Students proclaiming ASM is dead\ formally introduced a new student government Thursday night at the Rathskeller.
The students' concerns with the current government came amidst the recent Associated Students of Madison election, which froze Wednesday after technical problems skewed the results. Both members of the proposed new government and ASM gathered to hear plans that could affect UW-Madison's student government.
UW-Madison freshman and Dane County Board candidate David Lapidus, a founder of the proposed new government, said the problems in the election sparked the idea Wednesday night.
""We thought this is a good time to do it, because there would be people talking about flaws in student government,"" he said. ""It's just the right time to do it.""
UW-Madison senior Steve Schwerbel, who led the meeting, said that reform attempts from within ASM have been numerous and sincere, but unsuccessful.
""We found that reform from within has become, at this point, virtually impossible, and therefore the student government is necessary because ASM is no longer an effective government at all,"" he said.
According to Schwerbel, the government has reasonably broad support even within ASM, but ASM chair and UW-Madison senior Eric Varney said that ASM has advantages the new group does not.
""We have the majority of the student backing, we are the official student government here, and we control segregated fees,"" he said. ""If they want to start their own student government, I say have fun and good luck with that, but he's going to be unable to do it.""
Varney said the new government would need 4,200 signatures to gain a proposal spot on the ASM ballot and then a two-thirds vote to take ASM's distinction as UW-Madison's student government.
Janell Wise, former chair of Student Services Finance Committee, and president of the Wisconsin Union Directorate, said that things can and should be done to improve ASM.
""I understand where people are coming from, but I don't know that this is the best venue to do it,"" she said. ""If people aren't happy they should voice their opinions, but people should be working constructively.""
Students seeking to oust ASM released a manifesto that announced plans to draft a constitution in the coming weeks.
""We will be writing a constitution that represents you,"" the statement said. ""We will enact major student-fee reform, ensuring transparency and integrity in funding.""
Schwerbel said the group will encourage current ASM candidates to sign a contract pledging to abide by the new government's standards Tuesday in the Rathskeller.
""Throughout history there are few times where people have the chance to overturn what rules over them, and this is a chance given to us by ASM,"" said Sol Grosskopf, a UW-Madison freshman and another founder of the government. ""It doesn't matter if you're on the left or the right, this is us, as students, taking control of our government and taking some accountability.""
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