How to be a good Assembly representative
Introduce yourself to your district
Send a message explaining who you are, where you are, how you can be reached,
what a rep does, etc. See samples on the web of good introductory messages
at (acstaff.wisc.edu/repexamples). You represent a group of people
in similar job titles, not all of whom are near you geographically.
Find an alternate
Ask for a volunteer from your district to be your alternate when you cannot
attend Assembly meetings. If no one comes forward voluntarily, do some
recruiting. Contact the Secretary's office (3-2985) with the name of your
alternate.
Attend Assembly meetings
Come as often as you can. Let your alternate know if you cannot make it
to a meeting. If there are issues of concern to your district members
on the agenda, poll your district to solicit their opinions prior to the
meeting. If there is to be a vote, discuss with your alternate how your
district members might feel about the issue. Bring your alternate or any
other district member along to the meetings. (Only you OR your alternate
can vote if you are both in attendance.) Assembly meetings are open to
everyone.
Update your email list
You will receive a new email list of your district members each month.
Replace the old list by cutting and pasting the new one into your email
address book. See specific instructions for each browser at acstaff.wisc.edu/email.
(When you send an email to your district, always use the blind copy (Bcc:)
feature of your email program so that people don't have to scroll through
many email addresses in the header to get to your message.) Send your
welcome message to any new people on the list.
The email lists you receive are about three months behind actual personnel data, so if a message comes back as undeliverable, the person may have left the campus. These lists come directly from a central campus database, so they cannot be modified en route. The information comes from what is submitted to the payroll system, so any changes must be made through a unit's human resources office.
Keep in touch with your district
Send Assembly minutes (complete or digested) to your district members
by email. Pass on other information as requested by the Secretary of the
Academic Staff that may relate to issues or events of interest.
Familiarize yourself with the Assembly Handbook
The Handbook has lots of important information. Look it over and keep
it handy as a reference. Also, attend the annual Assembly orientation
in the fall for more tips. The academic staff website is also a useful
tool: www.wisc.edu/acstaff.
Participate in Assembly meetings
Don't hesitate to ask a question of any Standing Committee chair, ASEC
chair, or the presiding officer of the Assembly, usually the provost.
This is your opportunity to get answers from top administrators on any
campus issue. When you wish to speak, go to a floor microphone stand or
request a handheld microphone. If you know in advance that you want to
speak on an issue, sit on the aisle for easy access to the microphones.
Learn about the standing committees and their roles
Information on all of the Assembly's standing committees can be found
on the web at http://wwww.wisc.edu/acstaff. Look in the left-hand panel
on this page for links to the Compensation and Employee Benefits Committee
(CEBC), Districting Committee (DC), Nominating Committee (NC), Personnel
Policies and Procedures Committee (PPPC), and Professional Development
and Recognition Committee (PDRC).
Use the Assembly listserv
The listserv has been established to give Assembly reps and alternates
a chance to ask each other questions and converse on issues that might
be of concern to all. It's a quick and easy way to communicate between
meetings. (You can request to be removed from the listserv at any time.)
Go to assembly@lists.services.wisc.edu.
Agree to continue as rep past your two-year term
The term of office for an Assembly representative is two years, but most
representatives stay on for several terms. When your term is up, your
district will be queried for other possible candidates. Occasionally,
there is an election, but mostly it's a "volunteer" position.
Once you are an experienced representative, you may have the opportunity
to run for a Standing Committee position or be appointed to a campus-wide
committee. The Nominating Committee plays a key role in recruiting for
these positions.
Take advantage of your mentor's experience
ASEC members and some Standing Committee chairs act as mentors to Assembly
representatives. All Assembly representatives have been assigned to a
mentor. Your mentor will contact you in the fall. This experienced governance
person can answer your questions and provide advice should you need it.