History

History

1973

Merger legislation Chapter 36.03(1) of the Wisconsin Statutes defined “Academic staff,” an unheard of personnel classification in the old State College System. The statutes failed to grant responsibilities for Academic Staff in Chapter 36.09 as it had for others, including faculty and students.

1979 – 1982

The UW-Stout Rules and Procedures Committee met to formulate UW-Stout policies to correspond to Wisconsin Administrative Code UWS Chapters 9 – 13. UW-Stout 9.02(1) authorized the Academic Staff committee to “assist the chancellor in an advisory capacity in the establishment and implementation of academic staff personnel policies and procedures.”

March 30, 1982

The first meeting of the Academic Staff Committee. The committee was determined to improve the climate for academic staff at UW-Stout. UW-Stout Chapters 9–13 needed guidelines established, intent more clearly defined, and procedures written, including positive action, contract types, contractual language, job retention, rolling horizon contracts, salary guidelines, and “faculty status.”

August 1982

The beginning of organized advocacy for academic staff within the UW System through periodic unofficial meetings of Academic Staff committee chairs and Board of Regents guests.

November 17, 1982

Chancellor approved an expanded role for the Academic Staff Committee that included advising the chancellor on ALL matters concerning academic staff. There was strong support for the work of the committee by Chancellor Bob Swanson, Vice Chancellor Wes Face and Associate Vice Chancellor Earl Gierke.

July, 1983 – April, 1984

Review of Academic Staff Policies and Practices. At the request of the Board of Regents, System Administration presented the review in five phases to the BOR. Results were wide reaching including changes in governance responsibilities, increased job security, advancement, professional development, title and wage structure, representation at system level, and request for statutory changes.

September 25, 1985 – 1987

Steering Committee for Academic Staff Compensation Study (Hayes/Hill) established consistent titles, types of appointments and compensation structure.

1985

Wisconsin Statutes added Chapter 36.09(4m) creating a statutory role for academic staff and allowed the right to organize and participate in institutional governance.

March, 1986

Special Committee on Governance appointed by Academic Staff Committee to develop governance models. Academic Staff Committee recommended three models of shared governance to be forwarded to the Faculty Senate for their consideration.

November, 1986

Academic Staff Committee requested that academic staff representatives be appointed to the all-university committees. Chancellor Swanson concurred.

December, 1986

A joint task force was formed to examine the three models of shared governance. The recommended model was forwarded to the Faculty Senate and approved with modifications on September 15, 1987. Subsequent approval of this model by the UW-Stout Academic Staff led to the creation of a parallel Senate of Academic Staff with several committees having joint representation of academic staff and faculty.

November 16, 1987

Constituting meeting of the UW-Stout Senate of Academic Staff

November, 1987 – Present

The Senate of Academic Staff continues to be an integral part of shared governance at UW-Stout. For two decades the Senate of Academic Staff has actively represented the academic staff at UW-Stout. The Senate continues to be an advocate for academic staff and for the university. Over the years many academic staff have contributed immeasurably as senators and/or members of various committees. Academic staff are knowledgeable, proactive, positive, professional, and each strives to build a strong university community. Academic Staff have come a long way since they began to advocate for governance responsibilities in 1982.