Volunteer for a Committee or Council
The University Senate Committee Volunteer Period for the 2025-2026 academic year will open [Day], April [Date], 2025 and close [Day], May [Date], 2025.
The Senate Committee on Committees will begin the process of reviewing all of the volunteer applications in June. The committee will make placements to fill the memberships of our ten regular standing committees for the upcoming academic year (2025-2026). You will be notified by email no later than July [Date], 2025, whether you are placed on a committee.
How do I volunteer for a Senate committee?
Senate committees provide campus-wide volunteer opportunities to contribute to the University's shared governance and decision-making process. The volunteer period for committee service during the 2025-2026 academic year will open [day], April [date], 2025 and will close [day], May [date], 2025. You are welcome to attend committee meetings as an observer. The committee meeting schedules will be posted on the committee's webpage at the beginning of the Fall 2025 semester. To find other opportunities to become involved with the University Senate, please visit the Senate website and consider attending Senate meetings. See Senate Meeting schedule.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Senate Office at senate-admin@umd.edu.
What are Senate committees?
Committees are charged with reviewing and recommending revisions to existing University policies and proposing new policies that contribute to the University's mission and obligations and dedication to its principles. The work of the committees is essential to assisting the Senate with fulfilling its primary function of advising the President on matters and concerns related to but not limited to, education and research, budget and finance, personnel and employment, campus-community and campus-life, long-range plans, and faculty, staff, and student affairs. There are Senate committees related to each of these subject matter areas. A description of each committee and their recent work is available on the Senate website Committee page.
Senate committees include volunteer members from all campus constituencies—faculty, staff, and students—and administrative representatives. You do not have to be a Senator to be a committee member.
What is the time commitment for a committee member?
Committees typically meet up to 5 times per semester. Meetings are scheduled for 1-1.5 hours, generally during business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). The meetings take place primarily on Zoom, but a few meetings may be held in person. Most committees are inactive over the summer.
Committee members are expected to review meeting materials and may be asked to complete other committee work between meetings.
Faculty and staff members usually have 2-year terms, while student terms are 1 year.