On December 12, 2012, the Board of Regents adopted Regent Policy Document 20-20, under which effective July 1, 2013, university staff may participate in institutional governance.
The Board policy states:
This policy enables active participation in the immediate decision-making and policy development of the institution. Active participation in governance for University Staff under this policy is not collective bargaining and will not result in a labor agreement or contract. University Staff may make recommendations, consider proposals, and raise concerns to institutional leadership.
The Board policy also provides that University Staff shall have the right to structure themselves in a manner that they determine, and to select their representatives to participate in institutional governance.
The University of Wisconsin System has a longstanding tradition of shared decision-making with the faculty, academic staff, and students. The adoption of Regent Policy Document 20-20 is consistent with the principle that classified staff should have a voice in the development of the policies and procedures that directly affect their work lives.