Assembly Representative Responsibilities and Resources
Thank you for volunteering to serve in academic staff governance, which takes the form of decision-making bodies organized by and for academic staff. These include shared governance committees, membership on search and screen committees, ad hoc committees, and other forms of participation in institutional decision and policymaking.
The governance of public institutions in a democratic society, like the society itself, is best served by the broadest participation of their respective constituencies. Wisconsin State Statutes Chapter 36.09 (4m) codifies rights of participation in the governance of and policy development for the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Other participants in the shared governance process include university staff, faculty, administration, and students.
Academic Staff Assembly Representatives are responsible for:
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Attending the Academic Staff Assembly meetings. Meetings are held from 3:30 – 5:00pm on the second Monday of the month, September through December, and February through May. The Secretary of the Academic Staff Office will send you and your district the agenda and background materials one week prior to these meetings. Your district has one vote in these meetings, so your attendance and participation are important.
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Preparing for and participating in Assembly meetings. Please read and review Assembly materials prior to the meeting. Don’t hesitate to speak in favor of or against a motion or resolution or ask questions. You may also submit written questions for the presiding officer (typically the provost) up to three working days prior to the meeting.
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Communicating with the members of your district, with ASEC, and with the Office of the Secretary of the Academic Staff.
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With your district:
- Forward the Assembly and ASEC agendas and minutes to your district and invite comments on the issues presented, as well as their concerns and issues regarding academic staff governance.
- If there are issues of concern to your district members on the assembly agenda, poll your district to solicit their opinions prior to the meeting. If there is to be a vote at a meeting you cannot attend, please discuss with your alternate how your district members feel about the issue.
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With ASEC: help develop the agenda for academic staff governance by sharing your districts’ perspectives on the issues identified in ASEC agendas.
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With the Office of the Secretary of the Academic Staff: let Mallory Musolf and Lesley Fisher know how they can support you in your governance work.
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Learning about your district and about academic staff governance issues. Get to know your district membership and learn about their concerns and issues. Descriptions of the membership of each district and a list of district members is available at https://sharedgovdistricts.wisc.edu/. If your district does not have an alternate, recruit one of your district members to serve as your alternate. Once you find an alternate, contact the Secretary of the Academic Staff with their name so that they can be formally appointed.
How to:
Communicate with your district
Send messages to your district via your district’s Google group [asa_dist_XXX@g-groups.wisc.edu (insert your district # in place of the XXX)].
See who's in my district
District information and membership lists can be found here.
Add an item to the Assembly agenda
Submit a request to the Office of the Secretary of the Academic Staff Office at least 10 working days prior to the Assembly meeting. For resolutions, see this page.
Check in for an Assembly meeting
You need to check in to be counted towards quorum and have your attendance recorded. If attending in person, please stop at the check-in table outside of 272 Bascom Hall to have your Wiscard scanned. If attending virtually, please update your display name to include your district number.
Speak during a meeting
When you wish to speak, go to a floor microphone stand or request a handheld microphone. Please wait until the presiding officer recognizes you to speak. Once recognized, please state your name and district for the record. If you know in advance that you want to speak on an issue, sit on the aisle for easy access to the microphones.
Resign from the Assembly
If you need to resign before the end of your term, please notify the Office of the Secretary of the Academic Staff.