Weber State University University
Academic Advising Council Mission and Bylaws

Mission Statement

The University Academic Advising Council exists to provide a forum in which College Academic Advisors and Student Success Center Advisors may collaborate and share information. It also provides opportunities to invite guest speakers from various entities within the university to discuss and share important information. As a result of our regular meetings, we strengthen communication between the various branches of advising across Weber State University campuses. Our meetings pool strengths of advisors; disseminate current higher education knowledge, practice, and policy; and equip advisors to support student success in all aspects of the University.

Bylaws

Article I: Membership

All College, Academic Affairs Department, and Student Success Center Academic Advisors, Coordinators, and Directors whose duties include academic, retention, and/or program advising or management are eligible for membership.

Article II: Committees

Current Committees
1. Awards and Recognition
2. Assessment
3. College Advisors
4. Marketing and Communication
5. Student Retention/Starfish (closed committee - 1 advisor designated from each college)
6. Social
7. Technology
8. Training and Professional Development
Committee Membership
1. Any current UAAC members may join a UAAC committee.
2. Any member interested in joining a UAAC committee may do so by informing the committee chair/co-chairs of their interest. Committee chair/co-chairs will then let the interested party know of meeting times and assign duties to members.
3. Retired UAAC members may continue membership in committees if they choose to do so as long as
  1. Participation of the member continues to be productive and in the best interest of UAAC.
  2. Such members are non-voting members and serve in an advice-giving/collegial capacity.
4. Current WSU employees, outside of academic advising, may contribute to the committee’s work if deemed appropriate and necessary by the chair/co-chairs of the committee. Chair/co-chairs will determine the number of non-academic advisors on their committee.
Committee Meetings
1. Committee chairs/co-chairs determine how often to meet, organize the meeting time, location, and agenda.
2. It is recommended committees meet a minimum of once a semester.
Process of Forming/Dissoving Committees
1. Forming
  1. Interested members propose the committee to UAAC.
  2. Proposal includes objectives of the committee.
  3. Majority vote of members.
    1. Vote during council meeting will stand if 66% of members are in attendance.
    2. Votes will be collected electronically if less than 66% of members are in attendance.
2. Dissolving
  1. Interested members propose dissolving the committee.
  2. Proposal includes an explanation of the request.
  3. Majority vote of members.
    1. Vote during council meeting will stand if 66% of members are in attendance.
    2. Vote will be done electronically if 66% of members are not in attendance for the vote.
Ad Hoc
1. As needed, temporary groups may form to address advising topics with UAAC co-chair approval and UAAC majority vote.
2. If the committee is not acting in the best interest of UAAC, the body of UAAC may dissolve the committee with a majority vote.

Article III: Council Meetings

Council meetings shall be held monthly during an academic year (September - April) with the exception of the month of December.
1. Day and time of the meeting will be determined by popular vote.
2. Electronic vote will be sent to all members.
Summer meetings (May- August) are at the discretion and majority vote of UAAC members.
The UAAC co-chairs will conduct meetings, prepare the agenda, and invite guest speakers.
The UAAC secretary will solicit agenda items, secure the room, send out meeting invitations, and take meeting minutes for placement on the Canvas UAAC site.
Structure of the Meeting
1. All members can request items to be placed on the agenda. All requests must be received no later than two days prior to the upcoming meeting.
  1. Guest Speakers
    1. If a guest speaker will be presenting on a topic important to ongoing advisor training at a council meeting the chairs will try to distribute information at least 24 hours prior to the meeting time.
    2. Guest speakers will be limited to one hour at the beginning of the meeting.
  2. Liaison reports.
  3. Committee reports.
  4. New business.
  5. Specific advising issues.
  6. Department/College updates as time allows.

Article IV: Officers

General Officers
1. Two co-chairs: one representing the Student Success Center and one representing the College Advisors.
  1. Term of service is two years.
    1. Select dates for and conduct monthly meetings.
    2. Prepare the agenda.
    3. Send out advising updates to all advisors.
    4. Represent UAAC on University-wide committees.
    5. Oversee UAAC elections.
    6. Ensure the UAAC Canvas course and web page are maintained and up to date.
    7. Send an end of year budget report to the treasurer for co-chair purchases.
    8. Submit the UAAC budget report to the provost.
    9. Lead in a positive and constructive manner.
2. Secretary
  1. Term of service is two years.
    1. Secure the room and send out invites for monthly meetings.
    2. Solicit agenda items.
    3. Take meeting minutes.
    4. Maintain and update meeting minutes on the UAAC Canvas course.
3. Treasurer
  1. Term of Service is two years.
    1. Maintain budget.
    2. Solicit budget requests.
    3. Make purchases.
    4. Reallocate reimbursements for purchases made.
    5. Create the annual UAAC Budget Report.
4. Committee Chairs
  1. Each committee will have at least one chairperson
  2. Term of service is two years.
    1. A total of two terms may be served.
  3. To ensure professional development opportunities will be offered to as many UAAC members as possible, UAAC members may chair only one committee at a time. They may serve as co-chair on an additional committee as the need arises.
  4. Chairs/co-chairs will send an end of year summary of committee activities and/or accomplishments to the UAAC co-chairs.
  5. Chairs/co-chairs will send an end of year budget report, if UAAC funds were used, to the treasurer.
5. Liaisons to Campus Community
  1. The term of service may vary.
    1. Communicate to campus partners.
    2. Communicate pertinent information to UAAC colleagues at council meetings.
  2. Liaison Positions
    1. Scholarships
    2. New Student Orientation
  3. New Liaison Positions
    1. Proposals for new positions will be discussed at council meetings.
    2. If the position requires provost office appointments, the UAAC co-chairs will bring the proposal to the associate provost acting as UAAC liaison for consideration.
Elections
1. Elections shall take place yearly in April for open positions (co-chair and liaison positions) or as needed or as positions are vacated.
2. Co-chairs
  1. College advisor co-chair will be nominated and elected by college advisors.
  2. SSC co-chair will be appointed by the executive director of the SSC from among the SSC project leadership team.

Article V: UAAC Budget

Solicitation of Funding
1. The treasurer will solicit budget item requests from UAAC committees by January 15 for the upcoming academic year.
2. Committee chairs/co-chairs will submit proposals to the UAAC treasurer by February 15 of each year.
3. The treasurer will compile the committee requests and submit them to the UAAC co-chairs.
4. The UAAC co-chairs will submit a yearly budget request with committee requests along with any budget requests deemed important, needed, or necessary to the provost by March 15 of each year after approval by the associate provost acting as liaison to UAAC.
Funds Appropriation
1. The treasurer will present the budget to committees and then to UAAC members after approval by the provost.
2. All funds provided by the provost will go toward paying for budget items approved for the academic year by the provost.
Purchases
1. Purchases for committees will be handled by the Treasurer.
  1. Committees will request items to be purchased.
  2. The treasurer will purchase the items with their P-Card or approve the use of another member’s p-card.
    1. If another member’s p-card is used, receipts must be promptly provided to the treasurer.
2. The treasurer will submit receipts and paperwork to the provost’s office for reimbursement/reallocation.

Article VI: Budget Reports

UAAC Chairs and Committee Chairs/Co-chairs
1. Submit a report every June to the treasurer with the following:
  1. Amount spent.
  2. Items purchased.
  3. How the funds/purchase helped advance academic advising at Weber State University.
  4. Feedback received from advising colleagues regarding the event or item purchased.
  5. Recommendations for future funding/purchases for the committee.
Treasurer
1. Collect and compile the budget reports from UAAC chairs and committee chairs/co-chairs.
2. Add those reports to their own report that will include:
  1. Overall amount spent and breakdown of each purchase/how funding was used.
  2. How these funds and this purchase helped advance academic advising at Weber State University.
  3. Feedback received from advising colleagues regarding the overall budget.
  4. Suggestions for future funding, which may or may not be included in the upcoming Budget Proposal.
3. Present the Budget Report to UAAC members during the subsequent council meeting.
UAAC Co-chairs
1. Turn in the budget report to the provost at the end of each academic year detailing expenses, outcomes, and suggestions for future funding.

Updated December 15, 2021

Weber State University University Academic Advising Council Mission and Bylaws