• About the Regents
  • Regents’ Bios and Pictures
  • Regents' Contact Information
  • Regents Emeriti
  • List of Regents for University Publications
  • University of Michigan Executive Officers
• Meetings
  • Meeting Dates
  • Schedules and Agendas
  • Minutes
  • Addressing the Board
  • Meeting Preparation
• Proceedings
• Bylaws
  • Preface
  • Chapter I. The Board of Regents
  • Chapter II. University Executive Officers
  • Chapter III. Business Management, Finance, and Property
  • Chapter IV. The University Senate
  • Chapter Va. The Faculties And Academic Staff
  • Chapter VI. Schools and Colleges: Program Definitions
  • Chapter VII. Student Affairs
  • Chapter VIII. Admission And Registration Of Students
  • Chapter IX. Commencement And Degrees
  • Chapter X. Fees And Charges
  • Chapter XI. The Schools And Colleges And Affiliated Units
  • Chapter XII. The University Libraries
  • Chapter XIII. Other University Units, Agencies, and Services
  • Chapter XIV. Miscellaneous Rules and Regulations
• Regents' Ordinance
• Seal and Trademarks
• Office of Vice President
  and Secretary of the University

Addressing the Board

• Public Comments Policy
• Public Comments Sign Up Form

Public Comments FAQ

What is the Public Comment session?

As a part of their regular monthly meeting agenda, the Regents set aside time for individuals to present comments to the Board. The Board does not generally respond to these comments during the Public Comments session.

Who can sign up to speak?

Students, staff, faculty, alumni, and members of the community. A maximum of ten speakers can be scheduled, with no more than five speakers on the same topic. For further information see the Public Comments Policy .

How do I sign up?

Fill out the sign-up form. Requests will be scheduled on a first come, first served basis.

The deadline to sign up is 9:00 a.m. on the day before the meeting.

How will I know if I am a confirmed speaker?

You will receive an email from the Office of the Vice President and Secretary of the University stating whether or not you are a confirmed speaker. The auto-reply message you receive by checking "send me a copy of this message" on the sign-up form does not indicate that your request has been received or confirmed by the Secretary's office.

When will I speak?

Public Comments on agenda-related topics will be heard at the beginning of the meeting, prior to consideration of the regular business agenda. Public Comments on non-agenda-related topics will begin five minutes after the regular business agenda has ended. The regular business agenda generally starts at 3:00 p.m. The meeting schedule is posted online on the Monday before the meeting.

Where is the meeting held?

Regents' meetings are usually held in the Fleming Administration Building on central campus. The May meeting is held on the Dearborn Campus, and the October meeting is held on the Flint Campus. From time to time, the meeting may be held at other locations. Changes in location will be posted on the sign-up form.

Several people from my organization are speaking on the same topic. Can we request a specific speaking order?

Yes. Please list the order in the comments section of the sign-up form.

How much time do I have to speak?

Five minutes.

Can I give my spot or part of my time to someone else?

No.

What should I do if I need to cancel?

Please contact the Office of the Vice President and Secretary as soon as possible.

Can I bring materials to go with my presentation?

Yes. Please bring 25 copies of any handouts (collated, stapled, etc.). Please hold your documents until your name is called, and we will hand the documents out for you when it is your turn to speak.

Can I use PowerPoint or other audio/visual equipment?

No.

Public Comments Policy*

Adopted by the Regents in June 2007; effective for the September 2007 meeting.

1. As a part of their regular monthly meeting agenda, the Regents will set aside time for the purpose of enabling individuals to address the Board. It should be understood that the Board will not necessarily respond to such comments, since they may require study and recommendations on the part of others at the University.
2. Speakers will have up to five minutes to address the board. There will be a limit of ten speakers per session and five speakers on the same topic except as provided in Paragraph 6.
3. Requests to address the Board of Regents must be submitted to the vice president and secretary of the University prior to the Regents' meeting. The requests must be in writing, preferably through the form provided on the website www.regents.umich.edu. Requests to speak must identify the individual making the presentation, the subject matter of the presentation, the individual's relationship, if any, to the University, and the organization they are representing, if any. There shall be no substitutions of speakers without approval by the vice president and secretary, which may only be granted prior to the deadline for signing up to speak that is referenced at www.regents.umich.edu.
4. All requests to address the Regents must be received before the deadline posted on the website. Requests will be scheduled on a first come, first served basis until the available time is used up. No waiting list will be kept from month to month.
5. Speakers who have addressed the board within the previous two months may submit a request to speak, but the request will only be granted if there are available slots remaining after the signup deadline has passed.
6. Two additional speaker slots will be available to individuals who sign up after the agenda book is posted to the website to speak about an item on that month's agenda. The other provisions of this policy are applicable to these two additional speaker slots.