OPINION & EDITORIAL
Time to shape up, ASM representatives
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Also by Hannah Karns:
- Trading detainment for diplomas (March 26, 2008)
- Deficit sidetracks worthy UW bills (March 5, 2008)
- UW lacks traction on snow transport (February 20, 2008)
- In event of emergency, text 911? (February 3, 2008)
- Students quickly charging themselves into oblivion (December 12, 2007)
Related Stories:
- ASM must work for respect of students, university (April 27, 2005)
- Students in tights (April 13, 2005)
- Opportunities squandered (February 17, 2003)
- ASM pushes students to vote (October 15, 2007)
- ASM Chair reacts to election gone awry (March 31, 2006)
by Hannah Karns
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Sweet. The Associated Students of Madison elections have ended without too many glitches and many have emerged victorious. I consider myself lucky to be among the newly elected for the 15th session of ASM’s Student Council. I have reflected on my campaign strategies and revised my aspirations for the future of ASM, but one question continuously reemerges.
How do I ensure that, as one of the 33 representatives for the 40,000-plus University of Wisconsin students, I represent the diversity of interests present on campus while fighting for positive change on campus?
I can certainly start by reforming student council. Two issues in particular have plagued the productivity of student council members. The incredibly high turnover rate of representatives as well as the lack of accountability for members has contributed exponentially to slowing the productivity of ASM to a snail’s pace at times.
The makeup of the original 14th session looks quite different from its current composition. ASM lost one-third of its representatives — 11 members — this year.
Several student council members resigned due to academic obligations. Although it is somewhat frustrating, student council accepted these resignations, acknowledging these circumstances do arise.
While formal resignation was the respectful way to leave student council, others chose more disrespectful ways in which to depart. Some members — including Sergio Gallardo (College of Letters and Sciences), Jacqueline White (School of Education) and Brent Maddux (Grad student) — were removed due to a lack of attendance at student council meetings. ASM as an organization has to spend time and resources to replace these people who ran for student council to attend the very meetings they couldn’t be bothered to show up to.
I have a hard time understanding how this occurs. Is it really that hard to show up? Are these meetings just held too frequently?
Hardly.
Student council meetings take place every other week. Granted, they can run for five hours, but most of the time this is because debate is taking place over important issues such as operational and travel grants or ASM’s internal budget. I would much rather spend a little more time reviewing and passing budgets than carelessly striking a line item or grant that can ruin a student organization’s aspirations.
Alongside the apparently huge commitment of attending a student council meeting every two weeks, each student council member must sit on a committee — either a grassroots committee such as Academic Affairs or be appointed to a closed committee such as the Finance Committee. The meetings are staggered throughout the week, partially to allow student council representatives to find a committee meeting time that fits into their schedules. Here, once again, a weekly commitment of an hour appears to be too much for many student council members.
Furthermore, punishment for failing to comply with the requirements is weak, to say the least. Is the Madison student population even aware of the student council representatives who were elected but failed to do their job and thus were removed from their posts?
Probably not.
There are several changes within the ASM infrastructure that can attempt to combat these issues. One is having real information sessions for potential student council candidates. These workshops should not just provide tips for how to run a successful and legitimate campaign; candidates should know the extent of a student council member’s commitment. That way they can decide, before even running, whether or not ASM’s student council is right for them.
This would at least partially eliminate these high removal and resignation rates that have plagued the 14th session. The more educated potential candidates are, the better they can function as future student council representatives. I would hate to see UW students discouraged from running due to the extent of the commitment involved, but it must be emphasized that student council does not serve as a résumé builder. Student council requires effort, and if a representative fails to meet the requirements demanded of the position, he or she must be removed without ceremony.
As a newly elected student council representative, I expect to be held accountable for my actions by the UW student population, as should my fellow council members. If that means readily providing the public with the names of those who fell through on representing students at the table, then so be it. It is time for a change.
Hannah Karns (hkarns@wisc.edu) is a sophomore majoring in political science and international studies.
Anonymous (April 9, 2008 @ 2:07am):
oh ya good luck there kiddo... haven't heard that one 523423432 times.
Anonymous (April 9, 2008 @ 9:44am):
Anonymous at 2:07 am:
If it keeps happening...you aren't actually holding anyone accountable, are you?
Why don't you try doing that first...
Anonymous (April 9, 2008 @ 9:53am):
Good luck Hannah. I think you might actually have the ability to follow through with what you've promised. I do, however, have concerns. Voter turnout was down from at least the last two elections, if not more. As less students vote, ASM reps like yourself are going to have to work harder and harder to earn respect. Get your organization in line and get people voting not just for you, but in general. If that doesn't happen, this is all a big waste of your time.
Anonymous (April 9, 2008 @ 11:29am):
It is ridiculus that a paid lackey of ASM is writing about showing up to meetings. Maybe Chair Karns would like to explain why she was at fewer SC meetings they most all Student Council Reps, and she was being PAID.
Anonymous (April 9, 2008 @ 12:44pm):
It seems like your article was about 8 days late. I kept reading waiting for the punch line but it never came....
Anonymous (April 9, 2008 @ 2:18pm):
Whatever...what have you done so far while being a part of ASM.
It will probably much of the same.
Anonymous (April 9, 2008 @ 6:23pm):
Anonymous at 11:29 am:
Chairs have no real incentive to go to Student Council meetings because they don't have votes...so you clearly don't know anything about ASM. But that's cool - judge away.
Anonymous (April 9, 2008 @ 6:24pm):
I think that it is great that you actually made concrete suggestions for how to change ASM as opposed to the same old "we just need to change" bullshit we have been hearing. I expect to see results, Karns.
Anonymous (April 9, 2008 @ 9:46pm):
Anonymous at 6:23
Obviously you didn't read Chair Karns Job Requirements. One is attending and being an active participant in Student Council meetings.-I will judge away.
Anonymous (April 10, 2008 @ 1:50am):
I agree with Anonymous at 11:29am/9:45pm.
Chair Karns is hypocritical at best. In her article she asserts, "Student council requires effort, and if a respresentative fails to meet the requirements demanded of the position, he or she must be removed without ceremony." Yet, she rarely attends meetings. On the rare occasion that Chair Karns does attend, she frequently gives her report (something that is on the agenda) during open forum and promptly leaves; obviously prioritizing her own time over the rest of council's.
Lack of voting rights is hardly an excuse or justification for this behavior; chairs can still be influential at meetings by way of speaking rights. Furthermore, it is not as if inattendance of chairs is common practice--there are numerous chairs that DO attend and actively participate at council meetings.
Finally, I would like to say that Chair Karns provision of "names of those who fell through on representing students at the table" was unfair and uninformed. Representatives Gallardo and Maddux were recently removed from council for failing to attend 2 consecutive meetings without proper notification. While still unexcusable, I find it a far worse offense to habitually come to opening roll (to fulfill their attendance requirement) and leave meetings early with the knowledge that quorum is regularly at risk.
If it is truly time to start calling people out, then Chair Karns can take her seat alongside of Representative Fung (Business), Representative Menn (Law), Finance Vice Chair Shah (L&S), Chair Buck (Diversity), and Representative Nilsestuen (L&S)... just to name a few.
Anonymous (April 10, 2008 @ 3:08am):
Well start off this session right Ms. Karns and attend ASM Council as well as support United Council and the United States Students Association.
I find it very disheartening that Ms. Karns has received resources from United Council and attended USSA's Legislative Conference but chose not to endorse either of these organizations when they came up in ASM's internal budget. If you want to represent students, first represent yourself with a show of support for these organizations on Coordinating Council. If you feel these organizations are not worth students’ money, then stop using their resources. United Council and USSA provide our campus with an invaluable amount of resources; UC and USSA staff work for all students and are willing to tailor their services to the specific needs of our campus as requested. It is the responsibility of students (especially those in leadership positions) to put those resources to use and work with staff to ensure that all student needs are being met. Apathetic students don't get the work done.
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