A new bill would require the governor to pick University of Wisconsin System student regents from a list campus student governments make, rather than just considering people students recommend.
Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, is seeking cosponsors on the bill that changes how the governor appoints new student regents. The bill is part of the Associated Students of Madison’s campaign for the session.
Under current law, the governor receives a list from UW System campus governments of students they recommend for the two Board of Regents spots. But the governor is not required to do anything with that list and can pick students who are not recommended, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau.
The bill would require the governor to select someone from the list, which Risser said may result in students paying more attention to who they appoint for the list of recommendations.
“If the students realize the governor will pay attention to their recommendations, hopefully it will give them great incentive to put more time into their recommendations,” Risser said.
Daniel Statter, legislative affairs chair for ASM, said the bill’s goal is to increase student involvement and appoint regents who are more representative of the student body.
The student regents voted for a 5.5 percent tuition increase last summer and did not vote for an amendment that would have lowered tuition by less. Statter said student regents would be more aligned with UW System students’ views under the proposed process that has support systemwide as well as from United Council of UW Students.
“Creating a set of guidelines in state law to ensure student regents are representing the interests of the average student is responsible and necessary,” Statter said. “This bill will only strengthen the current appointment process, which, in the end, will result in better, more connected members to the UW Board of Regents.”
The bill is in the process of being introduced in the Legislature and only small changes are being made to reflect current law, such as changing the language that the governor “may” choose from the list to the governor “shall” choose from it.
Risser said the bill’s few changes would help in moving it along.
“It should help,” Risser said. “I don’t see any strong reason to oppose it.”
Statter described the current appointment status as very “close to the chest” and often leading to picks that are based off political connections instead of student involvement on campus.
A spokesperson for Gov. Scott Walker did not respond to a request for comment. Mike Mikalsen, spokesperson for Rep. Stephen Nass, R-Whitewater, the chair of the the Assembly’s Colleges and Universities Committee, said he could not yet comment on the bill.
Statter said each campus makes a minimum of one recommendation. Although student representatives currently have a say in which candidates would make the list, the goal is to get more students directly involved.
“The first step is to acknowledge that gubernatorial appointments for student regents has not resulted in student regents that are not representative of students,” Statter said.
