ALPHABET SOUP DECODER RING, Version 0.2
Compiled by Dan Ross, Academic Staff Assembly District 465
September 1998 (rev. February 1999)
Many of the entities listed below are referenced to in the Academic Staff home page.
APO (Academic Personnel Office): manages position vacancy listings for unclassified staff (academic staff and faculty) at UW-Madison.
ASA (Academic Staff Assembly): "legislative" branch of UW-Madison's academic staff governance, analogous to the Faculty Senate's role for faculty; approximately 100 representatives for districts grouped roughly by job duty and subject area; meets the second Monday of each month, September through May, 3:30-5, 272 Bascom Hall. All academic staff have a representative. Go to http://drc.academic-staff.wisc.edu to determine who your representative is.
ASAC (Academic Staff Appeals Committee): nine-member committee appointed by the Chancellor to review or hear all appeals of nonrenewals, nonretentions, layoffs, discipline, dismissals, and grievances. The ASAC submits its recommendations to the Provost, who, as the Chancellor's designee, makes the final decision.
ASEC (Academic Staff Executive Committee): nine-member "executive" branch of UW-Madison academic staff governance; elected at large; meets weekly.
ASM (Associated Students of Madison): UW-Madison's student governance body.
ASPP (Academic Staff Policies and Procedures): a publication describing procedures for academic staff on issues such as appointments, layoffs, discipline, and grievances. Available on the web site under "Documents". Is revised by the PPPC.
ASPRO (Academic Staff Public Representation Organization): a nonprofit group that represents academic staff interests before the state legislature and executive branch, the Board of Regents, and the general public. It is a lobbying organization for academic staff in the UW System; it lobbies on issues that benefit "all academic staff"; their first priority is pay and benefits legislation. It has a UW-Madison chapter. Membership is optional and is funded by a monthly payroll deduction of 0.1% of your gross monthly income. NOT a union.
CEBC (Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee): standing committee of the ASA; makes recommendations regarding compensation and fringe benefits issues, and generally forwards them on to the Madison ASPRO chapter. (Note: this is different than the Faculty Senate's Compensation and Economic Benefits Commission.)
DER (Department of Employee Relations): the state agency that controls allowable employee titles and pay ranges for state employees.
DRC (Districting and Representation Committee): standing committee of the ASA; maintains how districts are split up, who is in each district.
ECBS (Employee Compensation and Benefits Services): payroll processing center for all University of Wisconsin institutions and the central benefits office for University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Web site at http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/ecbs/ecbs.html
EDRC (Equity and Diversity Resource Center): provides campus wide assistance, consultation and training to employees and units regarding disability accommodations and related matters; investigates and resolves formal and informal complaints alleging discrimination and harassment; conducts professional development and training for faculty, academic and classified staff on AA/EEO and diversity issues; and ensures that UW-Madison is in compliance with federal and state AA/EEO laws and regulations and UW System requirements.
ETF (Department of Employee Trust Funds): the state agency that manages various state employee insurance and benefits programs, such as the state group health insurance plan available to UW and other state employees.
Faculty Senate: shared governance body for UW-Madison faculty.
MASA (Madison Academic Staff Association): a professional organization to advocate the interest of UW-Madison academic staff; not a union; annual membership fee. Organizes a speaker series. Web site at http://www.wisc.edu/masa/. NC (Nominating Committee): standing committee of the ASA; prepares election slates.
OHR (Office of Human Resources): UW-Madison personnel, training, and employee relations; includes APO and Classified Personnel Office. Web site at http://www.wisc.edu/ohr/
PDRC (Professional Development and Recognition Committee): standing committee of the ASA; manages the academic staff awards; organizes sessions on professional development for academic staff.
PPPC (Personnel Policies and Procedures Committee): standing committee of the ASA; deals with personnel issues; contents and revision of ASPP.
PROFS (Public Representation Organization of the Faculty Senate): the lobbying organization for faculty.
SPA (Student Personnel Association): professional association of UW-Madison personnel involved in student services.
TAA (Teaching Assistants' Association): union for UW-Madison teaching and project assistants (graduate students who teach or do certain project work).
UC (University Committee): the "executive branch" of the Faculty Senate.
UFAS (United Faculty and Academic Staff): an employee union for faculty and academic staff. UFAS is Local 223 of Wisconsin Federation of Teachers and American Federation of Teachers (WFT/AFT). Membership is optional, and there is a fee. (Note that faculty and academic staff do not have collective bargaining rights in the usual sense.)
WUU (Wisconsin University Union): a union for UW-Madison faculty and staff that is local with no national affiliations. Membership is optional, and there is a fee. (Note that faculty and academic staff do not have collective bargaining rights in the usual sense.)
Sources:
UFAS Guardian, Spring 1997
ASPRO Q&A mailing (1995?)
MASA publication, September 1996 (alphabet soup inspiration)
Various UW-Madison web sites
Academic Staff Assembly documents and meeting notes
Compiled by Dan Ross / dross@ssc.wisc.edu / Information Processing Consultant
Institute for Research on Poverty / University of Wisconsin-Madison
3440 Social Science / 1180 Observatory Drive / Madison, WI 53706-1393
+1 608-262-6579 / FAX +1 608-265-3119 / http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/irp/