A student government grassroots committee discussed plans Monday to move forward with a new campaign that would require student government input in the appointment of student representatives to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents.
The Board of Regents governs the UW System and includes two student representatives appointed by the governor.
The current legislation states the governor can consider opinions of student governments, such as the Associated Students of Madison, but the campaign aims to make their input mandatory.
ASM Legislative Affairs Committee Chair Dan Statter said the change would help ensure “a continual connection between elected student leaders, and by extension, the students at large.”
Statter said ASM aims to enlist the cooperation of stakeholders, including the Governor’s Office, as well as state legislature and the student governments of other UW campuses.
Half of UW System campuses have already voiced their written support for the change.
Statter also said ASM has garnered the support of UW-Madison Chancellor David Ward and Dean of Students Lori Berquam.
According to Statter, a campaign to change this statute has been discussed since the legislation was first drafted more than 10 years ago.
“This is something that has been a goal across the state for a long time,” Statter said. “It truly is what we see as a common sense issue.”
Also in the meeting, committee members discussed an initiative to register as many student voters as possible with the Madison Student Vote Coalition, a nonpartisan group of students working to register voters and encourage student participation, by the Oct. 17 registration deadline.
