You guys dropped the ball on this one.

It would be correct to say that ASM's shared governance committee is usually sloppy in how it goes about its business -- it was particularly true this year. It's straightforward (not necessarily simple, though)to make a list of all existing committees on which students are entitled to sit, then actively recruit students for those seats. ASM has done a lousy job on that front.

To say that "when students from the School of Education were selected independent of ASM bureaucracy to sit on the committee, it seemed like a wise idea," suggests that you, the BH editorial board was paying attention and applauded it as a conscious strategy. Doubtful. It further assumes that Peter Spear consciously decided to bypass ASM for the good of the process. Also doubtful. He doesn't consult with people or communicate well. Likely, he didn't even know that there is an ASM shared governance committee.

In your zeal to bash ASM, you threw your support behind a concept that you should oppose: Bascom Hall hand-picking its student lackeys to sit on committees as yes-men for the administration.

How does that help students?

"Lackey" is a very strong, completely unsupported assertion. I assume that these people are completely competent to represent their fellow students unless someone can prove otherwise.

Why does everyone hate on one of the only orgs on campus that actually does something on important issues? I think the conservative fucks would love to see an apathetic student body

Because conservatism is not about "doing something," it's about the status quo.

"Because conservatism is not about "doing something," it's about the status quo."

Not quite. Conservatism is about maintaining the status quo for privileged elites, but it's also about creating more obstacles to prevent non-elites from bettering themselves. That's why Republicans are opposed to funding for public education, libraries, music, art, etc.

This is hardly an argument over modern left/right American politics...it's student government, remember? No "conservative" gets elected to represent anyone or anything in Madison and as far as I can remember, "republican" is a dirty word, reserved only for the most backward and brain dead, right? If I'm not mistaken, those who constitute our student government may actually overrepresent the liberals here, if that's even possible...This way we can triumph on the truly important issues, like dancing in bars.

However, to write three articles in a week praising an organization and its work only to then counter the next week so far as to use of the word "narcissistic" is out of line. This is not professional journalism, and makes the Badger Herald no better, and clearly no more credible than the "crybabies" it immaturely stabs in the back.

While republicans comprise roughly half of the voting population in this country, they are a distinct minority at UW-Madison. Why do no major student groups speak up on behalf of this group and demand that the Univeristy act to combat and atone forthe bigotry that has created this situation? Rather than waste its time sticking its proverbial nose into hiring decision parties that it wasn't invited to, it's time for the ASM to make use of itself and demand that affirmative action programs be extended to all underrepresented and oft-maligned groups.

The thing that ASM is the best at is adding lines to otherwise lackluster resumes.

Shared governance is the only area in which ASM has any power, other than the distribution of a small percentage of seg fees.

emily mcwilliams is hot