DRAC Membership Criteria and Definitions

The purpose of this document is to clarify eligibility requirements for DRAC membership and criteria that may be used in evaluating an application for membership.

Background

DRAC receives “Services and activities fees.” As defined by RCW 2B.15.041, “Services and activities fees shall be used as (1) otherwise provided by law or (2) by rule or regulation of the board of trustees . . . for the express purpose of funding student activities and programs of their particular institution.”

The DRAC Charter sets forth eligibility for membership in DRAC, and the procedure by which an
area may petition for membership:

A represented area shall have “Departmentally Related Activities”, such as an artistic or academic production or event, that is intended for a public audience and the broader university community or that represents the University in intercollegiate competition of an academic nature. These areas of activity are further outlined in Appendix A. Students collaborate with faculty advisors from the department to determine content. Participation in such activities shall be open to all students enrolled in the university but may be subject to criteria established by the faculty supervisor of the activity. Students may be required to audition and be selected for participation, for instance.

Evaluation of applications for DRAC membership should be guided by the following clarifying definitions and criteria.

Artistic Production or Event has traditionally referred to productions related to curricula in the College of Fine and Performing Arts, such as music, dance and, dramatic performances, advertised and performed for an audience on or off campus, with audiences ranging from 50— 1000 individuals. These events are performed primarily by students and typically directed by faculty with an audience of students and community members. Criteria used in evaluating whether and the extent to which an event is an “artistic production or event” includes whether an industry-recognized professional degree is given in relation to the artistic form, the formality of the production (is it advertised, are tickets purchased, etc.) and the size of the audience.

Academic Production or Event has traditionally referred to departmentally related programs and activities that result in a tangible or virtual product, distributed and available to the public, such as a student-produced newspaper or magazine related to content taught at Western Washington University.

Criteria used in evaluating whether and the extent to which an activity or program is an “academic production” includes whether the production is related to one or more academic departments, whether it is collaborative, produced at regular intervals, and whether it results in a tangible or virtual product, item or effort that is distributed or available to the public and can be measured or tracked in its distribution, attendance, use or consumption.

Intercollegiate Competitions consist of an organized event (or series of events) open to participation by college and university students. An area represents the University when it registers and competes as Western Washington University, rather than an independent entity. Participants are subsequently ranked based upon their performance in the event. An event is of an academic nature when the content or form of the competition is strongly related to the curriculum of the University; there should be a clear connection back to theories, concepts, or practices associated with the host department(s). It is helpful to ask “would this competition not exist but for its relationship with an institution of higher education?” in determining its academic nature.

Several factors can help determine whether a proposed activity qualifies for support. Related events should be sanctioned by a national body or regional organization. Participation that requires physical travel beyond Bellingham should be expected in order for an event to be intercollegiate (with the exception of WWU serving as a host to other colleges and universities for an event). Competitions should also typically operate as a regular series of events, whether it be several events during the course of the year, or a national competition hosted on an annual basis. Finally, activities should have an established track record of participation by WWU or colleges and universities around the country.

Other considerations

The law makes clear that S&A fee budgets are to be developed, proposed and presented to the Board of Trustees by students. Decisions about membership must therefore be considered and made by students in the interest of students. Committees which vote on membership must ensure a student majority at the time of the vote.

Funding and membership decisions should prioritize initiatives that directly impact student participation in activities.

Funding allocations and membership decisions should be made so as to balance stability in the funding of programs and activities students depend on with a capacity to support changes in student programs, interests and activities. Students enroll at Western with an expectation that they will be able to participate in longstanding programs and activities, such as our artistic performances and student publications. Yet, as noted by the AAG, “Equipment needed for a ballet production in 1985 may be quite different than what might be required for a Bollywood or hip hop activity 25 years later.”

Because of the service and staffing requirements of DRAC membership, new member applications should reflect programs, activities, and academic productions not achievable through current DRAC constituencies.

Applying to DRAC- Getting Started

To help your student group determine if they are eligible to apply for membership in DRAC, use the Getting Started Guide. 

Instructions: After completing the “Getting Started” guide and determining your group or activity is eligible, you must formally apply for membership. While groups can (and should) consult their faculty advisor(s) during this process, students should be the primary participants when preparing and presenting their application. All applications for membership should conform to the following steps:

1. Prepare typed responses to the application questions outlined in Section A.
2. Prepare a draft budget request according to the parameters in Section B.
3. Assemble a portfolio of any supplementary materials as explained in Section C.
4. Submit your completed responses, draft budget request, and supplemental portfolio to Rebecca.McLean@wwu.edu by April 1st for review during the Spring Quarter.
5. Deliver an oral presentation of your application as outlined in Section D.

Section A: Application Questions- please address the following questions in detail while limiting your combined responses to 3000 words. Applications will be assessed according to the DRAC Application Rubric and you are encouraged to prepare your responses accordingly:

1. In 1980 legislation was amended to make clear that S&A budget requests were to be developed based on student proposals. In addition, the law declares that students are to have a “strong voice” in the planning of S&A funded activities. Please describe the involvement of students in this application for membership and what processes will ensure students have a strong voice in the planning of your activities.
2. Provide a succinct description of your group, including a list of members and proponents (students, the faculty advisor, and budget authority).
3. Describe the reach of your group (how many students participate, estimated public audience your group/activity reaches).
4. Describe in detail how your group fosters student engagement and growth through activities.
5. Describe the relationship between your proposed group/activity and the curriculum or mission of the academic department(s) that will advise your group.
6. Explain how your proposed budget conforms to WWU’s Services & Activities Fee guidelines and the Killian document.
7. Describe the types of expenses you envision funding with DRAC monies.
8. Conclude with a strong statement of how group meets the criteria for DRAC membership.

Section B: Draft Budget- work with your group’s prospective budget authority to prepare a draft budget request as if your group has already passed the 3 year probationary period for new DRAC members. Please pay close attention to permissible and non-permissible expenditures outlined in the Services & Activities Committee Expenditure Guidelines and the Killian document.

Section C: Supplemental Materials- you may submit a packet with representative examples of your group’s work or accomplishments to help the committee better appreciate the nature of your group.

Section D: Oral Presentation- upon receipt of your materials, your group will be scheduled to orally present to DRAC. Applicants should send 1-2 student representatives along with the group’s faculty advisor and budget authority. Presentations are 15 minutes and should provide an overview of your application. 15 to 20 minutes of questions from the committee will follow, although additional questioning time may be required. The group’s student representatives should assume the primary responsibility for presenting their application, but assistance from the advisor and budget authority are appropriate as needed to answer questions from the committee.

DRAC accepts membership applications in spring quarter only – Application packets due to Rebecca.McLean@wwu.edu by April 1st via email.