University Affairs Committee met Tuesday to talk about issues of course affordability on campus, as well as the committee’s expected merging.

After student government pitched its resolution to ban additional classroom fees and received negative feedback from faculty, Associated Students of Madison representatives met with University of Wisconsin Dean of Students Lori Berquam to discuss both the resolution and course affordability, UAC Chair Sally Rohrer said. The discussion was brought back to UAC Tuesday night.

Rohrer said Berquam had been shocked and disappointed with the Faculty Senate executive committee’s response to ASM representatives’ presentation on course affordability.

Faculty Senate committee shuts down ASM’s affordability resolution

ASM presented its course affordability resolution, originally named “textbook affordability,” to a Faculty Senate committee in March in the hopes of gaining faculty support to create a policy that would ban additional classroom costs.

Rohrer said Berquam told her she did not realize how frequently course codes were used to purchase additional materials for class.

UAC also discussed what their end goal should be with course affordability after realizing it would be difficult to enforce a university-wide policy.

UAC Rep. Rachel Wildra said ASM should seek to gain Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf’s support in discouraging professors from using sites or course codes that cost students extra money.

Overtime, professors could be discouraged from using programs that cost additional fees if enough students and the administration make using costly programs frowned upon, Wildra said.

Other students suggested demonstrating the costs of each class to students so they would be discouraged from signing up for courses that are expensive. Professors in turn would choose to use less expensive alternatives to encourage students to sign up for their classes.

Rohrer said they will continue to discuss their plans at their next meeting when co-author of the course affordability resolution, Colin Barushok, is present.

Last week, ASM made their first vote to remove the UAC and have the Shared Governance Committee absorb its responsibilities. Next week, ASM plans to vote again on their final decision.

Soon to be newly named ASM committee to create less confusion among student grant seekers

Rohrer said the only change stemming from the removal of the committee is everyone interested in grassroots campaigns on campus will be able to share their interests with shared governance organizations.

“We want people sitting on shared governance to be engaging in campaigns,” Rohrer said.

The joint committee would then potentially meet every other week to discuss shared governance and campaigns, she said.