Operations Manual

Policy Review

After a council has reviewed a policy, if only clerical updates have been made, then the policy shall be placed on the College Council consent agenda rather than the regular agenda. Items on the consent agenda shall be adopted as a group or individual items may be pulled for discussion as regular items by any Council member. Following approval as an item on the consent agenda or regular agenda, any clerical changes and the new date of last review should be submitted to the COPPS Custodian. Clerical changes are non-substantive, and may include spelling, grammar, link corrections, and changes to personnel responsibilities or titles in order to reflect changes in organizational structure at the college.

Work plans

Effective with the 23-24 academic year, councils are expected to send their work plan to College Council by the first College Council meeting of November. Councils should dedicate time at the end of each academic year to reflecting on work plan progress and preparing a draft work plan for the following year. Councils may use the suggested work plan templates (external document; internal document).

Minutes Process

  • Note takers shall be assigned to each council by administration before the start of the academic year.
  • Minutes will list key subjects discussed, agreements reached, and actions taken
  • Three days before next meeting, chair emails minutes to council members
  • Next meeting agenda includes invitation to revise and/or approve the minutes
  • Chair posts approved minutes to the web
  • Votes will be recorded as either “yes”, “no”, “consenting”, or as abstentions. A sideways thumb will be recorded as consenting.

Adoption of new Policies

  1. Review the differences between policies and procedures
  2. Determine if the new policy is a part of governance.
    1. If no, then work with the correct Responsible Executive Authority to have your policy adopted.
    2. If yes, submit your request for a policy to the appropriate governance council
  3. The council will either reject the request, or send an advisory memo, including the scope and purpose of the intended policy, to the College Council chair.
  4. College Council shall vote, in a substantive vote, for the assignment of that policy.
  5. The assigned council shall make a copy of the new policy template and draft the new policy.
  6. The policy will work through the policy approval process.

Policy Approval Process

For new or substantively revised policies. If the policy originates in College Council, complete only steps 1-4 and 7.

  1. The originating council will review the policy draft as a first reading.
  2. The policy should be approved by the council on a substantive vote prior to starting the notice and comment process.
  3. The policy enters the notice and comment process.
    1. Using a copy of the “Policy Feedback Template” found in the College Council Google Drive, the originating council chair creates a feedback form for the policy.
    2. The originating council chair submits the policy and form to the Lane Weekly and to the college web team. The posting remains live as an announcement in the Weekly and website for no fewer than 15 working days
    3. The comments from the feedback form are distributed to both the College Council Chair and the originating council chair. Each chair distributes the comments to their council membership.
  4. The originating council will hold a second reading of the policy draft. The council will vote for approval. This is a substantive vote. If the originating council is College Council, skip to step 7.
  5. On approval, the originating council chair should submit the policy to the College Council chair for inclusion on the College Council agenda.
  6. College Council
    1. The policy will have a first read at College Council. This is considered a discussion item, without a vote.
    2. The chair of the originating council will send the policy for legal review, as needed.
    3. At a subsequent meeting, College Council will hold a second read. The policy will be approved on a substantive vote. If the vote does not pass, the policy may be brought to College Council for additional readings (third, fourth, etc.).
  7. After approval by College Council, the College Council chair should send the new policy to the COPPS Custodian, with the originating council chair copied. The COPPS custodian will:
    1. Post the approved policy in COPPS and send a copy to the college archivist for inclusion in the college archives.
    2. Confirm the posting with the originating council (co-)chair(s) and College Council (co-)chair(s).

If the policy is unable to be posted for any reason, the COPPS custodian will ensure the policy is returned with explanation to both the College Council chair and the chair of the originating council.

Standing College Council Subcommittees:

  • Policy Subcommittee: Serves as primary policy body for College Council, including preparing drafts of policies assigned to College Council.
  • Budget Development Subcommittee: See the charter for Budget Development Subcommittee.
  • Governance Subcommittee: Defines and documents how governance functions at the college; reviews and recommends updates to the governance system and governance operations manuals

Chair and Vice Chair Roles

  • Collaborate to ensure scope of work and work plan are accomplished
  • Calls meetings and establishes location
  • Chair facilitates meetings with aid from vice chair when needed
  • Develop agenda, review and revise notes
  • Work with College Council as necessary (details to be added later)

Meeting Process and Consensus Decision-making

  • Council operations shall be determined first by the Governance Manual, then the Operations Manual, and then Robert’s Rules.
  • Chair may fully participate in meeting discussions. Facilitation will pass to vice chair or another member if the discussion is undermined by the chair's engagement in the issue.
  • The consensus decision-making model underpins the governance system structure. Members blocking consensus should identify their concerns and may identify pathways forward to consensus. See the Substantive Decision Making Protocol in the Governance System Manual.

College Council Relations with Governance Councils

Governance Councils:

  • Post agenda and minutes to the governance webpage
  • Forward formal recommendations to the College Council (chair)
  • Report as requested to the College Council
  • Request inclusion on College Council agenda as appropriate
  • Seek advice from governance subcommittee as necessary on governance process questions

College Council:

  • Assign and clarify scope of council work
  • Review council agenda and minutes
  • Request council chairs and/or vice chairs attendance at College Council meeting
  • Request council reports to College Council
  • Ensure adherence to governance charters

Council Chairs and Vice Chairs:

  • Meet at least once a term to coordinate the work of the councils

Reports from College Council Chair, Executive Team, Faculty Council, Management Senate, ASLCC, LCCEA, and LCCEF will be a standing College Council agenda item.

Planning, Governance, and Budget Development Integration work will be accomplished by the College Council as a whole (rather than by a sub-group).

Gallery Time - Gallery members may speak upon recognition by the council chair. Any member of the council may make a procedural motion to end gallery comments for a specified duration (e.g. the duration of the meeting).

Last reviewed: May 14, 2025