“Students are here primarily for an education, and to serve the public good. Their involvement is different than that of other governance groups because it’s not just about their personal experience while they’re here, but the generations of students that follow them.” This was the explanation I was given on the role students play in shared governance in the UW System by a former president of the Wisconsin Student Association (the student government predecessor of ASM), and one of the many academic staff that I have had the pleasure of discussing shared governance with.
This concept has always been incredibly important. Right now, it is the most important. Budget cuts and lapses are now a component of our higher education experience. We might as well include them in our projected tuition bill. Because of the need to use tuition to fill the holes caused by cuts and lapses, we pay more, but we are not getting more. This needs to change. There is no better time, and no better group of people than students now to change this for the betterment of future generations of students at the University of Wisconsin—Madison.
I am not calling for you to riot on Mifflin Street, though on some occasions I will, but am calling on you, as students, to involve yourselves in the dialogue and several initiatives surrounding innovation on our campus, in our System, and in our state.
Tuesday morning, Regent President Michael Spector, Regent Michal Falbo and Regent Jeff Bartell met with members of the Executive Council (which included the Vice President, Provost, and College Deans), the Academic Staff Executive Committee, the University Committee, the Council of Non-represented Classified Staff and the Associated Students of Madison to discuss the current political, economic and cultural climate we (the UW System and UW Madison) find ourselves in.
First, Regent Falbo is the Chair of the Legislative Task Force on UW Restructuring and Operational Flexibilities. The charge of this task force includes “whether tuition flexibility can be extended to the UW System while ensuring access and affordability and what role the Legislature should have in establishing tuition rates; additional operational flexibilities that could be provided to UW System institutions; and how articulation and the transfer of credits between UW institutions could be improved.” To quote Regent Falbo’s advice to students: “If you have a proposal or input, now is the time to give it.” We are looking for students who would like to be involved in making recommendations and formulating student opinion on the agenda items being taken up by this special task force.
Second, Educational Innovation has been deemed a major component of absorbing the cuts and lapses we’re being dealt. It is imperative that students are involved in the strategy and creativity that goes into ensuring our educational quality is maintained and strengthened. This can take many forms; whether it means having a program utilize the offered courses in another department or additional institution-to-institution collaboration. Regardless, this is affecting our academic experience as students and will continue to do so. Upset that the regularly scheduled 4th semester language course you need to take is only offered in the Fall (like I am)? Concerned that your Consumer Sciences program has altered its requirements, and you may have to stick around campus for an extra summer before graduating? Me too, which is why I am asking you to be actively engaged participants in determining your educational experience and the college experience that will likely include courses you took, professors you had, and Badger Rose Bowls you watched or attended. Ask your Dean, faculty, academic staff, advisor, classmates how to reach the decision-makers in your Department and College.
Third, UW System has consistently valued a holistic admissions process and has maintained a promise to protect and promote diversity on our campuses and in our educational experiences. Regardless, I believe it is clear to the average student on our campus that there are many improvements to be made in terms of privilege education and cultural awareness. Students historically have led the charge in campus climate, and must continue to do so. We have heard of Plan 2008, Inclusive Excellence and maybe Plan 2010. Unless we notice a difference between the time we arrive on campus and the time we leave campus, on an individual and collective level, we cannot be satisfied with what we have left for the incoming freshmen class. I am calling on you all to propose your ideas and your student organization’s ideas for protecting diversity in the recruitment and retention process and for creating a more inclusive and culturally aware campus.
Shared governance is something we must protect and expand, but it is also something we must use — especially now. For the first time in a long time, Wisconsin may see tremendous change, innovation and experimentation in the functioning of higher education and the educational experience of our Badger successors.
On Wisconsin.
Allie Gardner is Chair of the Associated Students of Madison. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
