(a) Subject to provisions of subdivision (d), in all meeting and conferring between higher education employers and employee organizations representing student service or academic personnel, a student representative shall have the right to be notified in writing by the employer and the employee organizations of the issues under discussion. A student representative shall have the right to be present and comment at reasonable times during meeting and conferring between the employer and such employee organizations.

(b) The student representative shall be provided access to all documents exchanged between the parties pertaining to the meeting and conferring and shall have the right to have an aide present during all meetings; in the case of mediation of impasses, the student representative shall have an opportunity at reasonable times to comment to the mediator on impasse issues; and shall be free from coercion or reprisals in the exercise of his or her rights as set forth in this section.

(c) The student representative shall respect and maintain the rules governing confidentiality as they pertain to all parties involved in the meeting and conferring. Violations of this provision shall result in the termination of student involvement for the remainder of such meeting and conferring, and such other remedy, if any, deemed appropriate by the board.

(d) For purposes of this section, a student representative shall be designated by the official student body association, if any, of the higher education employer, or segment thereof, engaged in meeting and conferring. If no student body association exists, the students may elect and designate a representative for the purposes of this section.

(Added by Stats. 1978, Ch. 744.)