Article 8 of the Saudi Law of Universities

المادة 8 من نظام الجامعات · الفصل الثاني: مجلس شؤون الجامعات

The article regulates meetings of the Council of University Affairs at least once every four months, with a quorum of two thirds including the chair or deputy, and decisions by majority of those present, with non-members invited without a vote.

Official text (Arabic)

This article has not been amended since the law was issued.

يعقد مجلس شؤون الجامعات اجتماعاته مرة كل أربعة أشهر في العام على الأقل بناءً على دعوة من رئيسه أو من ينوب عنه، ولا يصح انعقاد الاجتماع إلا إذا حضره ثلثا الأعضاء على الأقل، يكون من بينهم الرئيس أو نائبه. وتصدر القرارات بأغلبية أصوات الأعضاء الحاضرين على الأقل، وعند التساوي يرجح الجانب الذي صوت معه رئيس الاجتماع.

ولرئيس المجلس دعوة من يراه للحضور عند مناقشة أي من الموضوعات التي تتطلب ذلك دون أن يكون له حق التصويت.

This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers

Article 8 explained in plain English

This article sets out the working rules of the Council of University Affairs:

First: frequency of meetings

The Council meets at least once every four months, that is, at least three times a year.
Upon an invitation from its chair or his deputy.

Second: the quorum

A meeting is valid only if at least two thirds of the members attend, including the chair or his deputy. If two thirds of the members attend without the chair or his deputy, the meeting is not valid.

Third: decisions

They are issued by at least a majority of the votes of the members present.
In case of a tie, the side with which the chair of the meeting voted prevails.

Fourth: attendance of non-members

The chair of the Council may invite whomever he sees fit to attend when discussing matters that require it, without that person having the right to vote.

Note that the quorum here is high (two thirds), which is consistent with the importance of the decisions the Council takes. Under Article 7, the Council is competent to approve policies and strategies for university education, the organizational, financial, administrative and academic regulations of universities, and other competences.

Article 9 then provides that the Council has a secretary general assigned by order of the Prime Minister on the nomination of the chair of the Council, and that an operating program budget is allocated to its secretariat within the budget of the Ministry of Education.

Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.

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