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For Information

MEMORANDUM

To:

Senate Committee on Agenda

From: W. Ronald Heath

and Rules

Secretary of Senate

Subject: Attendance of Visitors at

Date:

October 12, 1989

Senate Committee Meetings

As the result of enquiries at recent Senate meetings, I was asked to seek a

proper and clear interpretation on whether visitors were allowed to attend

meetings of Senate Committees.

I refer to Senate Paper S.

75-74

(attached) which was approved by Senate

on June 2,

1975.

The minutes of that meeting note that the motion was the

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result of an "issue relating to the desirability of opening meetings of Senate

Committees on the basic principle that the business of an institution is

open to the community". In fact, what was approved was an

approximation of Senate rules, allowing for the business of any Senate

Committee to be considered in "Open Session" or "Closed Session", with

observers admitted to Open Sessions only. The paper also allowed a

committee to make additional rules of operation on the condition that such

rules would not be inconsistent with these rules. The usual procedures to

allow the movement of an agenda item from one session type to another

apply.

In practice, the business of some Committees has been considered

routinely under Closed Session. For example, the consideration of

nominations for Honorary Degrees by the Senate Committee on Honorary

Degrees, and the consideration of individual student appeals by the Senate

Appeals Board have been conducted in Closed Session. On the other hand,

the Senate Committee on Honorary Degrees might well consider, in Open

Session, suggestions for changes to the nomination process, for example.

Consequently, no Senate Committee is declared Open or Closed

in

itself, but

any agenda items may be considered under Open or Closed Sessions at the

discretion of that Senate Committee.

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S.M. 2/6/75

C.

Question was called on the motion to table, and a vote taken.

MOTION TO TABLE CARRIED

6.

REPORTS OF FACULTIES

There were no reports from faculties.

7.

OTHER BUSINESS

There was no other business.

8.. NOTICES OF MOTION

i)

Election for Search Committee for a Dean of the Faculty of Education

Moved by D. Birch, seconded by A. Kazepides,

"That Senate suspend its election rules to

permit the shortening of procedures for the

nomination and election of a Search Committee

for a Dean for the Faculty of Education to

one week for nominations and one week for

election."

D. Birch confirmed that the majority of the electorate were on

campus and the balance were reachable within the reduced time limit;

Question was called, and a vote taken.

MOTION CARRIED

ii)

Paper S.75-74 - Rules of Senate Committees (D. R. Birch)

Moved by D. Birch, seconded by I. Mugridge,

"That Senate establish the rules, as set forth

in S.75-74, relating to the operation of

Senate Committees."

D. Birch stated that the motion was the result of a recent issue

relating to the desirability of opening meetings of Senate Committees

on the basic principle that the business of an institution is open to

the community. He felt an approximation of Senate rules would establish

the necessary regulations. E. McWhinney commented that within the general

principle the rule of reason would govern.

Question was called, and a vote taken.

MOTION CARRIED

9. INFORMATION

It was noted that the next meeting of Senate is scheduled for Monday,

July 7, 1975, at 7:30 p.m. The assembly recessed brief1at 10:00 p.m.

prior to moving into Closed Session.

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II. M. Evans

Secretary

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SiMON ERASER UNIVERSITY

•.

75..7L/

MEMORANDUM

SENATE

D. R.

R B

BIRCH

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From

...............................................................................................

DEAN OF EDUCATION

APRIL 4, 1975

Date.............................................................................................

NOTICE OF MOTION - RULES OF SENATE

Subect.......

COMMITTEES

.... ...

.............................

That Senate establish the following rules relating to the operations

of Senate Committees. These do not preclude a committee from making

additional rules of operaLion not inconsistent with these rules.

RULES OF SENATE COMMITTEES

1. Preamble

These rules are intended to be in accordance with the Universities

Act and the Rules of Senate, as amended from time to time. In the event

of any conflict the Universities Act and/or the Rules of Senate shall

prevail.

2. Officers

a)

Chairman: The Chairman of a Senate Committee is empowered and

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expected to take the actions deemed necessary to ensure

orderly advancement of the legitimate business of the

Committee.

b)

Secretary: In the absence of the regular Secretary or his

designate, the Chairman shall appoint a Secretary pro tern.

3. Open and Closed Sessions

i)

Meetings of Senate Committees may be divided into two sessions:

an Open Session to which observers may he admitted; a Closed

Session for the discussion of business deemedby the Committee

to be of a confidential nature and to which observers shall not

be admitted.

ii)

The agenda for the Open and Closed Session can be placed into an

immediately following Closed Session, if at any time prior to or

during discussion of the item, by successful motion to have it so

placed, such requiring only a simple majority. . This motion may

be spoken to only by the mover and by one other person who wishes

to speak against the motion. An identical procedure shall be

followed if it is wished that an item he moved from the Closed to

the following Open Session.

4. Observers

. ..

1) Provision shall be made for a limited number of observers at Open

Sessions of Senate Committee meetings.

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ii) The Chairman of the Committee shall designate the number of seats

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to be made available for observers. Observers shall not exceed

the number of seats provided for them.

iii) Observers may be students, faculty or staff of Simon Fraser. Univer-

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sity.

iv)

Observers shall conduct themselves in such a manner as not to

interfere with the business of the Committee.

v)

No observers shall be required to leave the Open meeting of the

Committee except on the ruling of the Chairman or on the vote of

the Committee by simple majority without prior notice of motion.

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