The Graduate School

GRADUATE SCHOOL COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC STAFF ISSUES (CASI) BYLAWS

Adopted: 13 June 2003
Last Amended: 20 May 2009

PREAMBLE:
At the January 12, 1998 meeting, the Academic Staff Assembly approved Academic Staff Document #210, titled "School, College, and Division Committees on Academic Staff Issues." 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 this document as applicable.

MISSION STATEMENT:
The Committee on Academic Staff Issues (CASI) shall advise the Dean on the formulation and review, and shall be represented in the development, of all policies and procedures concerning academic staff members of the Graduate School, including personnel policies and procedures.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Responsibilities of the CASI include but are not limited to:
   1. Represent Graduate School academic staff in the development and review of all Graduate School policies and procedures concerning Graduate School academic staff
   2. Promote a positive climate and enhance an appreciation for diversity among Graduate School academic staff
   3. Advise the Dean on Graduate School program decisions likely to affect promotional opportunities or lead to nonrenewal or layoff of Graduate School academic staff
   4. Recommend opportunities for participation of Graduate School academic staff in governance
   5. Recommend opportunities for recognition of Graduate School academic staff contributions to the excellence of the Graduate School
   6. Recommend mentoring and professional development programs for Graduate School academic staff
   7. Represent the Graduate School academic staff in communications to the Academic Staff Assembly (ASA) and its Standing Committees, the Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC), the Academic Staff Public Representation Organization (ASPRO), other campus committees, and the Secretary of the Academic Staff
   8. Serve as a forum for discussion of the concerns of Graduate School academic staff.

MEMBERSHIP:

1. Size:
   1. The CASI shall consist of 12 voting academic staff members, ten of whom will be elected by the Graduate School's academic staff and two of whom shall be appointed by the Dean. All elected and appointed members must hold at least a 50% appointment with the University and be members of the Graduate School academic staff.
   2. The Dean and the Assistant Dean for Budget and Personnel are non-voting members of the CASI. As per the Dean's recommendation, the GS CASI Vice-chair shall serve as the Graduate School's Academic Planning Council (APC) representative. In addition, the Committee may recommend to the Dean that additional non-voting member(s) be appointed to provide ongoing expertise in any area(s) that it deems necessary.
2. Terms of Office:
   1. Membership terms shall be three years for each elected position. One third of the membership is elected annually. Appointed positions shall serve a three year term. Terms shall begin on July 1 and terminate on June 30.
3. Election Processes:
   1. The process of selection shall foster representation of all academic staff within the Graduate School. The Dean's appointments shall ensure a broadly representative committee.
   2. Timing. Elections shall be held annually in the spring semester for 1/3 of the elected positions. One third of the Dean's appointees shall be made each year.
   3. Slate. The Dean will issue a call for nominations to all Graduate School academic staff. Individuals may self nominate or be nominated by others. The Nomination subcommittee will review eligibility of the candidates and develop a slate of nominees. Individuals who self nominate and academic staff members who accept a nomination will submit a brief statement to the Nomination subcommittee that includes information on the candidate's background, the interest/reasons for serving and any other information the candidate would like a voter to have when casting a ballot.
   4. Elections. Balloting will be done by campus mail or electronically.
4. Vacancies:
   1. Appointed Positions. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the Dean within six months of the vacancy.
   2. Elected Positions. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the Dean with the consent of the CASI. These appointees shall serve until the next annual election when they may seek election to the remainder of the term or a new term as appropriate. If a position becomes vacant with a term of less than six months, the Dean may choose not to appoint anyone.

PROCEDURES:

1. Meetings:
   1. The Dean or Dean's designee shall chair the Committee. A Vice Chair shall be elected annually at the first meeting of the committee year. The Vice Chair shall chair the committee in the absence of the Chair. An Vice-chair pro tem shall be appointed by the Vice-chair to chair meetings in the absence of the Dean and Vice-chair.
   2. The Committee shall meet at least six times during the committee year.
   3. The Chair will schedule additional meetings of the CASI within a reasonable time if requested to do so by at least one-third of Committee.
2. Agendas: The preparation of the meeting agenda will be the responsibility of the Chair or the designee, in consultation with the Vice Chair. Members of the CASI may submit items for the agenda anytime prior to 48 hours before a scheduled meeting.
3. Minutes: Minutes will be prepared for each meeting. The responsibility for keeping the minutes will be decided at the first meeting of each committee year. Minutes will be distributed to the full Committee with the agenda for the next meeting. The minutes from the previous meeting are accepted or modified at the beginning of each meeting of the Committee. If the meeting lacks a quorum, the minute taker will distribute the minutes electronically. Each voting member of the committee will then approve or modify the minutes electronically. Approved minutes shall be available publicly.
4. Quorum, Voting: A quorum is 8 voting members. A vote may not be taken without a quorum present.
5. Annual reports: At the end of each committee year, the Committee will prepare a report summarizing its activities for that year. The report shall include a list of the Committee membership, and be available publicly. A written copy shall be available upon request. A copy shall be sent to the Secretary of the Academic Staff.
6. Records of the committee: The committee records will reside with the Office of the Dean.
7. Self-study: At intervals not to exceed five years, the members of the CASI shall review its structure and functions to assess the CASI's effectiveness as a voice for Graduate School academic staff and its compliance with Academic Staff Policies and Procedures. The CASI shall submit the self-study report to the Dean and to the Academic Staff Executive Committee, and make it available to the academic staff of the Graduate School.

SUBCOMMITTEES:

1. Standing subcommittees: The following subcommittees are established in accordance with these bylaws of the Graduate School Committee on Academic Staff Issues. The membership and appointments to these committees rests with the CASI. A member of the CASI shall chair each subcommittee, but the membership may include Graduate School academic staff who are not members of the current CASI.
   1. Professional Development & Recognition: This standing subcommittee will be responsible for recommending strategies for the professional development and recognition for academic staff within the Graduate School. Developing and managing a mentoring program for new academic staff in the Graduate School is included within the scope of this subcommittee.
   2. Communications: This standing subcommittee will be responsible for establishing and monitoring the efforts to maintain communication with Graduate School academic staff and with academic staff committees external to the Graduate School. These efforts could include managing a website and preparing the annual report.
   3. Nominations & Districting: This subcommittee is responsible for ensuring that academic staff positions for membership on the CASI, membership on CASI subcommittees, and appointments to other committees within the Graduate School have qualified nominees. This subcommittee is also responsible for assigning the academic staff of the Graduate School to the CASI election districts so as to ensure fair and sensible representation of all Graduate School academic staff on the CASI. Appendix A describes the initial district assignments of April 2003.
   4. Personnel Policies & Procedures: This subcommittee is responsible for monitoring the personnel policies and procedures of the Graduate School for compliance with Academic Staff Policies and Procedures.
2. Ad hoc: The CASI will employ ad hoc subcommittees to address specific issues of interest to the academic staff of the Graduate School.

BYLAWS REVISIONS:

1. Any revision or amendment to the bylaws will require a two-thirds majority (8) of all voting members.
2. Proposed bylaw changes shall be circulated to all CASI members a minimum of 14 days prior to a meeting.
3. The bylaws and any subsequent changes will be filed with the secretary of the academic staff and made available to academic staff upon request.