As spring approached Madison the sweet aroma of revolution was in the air. Armed with a long list of grievances, a group calling themselves Student Government\ found a cure for the apathy which has bred itself on our campus. When the Associated Students of Madison elections failed not once, not twice, but three times, we were listening. The manifesto put forth read: ""ASM has forfeited its right to be taken seriously. Atlas has shrugged."" Now the dust has settled. ASM finally did succeed and, while Atlas may not have shrugged, he sure as hell twitched. So what is next?
The ASM elections brought forth many important issues of reform that now must be considered. After initially wishing to overthrow ASM, Student Government has decided to work from within the system in hopes of reform. ""ASM has shown signs of reform,"" said Sol Grosskopf, ASM Student Council representative and member of the now defunct Student Government. ""I believe they had no choice but to reform and they have shown that they can reform with pressure given to them.""
Some of the concerns of Student Government have actually already been addressed. Recently, the Student Services Finance Committee and the ASM Student Council voted for a change to their bylaws. Previously, any member of SSFC or ASM who formerly or currently held a leadership position in a student organization which received funding from ASM could vote for amendments to increase or decrease their organizations budget. This amounts to Dick Cheney overseeing a deal which landed Halliburton, his former company, a multi-million defense contract. Not only is it unethical, it is illegal—or at least it should be.
ASM Chair Eric Varney says these changes were already in the works before Student Government even existed, however, they were ultimately only brought to a vote because of Student Government. ""People actually used Student Government as an argument in making these changes,"" said David Lapidus, ASM and Student Government member. The revolutionary movement of Student Government allowed the change to finally take place. ""We've taken the hand out of the cookie jar,"" Grosskopf said.
Size and organization are two other problems which ASM must address. The ASM constitution is three inches thick, much larger than even the United States' Constitution, according to ASM and Student Government member David Lapidus. Additionally, some rules, such as those for referenda votes, do not exist, while others are confusing and contradictory. ASM must downsize its bureaucracy, clarify its rules, centralize its leadership and set up a clear system of checks and balances. All of these reforms are in the works thanks to the revolutionary spirit of Student Government.
Finally, ASM lacks transparency due to inaccessible budgets. Even the federal government has their budgets online for anyone to see. If ASM is supposed to represent the students, we must be given access as well. How about emailing the entire student body when segregated fees are allocated so we can see where they are going? What about an accessible and easy to understand constitution?
""If we had a system of government in which every student could easily understand and pick up a small copy and read we would have a much better government—a much more efficient government—and something that every student could be proud of,"" Grosskopf said.
Varney seems to have written off the attempts of Student Government to reform ASM from within. But he underestimates the power of the students. When faced with what they believed to be injustice, Student Government rose up and voiced their concerns. ""Without a doubt Student Government has shown that when students come together to fight for justice they can enact positive change,"" Grosskopf said.
Student Government may have been grandstanding, but sometimes that sort of controversy is necessary to spark the flame of reform. Now they need to blow on the ashes and ignite the fire. Only through reform will this fire find its way into the hearts of students and will ASM once again be a truly representative government body.
Erik Opsal is a sophomore majoring political science. Send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
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