The Legislative Affairs Committee added two vice-chair positions to the committee for the first time and discussed the Mifflin block party and other issues Monday night.
University of Wisconsin freshman Sam Polstein was appointed vice-chair of city affairs and UW freshman Kyle Woolwich was appointed vice-chair of state affairs.
The positions were created to help make LAC more efficient, Chair Adam Johnson said.
“It’s really difficult to micromanage 12 people doing different things, and by breaking down and putting each vice-chair in with four or five people it’s much more manageable,” Johnson said. “So I’m hoping to get more done just with this better structure and organization.”
LAC also discussed ideas on how to have students take responsibility and minimize the cost to the city during the Mifflin block party. Johnson said he and Polstein are meeting with the mayor on Wednesday to discuss the party.
“The problem the mayor’s office — and frankly the rest of Madison — have with this party is that it is a student party funded by taxpayers and they have no way of making any revenue on it,” Johnson said. “They have no way of really stopping it, so their only hope is to plan it really well and minimize the cost.”
Johnson added he would like to have the Associated Students of Madison organize students to help volunteer to clean up after the party as a show of good faith to the city and to help it reduce costs.
However, Johnson said the UW administration and ASM have concerns with any student organizations being associated with one of the country’s largest drinking parties.
“We’re fighting to keep students safe and having fun while we are not selling ASM beer,” Johnson said.
Graduate Student Representative on LAC Colin Ingram said there is a fine line getting involved with Mifflin and they have to be careful with decisions involving Mifflin.
Another issue covered was planning a student housing fair next fall. Johnson said LAC wants to possibly organize fair at Memorial Union or the Kohl Center to make it easier for students to find housing.
“The idea is that instead of searching through online listings or the classifieds, why not get everyone together at the same time?” ASM Graduate School Representative and Badger Herald staff writer Erik Paulson said. “We can get all the landlords there and all the people who want to rent there together.”
Paulson added they are hoping to get a city ordinance passed that would delay lease signing until February, but there has been stiff opposition from area property owners.
The ordinance has stalled in the city’s Landlord and Tenant Issues Subcommittee.
Johnson said it is hard for students to make a decision on where to live just three months into the fall semester and urged students to attend the subcommittee’s meetings.
Also covered was an idea for a demonstration for more student financial aid at the Capitol.
Johnson said there is a need to raise awareness for the growing gap between aid students need and what is available to them.
