2008 Woodie Awards
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Senate must overturn minutes to prove accountability
Editorial
by Emerald Editorial Board |
The Green Tape Notebook clearly states that the Student Senate and all its subcommittees are bound to the Oregon Public Meeting Law and further states that minutes must be taken.
On several occasions last year, Senators expressed a lack of knowledge not only about what was required by the public meeting law, but also the very fact that they were bound to it. This is a frightening idea. A body that controls public money - $11 million in student fees, to be exact - must be held accountable for its actions. If its own members are unaware that they are bound to the law, the public can not trust the body. A transparent government is an effective government.
If the meeting is invalidated, all decisions made during the meeting, including nominations of four Senators who will serve this year, will have to be heard again. At this point it is unclear whether those Senators would be appointed in a second vote; however, no illegal meeting should be allowed to remain on the record.
The penalty for not taking minutes is spelled out in the law, in black and white, clear as crystal.
"A decision made by a governing body of a public body in violation of ORS 192.610 to 192.690 shall be voidable."
On several occasions last year, Senators expressed a lack of knowledge not only about what was required by the public meeting law, but also the very fact that they were bound to it. This is a frightening idea. A body that controls public money - $11 million in student fees, to be exact - must be held accountable for its actions. If its own members are unaware that they are bound to the law, the public can not trust the body. A transparent government is an effective government.
If the meeting is invalidated, all decisions made during the meeting, including nominations of four Senators who will serve this year, will have to be heard again. At this point it is unclear whether those Senators would be appointed in a second vote; however, no illegal meeting should be allowed to remain on the record.
The penalty for not taking minutes is spelled out in the law, in black and white, clear as crystal.
"A decision made by a governing body of a public body in violation of ORS 192.610 to 192.690 shall be voidable."
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