1. Overview

   This policy establishes a process to implement Section 121.22 ORC covering Open Meetings.

   Section 121.22 ORC requires boards, committees, and similar decision-making bodies of an "institution", including Ohio state universities, to hold open meetings and to take official action and to conduct all deliberations upon official business only in open meetings, unless the subject matter can be discussed in executive session.

2. Ohio University's Statutorily Required Open Meetings

   1. All meetings of the Ohio University Board of Trustees and its committees and sub-committees.

   2. All Ohio University committees appointed at the direction of the Ohio University Board of Trustees, and from which recommendation(s) are to be made to the Ohio University Board of Trustees for their decision, notwithstanding there may be no board of trustees members who serve on the committee.

   3. In these instances, the public notification and other provisions of Section 121.22 (F) ORC will be in effect.

3. Ohio University's Governing Organizations and Committees that Will be Open to the Public in Accordance with this Policy

   1. The Ohio University Faculty Senate plenary meetings

   2. The Ohio University Administrative Senate plenary meetings

   3. The Ohio University Student Senate plenary meetings

   4. The Ohio University Graduate Student Senate plenary meetings

4. Ohio University Meetings and Committees that Require Special Designation to be Open to the Public

   1. Special committees appointed by the President, Provost, executive officers or deans will be considered closed, unless the appointing authority listed above provides a written authorization to the committee chair that he or she may open all or some of the committee meetings to the public. The written authorization will be based on the appointing authority's determination that the committee will consider matters of significant Ohio University, Athens, or regional community public interest, or for other reasons.

   2. Presidentially appointed Standing Committees of Ohio University will not be open unless the committee chair, in consultation with the Provost, opens the committee meeting to the public.

   3. Standing and special committees of the Ohio University faculty, administrative, classified, student, and graduate student senates will not be open unless the committee chair, in consultation with the chairperson of the respective senates, opens the committee meeting to the public.

5. Ohio University Meetings that Will Not be Open to the Public

   1. All staff meetings of the President, Provost, executive officers, deans, department chairs and administrators will not be open to the public.

   2. All departmental committee meetings will not be open to the public.

   3. All meetings between supervisors and employees will not be open to the public.

   4. All other meetings similar in nature.

6. Video or Audio Recording of Meetings

   1. All meetings of the Ohio University Board of Trustees and other meetings covered under Section (B), above, may be video or audio recorded under arrangements made in advance with the Secretary of the Ohio University Board of Trustees.

   2. Video or audio recording of any other meeting which is open to the public must be approved by the person chairing the committee.

   3. Audio or video recording will be permitted only in exceptional cases by participants (for example, faculty, staff, students or community appointees) in meetings not open to the public, after consultation with and prior approval by the Office of Legal Affairs.

7. Public Information

   All public information regarding the responsibilities of Ohio University committees will be provided in accordance with the university policies.

   All questions regarding implementation of this policy should be referred to:

   Office of Legal Affairs
   150 West Union Street Office Center
   1 Ohio University
   Athens, Ohio 45701
   740-593-2626.

   The Office of Legal Affairs will consult with the Executive Vice President and Provost and provide advice and directions regarding implementing this policy.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Vice President for Finance and Administration

2. The chairs of each of the Senates listed in section (C), above.

Forms, References, and History

1. Forms

   There are no forms that are specific to this policy.

2. References

   The following items are relevant to this policy:

   1. Ohio Revised Code § 121.22 can be found online at http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/121.22.

3. History

   Draft versions of this policy that were circulated for review, their cover memos, their forms, and Reviewers' comments on them are available on the password-protected Review site.

   Prior versions of this policy was approved on:

   1. September 17, 2021 (Non-substantive update. Classified Senate removed as Reviewer due to the establishment of the AFSCME 3200 Contract) 
   2. January 1, 1998.