The University of Wisconsin Student Services Financial Committee met Monday to hear the Wisconsin Union’s operating budget presentation for fiscal year 2025, which comes in at nearly $61 million and will reduce the Student Segregated Fee paid directly by each student by a little over $1.
During open forum at the start of the meeting, former SSFC Representative Shia Fisher said he had not been receiving emails from SSFC Chair Quinn Wakley, and asked for clarification on whether or not he had been removed from his position. The committee did not respond to his question because speakers at open forum are only permitted to make statements.
SSFC went into closed session April 8 to consider the “dismissal, demotion, or discipline” of a committee member, as permitted by ASM Bylaws 1.03(3)(2). March 19, Fisher was notified that the petition calling for a vote on his removal was circulating, according to an email statement from ASM Press Office Director Kate O’Malley. This petition came after the early adjournment of a previous meeting when decorum between Fisher and Rep. Ryan Thiele could not be maintained.
O’Malley said the petition regarding Fisher’s removal referenced ASM Bylaws 1.05(5)(a)ii, “threatening of fellow committee members,” and 1.05(5)(a)iii, “intentional non-compliance with SSFC policy.” Fisher said he is filing a complaint with the Student Judiciary Committee regarding the nature of the petition calling for the impeachment vote. The petition gained support of 1/3 of SSFC April 4, O’Malley said.
O’Malley said ASM and SSFC do not have a policy for notifying the student body about the impeachment of elected representatives, as removals occur regularly, typically due to attendance issues.
Monday night, ASM Funding Director Abbie Wagaman said the committee voted to remove Fisher during the April 8 closed session vote. The vote tally in the April 8 meeting minutes, which does not include the name of the person the vote is regarding, received seven votes in favor, one against and three abstentions out of 11 present voting members. Fisher was the only representative to vote “no.” According to ASM Bylaws 1.05(5)(a), the removal of a member must be approved by 2/3 of voting members.
Fisher said he was notified late on Friday, April 5 about the hearing to discuss his removal, which was set to take place the following Monday, on April 8.
“I definitely don’t want to leave my over 10 years of academic work here at UW with this big blemish on my appearance,” Fisher said. “I’ve taken accountability from my end … but it just seems plainly obvious that you would offer somebody a little bit more time than one working day to basically plan for the hearing where they could potentially be fired from a job, right?”
Fisher said though he was aware of the vote to remove him, he was not formally notified regarding his impeachment. According to O’Malley, Wakley announced the result of the passing impeachment vote at the closed session meeting, at which Fisher was present.
“It would have been nice if they had anything formal or official, you know after the vote and, sent something along, because, yeah, there’s some interpretation about abstentions, or some interpretation about what a 2/3 body means,” Fisher said.
SSFC’s meeting calendar says there are no upcoming events, but the committee typically meets Mondays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. at the Student Activity Center. Wakley said there will be two more SSFC meetings before the end of the semester.
Sami Bitat contributed to the creation of this story.
