wfn.org | Council Approves Stricter Open Meeting Policy

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

25-February-1997 
97101 
 
          Council Approves Stricter Open Meeting Policy 
 
                      by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--The General Assembly Council (GAC) of the Presbyterian 
Church (U.S.A.) has approved revisions to its open meeting policy that more 
strictly define conditions under which it may close its meetings to press 
and visitors. 
 
     The revised policy allows meetings of the Council and its entities and 
work groups to be closed only for matters of property negotiation, 
personnel, civil and criminal litigation or security. 
 
     The 1989 policy distinguished between regularly elected entities of 
the church and task forces and special committees, granting the latter more 
latitude in deciding to close their meetings.  One clause stated that 
meetings could be closed when "circumstances are impeding the work of the 
group." 
 
     The revisions to the policy were proposed by the Advisory Committee 
for News (ACN) after two recent disputes over application of the policy 
prompted the GAC Executive Committee to seek clarification of the policy by 
the ACN. 
 
     After a joint GAC/Presbyterian Foundation task force invoked that 
clause to close their entire eight-hour meeting last spring, the 
Presbyterian News Service objected to then GAC chair the Rev.  William 
McIvor.   
 
     At the 208th General Assembly meeting in Albuquerque, leaders of the 
Assembly Committee on Ordination and Human Sexuality banned photographers 
and tape recorders from committee meetings, but allowed reporters to take 
written notes, prompting protests by a number of journalists.  The original 
policy made no distinction among print, electronic and photographic 
journalists. 
 
     After the Assembly, the Executive Committee asked the ACN to clarify 
the policy.  In response, ACN chair the Rev. John C.R. Silbert reported to 
the committee in December that "it was apparent to the [ACN] that the best 
clarification of the open meeting policy was a revision ... which would 
take full account of its use and interpretation since its implementation in 
1989." 
 
     The revisions eliminate the distinction between entities of the church 
and the policy simply states that "open meetings shall be the norm for all 
 ... entities."  It also states that "provisions of this policy shall apply 
to visitors and to representatives of both church and public media, 
including print, electronic and photographic journalists."  And it 
eliminates the catchall "circumstances are impeding the work..." provision 
for closing meetings. 
 
     Silbert hailed the Council's approval of the revised policy as 
"respecting the ongoing dynamic between the work of the General Assembly 
entities and the public's right to know the actions and activities of these 
entities via responsible news media." 
 
     The revisions to the open meeting policy, which is part of the "Manual 
of the General Assembly" as well as the GAC's "Manual of Operations," will 
now go to the 209th General Assembly (1997) in Syracuse this June for the 
Assembly's approval. 

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