Want to tackle campus issues? Join a Charter Committee

	Johna Leddy, associate professor in chemistry, served as chair of the design review and land use subcommittees on the Campus Planning Charter Committee, and has subsequently served on the Parking and Transportation Committee and is in her second term on the Research Council, which she chaired during 2006–07. Photo by Tom Jorgensen.

The University of Iowa is one big place. Whether you work on the east or west side of the river, in a lab, office, or even a former mall, it’s possible to get so wrapped up in your world that the rest of the University passes you by.

“It’s easy to put blinders on in terms of your own particular department and not know what’s going on or even meet people outside of where you work,” says Mike Wright, a librarian at the University’s Main Library. While there are many ways to become involved, Wright chose to join a University Charter Committee.

“I saw this as an opportunity to step out of my office and deal with some campuswide issues,” he says of the three-year term he began serving in September 2008 on the Committee on Parking and Transportation.

Wright is not alone. Each year numerous staff and faculty members apply for positions on UI Charter Committees, small working groups composed of faculty, staff, and students. They’re typically overseen by a vice president or other appropriate administrator, and are advisory to the UI president. The Charter Committees focus on issues that range from human rights to recreational services, from lectures to financial aid. (For a list and description of all 18 Charter Committees, visit http://www.uiowa.edu/president/charter_committees/index.html.) 

Charter Committees were established in 1974 as a way for University decision-makers to receive input from a broad base of UI community members, according to Martha Greer, Staff Council president and a program associate in International Programs.

“Charter Committees are part of our shared governance structure and were designed so that decision-making would be informed by a process of collaboration across University populations,” says Greer. “For that to work well, broad participation is important.”

That broad participation is one of the things that Johna Leddy, associate professor in chemistry, found especially effective during her term on the Campus Planning Charter Committee.

“The committee members were from across campus—everyone had a variety of experiences and brought different perspectives,” says Leddy. “That diversity was helpful when we dealt with difficult issues.”

Those issues included everything from moving roads to matching new brick to old on a renovated building. Leddy’s interest in the committee was piqued in particular because the chemistry building in which she worked was due for renovations. But her interest was broader, as well.

“I’ve always liked buildings and structures—the research I do deals with the structural properties and relationships of materials,” she says. “So this was similar, but on a bigger scale.”

During her tenure on Campus Planning, Leddy served as chair of the design review and land use subcommittees. She’s subsequently served on the Parking and Transportation Committee and is in her second term on the Research Council, which she chaired during 2006–07.

“All the committees talk in logical ways about issues and their repercussions,” she says. “Serving on Charter Committees is a good way to take your brain and look at a different kind of puzzle than you might examine in your everyday work.”

Wright’s interest in the Parking and Transportation committee is a perfect example.

“I typically bike or walk to work, so it might be surprising that parking and transportation is an interest of mine,” says Wright, who also serves as an Iowa City City Council member. “During our orientation we had a tour of the parking facilities on campus and I found it fascinating. I really enjoy learning about behind-the-scenes things.”

Charter Committee participation is appreciated not just by committee members, but by the advisors who work with them.

“Our Charter Committee members are very active and very helpful to us,” says Chuck Swanson, executive director of Hancher Auditorium. “I tell them that the two most important things they do are provide advice and serve as advocates.” He notes that input and expertise from members help Hancher set ticket prices and gauge interest in events. Because of their broad expertise and experience, staff and faculty members often serve as “connectors” to potential donors and grants for which Hancher might be eligible.

“Committee members come to meetings and get all fired up,” he says. “They encourage others to get involved and to attend our performances and events. It feels great to know they have a such a strong investment in Hancher.”

Interest in serving on UI Charter Committees is growing, according to Greer, who suggests the increased numbers may reflect a rise in awareness, both locally and nationally, of issues dealt with by Charter Committees.

“We’ve been getting so many good applications in the last few years,” she says. “We take the applications very seriously and look for applicants who emphasize the ways their participation will benefit the University as a whole.”

Greer notes that an effort is made to balance representation in choosing committee members.

“We think about departments, sides of the river, even gender,” she says. Greer says that the number of qualified applicants means that not all applicants can participate each year. But she encourages people to apply, noting that for a variety of reasons openings often occur midyear and replacements are chosen from the original pool of applicants. She also encourages interested UI community members to reapply if they’re not chosen the first time.

by Linzee Kull McCray