Charter

DEPARTMENT RELATED ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE (DRAC) CHARTER 

I.     CHARGE: 

To receive student input regarding Department Related Activities funding (Fund 45000) and to make decisions resulting in the DRAC’s funding recommendation to the Services and Activities (S&A) Fees Committee for inclusion within the S&A Fees Committee’s final recommended budget to the Board of Trustees for their action in accord with RCW 28B. 15.045. The DRAC will adhere to all guidelines established by the Board of Trustees for the disposition of services and activities fees. 

I. REPRESENTED AREAS: 

A. Criteria: 

A represented area shall have “Departmentally Related Activities”, such as an artistic or academic production or event, that is intended for a public audience and the broader university community or that represents the University in intercollegiate competition of an academic nature. These areas of activity are further outlined in Appendix A. Students collaborate with faculty advisors from the department to determine content. Participation in such activities shall be open to all students enrolled in the university but may be subject to criteria established by the faculty supervisor of the activity. Students may be required to audition and be selected for participation, for instance.

B. Current Represented Areas: 

A current roster of departmentally related represented areas, both full-time and probationary, will be maintained on the DRAC website (https://wp.wwu.edu/drac/). Whenever a department already recognized and participating within DRAC also has a new activity potentially qualifying for receipt of DRAC funding, the activity may receive such funding and/or be recognized as an ongoing activity by majority motion of the voting members.

C. Application for Membership as a Represented Area: 

Departments of the University may apply to the DRAC for recognition as a newly represented area with voting membership rights as set forth herein if they have an activity meeting the criteria set forth above in II.A. Departmental applications for new membership as a represented area shall be submitted in accord with the Membership Application Procedures set forth below in II.D. The DRAC will be responsible for reviewing applications, consulting with the petitioning department, and deciding the issue of membership subject to the approval of the S&A Fee Committee and the Provost. Decisions denying representation and membership may be appealed to the Provost. 

D. Membership Application Procedures:

1. Departments interested in applying for DRAC membership must first complete the steps outlined in the “Getting Started” guide on the DRAC website to determine if DRAC membership is relevant for their activity prior to completing a formal application. 
2. After completing the “Getting Started” guide, departments may request membership by submitting an application and presenting their application to DRAC according to the process outlined in Appendix B.
3. DRAC applications will be evaluated according to the criteria and charge outlined in this charter and the corresponding rubric outlined in Appendix C. New departments can be admitted by majority decision among DRAC voting members. 
4. If the application is determined to meet the criteria for membership, the petitioning represented area must complete an initial three-year probationary period during which the named department representative and a student representative shall attend and participate in all meetings but may not exercise voting rights. While continuity in representation is encouraged, departments appoint their representatives annually.
5. The department of the probationary represented area may receive funding for qualifying activities during the probationary period. The probationary period will begin the fall quarter after admission. At the conclusion of the first and second probationary years, each voting member will advise probationary members on their performance in upholding the committee’s expectations on attendance and participation outlined in Section VI. Each voting member will rate probationary performance as either meeting, exceeding, or failing expectations in the categories of attendance and participation and provide a brief written justification for the rating. Ratings will be submitted electronically to the Chair who will compile the ratings into a written memo and deliver to the probationary group at least three weeks prior to the final week of classes during the Spring quarter. At the conclusion of the third probationary year, the committee can accept or reject, by majority vote if a student majority quorum is present, the petitioning area based upon their performance throughout the three-year probationary period.

III. DRAC MEMBERS:

• A. The voting members of the DRAC shall consist of:

• 1. One (1) administrator appointed by the Vice-President for Enrollment and Student Services. 
• 2. One (1) student from each departmentally related recognized area selected by the area’s student constituency by the end of the second week of Fall quarter
• 3. One (1) department member who is either the faculty adviser or budget authority for the area. The faculty adviser and budget authority for each area will have an automatic proxy for the other for ease of scheduling. 
• 4. Two (2) at-large student representatives appointed by the Associated Students Board of Directors as voting members that are not affiliated with any of the activities currently represented on the DRAC. 
• B. Non-voting member of the DRAC: 
• 1. A university staff person familiar with budget preparation, coordination, and implementation appointed by the Provost. 
• 2. The Associated Students Vice President for Activities shall serve as a liaison with the Associated Students Board of Directors. 
• 3. The student and department member for represented areas on probationary status.

IV. DRAC OFFICERS:

The DRAC voting members shall elect a Chair, a Vice-Chair and a Secretary at the first meeting held each academic year for a one-year term. The Chair convenes all meetings, approves agendas, and presides at all meetings. In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall convene meetings and perform all duties of the Chair as necessary. Any voting member of the DRAC - student or staff - may be elected as officers. The Secretary is responsible for minutes as set forth below in V. The Secretary may arrange for a University employee to attend and fulfill his or her duties but is responsible for the complete execution of those duties. In addition to the election of officers, a faculty liaison and two student liaisons to the S&A Fees Committee shall be selected from amongst the voting members at the first meeting of the academic year.

V. MEETINGS/MINUTES:

Meetings shall be called by the Chair with a minimum of forty-eight (48) hours’ notice. The Chair must call at least one (1) meeting during the first four (4) weeks of each quarter. The Chair reserves the right to call special meetings with less notice if necessary. A meeting may also be called by any member when requested by twenty-five percent (25%) of the seated, voting membership. Minutes will be taken at meetings recording the members present, discussion items, and all votes. There will be an approval of the previous meeting minutes at the beginning of the next meeting. The approved minutes will then be forwarded to the Associated Students Board of Directors for public posting.

A quorum shall be required to conduct business. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the voting members, or duly-designated proxies. Proxies must be presented in writing to the Chair. If a quorum is not present, the Chair will adjourn the meeting and reschedule to a new day and hour. While the DRAC is not subject to the notice provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act, its meetings shall be open to any interested person. All proceedings of the DRAC shall be transparent to others, and it shall respond in a timely fashion to all requests for information.

VI. EXPECTATIONS AND EVALUATION OF MEMBER AREAS:

Representatives for each group are expected to consistently attend and participate in deliberations and decision-making during meetings throughout the academic year. All DRAC departmentally related members are expected to uphold the following attendance and participation norms and will be evaluated accordingly

• A. Consistent and reliable attendance is expected. All departments and students face scheduling challenges or emergencies that may require short-term adjustments to attendance, either through designating another representative or arranging a proxy vote. All members should endeavor to communicate with the Chair and the Provost for Undergraduate Education’s office in the event that scheduling disruptions occur.
• B. Participation through constructive dialogue is essential to the functioning of this committee and all voting members and participants should endeavor to uphold the committee’s discussion norms. Specifically, participants should seek to: 1. Always keep student financial cost at the forefront of decision-making. 2. Ask clarifying questions rather than assuming another’s intentions. 3. Assume positive intentions and good faith of others. 4. Diffuse tension with “I”-centered language. 5. Engage and debate the idea rather than the person. 6. Limit discussion items to the agenda and work with the Chair to add items to the agenda prior to a meeting.
• C. During the Spring Quarter, DRAC shall convene to discuss the effectiveness and operation of the committee and its members, including member performance in the areas of attendance and participation. Should the committee agree by majority decision that an area’s department and/or student representative is failing to uphold its attendance or participation expectations, the Chair will inform the representatives in writing and collaborate with them to construct a plan for improving their performance. If the committee believes that unsatisfactory progress is made after 2 quarters, the committee can, by three-quarters majority vote (if a student majority quorum is present), return the group to probationary status for 2 years. Normal procedures and evaluations for probationary members outlined in Section II.D.5 shall be applied to the group. Members found failing expectations and subject to these votes will not participate in the voting, but may be present and participate in all meetings. In the event of a conflict of interest, coordination of the improvement plan will move to an elected alternative person.

VII. AMENDMENTS:

Any future amendments to this Charter shall be made by majority vote of the voting members of the DRAC, subject to the approval of the S&A Fees Committee, the Provost, and the Board of Trustees.

VIII. REPORTAGE:

The DRAC shall provide detailed budget recommendations to the S&A Fees Committee in conformance with the guidelines for S&A fees. The DRAC reports to the Provost. 

DRAC approved 1/29/2013 Approved by S&A Fee Committee 2/21/13 DRAC revised and approved 2/26/2020

Appendix A: DRAC Membership Criteria and Definitions

The purpose of this document is to clarify eligibility requirements for DRAC membership and criteria that may be used in evaluating an application for membership.

Background

DRAC receives "Services and activities fees." As defined by RCW 2B.15.041, “Services and activities fees shall be used as (1) otherwise provided by law or (2) by rule or regulation of the board of trustees . . . for the express purpose of funding student activities and programs of their particular institution.” The DRAC Charter sets forth eligibility for membership in DRAC, and the procedure by which an area may petition for membership:

• A represented area shall have “Departmentally Related Activities”, such as an artistic or academic production or event, that is intended for a public audience and the broader university community or that represents the University in intercollegiate competition of an academic nature. These areas of activity are further outlined in Appendix A. Students collaborate with faculty advisors from the department to determine content. Participation in such activities shall be open to all students enrolled in the university but may be subject to criteria established by the faculty supervisor of the activity. Students may be required to audition and be selected for participation, for instance.

Evaluation of applications for DRAC membership should be guided by the following clarifying definitions and criteria.

Artistic Production or Event has traditionally referred to productions related to curricula in the College of Fine and Performing Arts, such as music, dance and, dramatic performances, advertised and performed for an audience on or off campus, with audiences ranging from 50— 1000 individuals. These events are performed primarily by students and typically directed by faculty with an audience of students and community members. 

Criteria used in evaluating whether and the extent to which an event is an “artistic production or event” includes whether an industry-recognized professional degree is given in relation to the artistic form, the formality of the production (is it advertised, are tickets purchased, etc.) and the size of the audience. 

Academic Production or Event has traditionally referred to departmentally related programs and activities that result in a tangible or virtual product, distributed and available to the public, such as a student-produced newspaper or magazine related to content taught at Western Washington University.

Criteria used in evaluating whether and the extent to which an activity or program is an “academic production” includes whether the production is related to one or more academic departments, whether it is collaborative, produced at regular intervals, and whether it results in a tangible or virtual product, item or effort that is distributed or available to the public and can be measured or tracked in its distribution, attendance, use or consumption.

Intercollegiate Competitions consist of an organized event (or series of events) open to participation by college and university students. An area represents the University when it registers and competes as Western Washington University, rather than an independent entity. Participants are subsequently ranked based upon their performance in the event. An event is of an academic nature when the content or form of the competition is strongly related to the curriculum of the University; there should be a clear connection back to theories, concepts, or practices associated with the host department(s). It is helpful to ask “would this competition not exist but for its relationship with an institution of higher education?” in determining its academic nature.

Several factors can help determine whether a proposed activity qualifies for support. Related events should be sanctioned by a national body or regional organization. Participation that requires physical travel beyond Bellingham should be expected in order for an event to be intercollegiate (with the exception of WWU serving as a host to other colleges and universities for an event). Competitions should also typically operate as a regular series of events, whether it be several events during the course of the year, or a national competition hosted on an annual basis. Finally, activities should have an established track record of participation by WWU or colleges and universities around the country.

Other considerations

The law makes clear that S&A fee budgets are to be developed, proposed and presented to the Board of Trustees by students. Decisions about membership must therefore be considered and made by students in the interest of students. Committees which vote on membership must ensure a student majority at the time of the vote.

Funding and membership decisions should prioritize initiatives that directly impact student participation in activities.

Funding allocations and membership decisions should be made so as to balance stability in the funding of programs and activities students depend on with a capacity to support changes in student programs, interests and activities. Students enroll at Western with an expectation that they will be able to participate in longstanding programs and activities, such as our artistic performances and student publications. Yet, as noted by the AAG, “Equipment needed for a ballet production in 1985 may be quite different than what might be required for a Bollywood or hip hop activity 25 years later.”

Because of the service and staffing requirements of DRAC membership, new member applications should reflect programs, activities, and academic productions not achievable through current DRAC constituencies.

Appendix B: Application for Membership

Instructions: After completing the “Getting Started” guide and determining your group or activity is eligible, you must formally apply for membership. While groups can (and should) consult their faculty advisor(s) during this process, students should be the primary participants when preparing and presenting their application. All applications for membership should conform to the following steps:

• 1. Prepare typed responses to the application questions outlined in Section A. 
• 2. Prepare a draft budget request according to the parameters in Section B. 
• 3. Assemble a portfolio of any supplementary materials as explained in Section C. 
• 4. Submit your completed responses, draft budget request, and supplemental portfolio to Rebecca.McLean@wwu.edu by April 1st for review during the Spring Quarter. 
• 5. Deliver an oral presentation of your application as outlined in Section D.

Section A: Application Questions:

Please address the following questions in detail while limiting your combined responses to 3000 words. Applications will be assessed according to the DRAC Application Rubric and you are encouraged to prepare your responses accordingly:

• A. In 1980 legislation was amended to make clear that S&A budget requests were to be developed based on student proposals. In addition, the law declares that students are to have a “strong voice” in the planning of S&A funded activities. Please describe the involvement of students in this application for membership and what processes will ensure students have a strong voice in the planning of your activities. 
• B. Provide a succinct description of your group, including a list of members and proponents (students, the faculty advisor, and budget authority). 
• C. Describe the reach of your group (how many students participate, estimated public audience your group/activity reaches). 
• D. Describe in detail how your group fosters student engagement and growth through activities. 
• E. Describe the relationship between your proposed group/activity and the curriculum or mission of the academic department(s) that will advise your group. 
• F. Explain how your proposed budget conforms to WWU’s Services & Activities Fee guidelines and the Killian document. 
• G. Describe the types of expenses you envision funding with DRAC monies. 
• H. Conclude with a strong statement of how group meets the criteria for DRAC membership.

Section B: Draft Budget:

Work with your group’s prospective budget authority to prepare a draft budget request as if your group has already passed the 3 year probationary period for new DRAC members. Please pay close attention to permissible and non-permissible expenditures outlined in the Services & Activities Committee Expenditure Guidelines and the Killian document.

Section C: Supplemental Materials:

You may submit a packet with representative examples of your group’s work or accomplishments to help the committee better appreciate the nature of your group. 

Section D: Oral Presentation: 

Upon receipt of your materials, your group will be scheduled to orally present to DRAC. Applicants should send 1-2 student representatives along with the group’s faculty advisor and budget authority. Presentations are 15 minutes and should provide an overview of your application. 15 to 20 minutes of questions from the committee will follow, although additional questioning time may be required. The group’s student representatives should assume the primary responsibility for presenting their application, but assistance from the advisor and budget authority are appropriate as needed to answer questions from the committee.

DRAC accepts membership applications in spring quarter only – Application packets due to Rebecca.McLean@wwu.edu by April 1st via email.

Appendix C: DRAC Application Rubric

Instructions: Use the following rubric to assess the strength of a petitioning group’s application to DRAC. There is no minimum score applicants must receive for membership. This rubric is intended to promote consistency between the DRAC charter and the evaluation of prospective members, not to replace the need for deliberation and discussion by standing DRAC members.

General DRAC Criteria

"Artistic Production/Event" Criteria

"Academic Production/Event" Criteria

"Intercollegiate Competition" Criteria