Proposed Resolution: Creation of an ASM Bylaw Review Committee

Dear friends, allies, and constituents,

I hope your weekends have been well! I am excited to share with you my first resolution that I co-authored with ASM's Legislative Affairs Chair Kevin Ott. This resolution will establish an ad-hoc committee to review ASM's bylaws with mandated representation of GSSF leaders and students. This resolution will be discussed at this Wednesday's Student Council Meeting (3/4/09) at 7 PM.

This legislation is a step in the right direction for ASM because it will allow three GSSF leaders and two students at-large to have a seat at the table! This committee will be specifically reviewing the ASM Bylaws that govern the organization's General Principles (Section 1) and Student Council (Section 3), as well as any other area in the bylaws that the committee sees fit to review. After making recommendations on the bylaws, the committee will send recommendations to the Student Council for review. As it is proposed, the committee will be able to propose pressing recommendations to the current session of Student Council, then the final set of changes will be presented to the next session of the Student Council (following the spring elections). This allows the committee to recommend changes that will immediately improve the efficiency of ASM, while also submitting a set of recommendations that will address broader concerns within the organization.

Please read the following proposal, then look at the end of this post for what you can do to help get this resolution passed!

Associated Students of Madison

Student Council, 15^th Session

15-0304-x

Title: Creation of an ASM Bylaw Review Committee

Sponsored by: Chair Ott and Representative Haas

Whereas, the Associated Students of Madison is in need of reform;

Whereas, the voices of members of ASM are needed to ensure that reform is representative of the views and interests of the student body;

Whereas, ASM needs a body that includes student representatives and is mandated to seek student input in order to best advise the ASM Student Council;

Therefore, the Associated Students of Madison acting in Student Council do enact as follows:

Be it resolved, that that Associated Student of Madison shall create an ad-hoc committee entitled ASM Bylaw Review Committee that shall be charged with forwarding bylaw revision recommendations to ASM Student Council.

Be it further resolved, that this committee shall be composed of ten students of which five shall be members of Student Council, three shall be recognized leadership of General Student Services Fund organizations, and two shall be any student member of ASM.

Be it further resolved, that the chair will be a Student Council member of the committee appointed by the Council as a non-voting chair of the committee.

Be it further resolved, that the chair and four remaining Student Council seats shall be chosen by open nominations immediately upon the passage of this legislation.

Be it further resolved, that students seeking the three GSSF leadership seats and the two students at-large seats shall submit applications to ASM within one week of passage of this legislation and the final committee members will be chosen by the Chair, Vice Chair, and Nominations Board Chair within one week of application deadline.

Be it further resolved, that the ASM Bylaw Review Committee must hold its first meeting the week of March 23, 2009.

Be it further resolved, that the committee shall be chiefly responsible for proposing specific recommendations of revisions to Sections 1 and 3 of the Bylaws to Council and indentifying other sections of the bylaws in need of revision, as well as actively seeking student input on the structure and operation of ASM.

Be it further resolved, to accomplish its charge the committee shall be directed to review bylaw recommendations from the Constitutional Committee, actively communicate with Chairs, and collaborate with the Outreach Committee to facilitate student input.

Be it further resolved, that the committee recommendations shall be brought forward at the first meeting of the 16^th Session of ASM Council, but this does not preclude the committee from forwarding recommendations to the 15^th Session of ASM Council by the April 8, 2009 meeting, if the recommendations be of such a kind that they are pressing and have an immediate impact on the efficiency of ASM.

Be it further resolved, that Council may remove any member of this committee at any meeting of Council by a majority vote.

Be it finally resolved, to maintain the advisory role of this committee the Council may not send legislation back to this committee for any reason, but this does not preclude Council from directing the committee to undertake specific tasks.

The only way for ASM's Student Council to know just how important this resolution is to reforming ASM and protecting students' voices is if you tell them! Here are the action of steps of what you can do:

1. E-mail your ASM Student Council Representative and tell them that you want them to vote in favor of this resolution! Tell them how much you value a transparent and democratic student government that includes the voices of students on its advisory committees! Find your rep here (though this list is not necessarily current).
2. Speak for three minutes at Student Council's Open Forum to directly tell all present Student Council members that you support this resolution! Show them that you are more than a number, instead you are a living, breathing student who wants your voice represented at all levels of your student government! The meeting is this Wednesday @ 7 PM!
   
3. Tell your friends, your co-workers, your classmates, and your fellow organization members about this resolution and encourage them to e-mail their reps or speak at Open Forum, as well!

As always, please e-mail me with any questions, concerns, or ideas at chaas2@wisc.edu.

In solidarity,
Chynna