UW System Alliance for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Advancement in STEM Program Bylaws 

Composition of the Advisory Board: 

  • Each comprehensive campus can have two representatives plus one additional representative from a satellite campus, where appropriate, for a total of three campus representatives.
  • Up to two administrators may serve as representatives on the Board, no more than one from any campus.
  • The Board may include up to two industry representatives.
  • The Program Director is a member of the Advisory Board.
  • The Program Associate is a non-voting member of the Advisory Board.
  • Terms for Board members run from July 1 to June 30 of the appropriate years.

Selection of Advisory Board Members:

  • When there is an opening for an Advisory Board Member, the junior co-chair will notify the Provost (or designee) from that campus, copying the campus reps(s), to put out a call to faculty, academic staff and administrators in early March for applications to serve on the Board.
  • The current campus Board members will work with their Provost and Deans’ offices to encourage interest and formalize up to three nominations. Nominated individuals will complete the online application form by April 15.
  • The Provost (or designee) will forward up to three nominations to the Board by April 30.
  • Applications will be reviewed by the Program Director, with input from current nominating campus representatives for approval. If multiple nominations are received for a single opening, the Advisory Board Co-Chairs will be consulted.
  • By January of their third year, a renewal letter will be sent to Members. If a Member chooses to renew for another three-year term, they need to notify the co-chair by February. This allows the co-chairs to determine if the campus needs to be contacted for applications.
  • Members are allowed to serve an unlimited number of terms, as long as they are meeting the expectations of Advisory Board Members.
  • If any Advisory Board seats are unfilled after the spring Board meeting (whether an opening occurs following the normal process or a Board Member must step away from their term), the recruitment process can be repeated in order to fill the open seats at the fall Board meeting. Term renewals for these new Board Members will follow the standard process and timeline.

Duties of Advisory Board Members:

Advisory Board Members are expected to meet the following responsibilities. Members who are not meeting these duties will be given notice in their second year that they need to participate to maintain their position. If a Member continues to not meet their responsibilities, the co-chairs have the right to remove them from membership on the Advisory Board.

  • Attend at least three Board meetings per 3-year term
  • Serve on ad hoc and/or standing committees as needed
  • Assist with on-campus Program events and activities
  • Write annual campus report to submit to Board
  • Meet annually with appropriate administrator (Provost/Dean/etc.) about Program activities
  • Assist with recruiting Board members
  • Promote Program events on their campus
  • Help on-board new members

Election of Co-chairs:

The Board will elect two co-chairs with staggered, two-year terms. Elections will take place at the spring meeting, or by electronic ballot, and the term of a co-chair will run from July 1 to June 30. Incumbents may run for another term. A Member in their “alternate” year is eligible to be chair. Nominees must agree to serve. The Program Director is not eligible to be co-chair.

Duties of Co-chairs:

  • The co-chairs are responsible for approving the agenda for meetings, and working with the Program Director and Program Associate to ensure proper functioning of the Board.
  • If a co-chair cannot attend a meeting, it is their responsibility to ensure that a substitute will be able to take on their duties.
  • If both co-chairs are absent, the meeting will be run by the most recent past co-chair.
  • The senior co-chair is responsible for running the meeting, adhering to Robert’s Rules of Order; if the senior co-chair is unavailable, the junior co-chair will take their place.
  • Co-chairs will sign annual service letters to active campus representatives.
  • The junior co-chair will send a letter before the spring meeting of the third year for Members that have not met the duties of Board Members.
  • Co-chairs will provide input on new membership as needed.
  • Co-chairs can call for new ad hoc committees during a meeting and call for Members.

Ex-Officio Members (Non-voting):

  • Ex-officio members of the Board may include former Board members, former Program Directors, UW-System administrators, the Director of UW-WGS
  • The Board may include ex-officio members from campus or non-campus organizations.
  • Ex-officio members receive agendas and other Board materials.
  • Up to two ex-officio members may attend Board meetings in person, supported by the Program. All ex-officio members are welcome to attend meetings via videoconference or phone.
  • Two additional ex-officio, non-voting members at the Director’s discretion, may be appointed with approval from the Board.

Friends of the Program:

  • The Program shall keep a list of Friends of the Program. Friends of the Program include:
    1. Board Members, past and present
    2. Attendees of Program events
    3. Interested campus and non-campus people who request to be on the list
  • A listserv will provide information to the Friends via email.
  • Anyone can be removed from the listserv by request to the Program Associate.

Meetings:

  • The Board will plan to meet twice a year, once in person, and once via video conference.
  • Each campus can send two representatives to in-person meetings. Alternates and ex-officio members can attend online meetings and can participate in in-person meetings via videoconferencing.
  • Each campus is allowed up to two votes.

Quorum and Voting:

  • A quorum is a simple majority (50% plus one) of voting members.
  • If a quorum is not met, the actions of the Board are binding if the entire membership is polled by electronic means, and no dissenting responses to the actions are forthcoming.
  • Representatives can give a proxy for a vote by contacting a co-chair, or by electronic ballot, at least one day before the meeting at which the vote takes place.
  • To pass, a motion must earn a simple majority of votes cast.

Committees:

  • Standing committees include Curriculum Reform Grant Reviewing. A new standing committee can be requested by making a motion at a Board meeting.
  • Ad hoc committees can be called for by co-chairs.

Adopting and Amending the Bylaws:

A motion to amend the bylaws can be made by any voting Member of the Board. The vote will take place at the following meeting or electronically. A vote to change the bylaws will pass if 2/3 of the available voting Members agree.

Universities of Wisconsin Alliance for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Advancement in STEM

UW Oshkosh Campus
Halsey Science Center, Room 121
(920) 424-7414
ideas@uwosh.edu