College must open its meetings, court rules

By way of the Student Press Law Center comes news that New York’s highest court has ruled that decision-making bodies at public colleges are required to abide by the state’s open meetings and open records laws. The ruling means that students at public colleges in New York have the right to attend meetings of college senates, faculty councils and similar decision-making bodies.

The case arose when two students at Hostos Community College -- part of the City University of New York -- were denied admission to meetings of the College Senate, a body composed of faculty, students and administrators. In concluding that the senate's meetings must be open, the court found that it performs a "quintessentially governmental function."

• Opinion text: Matter of Perez v. City University of New York.