REDWOODS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
Board Policy
Draft BP 2325
TELECONFERENCING
It is the expectation of the Board of Trustees that all members be physically present for
each scheduled meeting. The Board recognizes that the use of teleconferencing may, from
time to time, be necessary if a Board member cannot be physically present at the Board
meeting.
Government Code Section 54953 permits a member of a legislative body of a local agency
to use teleconferencing for the benefit of the public in connection with any meeting or
proceeding authorized by law.
For purposes of this policy, “teleconferencing” means a meeting of the Board of Trustees
where one or more members of the Board cannot be present and will be participating from
different locations within the District, connected by electronic means through audio, video
or both.
A member of the Board may attend a Board meeting via teleconferencing, and may
participate in Board discussion and voting on official actions, provided that the
participation is consistent with the District’s Administrative Procedures regarding this
matter.
It is the Board’s desire and intent to allow through this policy, Board member participation
in Board deliberation and actions taken in public session by teleconferencing and
videoconferencing. Teleconferencing shall not be used for closed sessions of the Board.
It is the Board’s further intent that the authorized Administrative Procedures are to be
used in all teleconferencing Board meetings which require a Board member to be
physically absent from a meeting.
See Administrative Procedure AP 2325
Reference: Government Code Section 54953; Education Code Section 72121.5; The Brown
Act – Teleconference Meetings
Adopted by the Board of Trustees: New
REDWOODS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
Administrative Procedures
Draft AP 2325
TELECONFERENCING
Government Code Section 54953 authorizes the conduct of meetings by legislative bodies
through teleconferencing under specified circumstances. The Brown Act also provides
requirements regarding teleconferencing. These circumstances and requirements are
included in this Administrative Procedures:
1. A requesting Board member shall notify the Board President at least seven (7) days in
advance of the meeting in question. The Board President shall notify the Board
Secretary so that arrangements can be made.
2. Each teleconference location must be within the boundaries of the Redwoods
Community College District.
3. The Board member participating by teleconferencing will be counted as present for the
meeting.
4. The Board member participating by teleconferencing must be able to hear the
comments of and speak to all those present at the meeting, and all those present at the
meeting must be able to hear the comments of and speak to such absent Board
member(s) contemporaneously.
5. In the event that the absent Board member cannot be heard or understood by the
Board or those present at the Board meeting, or that all present cannot be heard by the
absent Board member, the teleconference portion of the meeting shall be terminated,
and the absent Board member shall not be permitted to vote.
6. The Board meeting cannot be chaired by teleconferencing.
7. All votes taken during a teleconferencing meeting must be conducted by roll call.
8. The District shall post agendas at all teleconferencing locations and conduct
teleconference meetings in a manner that protects the statutory and constitutional
rights of the parties or the public appearing before the Board of Trustees.
9. Each teleconference location shall be identified in the notice and agenda of the meeting
or proceeding, and each teleconference location shall be fully accessible to members of
the public.
10. The agenda shall provide an opportunity for members of the public to address the
Board directly pursuant to Section 54954.3 at each teleconference location.
11. The teleconference location must be accessible to the disabled, and as such, official or
public meeting facilities should be used for the remote teleconference sites whenever
possible.
12. Each Board member who chooses to utilize their home, office or other location must
open these locations to the public and accommodate any member of the public who
wishes to attend the meeting at that location.
13. Members of the public must be able to hear the meeting and be given the opportunity to
testify from each location.
14. At least one copy of all documents being considered by the Board shall be available to
the public at each site of the teleconferencing location.
15. At the call to order of the meeting, the President of the Board shall inform all Board
members and the audience of the identity of the absent Board member(s), his/her
physical location, and the reason for the inability to be physically present at the
meeting.
16. The President of the Board shall conduct a voice and volume test to ensure that the
Board members and all those present or viewing the meeting, have adequate voice
clarity and understanding.
See Board Policy BP 2325
Reference: Government Code Section 54953, 54954.3; Education Code Section 72121.5;
The Brown Act – Teleconference Meetings
Approved: New