Due to the absence of the chair of the Associated Students of Madison, Jessica Miller, discussion about student-fee budgets was withheld from Thursday?s council meeting.

The Student Service Finance Committee will meet Monday, April 8 to discuss the 5 percent budget cut in segregated fees for student organizations in the 2002-2003 school year, and the council will vote on its decision at its April 9 meeting.

The majority of the discussion at Thursday?s meeting revolved around an issue proposed by UW-Madison graduate student Michelle Gordon in the council?s open forum. On behalf of People for Justice, Not Prisons, Gordon requested the group?s support in discouraging UW from supporting the U.S. private prison industry.

“Wisconsin is the No. 1 exporter of prisoners to unaccountable private prisons funded by taxpayers? money,” Gordon said. “We need to end UW involvement with Lehman Brothers, an organization that helps raise millions of dollars for the industry.”

ASM council representatives Carl Camacho and Jason Davis voiced their concerns about UW?s involvement with private prisons.

“These prisons house immigrants who shouldn?t be in prisons, but rather, deported,” Camacho said. “The prisons are funded by taxpayers, but because they are private, there is no form of rehabilitation involved.”

A number of ASM members wanted more information on the subject before passing a motion to encourage Chancellor Wiley to contact Lehman Brothers. Concerns were also raised about UW?s support of such an industry in the midst of its current budget crisis.

ASM voted to postpone further motion on the proposal until its April 18 meeting, when it said members could be better informed.

However, Camacho and Davis hope ASM supports the motion and convinces UW to withdraw support.

“We are students. Students make social change,” Camacho said. “We are the only people who have the time, resources and energy to do these kinds of things.”