Student leaders asked members of the Board of Regents Friday to consider increasing avenues for communication with students system-wide.
Associated Students of Madison Chair Allie Gardner and United Council Vice Chair Dylan Jambrek said students throughout the nation have recently voiced concerns about not being able to meet with their systems’ governing bodies, and the Board of Regents should be proactive in preventing similar situations in Wisconsin.
At Santa Monica College in California, Gardner and Jambrek noted, chaos ensued at their Regents meeting after many students showed up requesting to speak. Ultimately, around 30 people were pepper-sprayed and the meeting was cancelled.
“We’re particularly concerned because we see a lot of the same issues that are in those states here in Wisconsin,” Jambrek said. “We shouldn’t necessarily think that they’re somehow special or that we necessarily will not see a boiling over of tensions.”
Gardner and Jambrek suggested the board add an open forum section onto its meetings, attend United Council conventions and release meeting agendas earlier to make members more available for student input.
Some regents said members of the board are always open to meeting with students, and students should make an effort to communicate with them on a regular basis.
UW System President Kevin Reilly said it is important students reach out to system leaders not only to express concerns, but also in more positive circumstances.
“There are big issues out there, and there will be tensions given the conditions in which we find ourselves,” Reilly said. “We need to know each other as people a little bit better, I think.”
