The University of Wisconsin student government considered a controversial measure Wednesday which would make funding from the internal budget available to only one campus organization.
The co-sponsors of the legislation to include the Wisconsin Student Public Interest Research Group membership fees in the Associated Students of Madison internal budget said they had made the decision to save the proposal for debate at a later meeting amid concerns about violating ASM bylaws.
Representative Leland Pan said the co-sponsors of the “Save WISPIRG” legislation cited a negative response and concerns of the legality of the measure from some members of the Student Council as reasons to postpone its consideration before the body. The bill proposed adding $128,378.59 to the 2011-2012 budget in order to fund the organization.
The measure comes in the wake of WISPRIG’s final denial for funding by the Student Services Finance Committee in the Student Judiciary appeals process, a ruling which outgoing Chair Rashi Mangalick said would eliminate the group’s ability to continue its initiatives on campus in the next year.
Members of the Student Council also considered legislation to rescind ASM support for the New Badger Partnership, an item approved during the last meeting of the 17th session.
Pan said he would like to have seen more open forums to allow the student body to voice their opinions on the public authority legislation proposed by Gov. Scott Walker and supported by Chancellor Biddy Martin.
“I would like to see more of the student body in the council,” Pan said. “It is true that there is a certain part of the student body that just doesn’t care about the New Badger Partnership, but I think our job is to educate them on how they will be affected by the issue, good or bad.”
Some members of the council said an ASM survey that went out to the student body questioning their personal position on the New Badger Partnership proved an effective step toward gathering student opinion.
During open forum, former ASM Chair Brandon Williams said the surveys were not effective in gauging the overall viewpoint of the student body. He also said forums hosted by ASM to provide students with information on the proposal were not well attended and could therefore not be considered representative of the student body.
Representative Karen Scott said had received assurance by members of the state Legislature that the proposed plan to split the Madison campus from the UW System does not have enough popular support among republicans to pass. She questioned whether Williams thought ASM should endorse a model which might not be passed into law by the Senate.
Williams said the proposal’s current status in the Legislature should not influence the council’s decision to take a stance on the issue.
“That’s the point of an endorsement, isn’t it”? Williams said. “You don’t just endorse something because you know it will pass.”
After members argued that the new session could not formally rescind the previous endorsement, representatives said they would consider methods to engage student opinion and possible amendments to new legislation concerning the proposal.
