Acronym Decoder Key

ALPHABET SOUP DECODER RING (pdf)

Compiled by Dan Ross, Academic Staff Assembly District 465
September 1998 (rev. July 2014)

AAUP (American Association of University Professors)- The UW-Madison chapter of this national organization was reconstituted on September 2,2015.

APC (Academic Planning Council) – Each school/college has an Academic Planning Council. This committee oversees the school/college academic programs, long-range strategic planning as well as budgetary planning.

APO (Academic Personnel Office) – Manages position vacancy listings for unclassified staff (academic staff and faculty) at UW-Madison.

ARCs (Area Review Committees) – These divisional committees make recommendations to Deans/Directors regarding indefinite appointment applications.

ASA (Academic Staff Assembly) – Legislative branch of UW‑Madison’s academic staff governance, analogous to the Faculty Senate’s role for faculty; approximately 100 representatives for districts grouped roughly by job duty and subject area; meets the second Monday of each month, September through May, 3:30-5:00, 272 Bascom Hall. All academic staff have a representative. Go to https://acstaff.wisc.edu/get-involved to determine your district and who your representative is.

ASAC (Academic Staff Appeals Committee) – Twelve‑member committee appointed by the Chancellor to review or hear all appeals of nonrenewals, nonretentions, layoffs, discipline, dismissals, and grievances. The ASAC submits its recommendations to the Provost, who, as the Chancellor’s designee, makes the final decision.

ASEC (Academic Staff Executive Committee) Nine‑member executive committee of UW‑Madison academic staff governance; elected at large; meets almost weekly during the academic year and the summer.

ASM (Associated Students of Madison) – UW‑Madison’s student governance body.

ASPP (Academic Staff Policies and Procedures)  A publication describing procedures for academic staff on issues such as appointments, layoffs, discipline, and grievances. Proposed changes to this document are typically brought forward by the PPPC and voted on by the Assembly. This document is available at https://acstaff.wisc.edu/resources/policies-and-procedures

ASPRO (Academic Staff Professionals Representation Organization) A nonprofit group founded in 1989 that represents academic staff interests before the state legislature and executive branch, the Board of Regents, and UW System. ASPRO was started by a vote of the Academic Staff Assembly. It is an advocacy organization for academic staff in the UW System including UW-Madison. ASPRO works on issues that affect all academic staff. Membership is optional and is funded by a monthly payroll deduction of 0.25 of 1% of your gross monthly income. ASPRO is not a union. http://www.aspro.net

CASI (Committee on Academic Staff Issues) – College/school/division-level committees with elected and appointed members to advise the dean/director on issues pertaining to or affecting academic staff members. Established by legislation of the Academic Staff Assembly on January 12, 1998 (Assembly document #210).

CEBC (Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee): standing committee of the ASA; makes recommendations regarding compensation and fringe benefits issues, and generally forwards them on to the Madison ASPRO chapter. (Note: this is different than the Faculty Senate’s Compensation and Economic Benefits Commission.)

CC (Communications Committee) – Standing committee of the Assembly; coordinate communication about and relevant to academic staff to both internal and external audiences.

CEBC (Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee) – Standing committee of the Assembly; makes recommendations regarding compensation and fringe benefits issues, and generally forwards them to the Madison ASPRO chapter. (Note: this is different than the Faculty Senate’s Compensation and Economic Benefits Commission.)

Congress – Legislative shared governance body for the UW-Madison classified staff.

CSEC (Classified Staff Executive Committee) – Executive committee for the UW-Madison classified staff.

Distinguished Prefix Committee – This committee makes recommendations to Deans/Directors regarding distinguished prefix applications.

DRC (Districting and Representation Committee) – Standing committee of the Assembly; maintains how districts are split up, who is in each district.

EDRC (Equity and Diversity Resource Center) – Provides campus-wide assistance, consultation and training to employees and units regarding disability accommodations and related matters; investigates and resolves formal and informal complaints alleging discrimination and harassment; conducts professional development and training for faculty, academic and classified staff on AA/EEO and diversity issues; and ensures that UW-Madison is in compliance with federal and state AA/EEO laws and regulations and UW System requirements.

ETF (Department of Employee Trust Funds) – The state agency that manages various state employee insurance and benefits programs, such as the state group health insurance plan available to UW and other state employees.

Faculty Senate: Legislative shared governance body for UW-Madison faculty.

JFC (Joint Finance Committee) – Statutory, 16-member standing committee of the Wisconsin Legislature that approves the state budget.

JCOER (Joint Committee on Employment Relations) – Statutory committee of the Wisconsin Legislature that approves pay plans for all state employees.

MASA (Madison Academic Staff Association) – A professional organization to advocate the interest of UW‑Madison academic staff; not a union; charges an annual membership fee ($15). Organizes a series of events during the academic year. http://www.uwmasa.com

Mentoring (Mentoring Committee) – Standing committee of the Assembly; provides information about ongoing opportunities for mentoring on campus and works with current university resources to provide mentors for incoming academic staff.

Nom Com (Nominating Committee) – Standing committee of the Assembly; prepares election slates and nominates academic staff for shared governance committees.

OED (Office for Equity and Diversity) – Provides campus-wide assistance, consultation and training to employees and units regarding disability accommodations and related matters; investigates and resolves formal and informal complaints alleging discrimination and harassment; conducts professional development and training for faculty, academic and university staff on AA/EEO and diversity issues; and ensures that UW-Madison is in compliance with federal and state AA/EEO laws and regulations and UW System requirements.

OHR (Office of Human Resources) – UW‑Madison personnel, training, employee relations and employee visas; includes APO, Classified Personnel Office, Human Resource Development, and International Faculty and Staff Services. http://www.ohr.wisc.edu/

OHRD (Office of Human Resources Development) – UW-Madison office under Office of Human Resources that provides training and professional development opportunities for faculty and staff. http://www.ohrd.wisc.edu

OSER (Office of State Employment Relations) – The state agency that controls allowable employee titles and pay ranges for state employees.

PDRC (Professional Development and Recognition Committee) – Standing committee of the Assembly; manages the academic staff excellence awards and professional development grants; organizes sessions on professional development for academic staff.

PPPC (Personnel Policies and Procedures Committee) – Standing committee of the Assembly; deals with personnel issues and contents and revision of ASPP.

PROFS (Public Representation Organization of the Faculty Senate) – The lobbying organization for UW-Madison faculty.

SPA (Student Personnel Association) – Professional association of UW-Madison personnel involved in student services.  Membership is free, although there is a cost associated with some events.  http://spamadison.org/

TAA (Teaching Assistants’ Association) – Union for UW-Madison teaching and project assistants (graduate students who teach or do certain project work). Following Act 10, the TAA no longer represents these employees in collective bargaining.

UAPC (University Academic Planning Council) – Campus-wide shared governance committee; advises the chancellor and provost on major program decisions, long-term academic plans, and associated campus development and budgetary policies and provides review for new programs, centers or departments.

UC (University Committee) – Executive committee of the Faculty Senate.

UFAS (United Faculty and Academic Staff) – Union affiliated with the Wisconsin Federation of Teachers and American Federation of Teachers (AFT). UFAS mobilizes grass-roots campaigns to improve university employment policies, provides information and advocacy to individuals, and has as its long-term goal full collective-bargaining rights for faculty and academic staff. There is a membership fee. (Note: faculty and academic staff do not have collective bargaining rights.) http://www.ufas.wi.aft.org

University Staff Congress – Legislative shared governance body for the UW-Madison university staff.

 University Staff Central Committee (University Staff Central Committee) – Sets the agenda for Congress meetings and speaks for university staff on university policy issues.

WRS (Wisconsin Retirement System) – This system provides retirement benefits to UW employees and to most public employees across the State of Wisconsin.

WUU (Wisconsin University Union) – A union for UW‑Madison faculty and staff that is local with no national affiliations. Membership is optional, and there is a fee. (Note: faculty and academic staff do not have collective bargaining rights.) Inactive since 2012. http://wuu.info