USAC Mission Statement
The University Staff Advisory Committee (USAC) is an advisory body to university leadership. Comprised of members from across the university and medical center, its mission is to maintain an active and participatory line of communication with the university community and to provide a forum through which university staff can raise, discuss, and make recommendations to support the university’s mission.
Brief History of USAC
The committee was established in 1986 by President Jennings. He envisioned a committee that would help the university in its quest for excellence and appointed 17 members at that time. The original charge from Jennings’ office follows:
The academic support role of all of the University’s staff members is a central and crucial one to building on our base of excellence. To more fully acknowledge the importance of our University staff, a new Staff Advisory Committee is being formed. As an advisory body to the President, the committee will provide a forum in which University staff can raise, discuss and make recommendations on current non-academic concerns and events, such as staff involvement in University activities and the amount and quality of communication for the diverse staff members on our campus.
The committee’s general purpose was to facilitate good communications on behalf of and among University staff members. Additionally, it will provide a means for staff members to develop and exercise an institutional perspective as they advise on various matters.
The original structure was designed and described by the Office of President Jennings in Jan 1986 as:
The committee will have seventeen (17) members. A rotating appointment structure will allow new members to be appointed on an annual basis without depleting the experience base of the committee. Appointments for the first year will be one, two and three year terms in approximately equal proportions so that no more than one third of the committee will rotate off each year.
In order to involve more staff over time on this committee, membership will generally be limited to one term. When reappointment does occur, it will be limited to two consecutive terms. The committee will elect its own officers for one year terms. The president or designees will be ex-officio members of the committee.
The name of the committee upon its establishment was “Staff Advisory Committee,” then it was changed to “President’s Staff Advisory Committee” and finally to “University Staff Advisory Committee.”
