The Associated Students of Madison Student Council approved new transgender sanctuary legislation and discussed university sustainability efforts at a meeting Wednesday night.
The legislation to establish campus as a transgender and non-binary sanctuary was proposed by ASM Equity and Inclusion Committee Chair Emmett Lockwood Oct. 12.
Four students, who identify as trans and non-binary, along with two email testimonies demonstrated the desire for the legislation to pass during the meeting.
“The legislation is drafted to urge leadership to make this place a sanctuary campus,” UW student Jess Harlan said. “We have some different clauses that restrict the use of segregated fees, which is something that ASM does have power over.”
The trans and non-binary legislation includes proposals that affirm trans and non-binary students are important and equal to campus. The legislation also confirms University Health Services cannot use segregated fees to fund license reviews for trans healthcare providers, and that UWPD must limit the enforcement of laws related to punitive policing of trans and non-binary students and gender-affirming care on campus.
ASM unanimously approved the legislation at the end of the meeting.
The meeting also highlighted the recent UW System Sustainability Conference Presentation which took place on Oct. 12 and 13 at UW-La Crosse.
Sustainability Committee members Anna Silverman, Christina Treacy and Hannah Stahmann emphasized the need for students to advocate for sustainability improvements on campus.
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“If students don’t advocate for change, the administration won’t do it,” said Stahmann.
The committee is actively working on a sustainability campus course and implementing a general education requirement for students about sustainability. They are also establishing campuswide decarbonization goals after noticing the lack of sustainability data collection on UW campuses.
Their goal is to pass sustainability legislation at every Universities of Wisconsin campus.
The ASM Student Council will meet next on Nov. 8.
