Recent conflicts of interest between the Associated Students of Madison, University of Wisconsin Office of the Dean of Students and Chancellor John Wiley’s office caused controversy about the planned reorganization of the dean’s office following the departure of Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Paul Barrows.
As the end of the school year approaches, ASM representatives expressed concern to Wiley and the ODOS about proposed changes to Student Council, Student Services Finance Committee and other student segregated-fee-funded organizations that may be placed under an ODOS “reorganization plan” next fall.
Proposed by Dean of Students Luoluo Hong, the reorganization plan would combine administrative staffs of many related student organizations in order to limit financial expenditures and the amount of groups ODOS is responsible for overseeing.
ASM is one of numerous student organizations that ODOS oversees through their own administrative staff consisting of four members considered employees of the office.
ASM remained uneasy during recent weeks about the reorganization plan and a statement from the chancellor claiming ODOS has no fiscal responsibility to support ASM. In a written response to Wiley’s comments, ASM explained SSFC is a division of their organization and that they have administrative staff within ODOS. Under those grounds, ASM affirmed Wiley’s statement as false.
ASM also denounced the ODOS reorganization plan, claiming it would cost more money by shifting general-purpose revenue dollars onto student fees.
ASM representative and SSFC Chair Janell Wise said that the reorganization would undermine the current autonomy the organizations maintain as a mode of operations.
“One of the big things we enjoy as a student organization is the fact that we are involved in the direction of where the organization will go, the programs that will be put on and the overall mission of the organization.” Wise said.
Wise added the reorganization plan would deny ASM control over who gets hired as staff.
While Wise raises concerns for the reorganization plan, Hong — acting as the director of the plan — said the reorganization is strictly for the students’ benefit and will only be enacted after taking their input into consideration through listening sessions to be held this fall.
“The only things we were considering changing were the administrative supporting lines,” Hong said. “I think the fear from students was that changing the administrative supporting line would lead to changes in ASM.”
Hong added that ASM would never lose its autonomy.
“I would say ASM is independent of Dean of Students including myself,” Hong said. “How they’re going to be is going to be determined by students.”
Hong’s reorganization plan was supposed to go into effect this May, but after ASM and other organizations raised concerns, the restructuring will wait for deliberation and enactment of the plan is moved to fall semester.
“We don’t think the people at Bascom have a really clear idea of what’s going on down here as far as how we fund organizations and the different staff support we provide for organizations,” Wise said.
