ASM Meets for Second to Last Meeting of Session; Debates Leadership Changes
Posted: 2023-04-13 08:42:12 Expiration: 2033-04-20 18:42:12
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
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
13 April 2023
CONTACT:
Meghan Savaglia, Press Office Director
press@asm.wisc.edu
262.441.1041
ASM Meets for Second to Last Meeting of Session; Debates Leadership Changes
MADISON, WI — Tonight, this Wednesday April 12th the ASM Student Council met for the second-to-last meeting of the 29th session. Items on the agenda included more bylaw revisions proposed by the Rules Committee, expansions to the UHS Co-Responder Model, support of Family & Paid leave on the UW-Madison campus, and changes to ASM leadership positions.
After a robust Open Forum section, the ASM Student Council passed expansions to the UHS Co-Responder Model, introduced by Anti-Violence Coordinator Landis Varughese. The UHS Co-Responder Model was originally supported by the ASM Student Council in the 28th session and was put into operation in September 2022. Currently the program is only operating from Monday through Friday between the hours of 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Coordinator Varughese noted the campus wide increase over mental health concerns, and how expansion of operations starting at 10 a.m. would help address these concerns. This passed with unanimous consent, and can be viewed here.
Representative Anna Walther introduced the Resolution Urging Implementation of Paid Family Leave Benefits for UW–Madison Employees. Rep. Walther presented how this legislation, already passed by the UW-Madison Faculty Senate and Academic Staff Assembly, aims to provide an outlined policy for paid family leave at the university. Walther noted how both the state of Wisconsin and the UW-Madison rely on the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and accrued paid leave benefits for paid leave purposes, which can leave some employees lacking access to paid leave. This passed with unanimous consent, and can be viewed here.
Bylaw amendments to both Section 3 and Section 5 were proposed by the Rules Committee. These changes proposed the creation of an Internal Affairs Committee, which would combine the standing Nominations Board, Rules Committee, and Conference Selection Committee into one standing committee. Section 5 amendments updated processes for the Student Judiciary, and were supported by the current members of the Student Judiciary including the Chief Justice Tyler Herm. Both of these proposals passed unanimously, and will require a second vote at the following ASM Student Council meeting as all bylaw amendments require two votes. View the Section 3 revisions and Section 5 revisions.
Finally, the legislation of Restructuring ASM Leadership was introduced to the ASM Student Council. Many students spoke in regards to this legislation in the Open Forum. These changes were also proposed by the Rules Committee. The legislation was amended to remove lines pertaining to the elimination of the Diverse Engagement Position. Additionally, each position proposed for removal was voted on separately. These included the Anti-Violence Coordinator, Outreach Director, Shared Governance Campaign Coordinator, and the Sustainability Campaign Coordinator. The Anti-Violence Coordinator and Sustainability Campaign Coordinator were maintained as members of ASM leadership, while the Outreach Director and Shared Governance Campaign Coordinator were voted to be removed as positions from ASM leadership. This is also a bylaw amendment, and thus will also require a second vote at the next ASM Student Council Meeting.
The next and final ASM Student Council Meeting of the 29th Session will be held on Wednesday, April 19th at 6:30 p.m. in the Hearing Room of the Student Activities Center at 333 East Campus Mall.
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-- Associated Students of Madison: Meghan Savaglia