- Responsible Department: Office of the President
- Approving Body: Board of Regents
- Effective Date: 01-MAR-2026
- Review/Revision Date: 10-SEP-2026
PURPOSE:
To formally recognize the Western New Mexico University (WNMU) Staff Senate as the representative body of university staff employees, encompassing all staff in areas not otherwise addressed through a collective bargaining unit, and to outline its advisory role within the institution’s shared governance framework.
POLICY:
The Staff Senate serves as the official advisory body to the President and will serve in the following functions:
- To achieve a spirit of unity, pride, and cooperation by being recognized equally with faculty and student bodies in advising the University administration.
- To provide a means of communication between staff and administration relative to issues of mutual concern.
- To provide open meetings to express, propose, represent, investigate, debate, and recommend action to the University administration.
- To facilitate dialogue to the administration about working and employment conditions and practices, including compensation, benefits, and other related issues.
- To involve staff senators in university dialogue and to increase awareness of staff concerns and opportunities.
Advisory Status of the Senate
- The Senate shall be advisory to the President of the University.
- The Senate President will serve as an Ex-Officio to the Board of Regents (Ref: Staff Senate Constitution – Article II/Section I)
- The Staff Senate President serves in an advisory capacity to the President of the University and communicates staff perspectives, issues, and recommendations on behalf of the Staff Senate.
- The Staff Senate President may serve as an advisor to the Board of Regents and attends Board meetings to provide perspective on matters affecting the staff community.
- In this capacity, the Staff Senate President serves in an advisory, non-voting role and does not hold membership or governance authority within the Board of Regents.
- The Staff Senate President represents the perspectives of the non-bargaining staff body of the University as defined in the Staff Senate Constitution. The Staff Senate President does not represent employees covered under a collective bargaining agreement and does not engage in collective bargaining activities.
Constitution & Bylaws
The Staff Senate shall establish a constitution, bylaws, staff handbook, policies, and procedures, as it deems appropriate, for the functioning of the Senate and the regulation of its program, services, and operations.
REF: Staff Senate Constitution & Bylaws
Senate Support
- The Senate shall have a budget as determined annually by university procedures including Staff Senate meeting space, and appropriate support services.
- Senate Members shall be released from normal work duties for a minimum of five (5) hours each month for the purpose of participating in Senate activities. In no way shall this release time be charged against an individual member.
- The Staff Senate President shall be released from normal work duties for a minimum of one hundred twelve (112) hours per year for the purpose of providing leadership in all Senate activities. In no way shall this release time be charged against the Staff Senate President. The Senate President shall be paid one hundred percent (100%) of their normal salary from their hired position. The Staff Senate President, who meets all the eligibility criteria to serve, shall be given a Staff Senate President Service Award each year, throughout the term, as remuneration for normal job responsibilities (See Article III, Section 4 of the WNMU Staff Senate Bylaws** hyperlink) of the position while holding that office.
- Additional support may be provided by the university President upon justified requests from the Senate President.
Exceptions
The Policy Owner is authorized to develop and require the use of procedures for requesting, processing, and enforcing exceptions to this Policy.