University of Illinois Chicago
PA-3: Governance

The UIC Undergraduate Student Government (USG) is the official governing body of undergraduate students at UIC. Their mission states "to be the voice of the undergraduate student body, be the connection between the students and administration, and help students with any areas of concerns." Students have the opportunity to participate in many campus wide committees, meet with a wide variety of university leaders on different issues, and voice the concerns of undergraduate students to university administration. The Graduate Student Council is the governing body consisting of representatives from degree-granting programs in the Graduate College. The Graduate Student Council supports graduate students by hosting academic seminars and workshops, encouraging them to apply for conferences by supplying travel awards, bringing together graduate students with various social events and project awards, and representing other graduate students in different committees and meetings throughout the year. The Health Professions Student Council (HPSC) is a student-run organization that represents health professions students at the university. HPSC representatives serve on university committees, and provide funding for health-related student groups, travel, and professional projects. HPSC consists of an Executive Board, as well as representatives from various health profession disciplines.

The Board of Trustees is comprised of 13 members, three of whom are students. One Student Trustee is elected by the student body from each of the University of Illinois campuses. One of the Student Trustees is appointed by the Governor to have an official vote.

The UIC Undergraduate Student Government (USG) represents undergraduates in many ways, including improving policies affecting student welfare; providing services to meet student needs; and serving as a communication medium between students and administration. GSC and HPSC focus on similar issues, including academic affairs, diversity, service, sustainability and social events. In addition, campus-wide committees on establishing new policies, programs, initiatives, and strategic and long-term planning are created in which students are invited to participate. Further, student representatives serving on the University Senate are members of committees on a variety of topics including budget, planning, and priorities.

Many of the colleges have governance bodies that encourage staff participation. Most planning committees include staff. There are also the Chancellor's status committees. UIC established the Chancellor's Status Committees to assist the campus community in supporting our diverse students, faculty and staff. Every year, faculty, staff, and students are nominated by existing committee members and appointed annually by the Chancellor as an official executive committee member. Their participation reflects the importance of service to the university and reflects the diversity of our campus. Involvement in Status Committee meetings and events is open to the entire UIC community and supported by the Chancellor thereby considered approved for employee participation. I encourage you to call upon the Status Committees to seek their assistance or take part in their efforts in the areas described below. They include: Committee on the Status of Asian Americans (CCSAA) Committee on the Status of Blacks (CCSB) Committee on the Status of Latinos (CCSL) Committee on the Status of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer People and Allies (CCSLGBTQPA) Committee on the Status of Persons with Disabilities (CCSPD) Committee on the Status of Women (CCSW) More information: http://www.uic.edu/home/Chancellor/committees.shtml There is also the Academic Professional Advisory Committee https://sites.google.com/site/uicapac/: The Academic Professional Advisory Committee (APAC) of the University of Illinois at Chicago is an elected body whose function, as defined by University of Illinois Board of Trustees Statutes Article II, Section 5, is to provide for the orderly voicing of suggestions for the good of the University, afford added recourse for the consideration of grievances, and furnish a channel for direct and concerted communication between the Academic Professional (AP) staff and the administrative officers of the University, its colleges, schools, institutes, divisions, and other administrative units on matters of interest or concern to the Academic Professional staff or any member of it. The Academic Professional Advisory Committee (APAC) is a formally recognized committee that represents the more than 4,000 academic professionals on campus. As advisors to the University Administration, we review policy, represent academic professionals on search committees, voice concerns regarding academic professionals to the Chancellor, and play an active role in professional development efforts at UIC. There is also the Staff Advisory Council which represents the Civil Service Employees. COLLABORATE IS the name of a newly emerging committee, with a goal of providing various groups across campus the opportunity to discuss these types of shared concerns and collectively work towards solutions. COLLABORATE currently includes representatives from the following: The Academic Professional Advisory Committee The Staff Advisory Council The UIC Senate The Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Asian Americans The Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Blacks The Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer People and Allies The Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Women The Chancellor’s Committee on Sustainability and Energy The Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Latinos The Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Persons with Disabilities The UIC UNITED, the UIC Chapter of the State Universities Annuitants Association Some reports of their work are available here: http://uicapac.blogspot.com/2013/10/committees-working-together-to-address.html

Strategic planning processes include staff from all areas of the university. This covers all areas listed above. Some recent examples include: The Diversity Thinking and Planning Process http://www.uic.edu/depts/oaa/diversity_planning/ The Student Success Plan http://studentsuccess.uic.edu/ Sustainability Strategic Thinking process http://sustainability.uic.edu/get-involved/sustainability-strategic-thinking/

The University Senates Conference is a statutory body that provides the major link between the faculties of the Chicago, Urbana-Champaign, and Springfield campuses. The Senates Conference is charged with reviewing "all matters acted upon by each Senate" so to decide whether actions taken by one-senate have broader all-university relevance. In addition, the Senates Conference acts as an advisory group to the Board of Trustees through the President, to other administrative officers, and to the senates themselves on matters of university-wide concerns.

While there is not a faculty member that serves on the Board of Trustees, the University Senates Conference according to the Statutes, Article II, Section 2 (c) may act as an advisory group to the Board. Section 2 University Senates Conference states "c. The conference may act and may authorize its executive committee to act as an advisory group to the Board of Trustees (through the president), the president, other administrative officials, and the several senates on matters of university-wide concern. It shall be a special concern of the conference executive committee to aid in maintaining harmonious relations among such officers and the units of the University."

As noted in Section 3 Faculty Role in Governance of the Statutes, "As the responsible body in teaching, research, and scholarly activities of the University, the faculty has inherent interests and rights in academic policy and governance. Each college or other academic unit shall be governed in its internal administration by its faculty, as defined in Section 3a (1) above. Governance of each academic unit shall be based on unit bylaws established and amended by the faculty of that unit. The bylaws shall provide for the administrative organization and procedure of the unit, including the composition and tenure of executive or advisory committees. Except that they may not conflict with these Statutes, or other specific actions of the Board of Trustees, or with the bylaws of a unit which encompasses it, the details of the bylaws are left to the faculty of the unit."