University Standing Committees and Representative Groups

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Overview

• Reporting Structure. All University Standing Committees report through a senior administrator of the University and serve in an advisory capacity to that senior administrator or her/his designee. Please note that not all standing committees at the University are included under the title of “University Standing Committees” or “Representative Groups,” which refer only to those specific committees/groups that senior administrators have designated as such and that must thus comply with the Comprehensive Rules for University Standing Committees. 

• Policy Recommendations. All recommendations for new institutional policies and/or additions or revisions to existing policies should be submitted through the respective senior administrator to the President for consideration. The President may choose to submit such recommendations to the Executive Cabinet for consideration and final approval.

• Committee Chairperson and Chairperson-Elect. Each committee will have a chairperson and a chairperson-elect. Unless otherwise designated through established University policies and procedures, the responsible senior administrator will appoint a chairperson and a chairperson-elect for each University Standing Committee by July 1st of each academic year. Committee chairpersons may serve for multiple terms at the discretion of the senior administrator. Identifying the following year’s chairperson in advance will facilitate continuity across the years by improving the ability for chairpersons to prepare and committees to plan into the future. All other appointments or election of officers should occur as outlined in the written bylaws for each committee.

• Committee Membership. In an effort to ensure broad institutional participation in the committee process, voting committee members should include representation from faculty, staff and students where appropriate. Each committee can have multiple non-voting ex-officio members from related administrative areas that can support the work of the committee.  While nominations for members often come from various other administrators, units, and groups as determined by a committee’s bylaws, it is the responsibility of the senior administrator to review, and if appropriate, approve these nominations. In describing how the membership is constituted, committee bylaws and membership lists should clearly differentiate the administrators/groups who make “nominations” for members versus the senior administrator who has the authority to “appoint” members.

• University Committee Comprehensive Rules. The Committee on Committees is charged by the President with overseeing the organization of and procedures for all University Standing Committees. The “Comprehensive Rules for University Standing Committees” provides the framework through which these committees function.

• University Representative Groups. There are three designated university groups charged with representing the interests of faculty, staff and students in the shared governance of the University. Each of these bodies may submit policy proposals or recommended policy changes to the President for consideration by the Executive Cabinet.

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