University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
PA-3: Governance

All students of the university are members of the Student Government Association. The Student Government Association is the shared governance representative of the student body on campus under WI State Statute 36.09(5). The mission is to work with faculty, staff, and administration in order to realize the full potential of our university and provide the best environment possible for the student body through the development of student organizations, innovative programs, and student-friendly policies. Shared governance is the idea that decisions concerning the way the campus is run should be made by those people most affected by the decisions. According to Wisconsin State Law the students, administration, faculty and academic staff may directly participate in, and affect the administration of the campus. Students may run for SGA office or join one of several faculty/student university committees.

As a University ran by shared governance, the students elect their own representative body (Student Government Association), which has the primary roles of evaluating student life policy, segregated fee distribution, and representing the interests of the students on the other campus governing bodies. The SGA President and Vice President are elected by student wide vote, and are active members of the Chancellor’s Cabinet, Faculty Senate, and other governing bodies.

1.The University’s mission and vision are relatively unchanging and have specific UW System requirements and guidelines. Students are not formally involved in this process currently, but may have been when the mission and vision were originally created at the formation of the UW System in the 1970s. 2.The Student Government Association has a very formal role in the establishment of new policies and programs related to student life. The organization has initiated a wide variety of these. E.G’s: sexual assault prevention programing; alcohol and other drug abuse prevention programming; gender-inclusive housing and restrooms; the establishment of the Green Fund, a fund for sustainable capital investments; structural improvements to pedestrian safety; all student organization policy; policy and programing for our student center; off campus housing policies and education programming; health and wellness policy; student health services policy; and a long, long list of other examples. 3.Students have a formal albeit limited role in strategic planning for the university. We have had one seat on the strategic planning advisory committee since 2011, through which we provide input on strategic planning at the University level. 4.Students are members of the campus planning committee, and other physical resource management committees and groups such as the sustainability task force. We also in the last three years have worked very hard and have recently passed a health and wellness facilities project, which will create a new building on campus for health, wellness, recreation, and athletics. 5.Perhaps the SGA’s biggest input in on the financial planning, fiscal policy, and budgeting of the over $13 million in student segregated fees. These fees pay for everything from the campus cab service, our campus’s nature reserve (Schmeekle Reserve), all student organizations, and athletics, among many others. The SGA is the primary party responsible for the policy and budgeting of these fees. 6.While the SGA manages its own communications program and transparency, the SGA is not formally involved in the University’s communications, communication plans, website development, or transparency efforts. Students are members of search and screen committees. 7.To student life related programs and expenditures, yes, the students through their SGA have a very formal role in prioritization of these programs and projects. Outside of this, there is a varying degree of formal input. In 2014 UW-Stevens Point is conducting a program prioritization exercise that will be considered for endorsement by our various shared governance bodies: the Student Government Association, Faculty Senate, and the Classified Staff Advisory Council.

The Classified Staff Council (CSC) serves on behalf of all represented and non-represented classified staff employees, limited term employees, and project appointment employees at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The purpose of the CSC is to promote active participation in university decision-making, informed communication and a positive professional environment for all classified employees. The organization supports equality, respect and a spirit of collegiality among all members of the university community, including students and employees. There are thirteen members of CSC, each serving a two-year term. Members are selected by a classified staff election. Any classified staff employee (as defined above) is eligible, and encouraged, to be a CSC member. CSC meetings are held monthly and are open to all classified employees. If you have any concerns and/or comments that you would like addressed at a CSC meeting, please contact one of the CSC members with your request. Special meetings (general meetings) are held every spring for the purpose of presenting guest speakers and/or important information affecting all classified staff. All classified employees are invited to attend special meetings.

Co-chairs represent CSC on the Chancellor's Cabinet and Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate. The University Affairs Committee is a standing committee with representation of classified staff members who are appointed by the CSC.

Organization vision - Reorganization of the Faculty Senate - proposed Senate would have equal representation of classified staff, faculty and academic staff. University Affairs committee led the initiative for tobacco-free campus in 2013-14. Classified staff were part of the strategic planning process in 2011-12 resulting in the creation of the campus stategic plan. The Facility Naming committee has classified staff representation - in 2012 name from demolish Hyer Hall transferred to South hall. The Budget Review committee has classifed staff representation as part of their job description. Classified staff were members of the Living Wage Task Force in 2013 A classifed staff member is appointed (by CSAC Co-Chairs) to search and screen committees. In 2014-15 UW-Stevens Point is conducting a program prioritization exercise that will be considered for endorsement by our various shared governance bodies: the Student Government Association, Faculty Senate, and the Classified Staff Advisory Council.

The faculty derives its authority from 36.09(4) Wisconsin Statutes, which reads as follows: The faculty of each institution, subject to the responsibilities and powers of the board, the president, and the chancellor of such institution, shall be vested with responsibility for the immediate governance of such institution and shall actively participate in institutional policy development. As such, the faculty shall have the primary responsibility for academic and educational activities and faculty personnel matters. The faculty of each institution shall have the right to determine their (sic) own faculty organizational structure and to select representatives to participate in institutional governance. For purposes of those parts of “institutional governance” outlined in this constitution, the faculty is defined in Article I as persons holding at least 50% FTE faculty or academic staff appointments. Whenever the word “faculty” is used, it includes all persons in these categories.

The Chair of the Faculty Senate is a member of the Chancellor's Cabinet. The University Affairs Committee is a standing committee whose chairs are elected and members appointed.

*Strategic Plan - 2011 *General Education Policy Review 2008-2014 *Equity Scorecard *Inclusive Excellence Strategic Plan 2010-11 *Retention Task Force will make recommendations regarding specific policies and programs aimed at retaining and graduating a larger percentage of our incoming students. The task force will work between now and the end of the 2012-2013 academic year. *Faculty are part of the planning committee for construction of the new science center with a goal of LEED Gold rating. Faculty Senate decides on parking rates which are affected by a potential future parking ramp. *Salary Initiative *Transparent budgeting - Part of budgeting transparency is presenting information in a manner easy to understand. At the bottom of the fact sheet you will find common language and definitions, developed by the Legislative Audit Bureau, we can all use when discussing the balances. https://mypoint.uwsp.edu/Announcements/OpenAttachment.aspx?id=10002529 *The Partnership for Thriving Communities provides the framework through which the university will become more engaged with area stakeholders, more responsive to local needs, and more relevant to solving regional problems. *Sustainability Task Force - Carbon Neutrality plan 2012 *In 2014-15 UW-Stevens Point is conducting a program prioritization exercise that will be considered for endorsement by our various shared governance bodies: the Student Government Association, Faculty Senate, and the Classified Staff Advisory Council.

In 2014, the Classified Staff Council and Faculty Senate voted to establish a unified governance council called the Common Council, where each employee group (academic staff, classified/university staff and faculty) will have equal representation. A common Council Planning Committee was created.