Staff Leadership

The Iowa State University professional and non-organized merit staff are each represented by a constituent council—the Professional and Scientific staff by the Professional & Scientific Council, and the Supervisory and Confidential Merit staff by the Supervisory & Confidential Council.

Organized merit staff in blue collar, clerical, security, and technical bargaining units are covered under the provisions of the master contract negotiated between the State of Iowa and American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Council 61 AFL-CIO and accordingly are represented by union stewards of Council 61.

The P&S Council, which meets on a monthly basis, serves as a resource and an advocate for P&S employees. The Council identifies and communicates the needs of its constituents, provides information and advice in response to those needs, and recommends to the administration policies and procedures that benefit P&S employees and assist in fulfilling the mission of the university. The P&S Council reports to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost.

The approximately 2,300 P&S staff members are represented on the Council at the rate of one council member for every 75 staffers in each of six representation areas: Academic and Research (16 representatives), Business and Finance (5), Extension (5), External Affairs (2), IPRT/Ames Lab (3), and Student Affairs (4). Approximately one-third of Council membership is up for election each year. Terms are for three years except when elections are held to fill the terms of council members who have resigned.

From among its membership, the Council elects a president, president-elect and secretary, all of whom serve one-year terms. An executive committee is formed of the three officers, two at-large representatives, and the Council's past president, who serves as an ex-officio, nonvoting member.

The mission of the S&C Council is to facilitate communication between University administration and supervisory and confidential employees. The Council discusses, formulates and recommends to University administration on policies and procedures of common interest. The Council represents the interests of employees working in a non-organized merit employment status.

The Council is made up of nine voting members who are elected from approximately 200 supervisory and confidential employees; each member serves a three-year term. The Council is responsible to the President through the Assistant Vice President of Human Resource Services.

The Council selects three members to represent Iowa State University on the Regents Interinstitutional Supervisory/Confidential Advisory Council (RISCAC). The group also includes three representatives each from the other two Regents universities--the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa--the personnel directors from all three schools and the Regents’ Merit System Director. RISCAC meets four times a year to consult on policies and issues pertinent to supervisory and confidential employees.

The P&S and S&C Councils are represented on various university-wide committees and councils, and provide input into decision-making at that level. In addition, both maintain a peer advisory committee that provides a mechanism for employees to obtain, in confidence, a perspective about employment concerns from peers familiar with university policies and practices. The Peer Advisory Committee also ensures that employees are aware of their rights and obligations and the various processes available for resolution.

As well as representing their respective employee groups in important matters such as policy and decision-making, these councils also oversee and encourage the nomination and selection of employees for various university-wide awards and recognitions.

These councils provide a valuable service to the institution, and the employees who give their time and energy to serve in these leadership roles are very active in the shared governance of the University.