Students United Glossary

Students United

Student Association: This is in reference to both individual campus student governments and the two statewide student associations: Students United and LeadMN. A student association is the officially recognized voice of a student body. The student associations on each campus, represent the official voice of all students on each respective campus. Students United and LeadMN are recognized by the Minnesota State system and Minnesota state government as the official voices for all Minnesota State university and college students, respectively. Administrators, faculty, and staff at each university and college, as well as the Minnesota State system, look to student associations to voice the thoughts and concerns of the students they represent.

Mission: Led by Minnesota State University students, we are the inclusive voice for all future, current, and former students. We actively work to represent and support Minnesota State University students and advocate at a local, system, state, and federal level for higher education policies that make a positive impact for our students and communities.

Vision: Our vision is to create the model of inclusive higher education policies and leadership. Our goal is to ensure higher education is rooted in student voices and student needs. Student leaders at all decision-making tables strengthen student advocacy, which creates a more robust higher education system and community.

Values: Student Voice, Thought Leaders, United Leadership, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Next Level Thinking, Tangible Advocacy, Student Leadership.

Board of Directors: The board is composed of seven voting members, who are the student body presidents of their respective Minnesota State universities. If the student body president cannot serve for any reason, they are able to appoint an individual to serve in their place. The board also has three officers: State Chair, Vice Chair, and Treasurer. The board serves a one-year term that runs from July to the end of June the following year.

Officers:

State Chair: The State Chair is responsible for the governance of Students United. They chair the Board of Directors and are the official voice of the board. The State Chair executes the mission of the organization.
Vice Chair: The Vice Chair performs the duties of the State Chair in their absence. They chair the Delegates Assembly Committee meetings and Internal Affairs Committee meetings. The work with the State Chair to execute the organization’s mission. The Vice Chair also co-chairs the Students United Scholarship and Alumni Advisory Board.
Treasurer: The Treasurer oversees the organization’s financial administration, reviews and enforces financial policies and procedures, and assists in drafting and presenting the next fiscal year’s budget.

Standing Board Committees: A body of student representatives from each of our universities appointed by our board annually. All committees are advisory committees to the board and have no power outside of their abilities to provide input and suggestions directly to the board.

Delegates Assembly Committee: This committee acts as a townhall for broad student voices. Any Minnesota State university student attending a Students United conference may participate to: provide feedback, input, and recommendations regarding Students United stances, priorities, and advocacy; Provide feedback, input, and recommendations regarding the business of the Board of Directors, including the board’s governing documents and budget conversations; and to share thoughts, ideas, and recommendations regarding their individual campus-level affairs.
Internal Affairs Advisory Committee: This committee is responsible for reviewing the Board of Director’s governing documents; providing guidance, ideas, and recommendations on issues being discussed by the board and/or requested by the board; and annually reviewing progress on the strategic plan and providing relevant input and ideas.
Legislative Priorities Advisory Committee: This committee is responsible for providing guidance, ideas, and recommendations on Students United’s state and federal legislative advocacy; providing space for committee members to discuss shared legislative topics of interest; reviewing Students United’s state and federal legislative advocacy progress and providing input; recommending state and federal legislative advocacy annual program outcomes for the following year; discussing diversity, equity, inclusion, and access issues at the legislative level; and discussing environmental and sustainability issues at the legislative level.
System Priorities Advisory Committee: This committee is responsible for providing guidance, ideas, and recommendations on Students United’s system-level advocacy; providing space for committee members to discuss shared system-level topics of interest; reviewing Students United’s system-level advocacy progress and providing input; recommending system-level advocacy annual program outcomes for the following year; discussing diversity, equity, inclusion, and access issues at the system level; and discussing environmental and sustainability issues at the system level.

Ad-Hoc Board Committees: A temporary, special committee is established to accomplish a particular task or to oversee a specific area in need of control or oversight.

Campus Engagement Advisory Committee: While the process of employment, including student employment on the campuses, is owned and operated by the Executive Director, the questions surrounding previous iterations of on-campus Students United programming, such as the campus staff/committee program, are strongly connected to the broader vision, mission, and goals of the organization, the purpose of the organization, and the strategic planning process. As Students United adopts a new strategic plan before the end of FY21 and aligns the FY22 (and beyond) budget/programming with it, Students United will seek student input to help align Students United’s mission/vision for the next five years with Students United’s programming goals related to the campuses.
Strategic Planning Advisory Committee: Current and former students (alumni) will provide ideas, insights, and feedback regarding the vision, mission, and strategy work of Students United as it relates to the Strategic Planning process for FY21-FY26. Staff and board officers will also have internal meetings to provide ideas, insights, and feedback. These meetings will be reported out to the committee. Alumni and current students may meet separately to focus on mission and program work specific to those areas. They may also convene together when work is more collective.

Scholarship and Alumni Advisory Board: This board was created as an advisory body for the Students United Board of Directors. This board supports the mission, vision, and values of Students United with a strong focus on Students United’s alumni and scholarship efforts. The Students United Vice Chair serves as a non-voting member and co-chair of this board. Voting members of this board include Students United alumni, Alumni of Minnesota State universities, and friends/supporters of Students United.

Staff:

Executive Director: The Executive Director is responsible for all Students United operations, including those that achieve student advocacy results, increase Students United’s visibility, and maintain positive relationships with Minnesota State and other organizations. A Board of Directors made up of college students govern the advocacy, program, and scholarship activities of the organization. The Executive Director serves as a resource and strategy partner and, with the staff team, implements the strategic plan and the objectives determined by the Board of Directors.
Director of Development: The Director of Development manages Students United’s fundraising, alumni outreach, leads organizational work for Students United’s scholarship programs, and develops and manages other special programs for the organization. The Director of Development administers and grows the scholarship programs through fundraising and events as well as relationship building with alumni.
- Development: the process of creating, renewing and growing organizational funding through donors, grants, foundation or corporate partners. This portion of non-profit work is sometimes also called Advancement.
Director of Equity and Inclusion: The Director of Equity and Inclusion will lead the organization’s equity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts. The Director of Equity and Inclusion is primarily responsible for the enhancement of equity, inclusion, and access related programs and advocacy. This person will also join the Human Resources team to coordinate on equal opportunity and inclusion efforts.
Director of Government Relations: The Director of Government Relations is responsible for the planning, coordination and implementation of Students United’s comprehensive advocacy program. The Director will provide advice and counsel, and serve as a strategic advisor on legislative issues and will develop strong relationships with students, legislators and their staff, and higher education stakeholders. The Director will serve as a resource for students, legislators and Minnesota State staff and will have knowledge on relevant state and federal higher education policy and proposals. The Director will work with the entire Students United team to implement all student-led organizational objectives.
Director of System Relations: The Director of System Relations is responsible for the planning, coordination and implementation of Students United’s system and university efforts, including advocating for organizational objectives and positions at the system and university level. The Director will provide advice and counsel and serve as a strategic advisor on system and university issues and will develop strong relationships with students, Minnesota State and university staff and other higher education stakeholders. The Director will serve as a resource for students Minnesota State staff and university staff and will have knowledge on relevant higher education policies and proposals. The Director will work closely with the campus committees and the entire Students United team to implement all student-led organizational objectives.
Director of Operations: The Director of Operations manages all operations and human resources activities and oversees the logistics of student conferences. This position is also the direct supervisor to the office manager.
Office Manager: Supervised by the Director of Operations, this student role focuses on administrative services for staff, officers, the board of directors, and students, including, but not limited to, financial management, office management, database management, and event planning. This person will have the opportunity to take initiative on large organizing projects and process improvements.

Advocacy Team: This team includes the Director of Government Relations, Director of System Relations, and the Director of Equity and Inclusion.

Finance Team: This team includes the Executive Director, Director of Development, and the Director of Operations.

Fundraising Team: This team includes the Director of Development, the grant writer consultant, and the Development Intern.

Operations Team: This team includes the Executive Director, Director of Operations and the Office Manager.

HR Team: This team includes the Executive Director, Director of Operations, and the Director of Equity and Inclusion.

Student Programs:

Student Leadership: This program is focused on the board of directors, officers, student interns, and their development.
Student Advocacy: This program brings students and stakeholders together to advocate for Students United issues at the Minnesota State system level, state level, and federal level. This program includes trips to Washington, D.C., Advocacy Day, Advocacy Conference, students meeting with the system office, and engagement and advocacy sessions with alumni.
Student Organizing: This program is focused on student engagement and outreach. We visit campuses, host conferences, and offer spaces for student engagement.
Student Debt Relief: This program focuses on advocating for student debt relief federally and finding advocacy avenues for affordable higher education. This also includes a fund to provide “scholarships” to alumni for student debt relief, an e-commerce store, and community outreach.

Governing Documents:

Student Platform: This document is essential to the advocacy work of the organization. It is the broad collection of all of Students United’s stances. Our legislative agendas and program outcomes use it as a reference. The board can amend it any time and students are encouraged to use it as a resource and reach out with any questions or suggested amendments.
Pandemic Platform: This document was passed by the board on March 20, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This document will act as an extension of our existing platform to specifically outline our stances relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. This platform will become obsolete if/when the COVID-19 pandemic is obsolete. The protocol for amending this platform is the same as amending the general Students United Platform.
Policies and Procedures: The Policies and Procedures document outlines the policies and procedures the organization follows. The document includes information for all five of the board’s committees. In addition, this document also includes the organization’s Code of Conduct. Any edits to this document made by the Board go into effect immediately.
Bylaws: The Bylaws of Students United are a road map to how the organization conducts itself. It includes items such as the outlined roles of the officers, the organization’s purpose, and defined membership. Amendments to the Bylaws take effect immediately.
Financial Policies: The Financial Policy sets in place procedures and rules the organization must follow when handling any of the organization’s finances. Any edits to this document made by the Board go into effect immediately.

Events

Advocacy Conference: This event is designed as an event for students who are interested in organizing, civic engagement, and/or advocacy of any kind. The intention of this conference is for students to walk away with tangible tools and practical tips on how to leverage their power and resources as students and as active members of society after college. Years past, this event had over a dozen different speakers ranging from experts in federal higher education based out of Washington DC to individuals who have years of expertise working for and advocating within our own Minnesota State system.
Advocacy Day: This is a limited attendance event Students United organizes each year for students who want to take their advocacy to another level. On Advocacy Day, nearly 50 students from across all Minnesota State universities sit down and meet with their local representatives to discuss Student United’s State Legislative Agenda.
Federal D.C. Lobby Trip: Each year, Students United takes a group of student leaders out to Washington D.C. to meet with higher education policy influencers and makers. This is one of the organization's best federal advocacy tools, as it puts students in front of the individuals who make decisions that affect them. Students are able to explain firsthand how these policies affect students in Minnesota.

Parliamentary Procedure: Sometimes shortened to Parli Pro or Robert’s Rules, this is a body of ethics, rules, and customs for governing meetings and other operations of clubs, organizations, legislative bodies, and other deliberative assemblies. To view the Parliamentary Procedure Glossary, click here.

Robert’s Rules of Order: This is a manual of parliamentary procedure that governs most organizations with boards of directors. Students United uses this in board meetings and board committee meetings.

Equity Audit: The Students United Equity Audit was a process from 2017 to 2020 to evaluate the organization’s equity, inclusion, and access, produce a set of recommendations to grow in a more positive direction, and implement those recommendations. The audit recommendations were created with input from staff, students, board members, and alumni and the recommendations were approved by the 2018-2019 Board of Directors. Many changes over the last few years have been informed by the equity audit.

Strategic Plan/Planning: The process of defining the organization’s strategy and general direction and how to allocate its resources to reach measurable outcomes.

Legislative Agendas: Approved by the board each fall, these are specified issues Students United will advocate for to the state and federal government.

Partners

American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU): This group is the collective voice of nearly 400 public colleges, universities, and systems. The association works to expand student access, success and opportunity, promote world-class teaching and experiential learning tied to career advancement, and support applied research and service that advances economic development and quality of life in communities across the country. Students United works with AASCU to gain additional connection and insight into federal education policy and advocacy efforts. AASCU is a highly integrated and deeply involved federal policy expert with a D.C. based office with significant resources and connections. They generally provide space and trainings for our Board of Directors during out annual D.C. advocacy trip and are helpful partners to leverage throughout the year in regard to federal policy and advocacy.

Governor’s Office: The Governor of Minnesota is the chief executive of the state and leads the state's executive branch.

Governor’s Cabinet: This consists of the leaders of various state departments. The governor appoints these department heads, who, other than the head of the Department of Military Affairs and the chairs of the Metropolitan Council and the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, are called commissioners. Students United works with the Commission of Higher Education.

Higher Education Legislative Liaisons (HELL): This group is comprised of the lobbyists for Students United, LeadMN, Minnesota State, the IFO and MSCF (Minnesota State College Faculty). The purpose of the group is to collaborate and share information on shared legislative priorities. Most often, the discussion is around the legislative process and securing funding for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

Inter Faculty Organization (IFO): They represent the interests of faculty at the seven Minnesota State universities. Their members are served through collective bargaining, contract enforcement, and advocacy. Students United works closely with the IFO on many of our shared interests. For example, our Director of Government Relations works with their Director of Public Affairs to promote legislation that would increase funding for Minnesota State Universities, and our Director of Equity and Inclusion works with the equity team at the IFO on a regular basis as well.

Minnesota State College Faculty (MSCF): They represent all two-year college faculty in the Minnesota State system through negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement, processing of all faculty grievances, lobbying the Minnesota Legislature through its legislative operations, handling communication between the members on the individual campuses and with the public, increasing and maintaining contact with other groups who share our concerns, and providing committees and a governance structure essential to the involvement of college faculty in the operation of the Minnesota State system.

Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE): MAPE is a union that represents professionals across “all segments of state of Minnesota service.” MAPE has members across the Minnesota State institutions and hold spots on each Minnesota State council and committee.

Office of Higher Education (OHE): The purpose of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education is to: help students achieve financial access to postsecondary education, enable students to choose among post-secondary education options, protect and inform educational consumers, produce independent, statewide information on postsecondary education, and facilitate interaction among and collaboration with organizations that share responsibility for education in Minnesota. The agency administers programs and gathers and reports data. The OHE Commissioner serves as the governor’s advisor on higher education.

Student Advisory Council (SAC): The Office of Higher Education has one standing advisory group: The Student Advisory Council, which convenes other groups of stakeholders to address issues as the need arises. The Student Advisory Council provides the office with student perspectives on statewide higher education issues and policies, including financial aid. The group has one representative from Students United, LeadMN, The UofM, private college, tribal colleges, and for-profit colleges.

Office of the Secretary of State (OSS): The work of the Secretary of State’s Office affects Minnesotans in all 87 counties of the state. One of the office's main responsibilities is overseeing statewide elections and operating the statewide voter registration system. Another main responsibility involves the review, approval, and filings for all businesses and organizations operating in the state. They also process notary public applications, preserve documents filed with the state, and administer the Safe at Home program, and address confidentiality program designed to assist Minnesotans who wish to keep the location of their physical residence private for personal safety reasons.

Public Interest Research Group (PIRG): This is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest research and advocacy organization. One of the areas that U.S. PIRG works on is higher education affordability.

LeadMN: 501c3 nonprofit and the Minnesota State community and technical colleges statewide student association.

System

Minnesota State: Formerly known as Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU), Minnesota State–or Minn State, System Office–was created by the Minnesota state legislature in 1992, creating the system in which all of the state universities and community and technical colleges are governed by the same body; the board of trustees.

Board of Trustees (BoT): This 15-member board is appointed by the governor. The board has policy responsibility for system planning, academic programs, fiscal management, personnel, admissions requirements, tuition and fees, and rules and regulations.

Chancellor’s Office: The Chancellor’s Office of Minnesota State is comprised of the highest executive leadership in the system. This includes the Chancellor; the Vice Chancellors of academic and student affairs, human resources, finance and facilities, and information technology services, the chief diversity officer, the chief marketing and communications officer, the general counsel, the (interim) board director, the government relations special assistant to the chancellor, the chief of staff, and the internal audit executive director.

University President: The executive leader of each university within a university system.

Leadership Council: The monthly meeting of university presidents, where Students United sometimes has the opportunity to meet with all seven of the Minnesota State university presidents at once.

Bargaining Unit: A group of employees with a clear and identifiable community of interests who are under U.S. law, represented by a single labor union in collective bargaining and other dealings with management (Example: IFO and MSCF). Minnesota State also refers to the Student Associations as bargaining units (Students United and LeadMN).

Union: An organized association of workers, often in a trade or profession, formed to protect and further their rights and interests.

Academic and Student Affairs (ASA): This division of the system office works with system institutions to identify and meet shared priorities so they can better serve their students and communities.

Councils & Commission: The ASA Councils and Commission were created with the purpose of reducing the historic number of system-level task forces. The result allows Academic and Student Affairs to provide venues where issues of mutual interest might be addressed, improve the ability to communicate with constituents, and allow faculty, student, and professional staff leadership to work in ways that are solution-oriented.
- Academic Affairs Council: This is an ongoing council with an advisory role to the senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs and the Academic and Student Affairs Coordinating Commission. The council is the principal group responsible for advising the senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs on academic initiatives and programs that are planned, piloted, adopted, and/or implemented for systemwide benefit. Undergraduate and graduate teaching and learning, including instructional development, professional development, accountability framework, student readiness and college transitions, career and technical education, career preparation and workforce development, program alignment and effectiveness, and inter-campus collaboration.
- Policy Council: This council provides constituent advice and consultation on proposed Board of Trustees academic and student affairs policies and chancellor's procedures.
  The work of this council supports Strategic Direction:
  1. To increase access and opportunity strategic direction
  2. To promote and measure high-quality learning programs and services; and Strategic Direction
  3. To provide programs and services integral for state and regional economic needs.
- Student Affairs Council: The Student Affairs Council provides advice and consultation to the vice chancellor for academic and student affairs on emerging student affairs issues as they are received from its related subcommittees and user groups.
- Technology Council: The Academic and Student Affairs Technology Council is an ongoing council with an advisory role to the Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs and the Academic and Student Affairs Coordinating Commission. The council will be the principal group responsible for advising the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs on all academic technologies that are piloted, adopted, and/or licensed for systemwide use. They will advise and make recommendations on academic technologies including instructional related tools, online learning technologies, instructional media delivery, library technologies, and other instructional academic technologies that have systemwide application.

Student Fee: A fee charged to students at a school, college, university or other place of learning that is in addition to tuition fees. It may be charged to support student organizations and student activities or for intercollegiate programs such as intramural sports; or, at a public university or college, as a means to remedy shortfalls in state funding (in which case it can often be called a technology fee. Further fees may then be charged for features and facilities such as insurance, health, and parking provision.

State

State Legislature: This is in reference to the Minnesota Legislature, which consists of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Senators are elected from 67 single-member districts. In order to account for decennial redistricting, members run for one two-year term and two four-year terms each decade. They are elected for four-year terms in years ending in 2 and 6, and for two-year terms in years ending in 0. Representatives are elected for two-year terms from 134 single-member districts formed by dividing the 67 senate districts in half and are labeled as district ‘A’ or ‘B.’

Minnesota House of Representatives: This is the lower house of the Legislature of the state of Minnesota. There are 134 members, twice as many as the Minnesota Senate. Floor sessions are held in the north wing of the State Capitol in Saint Paul. Offices for members and staff, as well as most committee hearings, are located in the nearby State Office Building. Members are elected for two-year terms.

Minnesota Senate: This is the upper house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. At 67 members, half as many as the Minnesota House of Representatives, it is the largest upper house of any U.S. state legislature. Floor sessions are held in the west wing of the State Capitol in Saint Paul. Committee hearings, as well as offices for senators and staff, are located north of the State Capitol in the Minnesota Senate Building. Each member of the Minnesota Senate represents approximately 80,000 constituents.

House Higher Education Finance and Policy Division: Often referred to as the House Higher Education Committee, this group discusses and votes on issues related to higher education in the state of Minnesota. Policies that pass through this committee, will be voted on by the entire Minnesota House of Representatives.

Senate Higher Education Finance and Policy Division: Often referred to as the Senate Higher Education Committee, this group discusses and votes on issues related to higher education in the state of Minnesota. Policies that pass through this committee, will be voted on by the entire Minnesota Senate.

Bill: A bill is proposed legislation under consideration by a legislature.

Omnibus bill: a consolidation of multiple bills that will be voted on as a single bill.

Legislation: Law that has been enacted by a legislature or other governing body or the process of making it. Before an item of legislation becomes law it may be known as a bill, and may be broadly referred to as "legislation", while it remains under consideration to distinguish it from other business.

Statute: A formal enactment of the legislature of a more permanent nature. The term "statute" is used to designate written law, as distinguished from unwritten law.

Minnesota Statute Section 135A.0: Provides that it is the policy of the Minnesota Legislature to fund 67% of the cost of public postsecondary education, leaving students to fund 33%.
Minnesota Statute 136F.22 Student Associations: Mandates under state law that the Minnesota State Board of Trustees shall recognize one statewide student association for the state universities and one for the community and technical colleges. Each campus student association shall be affiliated with its statewide student association and all students enrolled on those campuses shall be members of their respective statewide association.
- Subdivision 2. Fees: mandates that each statewide association shall set its fees to be collected by the board and shall submit any changes in its fees to the board for review. The board may revise or reject the fee change. Fees must be collected by each state college and university and shall be credited to each association's account to be spent as determined by that association.
- Subdivision 4. Consolidation: Changes may be made to student associations located on community college, state university, technical college, or consolidated collocated campuses with the approval of the students of each affected campus.

Biennium: Two-year term of legislative activity.

Budget: The suggested allocation of state moneys presented to the legislature for consideration; a formal document that reflects the authorized expenditures of the state.

Bicameral: A legislature consisting of two separate chambers, each serving as a check on the other's power. In Minnesota, this is the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Tuition Freeze: A government policy restricting the ability of administrators of colleges and universities to increase tuition fees for students.

Bonding: This refers to the process of the state government taking out a low-interest rate loan to pay for capital projects across the state.

Capital Projects: A project that helps maintain or improve infrastructure. It can be for new construction, expansion, renovation, or replacement project for an existing facility or facilities.

Infrastructure: The basic structures and facilities (e.g. buildings, roads, power supplies) needed for the operation of the state.

Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR): this program funds the repair and replacement of building systems on Minnesota State campuses. The state of Minnesota pays for 2/3 of the cost of the improvements and Minnesota State pays the remaining 1/3.

Federal

Branches of the Federal Government: The U.S. Constitution divides the federal government into three branches to make sure no individual or group will have too much power:

Legislative: Makes laws (Congress, comprised of the House of Representatives and Senate). Congress confirms or rejects the president's nominees and can remove the president from office in exceptional circumstances.
Executive: Carries out laws (president, vice president, Cabinet, most federal agencies). The president can veto legislation created by Congress and nominates heads of federal agencies.
Judicial: Evaluates laws (Supreme Court and other courts). The Justices of the Supreme Court, who can overturn unconstitutional laws, are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate

President of the United States (POTUS): The president leads the country. He or she is the head of state, leader of the federal government, and Commander in Chief of the United States armed forces. The president serves a four-year term and can be elected no more than two times.

Vice President of the United States (VP): The vice president supports the president. If the president is unable to serve, the vice president becomes president. The vice president can be elected and serve an unlimited number of four-year terms as vice president, even under a different president.

The Cabinet: Cabinet members serve as advisors to the president. They include the vice president, heads of executive departments, and other high-ranking government officials. Cabinet members are nominated by the president and must be approved by a simple majority of the Senate.

Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS): This is the highest court in the U.S. The Justices of the Supreme Court are nominated by the president and must be approved by the Senate. Nine members make up the Supreme Court—a Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. There must be a minimum or quorum of six Justices to decide a case. If there is an even number of Justices and a case results in a tie, the lower court's decision stands. There is no fixed term for Justices. They serve until their death, retirement, or removal in exceptional circumstances.

United States Congress: This is the bicameral (two separate assemblies) legislature of the federal government of the United States and consists of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. Both senators and representatives are chosen through direct election, though vacancies in the Senate may be filled by a governor appointment. Congress has 535 voting members: 435 representatives and 100 senators.

Congressional Delegation: The entire group of elected Senators and Representatives from a state.
United States House of Representatives (U.S. House): This is the lower chamber of the U.S. Congress. The composition of the House is established by Article One of the U.S. Constitution. The House is composed of representatives who sit in congressional districts allocated to each state on a basis of population as measured by the U.S. Census, with each district entitled to one representative. Minnesota currently has 8 representatives, which is subject to changed based on the 2020 Census. The number of voting representatives is fixed by law at 435. There are currently six non-voting members, bringing the total membership of the US House of Representatives to 441. Members serve two-year terms.
- Non-voting members: Called either delegates or resident commissioner (in the case of Puerto Rico), these are representatives of their territory in the House of Representatives, who do not have a right to vote on proposed legislation in the full House but nevertheless have floor privileges and are able to participate in certain other House functions. Non-voting members may vote in a House committee of which they are a member and introduce legislation.
- House Committee on Education and Labor: U.S. House committee that considers matters relating to these issues.
United States Senate: This is the upper chamber of the U.S. Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established by Article One of the U.S. Constitution. The Senate is composed of senators, each of whom represents a single state in its entirety. Each state, regardless of its population size, is equally represented by two senators who serve staggered terms of six years.
- Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP): U.S. Senate committee that considers matters relating to these issues.
  - Higher Education Act (HEA): The legislation signed into United States law on November 8, 1965, as part of President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society domestic agenda. The law was intended to strengthen the educational resources of our colleges and universities and to provide financial assistance for students in postsecondary and higher education. It increased federal money given to universities, created scholarships, gave low-interest loans for students, and established a National Teachers Corps. Financial assistance for students is covered in Title IV of the HEA.
    - Higher Education Act Reauthorization: The HEA is generally scheduled for reauthorization by Congress every five years to encourage growth and change. The HEA has been reauthorized in 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1986, 1992, 1998, and 2008. Current authorization for the programs in the Higher Education Act expired at the end of 2013, but has been extended while Congress prepares changes and amendments.

Financial Aid: Funding that is available exclusively to students attending a post-secondary educational institution in the United States. This funding is to assist in covering the many costs incurred in the pursuit of post-secondary education. Financial aid is available from federal and state governments, educational institutions, and private organizations. It can be awarded in the form of grants, loans, work-study, and scholarships. In order to apply for federal financial aid, students must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Pell Grant: This is a subsidy the U.S. federal government provides for students who need it to pay for college. Federal Pell Grants are limited to students with financial need, who have not earned their first bachelor's degree, or who are enrolled in certain post-baccalaureate programs, through participating institutions.

Author: The person who presents a bill or resolution for consideration; may be joined by others, who are known as coauthors.

Sponsor: The person who presents a bill or resolution for consideration; may be joined by others, who are known as cosponsor.

Reauthorization: This refers to the process in which existing statutes are reenacted with new language.

Department of Education (ED): This is a Cabinet-Level department of the U.S. Government and is administered by the United States Secretary of Education. Its budget supports postsecondary grants, loans, and work-study assistance.

United States Census: The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States. Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution mandates that this occur every 10 years. The information the census collects helps determine how more than $675 billion of federal funding is distributed to states and communities each year. It also determines how many representatives each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Conference Committee: This is a joint committee of the United States Congress appointed by the House of Representatives and Senate to resolve disagreements on a particular bill. A conference committee is usually composed of senior members of the standing committees of each house that originally considered the legislation.

U.S. Constitution: The supreme law of the United States of America, consisting of seven founding articles and 27 amendments that were added later to further protect the rights of U.S. citizens.

Bill of Rights: The first 10 amendments of the U.S. Constitution

Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition
Right to keep and bear arms in order to maintain a well-regulated militia
No quartering of soldiers
Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures
Right to due process of law, freedom from self-incrimination, double jeopardy
Rights of accused persons, e.g., right to a speedy and public trial
Right of trial by jury in civil cases
Freedom from excessive bail, cruel and unusual punishments
Other rights of the people
Powers reserved to the states

Other Terminology

501c3: Section 501(c)(3) is the portion of the US Internal Revenue Code that allows for federal tax exemption of nonprofit organizations, specifically those that are considered public charities, private foundations or private operating foundations. This status is given to some nonprofit organizations.

990: The IRS Form 990 is the reporting form that many federally tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS each year. This form allows the IRS and the general public to evaluate a nonprofit's operations; it includes information on the nonprofit's mission, programs, and finances.

Academic Freedom: The moral and legal concept expressing the conviction that the freedom of inquiry by faculty members is essential to the mission of the academy as well as the principles of academia, and that scholars should have freedom to teach or communicate ideas or facts (including those that are inconvenient to external political groups or to authorities) without being targeted for repression, job loss, or imprisonment.

Campus Autonomy: This describes the ability for each campus within a system to have independent control over its day-to-day operations and curriculum.

Conflict of interest: A position that threatens the ability of a person to vote impartially due to some personal interest in a legislative issue.

Constituent: Someone residing within the district of a legislator.

Equity and Inclusion:

Equity: the process of prioritizing and investing material resources into equalizing opportunity, access, and outcomes for historically-marginalized, intentionally-excluded and harmed communities
Inclusion: the process through which all possible individuals, communities, experiences, and ideas are present in a given space, conversation, or design.
Equality: The recognition that historically marginalized groups have and continue to experience discrimination and ensuring that every individual has equal access to opportunities.
Diversity: This is the representation of all our varied identities and differences (race, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, tribe, caste, socio-economic status, thinking and communication styles, etc.), collectively and as individuals.
Bias: personal or systemic prejudice about people/things, whether positive or negative, that may be acted on in a manner that creates unfair advantage or disadvantage. Acting on bias against something or someone is discrimination.
Access: the quality of being easily useable by everyone. A process through which resources, infrastructure, language, and behavior are designed to be of nearly equal use to all people.

Get Out The Vote (GOTV): Describes efforts aimed at increasing the voter turnout in elections.

Open Educational Resources (OERs): These are freely accessible, openly licensed text, media, and other digital assets that are useful for teaching, learning, and assessing as well as for research purposes.

Session: The period of time in which the legislature, in both the state and federal government, is convened for the purpose of lawmaking.

Shared Governance: The means by which institutions for higher education are formally organized and managed.

Veto: Action by the governor or U.S. president to disapprove a measure.

Veto override: Vote by the legislature to pass a bill over a governor or U.S. president’s veto.