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L&S Committee on Academic Staff Issues (CASI) Bylaws

This document contains the CASI bylaws as related to responsibilities, membership guidelines, and committee procedures.

Responsibilities:

At the January 12, 1998 meeting of the Academic Staff Assembly, Academic Staff Document #210, titled "School, College, and Division Committees on Academic Staff Issues" was passed. This document calls for each school, college or division of the University of Wisconsin-Madison to establish a committee to advise the dean or director on issues pertaining to or affecting academic staff members in that unit. The responsibilities, membership guidelines, and procedures for such committees are described in that document and have been incorporated into the current document as applicable.

In accordance with the guidelines established in Academic Staff Document #210, the responsibilities of the College Letters & Science Committee on Academic Staff Issues (CASI) shall include, but are not limited to:

1. Advising the dean on the formulation and review of policies and procedures concerning academic staff members;
2. Providing advice to the dean on college program decisions likely to affect promotional opportunities or lead to non-renewal or layoff of academic staff members;
3. Developing opportunities for participation of academic staff members in department and unit governance; and
4. Developing opportunities for recognition of academic staff member contributions to the college's mission and to the excellence of its programs.

Membership Guidelines:

The CASI shall consist of up to twelve members with at least 2/3 of the members to be elected by the academic staff of the college, and the others will be appointed by the dean as necessary. All elected and appointed members shall be academic staff holding an appointment within the college. The elected members should include academic staff from the instructional, research, outreach, advising or student services areas, and any other functional area represented in the college. The remaining appointed members will be chosen to balance the committee composition.

The committee members appointed by the dean will be chosen with the goal of enhancing balance between various groups (identity, function, division, etc.). The dean will co-chair the committee and will be a member ex-officio.

Although the membership rules specify positions based on functional area to ensure representation of all academic staff in the college and to provide a variety of perspectives, each elected/appointed member will represent the entire academic staff of the college, not a particular constituency. Therefore, all elections will be at large: academic staff members with an active appointment as of March 1 will be eligible to vote in each election, regardless of the functional area the candidates represent.

A broad communication will be sent out by the Office of the Dean to solicit candidate nominations for vacated committee seats from the College of Letters & Science academic staff. Additionally, the election process will be managed by the Office of the Dean.

Academic staff members who accept their nomination or self-nominate to CASI will submit a brief statement to the Office of Dean. These statements will be included on the ballots at the time of the election, which will normally be held in the spring. In races with two candidates, the candidate receiving the majority of votes cast will be considered the winner of the election; in races with more than two candidates, the candidate receiving a plurality of votes cast will be considered the winner.

Committee members will be elected/appointed for three-year terms (except when appointed to fill a mid-term vacancy). Terms shall be staggered so that two to three new members are elected/appointed each year. Each newly elected/appointed committee member will begin their three-year term in the fall semester after their election or appointment to CASI.

No member may serve for more than three consecutive years, with the exception of mid-year appointees who choose to run for election. Mid-term vacancies will be filled by appointment by the dean with input from the committee in such a way as to assure the functional area balance of the committee. The mid-term appointee will serve for the remainder of the vacant term.

The procedures for the election/nomination of academic staff members to the committee and any changes thereto, shall be posted. The Office of the Dean oversees the election process.

Procedures:

The CASI shall hold monthly meetings during the academic year in conjunction with the University Staff Issues Committee (USIC). Notice about date and time changes of the meetings will be communicated to all college academic staff.

The college’s academic staff are welcome to attend meetings of interest. Non-CASI staff may provide input to the meeting by being recognized by the dean. Tabling of an agenda item can be requested by a committee member at any time subject to a majority vote.

A draft agenda developed in consultation with the co-chairs of CASI and USIC will be sent to committee members within a reasonable period of time in advance of the meeting to allow additions and changes to the agenda.

The duty of presiding over meetings will alternate between CASI and USIC co-chairs on an academic year basis. The presiding co-chair will be responsible for running the meetings and communicating necessary information to both committees in preparation for meetings. Minutes from meetings will be constructed, distributed for review, and edited by the non-presiding co-chair. Once approved, the minutes will be posted to the College of Letters & Science Administrative Gateway.

Prior to the completion of the final meeting of an academic year, a CASI co-chair will be elected by the committee. In addition, an annual report may be submitted during or after the final meeting.

Subcommittees will be assembled as needed.

A member of CASI will be appointed to the L&S Professional Development and Recognition Committee (PDRC) and will normally serve for the remaining duration of their CASI term. The individual should be identified during early spring to produce a member by May.

At intervals not to exceed five years, the elected academic staff members of the committee shall review its structure and functions to assess its effectiveness as a voice for academic staff and its compliance with Academic Staff Policies and Procedures. The self-study report shall be submitted to the dean, to the academic staff of the college and to the Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC).

Proposed bylaw revisions or amendments shall be circulated to all CASI members a minimum of 14 days in advance of a CASI committee meeting and must be made available on the announced agenda that is communicated to all staff. An affirmative vote of the majority of the CASI voting members is required for passage of any bylaw revisions or amendments. The bylaws and any subsequent changes will be filed with the Secretary of the Academic Staff. The bylaws and any subsequent changes will be posted to the College of Letters & Science Administrative Gateway.

Approved on 05/14/2024