Northern Arizona University
PA-3: Governance

Associated Students of Northern Arizona University (ASNAU) is the undergraduate student governing board. Another branch of ASNAU is the Arizona Students’ Association, which is a statewide student-lobbying group. These delegates represent concerns regarding higher education before the Arizona Board of Regents, the state legislature, and the federal government. There are many ways to get involved in student government. The New Student Organization is a great avenue that allows incoming students to learn more about ASNAU and the campus. ASNAU sponsors Homecoming activities, Family Weekend, Holiday Week, The LOUIE Awards, leadership retreats, and recreational events. Also offered are free services such as notary public and legal services. Graduate Student Government (GSG) is the governing board for graduate students at Northern Arizona University. The GSG offers travel awards for graduate students, upholds a housing listserv, advocates for increased graduate assistant benefits and tuition remission, collaborates with the Arizona Students’ Association and the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students on state and national higher education issues, serves on university-wide committees, and organizes social gatherings for graduate students and families.

ASNAU – The Executive Branch consists of the Student Body President, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Vice President of Student Affairs. The Student Senate is composed of senators who are elected yearly from each college; five senators are also elected to represent the students at large. GSG - The GSG Executive officers consist of a graduate President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary elected by the graduate student majority. The Representative body is formed of representatives elected yearly from each college as well as two extended campus representatives and two at-large representatives.

ASNAU consists of three branches; the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial. The Executive branch of ASNAU consists of the President, Vice President for Student Services, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief of Staff. The Legislative branch is made up of Senators elected from the various schools and colleges of the university with several senators elected "at large" from the general student population. ASNAU works to provide leadership on behalf of the student body to the university administration, Arizona Board of Regents and the Arizona Legislature regarding matters of educational concern at Northern Arizona University. The judicial branch is comprised of the ASNAU Supreme Court which interprets the ASNAU, Arizona, and United States constitutions regarding student government issues. There are many opportunities for involvement in ASNAU through a variety of appointed positions. Some of the appointed positions include: Arizona Students Association (ASA) delegates, Public Relations Coordinator, Special Events Coordinator, Leadership Coordinator, Chief of Staff student members of university committees, as well as other special committee and task force assignments. ASNAU BOARDS AND COMMITTEES ASNAU committees, comprised entirely of undergraduate students, investigate and discuss matters of significance to the student body, and make recommendations to the university administration. Students on these boards and committees in areas such as residence life, food service, parking, etc., play an important role in the formulation of university policy. FRESHMEN PROGRAMS - ASNAU The New Student Organization is an organization within ASNAU. NSO strives to involve freshmen and transfer students in student government activities as well as a variety of campus and community events. NSO members coordinate social and service projects throughout the year, promote various ASNAU activities in conjunction with ASNAU, and serve as pages for ASNAU Senate meetings. Graduate Student Government (GSG) consists of two branches; the Executive and Representative. The Executive branch of GSG consists of the President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. The Representative branch is made up of representatives elected from the various schools and colleges of the university with two representatives elected "at large" from the general student population. GSG also works to provide leadership on behalf of the student body to the university administration, Arizona Board of Regents and the Arizona Legislature regarding matters of educational concern at Northern Arizona University. Working with the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students, GSG also lobbies at the national level to enhance graduate education. Some appointed positions include: Arizona Students Association (ASA) delegates, university-wide committees and standing committees including Marketing and Communication, Policy and Legislative Action, Social Activities, and Appropriations and Travel Awards. GSG BOARDS AND COMMITTEES GSG committees, comprised of graduate students, investigate and discuss matters of significance to the student body, and make recommendations to the university administration. Students on these boards and committees in areas such as parking, etc., play an important role in the formulation of university policy.

Service Professional Advisory Council (SPAC) is the officially recognized body to represent Service Professionals on campus. They meet once each month during the academic year. All Service Professionals are encouraged to attend meetings. NAU's Classified Staff Advisory Council (CSAC) advises and makes recommendations to university administrators on existing and proposed policies, procedures, and programs which impact or are of particular interest to classified staff. CSAC serves as a communication medium for all classified staff, acting as staff liaison with other university constituencies in an effort to foster effective dialogue university-wide. CSAC provides a forum for discussing and defining the role of classified staff in the university community, representing and advocating their concerns throughout the university community. CSAC serves as a resource for inquiries and requests and works to protect and promote the general welfare of classified staff within the parameters of the university’s mission. The Council of Academic Professionals consists of the employees of NAU in the category of Academic Professional. The purposes of CAP are to: a. Address the professional interests and concerns of council members and be a collective voice for members on issues related to the conditions under which members practice their professions; b. Be the collegial body through which members participate as professionals in the shared governance of the university library; c. Provide for the participation of members in the shared governance of the university by the election of a Faculty Senate Representative, election to university committees as appropriate, and by recommending to the Dean and University Librarian representatives of the library to elected university committees, and in other appropriate ways; and d. Provide for peer participation in personnel decisions related to its members, including appointment, retention, continuing status, promotion, salary adjustments, and related professional concerns.

President’s Cabinet—NAU’s governing body has a representative of SPAC and CSAC who are appointed by the peers to provide perspectives of and voice for staff. Typically they are the current year chairs, but could be other designated members of the staff organizations.

Representatives of SPAC and CSAC are part of the Strategic Planning and Budget Council, a body that collaboratively and collectively oversees the strategic planning processes. The staff representatives participated in vetting new strategic goals (2013) and setting long-range goals and priorities (2012). Every January or February they identify short-term priorities and investments by participating in the Leadership Day activities. Theie staff representatives provide feedback on the institution’s state budget request through discussion on SPAC in September/October of every year. They also advise on communication tactics associated with engaging the campus community in strategic planning. In 2013 they helped select the focus quality initiative for the accreditation process.

The Constitution of the Faculty of Northern Arizona University establishes a Faculty Senate as the representative body of the faculty. The Senate consists of members elected from and by the Faculty and the Officers of the Faculty Senate. For the purpose of nomination of and voting for Faculty Senators, the faculty shall be divided into voting units by colleges, schools, or comparable units as defined in the relevant section of the Bylaws. The number of Senate seats assigned to each voting unit shall be proportionate to the total number of full-time equivalent Faculty members in the unit; each voting unit is entitled to at least one Senator. Each academic unit shall be certified for Senate representation by a two-thirds vote of the Senate. The Senate provides a forum for free discussion, decision-making, and independent statements of Faculty concerns and judgment. It is also the main vehicle through which the Faculty discharges its role in shared governance at the University, within the scope of its authority as established by Arizona law and the policies of the Arizona Board of Regents. The Faculty Senate normally functions as the forum for faculty deliberation and consent in the introduction, approval, or revision of all academic policy in any matter concerning the governance structures it sponsors directly, in the form of Faculty Senate committees, or in the university committees it oversees, including those defined by the Conditions of Faculty Service or described elsewhere in the Faculty Handbook. Senate Constitution: http://nau.edu/Faculty-Senate/Documents/

Academic Chairs Council Executive Director and Faculty Senate President serve on the President’s Cabinet ex-officio.

Faculty representatives of Faculty Senate, Academic Chairs Council, and Curriculum and Assessment are part of the Strategic Planning and Budget Council (SPAC), a body that collaboratively and collectively oversees the strategic planning processes. The faculty representatives participated in vetting new strategic goals (2013), setting long-range goals and priorities (2012), identified short-term priorities and investments through the Leadership Day process (February 2014), and provided feedback on budget request (October 2014). They also advise on communication tactics associated with engaging the campus community in strategic planning. The faculty representatives serving on faculty governing bodies also establish new policies, programs, and initiatives.