Boy, this is a great time for the Associated Students of Madison.
No, seriously. Just because our esteemed student representatives to the university — and any governmental agency whose ear they happen to catch — haven’t been doing much in the way of outwardly obvious decisive action doesn’t mean they aren’t. In fact, given the Constitutional Committee’s progress (albeit trudging at a pace that doesn’t inspire confidence) combined with the start of a committee to write new bylaws, reform is coming. Well, hopefully, anyway.
Plus, ASM picked the perfect time to go into deliberations over items of language. Not only has the presidential election distracted most of the campus from any local matters they might have ever paid attention to, but the uncertainty in the economy and state Assembly gives ASM a pass: Since everything else is in disarray, we might as well retool our organization.
However, when all the damage is done and the dust is cleared away, there’s one thing ASM has consistently failed at doing and is still failing to do: Controlling the message. As someone on the receiving end of this, I can attest, they’ve got a lot of kinks to work out.
For those wondering what the hell I’m talking about because “the filter of the media” only gives you the details of the latest Student Services Finance Committee or Student Council meeting, let give you a typical situation in a hypothetical situation, as seen from my perspective.
Let’s say ASM held a meeting to discuss a controversial proposal; for our purposes, we’ll assume ASM is going to announce a decision to reject the budget of the Wisconsin Union. In the past, reporters would have to either know such an announcement was coming and or pick out the title in the TITU, but there are press releases sent out nowadays. However, what will happen is the announcement is made to a group of two reporters, a few ASM members and perhaps a photographer, making for a bizarre scene surrounding the news that the Wisconsin Union tried to insert $30,000 in funding items for “miscellaneous.”
When questions do come about possible criticisms others might have, representatives scramble for excuses. If there needs to be an excuse, they’ll likely provide one. And when other representatives hear the other’s excuse, they may occasionally call to rectify that error. In the process, they have the potential to offer a different excuse that actually makes less sense than the initial one. In the event there are no excuses, there will be technical language that means absolutely nothing to 98 percent of the student body.
That was then. Now, we have the Press Office, ASM’s oft-delayed and reshuffled official media middleman. Problem solved, right?
Maybe. But instead of endlessly criticizing ASM like I have a tendency to do, let me offer some advice on how to push your message more effectively. These, of course, are my views and do not reflect those of Badger Herald reporters who cover ASM.
First things first: Update and streamline the website. Meetings are listed, but minutes are not posted. Now, I could certainly mosey on over to Memorial Union and read them, but we all know that’s not going to happen. If voting is online, so should the rest of ASM. The blogs are a nice start, but a unified online presentation and expedient updates say a lot about whether they’re serious about feedback and reaching out.
Gag orders, folks. When the press release detailing five points of reform came out last year, about 14 people were listed on the contact sheet. So I took them at their word and called as many as possible. Alex Gallagher and Jeffrey Wright were certainly onboard. Others, however, outwardly admitted they needed to hear more detail on the reforms before they could commit to them. If they’re not ready to sail, drop the anchor and kick them off the ship. Let one or two people handle the call and tell the others to keep quiet.
Opine on everything. Student attacked? Call for more safety provisions. Nass wants to slash the budget? Take a stance and call all the papers — not just the student ones. Even if Biddy so much as burps, send out a press release giving it a rating on a scale of 1-10.
So focus on the message, first. It shouldn’t be hard to do. Especially when you have at least until Inauguration Day until people start paying attention again.
Jason Smathers ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in history and journalism.