University of Wisconsin-River Falls
PA-3: Inclusive and Participatory Governance

We have four shared governance groups on campus including the Student Government Association, the University Staff Senate, the Academic Staff Council, and the Faculty Senate. The four shared governance groups represent different campus constituents but also work collaboratively on larger issues.

Representatives from the business community, local governments, and organizations serve on advisory boards and support the institution through various means. Volunteer engagement opportunities are offered through membership on various Advisory Councils, the UW-River Falls Foundation Board of Directors, and the UWRF Alumni Advisory Board. Following is more detail on those and similar bodies that exist.

Chancellor’s Advisory Council: This group comprises community and regional leaders representing key external stakeholder constituencies. They provide advice and insights for the chancellor, act as liaisons or ambassadors within their organizations, communities, or businesses, and help develop partnerships that contribute to the mutual success of UW-River Falls and the region. Council members are selected based on their leadership, expertise, and experience in public, private, business, and academic domains. Council members serve in an advisory role and are not part of formal governance at UWRF.

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls Foundation Board of Directors oversees the foundation’s operations and functions through four committees: Finance, Human Resources, Executive, and Investment. Board members represent a diverse group of elected volunteers, including alumni, community, business, and professional leaders.
https://www.uwrf.edu/UniversityAdvancement/FoundationBoard.cfm

The Education Preparation Program Advisory Board comprises approximately 30 administrators and teachers from the east metro and western Wisconsin who meet annually to help ensure UWRF appropriately prepares educators.

The Business Advisory Board comprises approximately ten business executives from the east metro and western Wisconsin who meet annually to help ensure the School of Business appropriately prepares business graduates.

Community Partnerships: UWRF is a member of local chambers of commerce and economic development organizations, including the River Falls, Hudson, Ellsworth, New Richmond chambers, St. Croix EDC, and the regional economic development organization Momentum West. Pierce County Economic Development Corporation offices are located on campus in South Hall, and UWRF is a member of that organization. UWRF sponsors and participates in events and initiatives like River Falls Days, New Richmond Women in Business events, Hudson Art on the St. Croix festivals, and similar regional programs. UWRF currently sponsors one attendee at Leadership River Falls each year. Memberships and activities are prioritized annually by the Chancellor’s Office, University Advancement, the School of Business, Career Services, and Continuing Education.
UWRF holds two seats on the management committee of the St. Croix Valley Business Innovation Center, which elevates scalable companies through rental space and an incubation program. UWRF is a founding partner in this strategic public-private collaboration between the City of River Falls, the River Falls Economic Development Corporation, and Chippewa Valley Technical College. This project received a U.S. Economic Development Administration grant and state funding from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. In addition, a Small Business Development Center offers no-cost consulting and reduced-price training to small businesses with on-campus innovation initiatives, including the Innovation Challenge, a student startup competition, and the Innovator in Residence speaking series.