Bryan Gadow and Emily McWilliams, chair and co-chair of this year’s Associated Students of Madison, face a legacy of apathy concerning student government at the University of Wisconsin.
In recent years, ASM has come under attack for what critics cited as a lack of involvement in important student issues and a weak presence on campus.
In response to statements that ASM has not been fulfilling its responsibility to students, Gadow asserted that change is the responsibility of all students.
“It’s one thing to criticize, but if it stops there, nothing will get done,” Gadow said. “We might be in charge of ASM, but we’re only a few people. Students also need to be held accountable.”
Gadow said students need to volunteer their time and effort to help ASM members bring about positive change. Recruiting students to help ASM stand up for student rights is one of his main concerns, Gadow said.
Gadow and McWilliams said they also hope to revive an activist spirit in the student body.
“We want to spread the passion for activism,” Gadow said. “Students are the real force behind change, and we want to get activism back out in the forefront of student government.”
Activism is the keyword for ASM this year, according to Gadow. He said facilitating activism is the real goal of student government.
McWilliams said she worries the politician title given to ASM members interferes with these goals.
“I don’t consider myself a politician,” McWilliams said. “I’m a student, and that’s all.”
She said politics distract from the real mission and dropping the “politician” title will facilitate connections with students and student groups.
“Students fail to see that we’re not career politicians,” Gadow said. “Most people on ASM are activists, not politicians.”
McWilliams would like to crush the perception of ASM as “impenetrable, like the Borg in Star Trek,” she said.
“I’d like to bring ASM down to earth and meet people in their own space,” McWilliams said.
Gadow’s concrete plans for making ASM more palatable to the average student include continuing work on the most pressing student issues, such as diversity and lowering tuition. ASM has both a council and volunteers currently working on alcohol issues, such as lobbying against drink-special bans and increasing alcohol-free programming. Gadow said he would like to continue such collaborative efforts between ASM members and other students.
McWilliams said it’s also important to inform students of other issues that may be less controversial and appealing but are still important.
“We’d like to make students realize how issues are relevant and not mire them in political jargon,” she said.
Gadow and McWilliams said they plan to be faces students on campus recognize, which they will achieve by holding open discussions with students and meeting with student groups.
“If we expect people to be engaged in our organization, we need to be engaged in theirs too,” McWilliams said.
