Student Council Meeting Recap: January 29
Posted: 2020-01-29 20:34:57 Expiration: 2040-02-05 20:34:57
Associated Students of Madison
333 East Campus Mall, 4301 Student Activity Center, Madison, WI
Website: asm.wisc.edu Phone: 608/265-4ASM
E-mail: press@asm.wisc.edu
STUDENT COUNCIL HEARS ABOUT THE 2020 CENSUS
The Associated Students of Madison Student Council met on Wednesday, January 29 at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Activity Center Hearing Room.
There was a special order from Breanna, who is an intern with the City of Madison Planning Division. According to the City of Madison Planning Division, The Census “is a count of all people living in the United States mandated by the Constitution to occur every 10 years. The count will begin in mid-March of 2020 when households will receive an invitation to participate.” April 1, 2020 is the Census day.
Wherever you are at during the day of the census is where you will be counted for the 2020 census. The Census form can be filled out over the phone, online or by mail.
The Census is important, as it affects representation in the 20 Aldermanic districts, as well as state and federal funding. College students in particular are traditionally undercounted populations. Due to the Census being available online, it will be hard to track households without internet access. There will be about nine questions. No questions will be asked regarding citizenship or immigration status.
By law, the Census information can only be used for statistical purposes. The information is secure and cannot be used against participants.
Jobs are available to be an assistant with the census to perform tasks related to it.
To provide assistance with the Census, ASM can use its social media presence and platform to reach out to all groups, including the homeless, international students, the Multicultural Center and various Registered Student Organizations.
For more information, reach out to Ben Zellers at bzellers@cityofmadison.com or the City of Madison at 2020Census@cityofmadison.com. For phone inquiries, call 608-266-4635.
Chair Pasbrig made an announcement regarding a vacancy on the Student Services Finance Committee. The committee will be focused on the non-allocable budget in particular.
Representative Ben-Yitshak made an announcement regarding the passage of Assembly Bill 531 and the upcoming Wiscard Design Committee meeting.
The agenda was adopted by unanimous consent.
The Reauthorization of the Resolution in Support of the Teaching Assistants’ Association was reintroduced. The resolution reaffirms the right of graduate assistants to meaningfully comment on and participate in the formation of policies that affect their learning and working conditions in the spirit of shared governance. Additionally, it calls for the Associated Students of Madison to join the Teaching Assistants’ Association in their call for the administration of UW-Madison to fully cover mandatory fees for all graduate assistants at this university. Finally, it calls on UW administration to explore options for generating revenue such that this coversahe does not adversely affect student services or place the burden on other students.
Representative Ben-Yitshak made a motion to suspend the rules and allow Robert Christl, Co-President of the Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA), to sit at the table and be available for questions regarding the Reauthorization of the Resolution in Support of the Teaching Assistants’ Association legislation.
With a vote of 17-0-2, the motion passes.
After the question and answer period, the legislation passes with a vote of 16-0-3.
There was a motion to suspend the rules to move into a nominations and voting process to vote a member into the Student Services Finance Committee.
With a vote of 16-0-2, the motion passes.
Representative Ben-Yitshak nominated Representative Kowalski to fill the vacancy on the Student Services Finance Committee. With a vote of 15-1-2, the nomination passes and Representative Kowalski is appointed.
Representative Resch made an announcement regarding the Campus Alcohol Policy Subcommittee meeting this Friday at 4:00 p.m. in the ASM internal conference room. The committee will set standing rules, elect a chair and vice chair and set goals for the semester.
A presentation was made regarding the Association of Big Ten Students (ABTS) winter conference. The legislation was split into internal processes and advocacy. Internal processes included the passing of a Three-Year Strategic Plan, development of a Bylaw Revision Committee, establishment of a Director of Diversity, creation of an Equity & Inclusion position on the ABTS Executive Board and creation of two identity-based caucuses. Advocacy included commitments to sustainability and climate conscious investments, support of student engagement in 2020 elections and the Census, land acknowledgement, food insecurity efforts, Title IX and accommodations of religious observances.
With a vote of 15-0-3, the Approval of the ABTS Legislative Docket passes.
Student Council will meet next on February 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Activity Center Hearing Room.
-- Associated Students of Madison: Matthew Mitnick