Regents Meeting at UCLA Will Allow Public Comments by Phone

It appears the Regents meeting at UCLA will still take place. However, the public comments component is being modified. See below:

UPDATE ON PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE MARCH 2020 REGENTS MEETING TO REDUCE RISKS RELATED TO CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

On March 12, 2020, Governor Newsom issued an Executive Order pursuant to his emergency powers that waives compliance with most teleconference restrictions for public meetings held under the Bagley-Keene and Brown Acts.

The Regents will accommodate those members of the public who wish to make public comment by phone, as follows.

• You have the option of sending your phone number to regentsoffice@ucop.edu and the Secretary and Chief of Staff will call that number if and when your name is called from the list. All public comments, both in person and by phone, will be selected randomly. Names will be called from the telephone list and the in-person list proportionately.

• Efforts will be made to accommodate each individual who has signed up to speak. However, given time constraints, there is no guarantee that all who have signed up will be able to address the Regents.

Members of the public may still attend the meeting and offer public comment in-person. Please note that attending in person does not guarantee that you will be able to address the Board. All public comments, both in person and by phone, will be selected randomly. Names will be called from the telephone list and the in-person list proportionately.

In compliance with the Executive Order and public health official guidance, seats will be placed at least 6 feet apart, and therefore public seating will be extremely limited.

Staff will escort a few people who are on the public comment list at a time into the meeting room. We request that you leave once you have provided comment so that others may do so in-person.

Members of the public are encouraged to watch the meeting via livestream through the Regents website.

If you do not have access to watch the livestream remotely, members of the public are welcome to watch the livestream in the Optimist Room, located on the 2nd Floor of the UCLA Luskin Conference Center. Please note that there will be limited seating in this viewing room.

Written comments may be mailed or emailed in advance of the meeting to the Regents Office (regentsoffice@ucop.edu) and will be distributed to members of the Board, or its appropriate committee, prior to beginning of the Board or committee meeting.

IMPORTANT - ADVISORY TO REDUCE RISKS RELATED TO THE CONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

• Individuals should not attend the meeting in person if they have a cough or fever (regardless of the presumed cause). Persons exhibiting such symptoms will be turned away from the meeting site.
• Individuals should not attend the meeting in person if they have travelled within the past 14 days to an area identified by the CDC as having a Level 3 Travel Health Notice due to COVID-19.
• It is recommended that individuals at higher risk of severe illness not attend the meeting in person (including people with underlying health conditions and older adults).
• The public seating area will be rearranged to reduce close physical proximity.
• Everyone who does attend the meeting in person should engage in everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:
• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Minimize close contact with others (e.g. no hand shaking or hugging).
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze then throw the tissue in the trash. Then wash your hands with soap and water.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

None of the precautions will interfere with full public participation and comment on the Regents agenda. Subject to the requirements above, any members of the public who wish to engage in regular in-person public comment will be permitted to do so as described above.

Source: https://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/regmeet/mar20/public-comment-march-2020-meeting.pdf