Spring Break
ASOSU: We want transparency
Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: Forum
Our student government - ASOSU - falls under a couple of very important definitions.
We, as the editorial board of The Daily Barometer, want to throw a couple of definitions at our readers, because we believe that ASOSU has been acting in bad faith.
According to state law, all meetings of "governing bodies" should be "open." Meaning, the meetings should be open to the public.
ASOSU can be defined as a "governing body of a public body." ASOSU has the authority to make decisions for or recommendations to a public body on policy or administration - which means that ASOSU is a "governing body" for purposes of state law (ORS 192.610(3)).
Because ASOSU is a governing body of a public body, they are subject to state open meeting law.
Whenever a majority, as defined by Oregon revised statute 174.130, of an ASOSU committee is gathered, even if it is at a restaurant, the public should be notified of the meeting.
Purely social gatherings are not included, but almost every other gathering is. For example, if a majority of the elections committee members were to have a conversation regarding business in the hall, this would have to be considered an open meeting.
We should be allowed to attend every meeting that ASOSU has.
The Barometer's concern with this topic started on April 24 - after the polls closed on Blackboard for the election of the new ASOSU. ASOSU Vice President Kimberly Nickerson delivered results to our staff. She said that there were a few violations that needed to be discussed by the elections committee before winners Chris Van Drimmelen and Kevin Schock were confirmed.
We asked Nickerson where and when the meeting would take place and she told us that she would talk to us after the meeting.
We pressed the issue and found out when and where the meeting would take place. Nickerson arrived and asked four Barometer staff members to leave the meeting.
Managing editor Lauren Dillard told Nickerson and the elections committee that the Oregon revised statutes apply to ASOSU meetings. We asserted our belief that members of the public as well as the press deserve to be in attendance.
We, as the editorial board of The Daily Barometer, want to throw a couple of definitions at our readers, because we believe that ASOSU has been acting in bad faith.
According to state law, all meetings of "governing bodies" should be "open." Meaning, the meetings should be open to the public.
ASOSU can be defined as a "governing body of a public body." ASOSU has the authority to make decisions for or recommendations to a public body on policy or administration - which means that ASOSU is a "governing body" for purposes of state law (ORS 192.610(3)).
Because ASOSU is a governing body of a public body, they are subject to state open meeting law.
Whenever a majority, as defined by Oregon revised statute 174.130, of an ASOSU committee is gathered, even if it is at a restaurant, the public should be notified of the meeting.
Purely social gatherings are not included, but almost every other gathering is. For example, if a majority of the elections committee members were to have a conversation regarding business in the hall, this would have to be considered an open meeting.
We should be allowed to attend every meeting that ASOSU has.
The Barometer's concern with this topic started on April 24 - after the polls closed on Blackboard for the election of the new ASOSU. ASOSU Vice President Kimberly Nickerson delivered results to our staff. She said that there were a few violations that needed to be discussed by the elections committee before winners Chris Van Drimmelen and Kevin Schock were confirmed.
We asked Nickerson where and when the meeting would take place and she told us that she would talk to us after the meeting.
We pressed the issue and found out when and where the meeting would take place. Nickerson arrived and asked four Barometer staff members to leave the meeting.
Managing editor Lauren Dillard told Nickerson and the elections committee that the Oregon revised statutes apply to ASOSU meetings. We asserted our belief that members of the public as well as the press deserve to be in attendance.
Note: writers will not reply to comments.
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RJ
posted 4/29/09 @ 4:13 PM PST
How can we expect ASOSU to abide by an ORS when they vote against a Resolution that encourages the University to do exactly that?
The University, by breaking state law (ORS 166. (Continued…)
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