The Associated Students of Madison (ASM) Student Council approved legislation establishing a new communications office Oct. 14, as lingering disputes over student government leadership resurfaced during public comment and university health officials announced plans for two major campus surveys next semester.
The newly approved Constituent Services and Communications Office aims to strengthen communication between ASM and the student body by streamlining outreach and constituent services.
Following discussion at the council’s previous meeting, the revised legislation establishes the office as an administrative branch rather than the originally proposed open committee. Under the new structure, its director will oversee communications and constituent services without formal voting procedures associated with an open committee, through which students can directly participate in ASM initiatives.
The office’s creation comes amid months of internal disagreements surrounding the election of ASM Chair Haia Al Zein, which have continued into the fall semester.
ASM Rep. Michael Harry previously challenged the validity of Al Zein’s April election, alleging procedural violations. At the council’s Sept. 16 meeting, a motion that could have allowed representatives to reconsider the election failed to secure the required two-thirds majority. The Student Judiciary subsequently dismissed Harry’s second petition on Sept. 29 after multiple justices recused themselves, leaving the judiciary without a full panel to consider the case.
During Wednesday’s open forum, an anonymous student submitted a statement urging representatives to move beyond the dispute, warning continued disagreements could undermine ASM’s credibility and discourage students from participating in student government.
“When students look to ASM, they look for stability,” the statement read.
The student also questioned whether prolonging the dispute was worth jeopardizing relationships among representatives and the organizations standing with the student body.
Additionally, Graduate and Professional Committee Co-Chair Elizabeth Anderson separately called for the council to hold a town meeting to address concerns stemming from last spring’s controversial divestment discussions and a leaked group chat involving former council members.
Anderson cited Article VII, Section 6F of ASM’s constitution, which requires the council to hold at least one or two meetings each semester to inform students of its activities and hear their concerns.
Wednesday’s meeting also addressed broader campus concerns. University Health Services (UHS) prevention official Sam Bowen presented plans to administer the Healthy Minds Study and Campus Sexual Misconduct Climate Survey in Spring 2027.
The surveys will assess student mental health, experiences of sexual and relationship violence and awareness of campus support resources. Bowen said UHS hopes to achieve a 25% response rate among invited students, compared to the approximately 10% rate for the previous Healthy Minds Study and 20-25% for earlier sexual misconduct surveys.
Representatives suggested partnering with campus newspapers, student organizations and faculty to encourage participation, emphasizing the importance of demonstrating how survey responses could inform university policies and resources.
Bowen said the surveys are expected to launch in mid-to-late February, with guaranteed incentives for participants.
Council members also reported discussions with University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department officials and university administrators regarding the university’s response to sexual assault involving unaffiliated fraternities.
The discussions come as UHS prepares to gather new data on sexual misconduct and campus safety, and Bowen emphasized the importance of student participation in evaluating existing resources and prevention efforts.
Beyond encouraging students to complete the surveys, representatives urged UHS to communicate the findings and explain how student feedback would inform future university decisions.
