Dear friends, allies, and constituents,
Below is the agenda for today's Student Council meeting. Please let me know if you have feedback on any of the issues that will be discussed.
The discussion of the Madison Undergraduate Initiative should be interesting.
Associated Students of Madison
Student Council, 15th Session
8 April 2009
Hearing Room, Student Activity Center
6:30 p.m.
- Roll Call
- Announcements
- Swearing in of New Representatives
- Open Forum
Any member of the ASM shall have the right to speak at the Open Forum, subject to the time limits specified here. Members of the Asm who are not officers of the ASM shall take precedence over officers and appointees. Non-members of the ASM may be granted the opportunity to speak by a majority vote of the Student Council. Each speaker may speak once for up to three minutes. The Open Forum is limited to 45 minutes, unless the Student Council shall by two-thirds vote to extend it.
- Removal or Impeachment of Representatives, Filling of Vacancies in the Student Council and Swearing In of New Representatives
- Adoption of the Agenda
- Reading and Approval of the Minutes
- Special Orders
- Old Business
- New Business
- ASM Internal Budget Reconsideration
- GSSF Budget Reconsideration
- Resolution 15-0408-01, ASM Position on the Madison Initiative
- SACGB Bylaws
- SSFC Bylaw Changes
- Operations Grants
XI. Reports of Special Committees and Campaigns
- Bus Pass Advisory Board
- Constitutional Committee
- Reports of Standing Committees and Boards
- Academic Affairs Committee
- Diversity Committee
- Finance Committee
- Foundation Hiring Committee
- Legislative Affairs Committee
- Nominations Board
- Shared Governance Committee
- StudentPrint Board
- External Affairs Committee
- Student Activity Center Governing Board
- General Reports
- Chair
B. Vice-Chair
- Student Judiciary
- Student Services Finance Committee
- Reports of Liaisons
- Viewpoint Neutrality Appeals
- Roll Calls
CURRENT LANGUAGE OF Resolution 15-0408-01, ASM Position on the Madison InitiativeAssociated Students of Madison
Student Council, 15th Session
15-0205-01
Title: ASM position on the Madison Initiative
Sponsored by: ASM Chair Wiegand
Whereas, Chancellor Biddy Martin has developed a proposal entitled “The Madison Initiative for Undergraduates;”
Whereas, the Madison Initiative proposes a differential tuition of $1000 for in-state students and $3000 for out-of-state students to be phased in during the next 4 years in an effort to “improve the quality and long-term value of undergraduate education and make it affordable to all:”
Whereas, the Madison Initiative will increase need-based financial aid, add faculty and instructional support in high-demand areas, and provide funding for student services;
Whereas, the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System approved a resolution in May 1999 that created guidelines on student involvement related to differential tuition initiatives. The Board approved the following guidelines:
- Students will be advised through their student government organizations of all planned differential tuition initiatives before proposals are submitted to the Board of Regents
- To the extent possible, UW System institutions will consult with students directly affected by the proposed differential tuition initiative
- Differential tuition initiative proposals presented to the Board of Regents will include a section on the student consultation process and outcome
- The Chancellor of the UW System institution, in consultation with the President of the UW System, will make the final determination whether a differential tuition initiative is submitted to the Board of Regents for approval; student approval is not a requirement for the initiative to be forwarded to the Board of Regents
- Spending decisions related to the funds generated by the differential tuition are ultimately the responsibility of the Chancellor of the UW System institution as indicated in s.36.09(3) Wis. Stats.;
Whereas, other University of Wisconsin System schools have approved differential tuition initiatives in which students have played a meaningful role in providing feedback and continued oversight;
Whereas, the Associated Students of Madison, as the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s official student government, has the responsibility of reviewing the proposal in detail, debating its merits, and advocating for students’ interests;
Therefore, the Associated Students of Madison acting in Student Council do enact as follows:
Be it resolved, that the ASM provide a partial endorsement of the Madison Initiative;
Be it further resolved, the ASM recognizes the need and supports action to increase the amount of need-based financial aid available to students;
Be it further resolved, the ASM recognizes the need to use tuition dollars to cover a portion of the money given to need-based financial aid;
Be it further resolved, the ASM recognizes the need and supports action to increase the number of faculty and increase the number of high-demand courses in order to maintain the prestige of the University and keep high-demand courses available to students;
Be it further resolved, the ASM recognizes the need and supports action to improve student services on campus, specifically, but not limited to academic and professional advising;
Be it further resolved, the ASM believes that the benefits from this proposal encompass all students on campus, regardless of degree program;
Be it further resolved, that although there are clear benefits in terms of financial aid for in-state students, we have concerns about the financial impact on out-of-state and international students,
Be it further resolved, that before ASM is able to take a final stance on the Initiative, we would like the following questions answered:
- What is the justification for a 50/50 split between enhanced student services and curricular and co-curricular innovations (see “outcomes” slide in presentation on website)?
- Specifically, what types of pedagogical innovations would possibly be implemented?
- Why is adjusted gross income being used as the determinant for eligibility for the hold-harmless grants as opposed to estimated family contribution?
- How will success of the Initiative be determined? What kind of input will students have in determining the success of the Initiative?
- Will money generated be used to increase enrollment at UW-Madison?
- What standard will be used to determine which classes will be offered?
- What is the Chancellor doing to work with the state legislature in order to ensure that the percentage of state funding that the University receives is not cut?
- What are the long-term perspectives for matching tuition dollars with privately-raised funds? Is the University planning on providing these dollars indefinitely?
Be it further resolved, that the University should evaluate best practices for pedagogical techniques and use these when providing resources toward implementing pedagogical innovations;
Be it further resolved, although adjusted gross income may be an easier way to convey the threshold at which eligibility for hold-harmless grants will be given, it is not the best way to capture a student’s actual financial need;
Be it further resolved, that any funds provided to academic and/or career advising should be accompanied with a broader review of the feasibility of campus-wide standardization;
Be it further resolved, the ASM strongly encourages the Chancellor to provide a more detailed plan for meaningful student involvement in the oversight of the Initiative;
Be it finally resolved, ASM proposes a shared governance committee be established with members of faculty, staff, and students. Students should comprise at least 1/3 of the committee. Furthermore, a sub-committee should be established from the larger shared governance committee in order to ensure that students have a major role in deciding which student services are implemented. The voting members of the sub-committee should consist of solely students; this subcommittee would be charged with receiving and approving proposals regarding improvements in student services. The sub-committee will make recommendations to the larger committee. Although the Chancellor makes the final decision, students shall have a meaningful role in the Initiative’s oversight through these means.
Date: 8 April 2009In Solidarity,
Chynna
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