Student Participation in University Governance

University of Portland students are afforded many formal and informal opportunities to have a voice in University governance, particularly through the Associated Students of the University of Portland (ASUP). The list below sets forth the opportunities available at the time of publication of this handbook.

ASUP Executive Board

The ASUP president and other officers of the student government have meetings with members of the faculty, the staff, and the top levels of the administration, including the University president; these discussions are instrumental in keeping the administration and others informed of students’ views and are valuable opportunities for these student leaders to learn about issues the University is addressing, in order to inform the Student Senate and student body about them.

ASUP Senate

The student Senate frequently invites administrators of various departments to speak on topics of interest at the start of the weekly Student Senate meetings; these occasions afford all the student senators an opportunity to receive information, ask questions, and share their student constituents’ points of view.

ASUP Senate Committees

The Student Senate is organized into five standing committees: Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Communications, Diversity and Social Responsibility, and Infrastructure. Each of these committees are divided into relevant sub-committees that work to address issues of student welfare and concern by meeting with appropriate university administrators, faculty, staff and students to develop visible solutions and outcomes. 

Hall Councils and Hall President’s Council

Each residence hall has a Hall Council consisting of officers and wing representatives. Hall Councils exist to enhance the residence hall community through programming, advocacy, and hall improvements. Hall Council members work closely with residence life staff to promote positive change and foster tradition, in an effort to provide students with an exceptional residence hall experience.  Additionally, each of the individual Residence Hall Presidents come together on a periodic basis to meet with the Office of Residence Life central office team to provide input and feedback on common issues related to living on campus.

Board of Regents Committees

The ASUP president and vice president serve as non-voting, ex-officio representatives to two subcommittees of the Board of Regents at Board meetings held on campus, typically twice a year; the ASUP president attends the meeting of the Committee on Student Affairs and the ASUP vice president attends the meeting of the Committee on Academic Affairs.

Academic (Faculty) Senate

The ASUP vice president and ASUP Director of Communications serve as voting, ex-officio members of the Academic Senate which is responsible for developing the University’s academic policies in a number of areas, as well as advising the administration in some non-academic areas.

Academic Senate Committee on Curriculum and Academic Regulations

Two seats of this committee are filled by students, one undergraduate and one graduate student, who discuss, deliberate, and vote on matters pertaining to the academic programs.

Presidential Advisory Committees

Students recommended by the ASUP president and appointed by the University president serve alongside faculty and staff on six Presidential Advisory Committees, which are Diversity and Inclusion, Student Media, Athletics, Health and Safety, Informational Technology, and Sustainability.

Anchor Society

The University of Portland Anchor Society brings together a cohort of exemplary UP seniors to engage in leadership development programming, serve as goodwill ambassadors, and coordinate initiatives that are important to the senior class. Its members are selected on an annual basis through a competitive application process.

Other advisory committees

Several programs and departments have formal advisory committees which either include students or are made up entirely of students: Community Against Violence; Office on Students with Disabilities Advisory Committee (Shepard Academic Resource Center); Student Athlete Advisory Committee (Athletics); Advisory Committee for Club Recognition (Student Activities); Housing Advisory Board (Residence Life); Community Standards Advisory Board (Residence Life); Cadets Funds Board (Army ROTC); Consortium for Educational Advisement & Development Committee (School of Education); Clark Library Advisory Committee; and the School of Nursing Committees on Community, Curriculum, Evaluation, and Students.

Other opportunities

Often schools, departments and programs provide opportunities for student input into policy, planning, and budgeting recommendations as those units deem necessary for their decision-making. Some turn to existing student organizations or committees or to student leaders or student employees in their departments for input. Others gather information from surveys and focus groups conducted on an on-going or a periodic basis. And at times students are appointed to ad hoc committees, such as committees which interview prospective faculty or administrators for positions with the University.