The committees of the Senate Assembly advise and consult with the vice presidents of the University on matters within the areas of their respective responsibilities.  The Senate Assembly also created special committees to assist it with its work.  The following is a list of the Senate Assembly Committees and the issues under consideration this year.

Academic Affairs Advisory Committee:  Advisory to Provost and Exec VP for Academic Affairs Courant - AAAC is discussing the undergraduate application and admission processes, grade inflation, governance rights of non-tenure track faculty, and the evaluation of administrators.

Administration Evaluation Committee:  conducts faculty evaluations of university academic administrators and reports the results (http://aec.umich.edu)

Budget Study Committee:  Advisory to SACUA - This committee is reviewing the details of the AdvancePCS prescription drug contract and is focusing on retiree healthcare coverage.

Civil Liberties Board:  Advisory to SACUA and the Administration - The CLB will review any proposed changes to the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities and will be working to increase awareness of civil liberty issues on campus, such as privacy and the need to limit access to employee records. 

Committee on the Economic Status of the Faculty:  Advisory to the Regents and SACUA -
CESF is analyzing faculty salary rates and salary payment data.  The committee is concerned about changes to faculty benefits.  A subcommittee is reviewing the employee benefits package and any proposed changes.  Per the request by Regent Maynard, the CESF committees on all three campuses are coordinating their reports to provide a similar data format.

Committee for a Multicultural University:  Advisory to SACUA and the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Senior Counselor to the President for the Arts, Diversity, and Undergraduate Affairs Lester Monts - This committee will be discussing the proposals for the new Diversity Institute and seeking broad faculty input.

Communications Advisory Committee:  Advisory to Vice President Rudgers - This committee is reviewing use of the University logo and new guidelines for use of the University's name and graphic identity and discussing the communication of issues like undergraduate admissions policy, the budget, and the launch of the new capital campaign. Recently the committee visited the new UM Radio/TV Station headquarters. 

Development Advisory Committee:  Advisory to Vice President May - This committee is reviewing how the faculty can assist in fund raising efforts and the plans for the Capital Campaign.

Faculty Perspectives Page Editorial Board - This committee has oversight of Faculty Perspectives articles for the U-Record.

Financial Affairs Advisory Committee:  Advisory to Executive Vice President and CFO Slottow - This committee is discussing transportation issues, family issues such as childcare, maternity leave, etc; environmental stewardship issues, the recent Job Classification Study, and the CFO Budget.

General Counsel’s Advisory Committee: Advisory to Vice President and General Counsel Krislov - This committee will be discussing Conflicts of Interest, Expert Controls as they relate to International Students, State Election Laws, Stem Cell Research legislation, In-State Residency, and other issues.

Government Relations Advisory Committee:  Advisory to Vice President Wilbanks - This committee is discussing interaction with state legislators and reductions in the state allocation.

Medical Affairs Advisory Committee:  Advisory to Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs Kelch - This committee is discussing health promotion for the campus and efforts to increase healthy behavior, the medical campus master plan, and the need for the hospital to operate at margin.

Research Policies Committee:  Advisory to Vice President Ulaby - Issues this year before the committee include impact of human subjects, research regulations on faculty research, data ownership policies, application and expansion of PEERS certification, multidisciplinary research (barriers and enhancements), review of proposed stem cell policy, MPRIME e-research.  We have received brief updates from last year's agenda on Science and Technology program, royalty distribution policy, and conflict of commitment policies.

Rules Committee:  Advisory to SACUA and Senate Assembly - The Rules Committee is reviewing rules pertaining to quotas on SACUA membership from individual units, apportionment, conflicts between Regents Bylaws and current rules or procedures, assignment of regional campus and branch library librarians to School of Information, representation of clinical faculty, and potential provision for conducting business by mail or e-mail in absence of quorum. 

Secretary’s Advisory Committee:  Advisory to Vice President and Secretary Tedesco - The Secretary's Advisory Committee is discussing changes to Regents Bylaws and the potential implications of the Sarbanes-Oxley rules on the University.

Student Relations Advisory Committee:  Advisory to Vice President Harper - SRAC is conducting a review of the amendment process for changes to the Statement of Students Rights and Responsibilities, international student issues, student engagement and decision making, Greek-Lettered organizations, and student welfare issues.

Tenure Committee:  Advisory to Senate Assembly and SACUA - The Tenure Committee is preparing a report comparing each of the tenure guidelines for the schools and colleges with a set of standard tenure guidelines approved by the Senate Assembly and with a similar document developed by the Provost's Office. The committee will be discussing the role of tenure at the University and what the proper balance should be between tenured and non-tenured faculty.