Committees

Members of the president’s committees are appointed by the president from the faculty, administrative and professional personnel, classified staff, students, or others. The president, by authority granted by the Board of Regents, has final discretion in determining the number and the composition of these committees and in accepting, modifying, or rejecting committee recommendations. Certain committees are assigned administrative functions where appropriate. Committees are responsible to the president, either directly or through other general administrative officers of the institution.

Nominations for membership are submitted to the president from the Faculty Senate Committee on Committees, administrative and professional personnel, and classified staff for many, but not all, of the president’s standing committees.

Student representatives are nominated by the Graduate and Professional Student Association and the Associated Students of Washington State University. Alumni serve on committees in which there is an appropriate interest, and these nominations are made by the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association. The official year for appointments on presidential committees is August 16 through August 15 of the following year. Terms of members are staggered as indicated. The membership of some committees is subject to annual review. A member of the faculty, administrative and professional personnel, or classified staff who is granted leave of absence usually is replaced by another person to serve the remainder of the unexpired term if the length of absence is to be at least a year or if the committee chair requests a replacement. Regional campus representatives are included on committees where appropriate.

Chairs of all the president’s committees, other than those designated ex officio or as being appointed by the president, are elected annually in the spring semester by the committee from among those whose terms continue throughout the following year, unless exceptions are noted in the committee description. Results are reported to the president’s office on or before commencement day. When a chair leaves the campus or is absent for an extended length of time, interim leadership of the committee is established promptly by special election at a meeting of the committee.

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Staff and Faculty Release Time for Committee Participation

Washington State University values and recognizes the important service staff and faculty provide through their participation on university committees, commissions, and task forces, including Presidential Committees.   The University supports a structure of shared university governance that promotes system-wide representation, encourages responsible participation and open feedback, and provides opportunities to present diverse viewpoints.

The knowledge shared and the feedback provided by staff and faculty through their participation and involvement in Presidential Committees enhance the quality of decision making at the WSU and are critical mechanisms for representative participation in shared university governance.

The time involved in performing these activities is considered worktime, as long as it does not interfere with or negatively impact the accomplishment an employee’s job responsibilities. Staff and faculty members must obtain supervisor approval to serve.  Supervisors will not unreasonably deny permission for such service.

Questions about release time to perform service on behalf of the University may be directed to Human Resource Services (for staff) at hrs@wsu.edu or 509-335-4521 or the Office of the Provost (for faculty) at provost@wsu.edu or 509-335-5581.