Become an ASUC Representative to an Academic Senate or Administrative Committee!
As the voice of the student body in campus affairs, the ASUC has the great responsibility of appointing students to sit on major campus decision-making committees. Committees, which consist of administrators, faculty, staff, and students, make policy recommendations on a host of issues, including sustainability, financial aid, grading protocols, and so much more! The ASUC is looking for passionate and dedicated undergraduate students to sit on these committees for the 2015-16 school year!
Why committees matter:
Committees are one of the most effective channels for students to directly affect policy at the University level. Almost every major decision made my the faculty leaders or administration is vetted and shaped by committees. The discussions in these committees shape the agenda for faculty and administrative leaders, and policy proposals are painstakingly dissected in these spaces to ensure stakeholder needs are met. Having active and passionate student voices in these committees is vitally important to ensuring students are stakeholders in the shared governance in our University. Very few students get the opportunity to interact with University decision-makers and policy at this level, making it a great opportunity to advance student needs while gaining valuable, resume-ready experience.
Expectations of committee representatives:
- Representatives must attend all committee meetings; meetings are typically scheduled via bCal or Doodle poll, allowing student representatives to play a role in determining the meeting time. If unable to attend a meeting, they must notify their designated AAVP staffer in advance
a - Representatives must attend an orientation session during the first week of Fall instruction (there will be multiple orientations offered, but reps need only attend one)
a - Representatives must attend monthly meetings with AAVP staff to discuss pertinent campus issues and developments within their committee(s); meetings will be scheduled via bCal or Doodle poll
a - Representatives must complete short written reports (via Callink) after each committee meeting to share committee agenda, minutes, and updates, which will be shared with the ASUC Senate and student body [unless prohibited by confidentiality rules in their committee(s)]
a - Representatives for certain committees may be asked to sit on relevant ASUC working groups and/or present in person to the ASUC Senate
We are no longer accepting applications for the 2015-2016 school year, but check back next April for new openings for the following academic year!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is the Academic Senate?
A: The Academic Senate is the official, recognized voice of faculty at Berkeley. The Berkeley Division is part of a larger UC-wide Academic Senate, although its purview is focused on Berkeley campus affairs specifically. Administration, recognizing the importance of faculty shaping curriculum and educational policy, as well determining important faculty processes (such as tenure), gives the Academic Senate extensive decision-making power. The Academic Senate discusses and shapes policy through committees, consisting of between five to twenty faculty members and between two to four students (typically one undergraduate and one graduate). Recommendations from committees are forwarded to the Division (consisting of all Academic Senate-eligible faculty) and, from there, to senior administrators. More information can be found at the Academic Senate website.
Q: What are administrative committees? How are they different from Academic Senate committees?
A: Administrative committees are bodies formed by senior administrators (such as the Chancellor and Vice Chancellors) to provide advice and guidance on specific issues from various stakeholders. They often consist of administrators, staff, faculty, and at least two students (typically one undergraduate and one graduate). Most administrative committees meet less frequently than Academic Senate committees.
Q: Do I need to have ASUC experience to sit on a committee?
A: No, all undergraduate students are eligible to apply, and experience working in the ASUC is not a necessary or preferred qualification. Please note, though, that the ASUC would prefer to appoint reps with previous committee rep experience to certain higher-level committees. Please pay attention to the preferred qualifications for each committee (which can be found on the committee openings page) before applying.
Q: Can I sit on more than one committee?
A: We allow applicants to rank committee preferences on the application (up to three preferences). Applicants will be considered for all committees noted on their application. Based on the size and qualifications of the applicant pool, applicants may be selected to serve on more than one, but no more than two, committee(s).
Q: What support can I expect from the ASUC as a student representative?
A: As one of few student voices on these extremely important committees, committee representatives must be well-prepared to hold their own in these spaces. To that end, the ASUC Academic Affairs Vice President is committed to providing representatives with pertinent information and preparation to be an active advocate for students in the committee spaces. Each representative will have a staff member in the AAVP Policy Department to whom they can go at any time for advice, administrative help, and research support. These staff members will organize monthly meetings between committee representatives in similar issue areas to coordinate strategy and share pertinent updates.
Q: I have more questions! Who can I ask?
A: Don’t hesitate to contact AAVP Policy Coordinator Kyle Evanko at k.evanko@berkeley.edu or Chief of Staff Denim Ohmit at aavpchief@asuc.org.