Associated Students of Madison recently elected UW-Madison junior Eric Varney as its chair for the 2005-'06 school year. Varney is member of a newly-formed conservative group called Robin Hood Slate. The late holds a significant role in shaping the future of ASM.
According to RHS member Brad Vogel, \[Robin Hood Slate] is a group of students who believe that fiscal responsibility is the most sorely lacking thing in ASM right now.""
Vogel said the main goal of the Slate is to keep segregated fees low for students. Other goals include requiring professors to submit the texts needed for their class a month in advance so students can shop elsewhere for them and to cater to students who drive to classes in the Campus Master Plan by pushing for more parking.
The slate acquired a conservative label partly because of its ties with College Republicans.
According to College Republicans Chairman Nicole Marklein, College Republicans and the RHS have no formal connection. However, she says, some members of College Republicans did get involved with the slate after it was formed.
""I advocated for our group members to vote for them ... as a group of conservatives,"" Marklein said.
Although the two organizations share members and views, members of RHS say the Slate did not form out of College Republicans.
Letters and Science seat of RHS Brandon Sivret said members of the Slate come from various backgrounds.
""A bunch of us came together that just wanted to represent the students,"" Sivret said.
In its effort to keep segregated
fees low, RHS is accused of focusing solely on helping conservative groups on campus. Members of RHS claim this is untrue.
""We're trying to target the services that students use like UHS and Rec Sports,"" Sivret said.
""There are no specific groups that [Robin Hood Slate] is looking at ... I think it's just an overall general feeling that [segregated] fees are too high,"" Vogel said.
According to RHS member Bob Thelen, there is no difference between the slate and other groups in ASM. ""[Labeling the slate conservative] is to make people not vote for us,"" Thelen said.
""Contrary to popular belief, we are not a conservative slate,"" Sivret said. ""We're just a student slate basically just interested in representing a lot of the issues that are important to students.""
As for what can be expected from ASM next year, RHS seeks to achieve its goals after being elected into a leadership position.
""We are going to be very efficient,"" Varney said. ""People are very enthusiastic about getting things done and actually doing some stuff around campus.""
