UW System Student Reps continue lobby efforts after victories

Although the UW System has notched a series of recent victories, UW System Student Representatives continued their lobby efforts at the state Capitol Monday.

The group’s lobby director, Jacob Schimmel, said it is still important to keep university issues at the front of legislators’ minds even though the Joint Finance Committee struck the budget’s opt-out proposal and the system is poised to get an increase in funding.

He said they were very pleased that the legislative offices, that previously were hesitant to comment on aspects of the UW System budget, were willing to have open conversations. He speculated that this could be legislators following the governor's lede and promising fiscal estimates.

“I think legislators are starting to realize that UW has been hurting a lot, especially in their own districts,” said Schimmel. “They’re especially waking up to that.”

The two focus areas of the group’s lobby efforts continue to include adding provisions for a violence prevention specialist to each campus and preventing the segregated fee opt-out policy from passing as a bill.

“I think it is a very real likelihood that we could see it introduce, so that's why we have to be just as proactive as before,” Schimmel said when noting concerning rumors that surfaced after the JFC removed it.

Monday’s trip was one of many that Student Reps., and UW System campuses have organized nearly every month to reach representatives. Schimmel said that legislators are familiar with the group now, which has benefits and downsides, and he hopes to grow efforts to reach campuses that can have a hard time traveling to Madison.

“Beefed-up legitimacy is really what we're getting,” Schimmel said. “It's really nice to be working with those offices because when you make those connections they're much more willing to listen to you and engage in those discussions we need to be having in order to get stuff done.”