The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents possibly
violated state open meetings law but will not be prosecuted, State
Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager announced Wednesday.
<p>The claim was directed at possible “walking quorums”,
meetings between smaller groups of regents before a public vote,
which are illegal. According to the Capital Times, the quorums
could have occurred prior to more than 15 Board of Regent
meetings.
<p>Lautenschlager claimed the possible violations occurred
during phone sessions with regent executive committee members. The
members will not be prosecuted because she believes they did not
intentionally break any laws.
<p>”First, we believe that at the time the conferences
were held, the individual regents were relying on the prior legal
advice they had received about the role of the executive committee,
providing a good faith defense to any potential violation,” a
letter from Lautenschlager’s office to Regent President Toby
Marcovich said. “Second, your willingness to agree to send all
current regents and executive staff a memorandum reminding them of
the various provisions of the open meetings law should ensure
heightened attention to compliance in the future.”
<p>Lautenschlager advised the board to comply with open
meeting laws in any future phone conferences including the
Executive Committee in the letter.
<p>But Marcovich said Lautenschlager resolved the claims
in a written statement.
<p>”The Wisconsin Attorney General’s Office informed me
today that its examination of the past practice of small numbers of
regents conducting telephone conference calls prior to regent
meetings did not violate the state open meetings law,” he said in
the statement.
<p>Marcovich promised the Board will continue to conduct
business in a professional manner.
<p>”I believe that the attorney general has reached the
correct conclusion in this matter,” Marcovich said in the
statement. “Going forward, we will work to ensure that the
important work of the Board of Regents continues to be conducted in
a fair and open manner.”
<p>
