Associated Students of Madison KnowledgeBase : Student Council hears from UHS leadership on funding, discusses separate legislation seeking to create student-ran campus EMS service

 

Student Council hears from UHS leadership on funding,
discusses separate legislation seeking to create student-ran campus EMS service

MADISON, WI — Student Council met for the third time this semester Wednesday at the Student Activity Center. The agenda included a presentation from UHS leadership on potential funding models and separate legislation on a proposed student-ran campus EMS service.

University Health Services (UHS) has been discussing ways to generate additional revenues in order to support their operations with a work group made up of staff, campus departments, student leaders and more. Associate Vice Chancellor and Executive Director Jake Baggott and Chief Operating Officer Lindsay Barber, joined by Associate Director of Operations Megan Childers, presented information about how UHS currently is funded and four potential models to generate additional revenue. The presentation highlighted advantages and challenges to each model, including potential impacts to students.

The first model was maintaining the current state of UHS. The second model proposes transferring lab services to a resource lab who can bill insurance, instead of doing it within the UHS scope of services. The third model proposed a user fee, and students would be charged a small fee when using UHS services. The last model proposed would involve billing a student’s health insurance for services.

UHS leadership sought perspectives from Student Council members. Representatives shared their thoughts and asked questions. Full information can be found in the meeting minutes. As of Oct. 17, these minutes have not been formally approved and changes could still be made.

“It was really refreshing to be a part of the working group. The focus is on student care and how we can provide the best care,” ASM Chair Landis Varughese said.

None of these models have been formally implemented. Conversations will continue between UHS and ASM.

After the presentation, Anti-Violence Chair Jake Wesson presented legislation seeking formal support from the Associated Students of Madison for a student-run campus emergency medical service (EMS) agency. A presentation highlighted potential challenges to existing safety infrastructure as the population continues to grow, student interest and more.

“The student expertise and passion already exist, we just need the structure to channel it effectively,” Wesson said.

BadgerEMS, a current registered student organization, seeks to create a student-led, volunteer EMS agency that would initially operate at the basic life support level. It is designed to relieve pressure on existing campus safety infrastructure, provide leadership and training to students and more. According to the proposal, there are over 200 campus-based EMS programs around the country including at peer institutions such as the University of Minnesota and University of Michigan.

“BadgerEMS was created with one goal: the creation of a student-run, campus-based EMS agency, providing care by students for students,” Shukai Yuchi, a recent graduate who helped to found BadgerEMS, said.

Representatives asked questions and shared their support. Following the distribution of a longer proposal, representatives voted to table the legislation pending further in-depth review before the next Student Council meeting.

The meeting concluded with chair reports and appointments. Meeting materials can be viewed here.

The next Student Council meeting will be held on Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Activity Center. The meeting is set to include discussions about ASM’s internal budget.