PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY

The Colorado Legislature first passed its "Sunshine Law" in 1973, as an initiated Law of 1972. This act required disclosure of private interests by public officials; regulated lobbying; and, for the first time in Colorado, required open meetings of all meetings of two or more members of any board, committee, commission, or other policy making or rule making body of any state agency or authority or of the legislature in accordance with the provisions laid out in this bill.

The law was revised in 1977 with the passage of House Bill No. 1018, concerning public meetings and most notably provided legislation for meetings held in executive sessions. It was then revised again in 1985 with the passage of House Bill No. 1097, concerning the State Board of Parole meetings. During the 1996 session of the Colorado Legislature, House Bill 1314 - "a bill for an act concerning the open meetings provisions of the Colorado Sunshine Act of 1972", was passed.

The Colorado Open Meetings Law (C.R.S. 24-6-401. et seq.) (the "Open Meetings Law"), implements the stated policy of requiring state business to be conducted in open meetings and not in secret.

Meetings of University administrators and faculty members, including college and departmental meetings and meetings of Faculty Council standing committees, do not generally constitute meetings of a "public body" under the Law. As a matter of policy and in the interest of openness, however, Faculty Council has historically chosen to conduct its meetings in a public forum. (Full text of the current Colorado Open Meetings Law is available from the site listed below).

The Board of Governors of the CSU System has also adopted an Open Meetings Policy.

REFERENCES

Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Manual, section I.3

CSUS Policy No. 110, Open Meetings Policy 

Colorado Sunshine Law (Open Meetings)

APPROVALS

Approved June 17, 2003, by the Board of Governors

Approved August 3, 2012 by the Board of Governors