Nominations accepted for new Classified Staff Executive Committee

Nominations for UW–Madison’s first-ever Classified Staff Executive Committee are being sought from classified staff members. Nine people will be elected, representing nearly 5,000 employees.

Nominations will be accepted through Oct. 3. Ballots will be mailed to voters’ homes starting Oct. 18. Completed ballots must be returned or postmarked by Oct. 30.

Once elected, committee members will represent classified staff on a variety of university issues and will also recommend appointments to other campus committees.

Elected representatives or classified employees already appointed to existing campus advisory committees are able to perform their shared governance duties within their scheduled work hours. If necessary, the university will work with employees to adjust schedules so they will be able to participate.

To be nominated, candidates need to fill out a paper declaring whether they’re running for a “general at-large” seat or for a seat that signifies their employee category. Categories include administrative support, blue collar, building trades, fiscal staff services, technical, science professional, classified non-represented staff, second or third shift at-large, and general at-large.

The elections are intended to be a diverse and democratic representation of the classified staff. Seven of the seats were created to generate candidates from work groups with more than 200 employees. One seat is dedicated to second and third shift representation with another general “at-large” seat.

A UW–Madison classified co-worker is required to vouch for the nominee on the election form. Signing the voucher doesn’t mean that person will vote for the candidate. Rather, the person’s signature vouches that the candidate is a UW–Madison classified staff employee.

The Classified Staff Advisory Committee (CSAC) is overseeing the election with the assistance of interim secretary of the classified staff John Lease. After the election, the advisory committee will be dissolved and replaced by the Classified Staff Executive Committee.

“The task of the classified staff does not end with the election; in fact, that is when their work just begins,” says CSAC Chair Russell Kutz. “We on the advisory committee designed the initial election process, but those elected will have to decide what structure shared governance will take in regard to future elections, as well as the design of other elected and appointed bodies.”

The goal is to provide shared governance opportunities for classified staff employees similar to those for academic staff and faculty. Previously, all classified staff did not have a formal governance structure at UW–Madison.

The UW System Board of Regents on Sept. 6 approved a resolution authorizing the classified staff of each system institution to develop a governance structure and select representatives to participate in campus governance.

All permanent members of the UW–Madison classified staff have the opportunity to run in the election and to vote. Regardless of the voter’s shift, title or UW–Madison workplace location, all classified employees will have the option of voting in the contests for each of the nine seats but may not vote for more than one candidate in each category.

Candidates who are elected will serve a minimum of two years and a maximum of three years. The exact term, as well as how often the committee is to meet, will be decided by the executive committee once it is elected.

More information, including candidate profiles once nominations are closed, can be found on the advisory committee’s website or by contacting John Lease at 608-263-2995 or jlease@vc.wisc.edu. Paper copies of all election-related materials are available at room 167A Bascom Hall.