Closed session at USG meeting violates FOI laws - The Daily Campus

Closed session at USG meeting violates FOI laws

By: Kala Kachmar

Posted: 8/28/08

The Undergraduate Student Government violated Connecticut's Freedom of Information laws last night by failing to follow proper procedure for closing their public meeting and moving into executive session, which is not open to the public.

 
 

The Freedom of Information laws are designed to ensure citizen access to public records, files and meetings. Connecticut's version of the law requires that, prior to an executive session in a public meeting, the public must be given a reason as to why that part of the meeting needs to be closed. USG failed to disclose a reason prior to the session, and again refused immediately after.

 
 

The law also states that the speaker is only allowed to hold an executive session if the topic being discussed has to do with specific employees, strategy and negotiation regarding pending litigation, security matters, real estate acquisition or any matter that would not be a public record.

 
 

In addition, the law requires a two-thirds vote of the members present before executive session can be held. Speaker and 3rd-semester political science major Corey Schmitt simply stated that the members were going into executive session. While there were no objections from the USG senate, there was also no vote taken before members of the public were asked to leave the room.

 
 

Immediately following the meeting, The Daily Campus asked Schmitt to provide a reason for calling the executive session. Schmitt refused to do so, citing that the issue was "sensitive" and that he could not divulge anything discussed in executive session.

 
 

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Kala.Kachmar@UConn.edu

 
 

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