The purpose of the Student Advisory Board for Instructional Technology (SABIT) is for students to serve as the deliberating body on the use of student fees by providing advice and recommendations to the Associate Vice Provost of Digital Learning Initiatives on how to allocate the funds best.
The board comprises students, the ASUA President, the GPSC President, and Administrative and Faculty Advisors. One term of service is one fall‐spring cycle, and each student is expected to serve for two full terms. The board will hold meetings twice a semester, and each student will receive compensation for full participation as a board member.
Advising duties include monitoring the current usage of the iCourse fee, future planning of instructional technologies, and advising the funding initiatives.
How to Apply
If you are interested in applying to be a part of the board, you can fill out the application form on this website. Applications are reviewed at the beginning of each academic year, and members serve for two full academic calendar years.
Role and Responsibilities of the Student Voting Members
The Student Voting Members are responsible for representing all students of The University of Arizona, regardless of a member’s constituency. They maintain an unbiased approach to all deliberations and decisions ‐ including freedom from both actual and potential conflicts of interest. Members also need a familiarity with technology at the University of Arizona. Members are responsible for reading, understanding, and deliberating on the amount of money available through the iCourse Fee. Members of the board monitor the current spending of the fee to ensure the monies are used faithfully to accomplish the goals of the iCourse Fee and provide recommendations to the AVP for Digital Learning on the use of the fee, alterations to funded programs, terminations of funded programs members of the incoming board, the election of leadership, and other foreseen or unforeseen situations that may arise.
Compensation
Each voting student member will receive monetary compensation in exchange for the achievement of required duties. The compensation will be delivered as outlined below:
Time Commitment
- Hours of work requested from each member per academic year: 8
- (4 hours) 1-hour meeting twice in spring and twice in fall
- (4 hours) Outside of meetings: review new technologies and prepare for meetings
Each voting student board member will receive $250 per year, issued in 2 installments of $125. Each installment is transferred at the end of the fall and spring semester, provided that the board member has completed all required tasks.
Selection and Service Processes
All Board Meetings will be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order.
Applications
An application must be completed and submitted to the iCourse Fee website by the beginning of the academic calendar year. All portions of an application must be completed or the board will not deliberate on the application. Once the window for completing applications closes, the board will deliberate on only the applications submitted by the deadline. No material submitted afterward will be considered. The board may, but is not required to, solicit additional information from an applicant in order to clarify parts of an application.
Board Meetings
The board will hold meetings twice a semester in order to address board business. The date, time, location, and agenda for all these meetings will be determined by the board and publicized at least ten business days prior to the first meeting.
Selection of the Board
The incoming board will be chosen by the Voting Members and the Advisors Ex‐Officio of the current board. The President of ASUA will nominate 1 person from within ASUA to the AVP for Digital Learning for an appointment and the President of GPSC will do likewise for GPSC. The policies and procedures of the board will not interfere with this prerogative. For the remaining seats (Undergraduate students and Graduate students) the current board will consider applications and interview applicants. Nominations will be made in full faith that the nominees will honorably perform the duties of a member of the board. These nominations may be, wholly or partially, approved or rejected by the AVP for Digital Learning. If the need to replace a board member arises, applicants from the previous year should be considered first.
Terms of Membership
Voting members will hold two-year terms. A term is one fall‐spring cycle. Advisors Ex‐Officio will serve a two‐year term; however, the ASUA President and GPSC President are permanent positions on the board. The Administrative and Faculty Advisors have permanent seats on the board and are not subject to any term limits. They will, however, cease their service when they cease to hold their position.
Vacancies
Vacancies will be replaced in the same manner as provided for new appointments. In the case that an individual is unable to serve the duration of his or her term, a replacement from the originating entity (ASUA, GPSC, or the Student Body) will be appointed to serve out the duration of the vacated term.
Substitute or Proxy
In the event that a voting member cannot attend the meeting, they should appoint a peer voting member to cast their vote. This appointed person should also relay any information that occurred in the meeting to the absent voting member.
Responsibility of the Associate Vice Provost for Digital Learning
The AVP has final authority on the usage of the fee, final authority on the actions of the board, final responsibility on safeguarding the integrity, and transparency of the fee and the advisory board. Any decision made by the AVP for Digital Learning is final.
Composition of the Board
The board will be comprised of members in three groups:
Student Voting Members
- Undergraduate students
- Graduate students
Advisors Ex‐Officio
- ASUA President
- GPSC President
Advisors
- Faculty Advisors
- Administrative Advisors (UCATT)
In making their recommendations for board appointments, the ASUA and GPSC Presidents and the Voting Members of the board should strive for nominations that represent diverse student interests.
The Advisors' Ex‐Officio Role
It is the responsibility of the Advisors Ex‐Officio to provide support to the board by sharing their unique perspectives as elected representatives of the student body. This support is intended to build collaboration and allow the board to run successfully with the experience, specialized knowledge, and expertise of the Advisors Ex‐Officio. The Advisors Ex‐Officio is in the unique position to aid in achieving the directives of the board and the goals of the iCourse Fee while understanding the needs of the campus community.
The Administrative and Faculty Advisors' Role
It is the responsibility of the Administrative Advisors to provide the necessary advice and direction to the board in terms of the costs pertaining to the use and support of technology for online instruction. Furthermore, they will guide the board on the proper step for iCourse Fee allocation and give insight from a faculty and staff perspective on the daily operations to support technologies for a broader university community.