In 1987, after recognizing that there was no official body that addressed and represented issues and concerns directly related to the classified staff, Dr. Charles Knapp, incoming president at that time, issued a memorandum outlining the organization of such a group and hence the Staff Representative Group (SRG) was formed. In 1991 that body was renamed Staff Council. Representation for classified staff is organized in three tiers: university-wide (Staff Council), divisional, and departmental. 

The Staff Council is made up of one elected representative from each Vice President's Division and one elected representative from each College or School. Additional representatives are elected by each area at the ratio of one representative for each 250 eligible staff members. At the divisional level for the division of Academic Affairs there is the Academic Affairs Staff Representative Group (AASRG).