Meetings of University Library committees shall be open to observers to encourage communication with those interested in a particular committee’s work. While welcome to attend any open meeting, observers are asked not to participate in any way that might impede the work of the committee. Observers should recognize that the committee chair is under no obligation to brief observers on matters before the committee, take questions from observers or include an observer in a committee discussion. However, observers may participate in discussions if invited to do so by the committee chair.
Observers are not permitted when a committee meets in executive session to discuss issues concerning personnel or sensitive policy matters. A committee chair can call for the committee to meet in executive session either prior to a meeting or at any time during a meeting if an issue warrants a confidential discussion. The work of Executive Committee, Faculty Review Committee and Promotion and Tenure Advisory Committee deals primarily with confidential topics. Therefore meetings of these three committees are always held in executive session.