Posted on 05/02/2006 10:25:41 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
The state Legislature's legal adviser says the University of California regents have violated state open-meeting laws by voting behind closed doors on executive pay packages.
In a 12-page opinion, the Office of Legislative Counsel wrote that the state Education Code requires regents' committees to meet in public whenever they take action on compensation proposals involving the president, chancellors and certain other top executives. The regents have held at least a dozen such meetings in private during the past five years, UC records show.
--snip--
"It is our opinion that a standing committee of the Board of Regents of the University of California is required by Section 92032 of the Education Code to meet in open session when it meets to take action on compensation proposals" involving selected top executives.
Though not legally binding, legislative counsel opinions generally are considered authoritative. The nonpartisan state agency drafts legislation, writes legal opinions and does other legal work for the Legislature.
The Education Code says any "action by the regents" must be done in open session, though UC lawyers maintained Monday that the law doesn't apply to committee votes. UC says the full Board of Regents already takes final action on executive compensation in public.
--snip--
At a meeting six weeks ago, Gerald Parsky, chairman of the Board of Regents, defended the closed meetings, saying UC must respect employees' right to privacy. "The regents have a strong record of conducting their business in compliance with open-meeting law requirements,'' Parsky said. "Suggestions to the contrary reflect a misunderstanding of that law as it applies to regents' meetings, are without foundation, and to the extent the media ignores the law and the protections of individual privacy rights, it is irresponsible."
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
We need to fire everyone on that board.
Oh I'm sorry, those "sunshine laws" were only supposed to apply to right wing organizations.
I smell a lawsuit in the works.
When you look at who sits on the Board of Regents, is it anyway wonder why they act as they do?
When did the earnings of public employees become a private matter?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.