"Last Friday, University of Central Oklahoma President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar hosted a meeting with faculty senators to answer various questions they had about the university. The meeting was 'invitation only,' consisting of about 20 faculty members, but The Vista reporters attended to cover the meeting, attempting to abide by the Open Meetings Act. Many attendees wanted to know the 'strategic plan' for the ongoing $15 million budget deficit crisis.
"However, in the midst of concerns about the budget, issues of 'transparency and communication' arose. Faculty senator Nikki Seagraves, Seagraves mentioned that 'another theme' of these concerns related to particular meetings, such as these, being excluded from the public and staff.
"She was then interrupted by Faculty Senator Kristi Archuleta, who said she did 'not expect the press to be here.'
"Neuhold-Ravikumar replied swiftly.
'We did not expect them to be here either, but they refused to leave,' she
said.
"The Vista reporters were told about five minutes prior to the meeting, by Faculty Senate President Jennifer Barger Johnson, that this was a 'closed meeting' and we needed to leave per Neuhold-Ravikumar.
"Citing the Open Meetings Act, which bars state-funded institutions from holding closed meetings, with specific exceptions, Johnson asked us to wait while she asked for a reason. A moment later, she turned around and shrugged — an inconclusive message that this reporter took as a reason to stay. The door shut, and we were still in the room.
"'We are not trying to step on anybody's toes. I'm very sorry,' UCentral Social Media Coordinator Michaela Todd said. 'We were just waiting for a reason to leave. That's all we asked because we mentioned the Open Meetings Act, and we weren't given an answer as to why we should leave.'
One faculty senator responded that since it was not 'anything formalized' or 'anything that's going to necessarily result in legislation' it did not fall under the Open Meetings Act. We left immediately after.
"'There's no such thing as an informal meeting if there's a quorum present—it doesn't matter if you're in a coffee shop,' Ted Streuli, president of Freedom of Information Oklahoma said. 'Whether you're voting has no relevance or not if it's an open meeting.'"
