By Andrew Welsh-Huggins
The Associated Press

COLUMBUS - University trustees shouldn't discuss business behind closed doors because a judge could overturn decisions made as a result of such private meetings, Attorney General Jim Petro said in a letter warning state universities to end the practice.

"Every year, your Board of Trustees makes many important decisions involving millions of dollars of public funds," Petro said in the Wednesday letter to Ohio State University President Karen Holbrook.

In order to avoid a court invalidating those decisions, "I urge you to make certain that public business is discussed, debated and acted upon only in public meetings that are lawfully noticed and advertised in advance so that the media and the public may attend," the letter said.

Petro cited a 1996 Ohio Supreme Court ruling against Cincinnati City Council, which had held a series of private meetings to avoid having a quorum.

Ohio State said Wednesday that it would stop holding private briefing sessions for trustees.

The board thought the briefings were legal because trustees listened and asked questions, without discussing anything, said spokeswoman Elizabeth Conlisk.