the convening of a public body to discuss and/or act upon a matter over which the public body has supervision, control, jurisdiction, or advisory power. As used herein, the term 'meeting' expressly includes, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, so-called 'workshop,' 'working,' or 'work' sessions."
Cohen said that even if the committee met the definition of a public body, the complaint would be baseless.
"Now let me say that even if the open meetings law did pertain to the university, there was no quorum, personnel issues were being discussed and when that happens even with an open meetings law type meeting you can close it and the third item was no policy issues were discussed and no votes were taken," she said.
Including Cohen, at least seven members of the 12-member committee were present after the dean asked the public to leave, according to the reporter asked to leave. Under state law, a simple majority of members is required to constitute a quorum.
Cohen said that she had announced an end of meeting "discussion" between her and the student members.