At the Associated Students of Madison Coordinating Council Wednesday, students expressed their desire for Responsible Action to be a state law in Wisconsin and welcomed the University of Wisconsin Diversity and Climate Vice Provost Patrick Sims to present on the state of campus diversity.

Sims and Diversity

Sims presented a discussion on diversity efforts on campus. He said there is a lot of interest in diversity issues, but his office is trying to create concrete ideas that can be turned into actions to increase the awareness of diversity.

Sims said they are trying to create a climate survey to collect information and establish baselines on what the campus wants in terms of diversity. The goal of the survey is to gather input from all students and faculty to focus on specific issues related to diversity on campus.

Another initiative driven by the Diversity and Climate offices is the Diversity Inventory Project, which is intended to engage students on campus to increase diversity inclusion. Sims said they want to identify and track any current organizations and gauge their effectiveness in including diverse groups. He said diversity not only includes students of color, but also LGBTQ groups and many other variables that apply to the category of diversity.

“We are all still on a learning curve and I am confident that we will reach a point where diversity becomes a part of all aspects involving the university,” Sims said.

Mariam Coker, the diversity committee chair for ASM, posed a question about the heavy focus on diversity and the lack of inclusion present on campus and what the Diversity and Climate office will do about these issues.

Sims said a problem they have not been able to conquer is finding a space where everyone will feel included. They are trying to put together the survey so they can create a more welcoming climate for students of color on campus, but he wants to educate the entire campus on the power and importance of diversity as it is troubling when there are students experiencing racial issues.

“Students of color are being referred to with hateful language cloaked in superiority, and we are attempting to do more to create spaces where all people feel comfortable,” Sims said.

Responsible Action

During open forum, UW student Samuel Ropa spoke about pushing for Responsible Action to be passed as a law to protect students from receiving punishment for calling for help when drinking. He said the law is important because it ensures the safety of students and promotes life-saving action when medical assistance is needed.

The committee discussed this issue during debate and concluded that the law should be passed on campus. They believe Responsible Action will only bring positive effects and help save lives as well as change the drinking culture on campus.

Council elections

ASM elected two new members to the committee, Reps. Robyn Riley and Gabriela Betancourt.