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Committee declines to add ‘hybrid modality’ board‑meeting policy to this year’s work plan
Summary
After debate, the Policy & Governance Committee did not add a proposed hybrid‑meeting policy to its current work plan; members cited in‑person public access, board continuity and scheduling norms as reasons.
The Policy and Governance Committee considered whether to add a new or revised policy to allow hybrid participation in board business meetings but ultimately did not move the matter forward on March 11.
The committee discussed tradeoffs between flexibility for individual members and the value of in‑person public meetings. Board member Walker said she opposed hybrid in‑person models for regular business meetings, arguing that elected officials should meet in person where the public expects to see them. Board member Booser Struthers also urged in‑person meetings, noting the board has significantly fewer in‑person sessions now than in earlier years and that the meeting calendar is public and longstanding.
Dr. Moss, the committee chair, had noted a recent instance when a member’s illness left the member unable to vote in person; Ms. Welsh reiterated that the chair had requested pursuing a hybrid option to accommodate such situations. Board members debated who would decide whether a member could participate remotely in a specific meeting and under what conditions.
When the committee took the question, members did not approve adding the hybrid‑modality policy to the work plan for this year; the committee therefore will not pursue that policy change in the current cycle.
Ending: The committee left existing in‑person meeting expectations in place and may revisit the question in a future work‑plan cycle if members request it again.
