1. Board Action

    The Board shall exercise collective authority based upon decisions made by majority vote (minimum of three) in regular or special meetings. Actions taken or policies and procedures adopted shall not be in conflict with state law or with State Board for Community and Technical Colleges regulations governing the operations of the Washington community college system.

  2. Action by Individual Board Members

    By law, no member of the Board of Trustees of the Seattle Colleges District may hold or exercise as an individual the powers granted exclusively to the Board as a collective entity. No individual of the Board may act, negotiate, stipulate, or commit for the Board, the District, or any campus within the district, without specific instruction of the Board, officially recorded. These further limits are placed on individual Board members:

    1. No individual Board member shall issue public statements for the Board, the District, or the campuses without specific instructions of the Board, officially recorded.
    2. Each member of the Board shall be committed to support the decision or policy of the Board majority and shall not publicly oppose Board actions or policies.
  3. Delegation of Powers and Responsibilities

    As provided in the Community College Act of 1967 and subsequent legislation, the Board may delegate certain of its powers and responsibilities to the district chancellor where such delegation is deemed necessary and appropriate. For purposes of efficient administration and the successful operation of the District, the following specific powers are delegated to the district chancellor:

    1. Appointing authority for all employees in the Seattle Colleges District.
    2. Translating of Board policy into administrative action.
    3. Stipulating organization and operation of the administrative structure of the District.
    4. Acting in the interests of the Board and the District as a point of institutional contact for all internal and external groups and individuals.
    5. Serving as the spokesperson for the Board and District administration in policy matters.
  4. Adoption, Amendment, or Repeal of Board Bylaws

    Bylaws established by the Board may be amended or repealed; or new bylaws may be established by action of a minimum of three Board members at any regular or special Board meeting, provided that drafts of all proposals for adoption, repeal, or amendment have been furnished to Board members at least one regular meeting prior to the meeting at which they shall be considered.

  5. Adoption, Amendment, or Repeal of Washington Administrative Code (WAC)

    In accordance with the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act of 1971, as amended, and instruction from the code reviser's office, the Board, prior to the adoption, amendment, or repeal of any rule (WAC) shall:

    1. Give at least 20 days notice of its intended action by filing notice with the code reviser, and mailing such notification to persons who have made timely request for advance notice of rule-making proceedings. The public notice will include: reference to the authority under which the rule is proposed; statement of either the terms or substance of the proposed rule or a description of the subjects and issues involved; time, place, and manner in which interested persons may present their views thereon.

    As defined in RCW 34.05.010(16), "rule" means any agency order, directive, or regulation of general applicability (a) the violation of which subjects a person to a penalty or administrative sanction; (b) which establishes, alters, or revokes any procedure, practice, or requirement relating to agency hearings; (c) which establishes, alters, or revokes any qualification or requirement relating to the enjoyment of benefits or privileges conferred by law; (d) which establishes, alters, or revokes any qualifications or standards for the issuance, suspension, or revocation of licenses to pursue any commercial activity, trade, or profession; or (e) which establishes, alters, or revokes any mandatory standards for any product or material which must be met before distribution or sale.

    Not included in this definition are (i) statements concerning only the internal management of an agency and not affecting private rights or procedures available to the public, and (ii) rules of institutions of higher education involving standards of admission, academic advancement, academic credit, graduation and the granting of degrees, employment relationships, or fiscal processes.

Adoption Date : 1985/10/15
Revision Date : 2019/10/10