The University of Michigan Board of Regents, and other public university boards, may meet behind closed doors as long as they’re not taking formal votes. That decision handed down today the Michigan Court of Appeals.
The closed-door so-called “informational” sessions prior to the board’s public meetings were challenged by The Detroit Free Press and The Lansing State Journal.
Attorney Herschel Fink says the newspapers aren’t ready to give up. He says the Michigan Supreme Court last ruled on the question in 1999.
“So, we’re going to ask the Supreme Court to take a fresh look and we’ll see where that goes.”
A University of Michigan spokesman says the closed-door meetings allow board members to learn about complex and sometimes confidential matters before making decisions.