Policies and Procedures

1. BOARD MEETING

The President or his representative shall attend all meetings of the Board and shall inform and advise the Board with respect to the operation of the College.

All meetings of the Board shall be open to the public, except for specific exceptions as provided for in the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Members of the public may address the Board at any official meeting in regard to any item on the agenda; however, the Board reserves the right to reasonably limit the time of participation to permit the presentation of all pertinent points of view and information bearing upon a matter before it. Further, the Board is not legally permitted to act upon new items introduced at a Board meeting which are not on the agenda.

Upon a majority vote of a quorum present and in accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act, the Board may recess any open meeting for a closed or executive session. Any motion to enter a closed or executive session shall state the justification therefore. No final action shall be taken by the Board during any closed or executive session or meeting. No vote of any Board member may be recorded by secret ballot.

2. NOTIFICATION TO MEMBERS

Board members will receive agendas for all regular meetings at least forty-eight hours prior to the meeting.

3. ANNUAL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING

In accordance with applicable law, the annual organizational meeting of the Board during odd-numbered years will be held on or before the 28th day after the election.

In even-numbered years when there is no Board of Trustees election, the annual organizational meeting to elect officers will be held at the regular April Board meeting.

4. ADJOURNED MEETINGS

A regular meeting may be adjourned to a future date upon a majority vote of the Board and consistent with the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

5. REGULAR MEETING CHARACTERISTICS AND ACTIONS: TIME, DATE, AND LOCATION

The date, time, and location of the regular monthly Board meetings will be determined at the Board's annual organizational meeting. Notice of the regular meeting schedule will be provided and made available in accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

The regular monthly meeting date, time, and/or location can be changed at any regular meeting by Board action. Additionally, the Chairman of the Board or any four Board members may change a regular monthly Board meeting if (1) all Board members receive notification of the change by certified mail, by email, or by hand-delivery (signed receipt required), at least seventy-two hours prior to the new meeting time and (2) notice to the public is given in accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

6. CONSTRUCTION OF AGENDA

The Board will be provided with an agenda for all meetings, which will constitute the sole subject matter for action by the Board at that meeting. This refers to action items only and does not preclude discussion regarding other subjects.

The agenda shall be prepared by the President and the Board Chairman, who shall determine its contents and order. Requests from Board members and the public to add items or for changes to the agenda shall be directed to the President's Office no later than fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the meeting.

7. ORDER OF BUSINESS

The order of business will generally follow this format:

• Roll Call
• Recognition of Visitors
• Partnership Agreements
• Public Comment
• Consent Agenda
  • Report of Administrative Officers
• Old Business
• New Business
  • Executive/Closed Session
• Board/President Reports and Recommendations
• Future Agenda Items
• Informational Adjournment

The order outlined above does not preclude other issues from being discussed or acted upon, within the legal requirements of the Illinois Open Meetings Act. The Chairman or Acting Chairman may alter the order of business during a regular meeting with the consent of a majority of the members at the meeting.

8. RULES OF PROCEDURE

Chairman

Board meetings will follow the parliamentary procedures established in Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 12th edition. As the Chairman of the elected board, the Chairman facilitates the meeting, defers questions to the College President, or to others as necessary. The Chairman will recognize speakers and impose reasonable time limits, if required, on the speakers. A majority of the Board members present may vote to overrule the Chairman's decision on imposing time limits.

President’s Cabinet and Employees

President’s Cabinet members and/or those individuals submitting materials to be included in the monthly Board materials are accountable for meeting Board material submission deadlines and ensuring that the materials as presented are well vetted for accuracy, professionalism, and in adherence to college policies and procedures.

To ensure that everyone in the room, as well as those participating remotely, can hear all discussions clearly, a podium equipped with a microphone will be provided for individuals who wish to address the Board or who are called upon to respond to questions or offer additional information on a topic.

Guidelines for Employees Addressing Members of the Board of Trustees

1. Employees should only speak if invited to or permitted to by the Board Chairman or a Board member or deferred to by the President after the President has been deferred to by the Chair.
   • While the Board meeting is in session, employees should refrain from speaking unless invited by:
     • The Board Chair or a member of the Board at the behest of the Board Chair
     • The President
     • A pre-approved agenda item where the employee is presenting.
   • Employees should never interject or speak out of turn.
2. If a question is asked by the Board directly to an employee other than the President, the employee should approach the podium to speak.  If the employee is unable to reach the podium, a microphone will be brought to the employee, or ADA accommodations will be made. If a question is asked by the Board directly to a Vice President or Senior Leader, that individual should be visible and speak clearly and audibly to the Board.
   • All responses from an employee member (if prompted for a response from a Board member) or questions (asked directly by the Board or President) should be directed to the Chair and the Board and answered in the fashion outlined above.
   • If called on to speak on a specific agenda item, follow this example:
     • “Members of the Board - thank you.” or “Thank you for the question.” “I was asked to provide a brief update on the Program Review Process”.  Once a question is answered, please finish with “I can elaborate further or can answer any questions from the board if there are any.”
3. Use Formal and Respectful Language
   • Refer to board members with formal titles:
     • "Board Member Smith"
     • "Chairwoman Garcia"
     • "Mr. Vice Chair"
     • “Mr.”, “Ms.”, or “Mrs.”
   • Avoid first names unless that informality is explicitly asked to by the Board member.
4. Stick to the Agenda and Role
   • Stay on-topic and within the scope of the issue you are there to discuss.
   • Do not raise new topics or concerns unless asked.
5. Be Brief, Factual, and Professional
   • Be clear and concise. Speak in a confident tone that allows all members of the room to hear you.
   • Know what you are talking about. Preparation for the Board meeting is an expectation of all cabinet.  Cabinet members should review the materials and anticipate any possible questions that may arise from the agenda item.
   • If you are asked a question and you do not know the answer, do not embellish or “talk around the question”. Simply state “I cannot answer that question.” and ask for some time to research and get back with the Board through the President with accurate information in a timely manner.
   • Avoid emotional or opinionated statements unless specifically asked for your opinion.
   • Avoid negative body language.
   • Maintain a neutral and respectful tone, especially if asked about sensitive matters.
6. Defer to Leadership When Appropriate
   • If a question or issue arises that is beyond your authority, respectfully refer it to your Vice President or the President.
     • Example: “VP [name] or Dean [name] may be able to answer that question and perhaps they can provide more detail.”
   • Avoid placing blame on another employee. This undermines leadership and can lead to uncomfortable situations and poor relationships within the institution.
7. Executive Session
   • An employee may be asked to attend an Executive Session.  If an employee is asked to attend an executive session, they should remain in the meeting and speak only when called upon by the Board or President.  
   • When speaking, the employee must identify who they are prior to speaking in order for the recording of the session to remain as accurate as possible.
8. Any member of the public can address the board during the public comment section at the recognition of the Board Chair.

Approval History

Replaces Board Meeting 1.553; Notification of Members 1.601; Regular Meeting Characteristics and Actions: Time, Date and Location approved December 18, 2003; Meeting Characteristics and Actions: Open Meetings Act 1.603 Approved August 24, 2020; Construction of Agenda 1.604 Approved February 19, 2004; Order of Business 1.605 Approved October 25, 2015 and

February 19, 2004; Annual Organizational Meeting 1.450 Approved November 18, 2004; Adjourned Meetings 1.607 Approved

February 19, 2004; Rules of Procedure 1.606 Approved May 18, 2006; Revised October 27, 2025