Students raised concerns and questions on changes to the segregated university fee policy Monday at a forum hosted by the university.
University administrators and members of the UW System Board of Regents committee to review the student segregated fee policy tried to quell student's frustrations voiced at the meeting.Regents President Mark Bradley commissioned the committee to review the current policy at a Regents meeting in August.
Monday's session was to provide the committee with student input before the Regents vote on any revised policy.
Students in attendance represented the Wisconsin Student Public Interest Research Group, the Associated Students of Madison and the Wisconsin Union Directorate, among others.
Many students said they felt the campus community should have been included much earlier in the decision-making.
Aaron McKean, director of WUD's Distinguished Lecture Series, said he believed students should have been asked to provide input before the policy was
even updated.
I feel it doesn't really fit with the way things are supposed to be done here on campus.""
Dean of Students Lori Berquam said UW-Madison was the only UW System campus to hold a listening session to get student feedback and even though it was late in timing, it seemed to make the most sense.
The updated proposal also fostered discussion about how it would directly affect the goals and outcomes of UW-Madison's student organizations.
According to Kevin Helmkamp, an associate dean of students, the three main areas of disagreement among committee members are state oversight of segregated fees, registered student organizations being able to lease off-campus facilities and student organizations' ability to hire non-university employees with student fees.
Anna Sandar, a WISPIRG member, said the non-university employees and opportunities outside the classroom provided by the current segregated fee policy have helped her ""live her majors.""
Student feedback was recorded Monday at the forum and will be given to the segregated fee committee Tuesday before it votes on a final policy to present to the Board of Regents Dec. 6.
Students are encouraged to send further opinions to segfees@odos.wisc.edu.
