The Associated Students of Madison met Tuesday night, approving several pieces of legislation.
Legislation covering student loan cancellation, tenant rights protection for students, wellness breaks and Student Services Financial Committee bylaw changes were all passed unanimously.
The student loan cancellation legislation passed demands that UW “fully” utilize HEERF II funding and student tuition dollars to cancel institutional student loan debt.
Additionally, ASM passed tenant rights protection for students, recommending that the Madison City Common Council “produce legislation that strengthens and increases tenant rights,” said Sponsor and Legislative Affairs Chair Robyn George.
ASM legislation calling for instructors to not assign students homework on the university’s assigned wellness days was also addressed, as discussions concerning mental health dominate campus conversations.
Nominations Board Chair Lennox Owino emphasized concerns that the allocated days without instruction are not enough given the effects of online learning on students’ mental health and wellbeing, stressing that it is important for professors and instructors to take action.
“We do feel that this semester, just like the last, has been quite horrendous in terms of wellbeing and mental health,” continued Chair Owino.
ASM also voted to amend SSFC eligibility bylaws of General Students Services Fund supported organizations to last one year instead of two. It was approved unanimously and there will be a second vote at a later date.
Additionally, ASM’s Mask Ambassador application is now open. This position aims to give students an opportunity to take part in student government through their example of enforcement of the University’s COVID-19 policies.
Sponsors of legislation addressing the creation of a Tribal Affairs position in ASM as well as the remission of mandatory fees for graduate workers decided to wait to vote on the pieces of legislation, respectively, until next week.
Legislation addressing both SSFC GSSF organizations’ violation procedures and support for StudentPrint were tabled.
ASM will hold their next meeting on Tuesday, March 30.
Sophia Vento is the former editor-in-chief of The Daily Cardinal. She previously served as the college news editor. She has covered breaking campus, city, state and sports news, and written in-depth stories about health, culture and education. Any newsroom would be lucky to have Sophia on staff. Follow her on Twitter at @sophiasvento.
