The Associated Students of Madison held their first meeting of the ninth session Wednesday, debating until the early hours of today. The Student Council leadership and the heads of specific committees were elected in an event that served to transition goals from this year to the next.
\I think it is going to be exciting and nerve-racking at the same time,"" newly elected ASM Chair and UW-Madison junior Bryan Gadow said. ""It has a lot of responsibility but it's a lot of opportunity for growth.""
The new council includes members from a variety of political perspectives. During the recent election, the conservative Badger Party gained seats, dividing the council between left and right.
Rather than being a hindrance, the new chair cited the division as an advantage going into next year.
""Our greatest strength is the fact that the council is a very balanced council,"" Gadow said. ""There are a lot of different viewpoints.""
In response to criticism that ASM has been less active recently, Gadow said gauging ASM's accomplishments is individual.
""I think it's all in a person's perspective,"" he said. ""Maybe the way we presented things this year was more low key than what we did last year.""
Gadow cited last month's rally against tuition increases as an example of what ASM has done. Regarding goals for the new body, student involvement was cited as a high priority.
Newly elected ASM Vice-Chair and UW-Madison freshman Emily McWilliams said during her election that a personal goal is ""making [ASM] seem less like student government and more like something personable.""
The other applicant for the vice-chair position was Badger Party member and UW-Madison junior Steve Weiss. During the election, debate focused on the applicants' approach to diversity.
Questions were raised in open forum regarding the ability of the new council to achieve certain objectives, specifically the Badger Party's plan to limit increases in segregated fees.
A.J. Hughes, a former Student Services Finance Committee member, cited the interest of student groups to get funding as stronger than the motivation of representatives seeking limits, especially with the stigmas attached to opposing increases.
When asked whether ASM can make a difference, Hughes contested that ASM gets results, but not what the campus needs.
""They bring about change just fine,"" he said. ""But that change is just throwing more money at the same student organizations.\
