UMDNJ-Government Relations Council
Meeting Charter

Purpose:
The Government Relations Council (GRC) was established on May 5, 2006 by the UMDNJ-Government Affairs Department (GA) to provide a University-wide forum for sharing information, coordinating the University’s federal and State advocacy agendas, and vetting government/public policy issues that affect the University community. The essential function of the GRC is to facilitate communications between Central Administration and internal stakeholders to ensure a coordinated, strategic approach to advocacy and federal and state relations.

Council Composition and Meeting Logistics:
The GRC consists of representatives from each of the University’s schools and health care units who are invited to join the Council through the office of their Dean or Vice President. Each school/unit appoints one individual and an alternate to the Council. All GA department professional staff members are required to participate in the GRC. Representatives from UMDNJ’s federal relations firm and other outside guest will participate in the meetings upon request by the Vice President of Government Affairs. UMDNJ faculty/staff or senior administration members are invited to attend the meetings as needed. Meeting participants may attend by teleconference. The Vice President of Government Affairs convenes and chairs the Government Relations Council meetings.

The GRC meets quarterly, however the GA department provides timely communications to the council members about evolving Federal and State issues between meetings. Special meetings and telephone conference call meetings will be held as needed, and as requested by Council members or the GA Department. The agenda for the quarterly meetings will include state/federal environmental updates, including pertinent legislative activity and a report on policy/legislative positions adopted by Central Administration. GRC members are invited to submit agenda items for discussion or decision making. Agenda items should be submitted at least one week in advance to the Vice President of Government Affairs or designee. If time permits, the Chair may open the meetings for general discussion.

The meetings will be approximately two hours in duration.

Miscellaneous Items
During the latter part of each State budget cycle, the GA department will convene weekly telephone conference call meetings for monitoring the legislative budget process, providing necessary updates to Council members, and recommending evolving strategies, as necessary.