One of the more prominent Associated Students of Madison representatives stepped down this week due to problems with attendance, though ASM officials note this is not an isolated case.
ASM Student Council Letters and Science Rep. Brian Benford resigned his position this week, saying he is “hopelessly challenged logistically with [his] family, school, City of Madison, EOC and work commitments.”
After having four unexcused and two excused absences over the course of the past eight Student Council meetings due to work conflicts, Benford said he realized his inability to regularly attend meetings would result in his resignation. Benford originally was seen as a prominent member of Student Council under the progressive FACES slate, as he challenged Rep. Tyler Junger for the position of ASM Chair. Benford lost in a very contentious vote.
According to Student Council Secretary Kurt Gosselin, there is a crucial flaw within the council’s attendance policy: The rules are not very strict.
According to ASM’s attendance policy, there are seven criteria for an excused absence. Some of these include class commitments, religious observances, illness or death of a family member and emergencies. Excused absences must be sent in an hour before a scheduled meeting.
Gosselin added unexcused absences are a failure to show at a meeting. Once there are three or more, the member can be removed from council by a two-thirds vote, whereas anyone with five unexcused absences is automatically removed.
“It has not happened since I’ve been on council (the last two years), and I do not recall it happening since I’ve been with ASM (for four years),” Gosselin said.
Gosselin added he has talked with some ASM members about changing or improving the attendance policy to make excusals less easy to receive.
“As for implications of non-attendance, when a representative is not present, s/he relinquishes his/her voting power on the topics discussed at that meeting,” Gosselin said. “Thus, his/her constituents are not represented in those decisions, at least insofar as voting is concerned.”
Junger agreed with Gosselin about the lenient policy for attendance.
“Attendance is a problem,” Junger said. “[Meetings] just don’t seem to be a priority to some people. They miss the meeting, they don’t hear about the issues, and then they don’t hear people speak in open forums.”
He also said they are hoping to implement a change where Student Council members will have to put in two office hours a week. This would keep the members involved, engaged and accessible to students.
Vice Chair Tom Templeton commented on a trend of absences among freshman members: Jamie Stark had resigned relatively close to the end of second semester last year and the other two elected last year, Axel Hernandez and Rebecca Newman have also since resigned.
Templeton added he has also been working with other members to change the policy.
“I would like to make it stricter. We need to increase accountability and responsibility of Student Council members,” Templeton said.
Click here to see a complete listing of attendance record of this year’s ASM session.
