Opinion
Bipartisan demand for referendum clarity
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Through our capacities as representatives of the College Democrats and College Republicans on campus, we often find ourselves squaring off on opposite sides of many issues. However, as we carry out our work on behalf of the politically diverse students that we represent, we occasionally find the opportunity to work together for students across the political spectrum. The upcoming referendum for the Wisconsin Union renovations provides us with such an opportunity.
While we do not wish to advocate here for students to support or oppose this initiative during ASM elections this week, we do hope that they will take a hard look at the information, or lack thereof, that has been provided to them before making their final decision. We say this because, as leaders of two large student organizations, we ourselves just heard about this referendum in student newspapers over the past few weeks.
The Wisconsin Union has long been planning major and long-range renovations to our Memorial Union and Union South facilities, which are listed at www.union.wisc.edu/itsourunion. If the referendum passes this week, students are expected to pay 75 percent of the $160,000,000 cost through increases in segregated fees over the span of 14 years. While we do not dispute the luxury, and in many cases the necessity, of these many improvements, we do have two major concerns with the way in which the referendum is being proposed.
The first deals with student input and information in the process, and the second refers to the student cost of the project.
When making a decision about such a costly and important project, we expect that students be given all the information they need to make an informed decision and that student leaders from across campus be consulted in the process. Unfortunately, it does not look like this has happened.
While the renovations have been in the works for years now, and the referendum itself has been in planning stages since the beginning of this year, student government just had the opportunity to offer input on this in February and March, and most students just learned about the referendum through our student papers in the past two weeks. We were not given the opportunity to suggest alternate sources of fundraising other than segregated fee increases and alumni donations.
Even at this point, the Union’s website contains conflicting and confusing information about the cost of the renovations. In the Frequently Asked Questions portion, the Union claims that student segregated fees will be raised $3 per semester for the first two years, and then “$10 per student per year annually thereafter for 12 years.” However, later the fee schedule on the site states that after two years, “the fee will increase each year by $10 per semester.” Students are not even given straightforward and consistent information about the actual cost of the project.
Perhaps most disconcerting is the logic behind denying students all of the upfront information that they need, specifically a table detailing the actual cost per semester. Such information would show students that by the year 2018, students would be paying $246 above and beyond what they are already paying in segregated fees. Some worry that students would see this number and automatically vote against the referendum. Regardless, if our students are responsible enough to fund a multimillion-dollar project, they are responsible enough to make an informed decision with all of the necessary information.
Our questions about the Wisconsin Union renovations referendum are not about political differences or competition. Rather, they are meant to ensure that all University of Wisconsin students, no matter their views on segregated fees or political affiliation, receive all the information that they need to make an informed decision before going to the polls. That said, the referendum has both positive and negative aspects. Please inform yourselves about both before voting on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday of this week.
Liz Sanger is chair of College Democrats. Nicole Marklein is chair of College Republicans.
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An interesting and well-reasoned bipartisan tome. A bit long, though.
Vote NO!
While I agree completely with Liz and Nicole that students need to be well informed before voting about this or any issue, it seems that they themselves have not done their homework. There has been extensive discussion about this very issue both within ASM and Union Council. Ultimately it was members of ASM that decided not to include a table listing the exact amounts of future Seg fees associated with this project.
Furthermore, it is important to clarify that the future seg fees will reach $246 per year or $123 per semester. I believe that many students think of seg fees in terms of semesters not in terms of the whole year. I know that I do.
Most importantly, if you have questions, ask. There are any number of people who are happy to try to better inform their fellow students. If you don't know who else to ask, try going to the Union leadership offices on the fourth and fifth floor of Memorial Union.
I urge you to VOTE YES!
Mike Schoenike
mjschoenike@wisc.edu
ASM representative to Union Council
Hey Nicole! You're fascist!
I would also like to add that the Union held 4 forums, where student organization leaders and the general public were invited(through personal invitations, ads and posters) to show up and ask questions and voice their concerns. This was publicized in both the Cardinal and the Herald and several articles were written about these forums. They have been taking place since late January and students (including Nicole and Liz)have not been showing up to them. Their were also three hearings in the span of a month at ASM SSFC and ASM Council where this issue was discussed. So I wouldn't try to represent the Union as not trying to let people have a voice..NEITHER of you showed up at either forum..I know because I was at all 4
bah bah bah...quit the rhetoric... if its not so much money, why dont you pay for it.... VOTE NO