Associated Students of Madison met Tuesday to discuss budget issues and address concerns regarding tuition increases.
ASM approved various budget items, including $2,000 for a guest speaker for May’s All-Campus Party, and heard student Regent Tommie Jones speak about his new position as regent.
Jones was forced to defend his recent decision to support a system-wide tuition increase. He said there were priorities that needed to be addressed, so tuition had to be increased.
“There were things of interest to the students, like buildings and services that needed funding,” Jones said.
Under the new plan, passed over winter break, out-of-state students will see an tuition increase of 4 percent next year. Jones said tuition needs to be closely monitored.
“The budget office needs to pay close attention to this issue,” Jones said.
But he said he didn’t know when or how this overview would come.
Jones also addressed Assembly Bill 194 and Senate Bill 79, which would link financial aid with increases in tuition, allowing students to receive more financial aid and help bear the planned tuition increase. The bills have been supported by Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison; United Council, the school’s governing body; and ASM.
Jones said he didn’t know when action would come on these bills.
Craig Trost, legislative director of United Council, said this legislation is important because of the proposed $51 million in cuts to UW System as part of Gov. McCallum’s $1.2 billion state budget deficit repair bill.
The ASM Legislative Affairs Committee is officially lobbying for this legislation Tuesday. Twenty-five other campuses in the UW System will also participate in the rally.
ASM also passed an increase in funding for UW-Madison’s bus pass program. Under the new proposal, bus passes will now be valid 12 months of the year instead of just the 10 months regular classes are in session.
Madison Metro told ASM because student ridership has increased, they are making efforts to put more buses on the campus line.
Funding for the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board’s All Campus Party was disputed. Their requested budget included $2,000 for a guest speaker, Eric Saperson, who followed the Grateful Dead and met various other influential people by his own initiative.
“Spending $2,000 on this seems like a big waste,” said Joe Laskowski.
Other ASM members said it would be inappropriate to deny $2,000 for an all-campus event when smaller organizations receive more funding than that for projects.
Members of WASB attempted to validate their selection of Saperson, saying he demonstrated a distinctive amount of initiative, and the focus of his speech would be to inspire graduating seniors to have that same sense of initiative.
