Student Council Passes Endorsements Condemning Hate Against Campus Groups
Posted: 2021-02-24 15:20:30 Expiration: 2050-03-04 04:20:30
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 Passes Endorsements Condemning Hate Against Campus Groups
MADISON, WI — Last night, the Associated Students of Madison (ASM) Student Council passed endorsements for a statement from the Filipinx American Student Organization (FASO) and a statement from QLaw. ASM also passed one piece of legislation moving funds to support the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month.
With the endorsement for the Filipinx American Student Organization’s statement, ASM condemns the violence and hate that the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) population has faced across the United States in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to take concrete action against anti-APIDA hate, FASO and ASM call upon the University of Wisconsin-Madison to acknowledge and denounce the current wave of xenophobia towards Asian Americans nationwide, enforce and uphold penalties among any reported incidents within the University, and increase tangible resources such as diversity among mental health providers and resources to the Multicultural Student Center for Asian American students.
Vote Coordinator Abad Santos, who presented the endorsement, had this to say: “As a member of the Filipinx American Student Organization (FASO), I am proud that this letter was unanimously passed through ASM Student Council. The hostile environment and hate crimes towards the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) community in light of the COVID-19 pandemic has been incredibly harmful and threatening. That being said it's necessary that the University of Wisconsin-Madison acknowledges and acts against these hate crimes while supporting their APIDA and Asian International students. We look forward to seeing positive and tangible action by the university regarding this issue in the near future.”
ASM also endorsed a statement from QLaw that opposes the Women’s Liberation Front (WLF) from participating in the Law School’s Wisconsin Public Interest Interview Program (WIPIIP). ASM Student Council and QLaw see the WLF as a radical, transphobic organization that lobbies against equal protection for and acceptance of trans people. The WLF should be removed from WIPIIP because of their organization’s transphobic beliefs and active engagement in harmful acts of transphobia.
Lastly, ASM also approved a budget alteration to support the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month. $6,500 of unspent ASM General Travel funds were moved into the General Programming line in the ASM internal budget to go directly into supporting and bringing awareness to the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month.
The next Student Council meeting will be on Tuesday, March 9th, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. via a Zoom meeting.
-- Associated Students of Madison: Jacob Broehm