Office of Trademark Licensing

Governance Document

Chancellor’s Labor Codes and Licensing Advisory Committee

A. MEMBERSHIP

1. The Labor Codes and Licensing Advisory Committee (the “Committee”) shall consist of the following members appointed by the Chancellor:

  • Three Faculty Members
  • Three Academic Staff Members
  • Three Students
  • Three Classified Staff Members
  • The Director of Trademark Licensing

2. The University Committee, the Academic Staff Executive Committee, the Classified Staff Executive Committee and the Associated Students of Madison shall each nominate at least three and up to five individuals for consideration by the Chancellor.

  • Governance groups are encouraged to consider for nomination individuals who are either interested in, demonstrate research expertise in or demonstrate work experience with issues related to collegiate licensing, worker and human rights, corporate responsibility, or international supply chain management.
  • Student positions on the committee shall be filled by currently enrolled undergraduate, graduate and professional students only; special students are not eligible to serve on this committee. At least one of the five individuals nominated by the Associated Students of Madison (ASM) shall be graduate or professional students. Faculty members of the committee are encouraged to submit names of students to ASM for consideration.
  • Shared governance bodies may rank order or otherwise provide guidance to the Chancellor on LCLAC nominees emerging from their respective governance groups.

3. The Chancellor shall annually appoint the chair of the Committee from among any of the Committee appointees except for the Director of Trademarks and Licensing. The Chair shall serve only as long as he or she retains the support of a majority of the LCLAC voting members.

4. The Committee shall elect a Vice Chair from among its voting members. The Vice Chair shall not have been nominated by the same governance group as that of the Chair.

5. The Chancellor shall appoint a designee to the committee to serve in an ex-officio capacity.

6. Faculty, Academic Staff and Classified Staff representatives shall serve staggered three-year terms, and may be reappointed to one additional consecutive three-year term. Students shall serve one-year terms, and may be reappointed to an additional consecutive one-year term.

B. CHARGE OF THE COMMITTEE

The Committee shall advise the Chancellor concerning policies and practices to ensure that corporations engaged in the manufacture of licensed goods bearing the University of WisconsinMadison name and/or logos are not engaged in unlawful or unconscionable labor practices. Specifically, the Committee shall:

1. Monitor Labor Codes of Conduct enforcement and promote University leadership in corporate citizenship with respect to fair labor practices, human rights, living wages, factory locations disclosures and sustainability in its licensing operations;

2. Conduct meaningful analysis on whether manufacturers and licensees of UW-Madison licensed products are compliant with the applicable Labor Codes of Conduct and recommend courses of action if licensees or manufacturers are noncompliant;

3. Participate in compliance monitoring organizations with which the University may be affiliated, which includes but is not limited to the Worker’s Rights Consortium (WRC); assess concerns about licensees raised by these organizations or through other governmental or non-governmental organizations such as the National Labor Relations Board and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; and recommend appropriate University actions in response.

C. PROCEDURES OF THE COMMITTEE

1. The Committee shall consult, as appropriate, with persons knowledgeable about labor codes of conduct policies, business practice history, implementation and violations. These individuals might include university administrators, academic experts, members of the labor community, and those who have experience in corporate supply chain management.

2. Meetings shall be regularly scheduled during the academic year.

3. The Chair shall be responsible for producing and distributing meeting agendas and minutes, preferably with the assistance of a staff person, and for facilitating meetings. Specifically:

  • The chair will circulate a proposed agenda at least 48 hours prior to regular LCLAC meetings.
  • The chair will circulate the text of any resolutions or action items subject to discussion and voting at least 48 hours prior to regular LCLAC meetings. If the meeting has a quorum of LCLAC voting members, this rule may be suspended for a particular LCLAC meeting with a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present.
  • All agendas for regular meetings of the LCLAC shall contain a provision for new business emerging from the committee.

4. The Vice-Chair shall be responsible for these duties when the Chair is unavailable.

5. All proceedings and documents of the committee shall be made public. The Vice-Chair shall work with the Office of University Relations to ensure that current information is accessible on the University of Wisconsin–Madison website.

6. The Chair, when making public statements or responding to media inquiries about issues or procedures before the LCLAC, shall notify the Office of Strategic Communication before or as soon after the statements as practical. This requirement shall not be construed as a restriction on the content of the statements or on the ability of the Chair or other LCLAC members to speak publicly as individuals.

7. The Chair of the Committee, once appointed, will meet with the Chancellor to review the committee charge and activities for the upcoming academic year.

8. The committee shall report to the University Committee on its activities at least once a year, or more often if requested; and shall report to other governance committees as requested.

9. Meetings Details

  • A simple majority of committee members shall constitute a quorum
  • The committee may take formal votes on positions, recommendations, and initiatives. However, all votes require a quorum of members. A majority of those present must approve any recommendation submitted to the Chancellor by the Committee.
  • Subcommittees shall be appointed as necessary.
Updated February 2022