I am compelled to respond to your last editorial board editorial, due to the fact that it contained misinformation and several mischaracterizations of United Council.

First, I’d like to clarify the state of the Assembly Bill in regard to a second student regent to the UW System Board of Regents. The bill passed the Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee and is now in the Assembly Rules Committee waiting for a scheduling for the entire Assembly.

Having said that, UC supports the appointment of a nontraditional student as a second student regent because they are both the fastest-growing group on campuses and they offer a valuable perspective that is often lost in college-experience discourse.

It is evident the Herald editorial board does not endorse the system of self-governance called democracy. If a regent is designated to represent student interests on the board, then that regent should be chosen by students.

While Joe Alexander represented students in a sufficient manner, that was merely serendipitous luck on the behalf of UW students, not in any way a reflection of his experiences.

The editorial board accuses UC of being unrepresentative of the student body due to low voter turnout. I would like to note that UC is comprised of democratically elected student representatives. Would the Herald assert that city councils across the country are illegitimate because voter turnout averages only ten percent?

Finally, the Herald accuses UC of opposing the Madison Initiative. To set the record straight, UC is completely in support of the Madison Initiative, which would raise the salaries of our professors to that of their peers. What we oppose is the funding of this proposal solely on the backs of students. This should be a partnership between the government and the students.

I would also like to point out that quantitatively, two out of 18 regents is more representation than one out of either 10 or 11, as you suggest. Furthermore, two students allows for staggered terms, so that students always have a student representative with experience on the board.

Finally, UC advocates a completely elected Board of Regents who are held accountable to the taxpayers of Wisconsin who fund much of the UW System — with a public-finance component so that we do not wind up with money controlling who sits on the Board of Regents.

It is unfortunate that the Herald refuses to recognize a move towards democracy but constantly accuses the Associated Students of Madison of cronyism. The current appointed Regents are major contributors to the past governor and his party. Is that not cronyism?
Matt Fargen, United Council of UW Students