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Student government chair takes activism, leads with it at UW

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Also by Grace Earle:

Brandon brings his own 'voice' (March 30, 2006)

by Grace Earle

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

After being somewhat politically inactive his first two years at the University of Wisconsin, senior Eric Varney soon began to realize the importance of student involvement on campus.

That is why Varney decided to join the Associated Students of Madison two years ago, and eventually ran and was elected chair of the student government organization at the beginning of this year.

As chair of the university's student government, he plays one of the most essential roles in ASM. His duties include facilitating meetings, establishing relationships between ASM and other organizations at UW and helping to ensure the university runs smoothly overall.

"My role is to offer my help and advice," said Varney, who is a finance, banking and investment major at UW. "Whether it's facilitating meetings with chancellors or making posters, I'm just there to help."

His colleagues agree that Varney's helpful attitude is aiding the progress of ASM.

"He really has his head together about who he needs to talk to and what plans he needs to work out," UW senior and ASM Student Services Finance Committee Chair Rachelle Stone said.

Both Stone and Varney work together on a daily basis to respond to a variety of concerns on campus and help collaborate a number of campaigns.

One such campaign being run by ASM is the push for bars to purchase the city's Performing Arts Venue License, which would allow 18- to 20-year-olds to enter bars legally when entertainment is present.

According to Varney, he has been working with Madison officials and bar owners because he believes UW students largely support this effort.

Although bar-hopping may be at the top of many undergraduates' concerns, Varney feels one of the other campaigns he's working on is more important at the moment.

Varney, with support from ASM, secured $80,000 for a pilot textbook program that would essentially allow students to rent textbooks for a semester for a small fee, as opposed to buying them outright from the bookstore.

"Hopefully it's something that will grow, and maybe in 20 or 30 or 40 years, it will be around and the book store will be out of business," Varney said.

The influence ASM has on campus does not end there. Currently, ASM is tackling a variety of issues, which include obtaining more Emergency Blue Lights around campus and carrying out financial audits to make sure students' tuition money is being spent properly.

While Varney said ASM is facing more issues than it has in previous years, he and Stone both agree the most effective response is one that includes heavy involvement from UW students.

According to Varney, every issue comes back to the students.

"I want to get more students involved with both ASM and other campus activities," Varney said.

At the end of the day, Varney said he wants to see the same motivation in students that made him change his mind two years ago.

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Anonymous (March 21, 2006 @ 1:24am):

It's not true that Varney is the one working with bars or securing the money for textbook rental. I think he should give more credit to other dedicated ASM leaders. Also, the Badger Herald could try to investigate stories to write on campus leaders who aren't necessarily the chair of their orgs; these people usually make the most change and do the real work.

Anonymous (March 21, 2006 @ 3:39pm):

Is that Aerosmith?

Anonymous (March 21, 2006 @ 9:24pm):

Thank you Eric Varney for being the leader the campus really needs. Instead of focusing on useless social justice activities and educational lobbying, ASM is actually making a difference on the real issues affecting the campus. The Robin Hood Slate elected an excellent chair and hopefully will again use their power to elect smart and articulate campus leaders this next year.

Anonymous (March 22, 2006 @ 1:05am):

"ASM is actually making a difference on the real issues affecting the campus."

What has Varney done to make a difference on campus?

Textbooks- oh wait, that's Academic Affairs and volunteers.
Bar Age- oh wait, that's Vice Chair Rath and volunteers.
SAFEcab- oh wait, that's Rath and volunteers again.
Military parades- oh wait, that was Sivret and volunteers.

Facilitated worthless council meetings? That's something I'll give him credit for.

"Instead of focusing on useless social justice activities and educational lobbying"

So what you're saying is, students shouldn't know their rights, there shouldn't be diversity (white-only school?), gays should be treated as second-class citizens, poor kids-those most in need of a hand up-should be kept at community colleges where they belong, and students should just put up and shut up, and not try to shape the world they're about to go off into? I guess if we don't like it, we can just move off to France, I hear their students are happy about the new job laws.

All Robin Hood seeks to do is elect more mindless flag-waving McCarthyists and try to cut every program that is valuable to students until only a private university is left. Oh wait, they still want to fund CFACT.