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Overview

The Common Council of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is the representative body of the university personnel. All members of the university may attend and speak at meetings of the Common Council (subject to rules as the Common Council may adopt), but only members of the Common Council may offer motions, second motions, or vote. The Common Council meets the first and third Wednesdays of the month, during the academic year.

Every council business item has a specific nature. The nature of business affects quorum and participation privileges (below). By default, the nature of business depends on the committee or committees from which it originates, as follows:

  1. Marshfield Steering Committee, University Personnel Development Committee, or Wausau Steering Committee: General Council Business.
  2. Academic Affairs Committee, Curriculum Committee, General Education Committee, Graduate Council, or 2 or more of those committees: Faculty Senate Business.
  3. Two or more committees from both previous lists: General Council Business.
  4. Academic Staff Council: Academic Staff Business.
  5. Faculty Council: Faculty Business.
  6. University Staff Council: University Staff Business.
  7. Two or more personnel councils: General Council Business.

Any councilor can make a special motion to "re-classify an item's nature of business." This motion is General Council business, takes precedence over any other motion on the item, requires a second, is debatable, and requires a majority vote of all councilors present.

Quorum and participation privileges change depending on the nature of the business, as described in the table below.

​Nature of Business​Quorum​Right to Speak​Right to Vote
​General Council​All councilors​All councilors​All councilors
​Faculty Senate​Academic staff, faculty, the dean, & the chancellor appointee​All councilors​Academic staff, faculty, the dean, & the chancellor appointee
​Academic Staff​Academic Staff​All councilors​Academic Staff
​Faculty​Faculty​All councilors​Faculty
​University Staff​University Staff​All councilors​University Staff

When the Common Council meets, the agenda shall have three distinct segments:

  1. Reports by the Student Government Association, the chancellor, and the provost.
  2. General Council business, including reports from the appropriate standing committees, and reports from personnel representatives.
  3. Faculty Senate business, including reports from the appropriate standing committees.

The officers of the Common Council and the chairs of the standing committees of the Common Council constitute the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee meets on a regular basis to coordinate the activites of the Common Council and to ensure that appropriate consideration is given to matters for consideration and potential action by the CommonCouncil. The Executive Committee meets the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month, during the academic year. The Executive Committee also serves as an advisory council to the chancellor at the chancellor's request.

Nomination and election of members of the Common Council, standing committee chairs, and standing committee members is conducted under the supervision of the Common Council Office​, according to the rules prescribed by the Constitution of the Common Council and such additional rules as the subcommittee may establish. The annual shared governance election takes place in spring. New councilors, standing committee chairs, committee and subcommittee members take office at the beginning of the following fall semester.