University of Wisconsin’s student government voted to meet every other week at their meeting Wednesday, a format which was previously followed for more than 16 years.

Associated Students of Madison Student Council passed the legislation sponsored by Chair David Gardner to alternate Student Council meeting weeks with Coordinating Council every week.

The legislation states that holding student council meetings on alternate weeks will allow ASM members to participate in other campus activities and conduct outreach to constituents to bring a broader set of opinions back to meetings, as opposed to living entirely inside the “ASM bubble.”

ASM would be able to get more done and would not just be sitting in meetings as much, ASM spokesperson Grace Bolt said. Members would be out doing work, reaching out to people and conducting different meetings so they were not just meeting internally all the time, but with the campus they are representing, she said.

Coordinating Council is empowered to act in the place of student council if necessary, the legislation said. Student’s ability to present their concerns to ASM will not be diminished because Coordinating Council can hold open forum in the same manner as student council, the legislation said.

The legislation said student council members were more involved in committee work when ASM met every other week, resulting in a greater value of committee work that was brought to student council meetings, the legislation said.

The added time between meetings promoted more discussion and vetting, the legislation said.

The idea is that ASM members would have more time on their hands to do the work they are meant to do instead of meeting in a room and talking about things they want to do, Bolt said.