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Board reviews proposed changes to DEI committee bylaws to reduce procedural barriers
Summary
The superintendent presented proposed revisions to the district's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee bylaws that would clarify member terms, remove a fixed application deadline, permit staff appointment flexibility, allow the committee to set meeting dates/times and eliminate a strict quorum composition that has hampered meetings.
Superintendent Brad Brzezinski presented recommended revisions to the DEI committee bylaws intended to remove procedural barriers the committee said have limited its work.
Brzezinski said the proposed edits clarify that term limits referenced in the bylaws apply specifically to community members and remove obsolete language related to the committee’s initial phased terms. He recommended striking a requirement that the school board set a fixed deadline for applications in favor of a rolling application process to reduce delay.
The superintendent said the current practice of bringing recommended members to the full board for approval has led to long delays between application and first meeting attendance; he suggested staff and the board members who serve on the committee could streamline the process. Brzezinski also proposed removing a requirement that staff members be recommended to the school board chair, reflecting current practice that staff assignments are handled through the superintendent’s office.
A notable proposed change would remove a specific quorum requirement (seven members including at least three community members). Brzezinski said the quorum language has repeatedly prevented meetings from proceeding and that DEI work is advisory in nature; removing the strict quorum would allow committees with fewer members present to continue working and make recommendations to the full board.
The proposed revisions also remove a fixed meeting day/time and allow the committee to set its regular meeting schedule to increase participation, particularly among students and staff. Board members generally supported giving the committee greater flexibility and reducing board involvement in routine membership decisions; some directors asked for additional conversation about committee size, purpose and whether the committee should be a district rather than a board committee.
No action was taken; the item was presented as a briefing and Brzezinski said the document will return for further consideration after board feedback.
