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General information on joint committees

A page within Chancellor

What is a Joint Committee?

Joint Committees are advisory to the chancellor and are composed of individuals representing one or more governance groups (i.e., faculty senate, student senate, academic staff council, and university staff council) and often include other campus personnel who represent specific roles on campus. The composition of the committee should reflect the overall purpose of the committee and will be indicated in the committee's bylaws which require approval by the Chancellor. Governance groups nominate individuals through the processes indicated in their operating bylaws. The Chancellor charges the committee prior to the new academic year.  

By the end of May, the chair of each committee should submit an end-of-year report that include the members, the approximate number of meetings, the activities of the committee over the year, and any suggested charges for next year’s committee. Minutes and other materials should be submitted regularly through the academic year.

UWL Joint Committees

Committee

Academic Staff

nominated by Academic Staff Council

Faculty/IAS

nominated by Faculty Senate

University Staff

nominated by University Staff Council

Student Reps

Nominated by Student Senate

Other (as indicated in bylaws)

Joint Environmental Sustainability Committee
(n = 22)
Convenor: Sustainability Coordinator

3 NIAS 5 faculty/IAS 2 6 6: see bylaws

Joint Planning and Budget
(n = 28)
Convenor: Most senior Faculty Senate rep

5 NIAS 7 faculty/IAS 2 4 10: Vice Chancellors, Deans

Joint Legislative Affairs
(n = 8)
Convenor: Legislative Liaison

2 3 faculty/IAS 1 1 1: Legislative Liaison

Joint Multicultural Affairs Committee
(n=14)
Convenor: Vice Chancellor for Diversity & Inclusion

3 7 faculty/IAS 1 3 4: VC D&I, AAO, OMSS Director
Joint Committee on Civil Discourse
(n = 10)
Convenor: Center for Transformative Justice Director
2 2 faculty/IAS 2 2

2: Center for Transformative Justice Director and an ad-hoc member appointed by the chancellor.

Joint Ethics Committee
(n= 6)
Convenor: NA

2 4 faculty/IAS NA NA looking for original charter

Joint Promotion Committee*
(n = 17)
Convenor: Provost

NA 12 full professors NA NA 5: Provost and 4 Deans

*JPC's operating policies are determined by Faculty Senate.

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Chancellor Committee Guidelines

The guidelines below are intended to help new conveners, chairs, and recorders in fulfilling their roles.

General

All committees are to follow Robert’s Rules of Order. Answers to some frequently asked questions can be found at http://www.robertsrules.com/faq.html.  All committees must comply with the Open Meeting Law

In particular, the law requires the following:

The provision in Wis. Stat. § 19.84(3) requires that every public notice of a meeting be given at least twenty-four hours in advance of the meeting, unless “for good cause” such notice is “impossible or impractical.”  If “good cause” exists, the notice should be given as soon as possible and must be given at least two hours in advance of the meeting. Wis. Stat. § 19.84(3). 

Committees should post the meeting announcements following the procedure outlined on the UWL open meetings webpage.

Convener

Unless your committee has a regularly scheduled meeting time, contact all committee members (including student members if applicable) for their schedule and find a time to hold the organizational meeting. Call the organizational meeting to order and conduct an election for committee chair. Communicate information from the convener’s meeting to the new chair.

Chair

Promptly notify Chancellor's Office of the results of the election of officers. Make arrangements for meetings and give notification of date, time and place of meeting. Be sure to comply with the Open Meeting Law.  Send out an agenda for each meeting at least a few days prior to the meeting. The agenda need not be long, but should include: 

  • Name of the committee
  • Date, time and location of the meeting
  • Topics that will be discussed at the meeting
  • If appropriate, a statement indicating that the meeting may go into closed session (for student appeals, etc.)  Run the meetings following Robert’s Rules of Order

Submit an end-of-year report that include the members, the approximate number of meetings, the activities of the committee over the year, and any suggested charges for next year’s committee.

Recorder

Take clear, concise minutes for each meeting. (See below for recommendations on what goes into the minutes.) Type up each set of minutes and distribute to the committee members in a timely fashion. After the minutes have been approved by the committee (preferably at the next scheduled meeting), send the approved minutes to Chancellor's Office for posting. Confidential information (student names in appeals, etc.) should be removed before posting approved minutes. NOTE: If the job of recorder is rotated through committee members, the chair should take this responsibility.

Suggestions on taking meeting minutes.  Minutes should include the following: 

  • Name of Committee
  • Date and Location of Meeting
  • Attendees (members & visitors)
  • Absent members and whether the absence is excused.
  • Meeting Time (when called to order & adjourned)
  • Name of person who took the minutes.
  • A summary of the committee discussions (not the content of every comment or who made the comment). Remember that minutes are the official record of what happened, not what was said, at a meeting.
  • Complete statement of any motions and the results of the vote. Reports, statements, etc. should not be included in the text of the minutes. Rather, they should be attached to the minutes.