Baring Teeth

It's going to be one of those campaigns..

The kind where "national politics" somehow get wrapped up into Student Association business. Although real political beliefs rarely transfer over into the Student Association perfectly, (Duerstein supporting athletic-backed Seg Fee raises and buying new Mac Books for the Prez and Speaker, Kristopeit supporting the Union Renovation, Burseth opposing it) that doesn't stop people from trying to drag "liberal" and "conservative" values into the race.

This year ASAP is not built around a bi-partisan arrangement, but a nonpartisan one. Truth be told, my running mate Brent Johnson and I have little in common when it comes down to National Party affiliation, however that doesn't matter because when it comes to Student affairs, we are 100% in agreement. Looking at my opposition for President, it becomes clear what the talking points will be.

Senator Pugel has posted part of his platform on the facebook page for his party "A Call to Action." In it, he pledges to immediately enact reforms to alleviate the "segregated fee burden" imposed by this year's SFC. Unfortunately, it sounds like Senator Pugel is recycling the same old Duerstein rhetoric, that the increase in segregated fees is out pricing students from an education. Really?

What's out pricing students from an education is Governor Walker's upcoming funding cuts to the UW system. Tuition is going up, and there's nothing we can do about it. The Students are faced with a choice. Should they cut their own Seg Fees, the only part of their tution they control, and save $100 per semester? Should they cut 35K from the SA as Pugel suggests, and erase PantherFest, the SA Block Party, the Spaights Spooktacular? Shall we cut the money we just allocated to create the Inclusive Excellence Center, and fail once again to address our problem with minority retention? Should we cut funding to the Campus Activities Board, and the Union RSO Wing Renewal Project? Should we pay more tuition, and receive less in services?

You tell me.

I won't make those decisions. I won't save you $100 a semester or more. I won't promise to "Stop these increases, WITHOUT cutting student services."

I fought for them. I debated, and lobbied. ASAP worked this year to bring some meaning to your higher tuition, to give you something to look forward to. We fought to increase the number of renowned speakers this campus could bring, the number of interesting community events we could hold. We know that UWM is at a crossroads, and that every year we become less of a commuter school. We must give YOU a reason to want to go here, and continue going here. And I'm going to keep fighting, to make sure we do.

Rolling on through summer

I'm updating this a bit later than I wanted to, however with the Riverwest24 and the move into my new apartment, I've been quite the busy beaver..err, Panther. The July 25th senate meeting was the quickest I'd ever seen. Things got started right away, and except for a bit of a boring talk by Tom Dake, expediency was the word of the day.

On the agenda was the confirmation of several new committee spots, as well as three legislative bills, and a SAC bylaw change. Everything was packaged and approved, without so much as a peep of disagreement. Well, I actually motioned for an additional senate meeting in December, which failed. Since all of the committee appointments and bills, including The People's Bill, authored by yours truly, were approved unanimously, they don't require a second meeting to confirm. Take that dissenters! I was happy everything passed, but I also wish that most of the senators cared more. The SAC bylaw changes were important, warranting discussion and friendly debate, yet none of the senators made any motions. Perhaps that's summer, not a whole lot of enthusiasm. As per the committee appointments, I am now a member of SAC and SORC, both as RSO membership. I look forward to getting lots of work done on these committees.

After the meeting, in between moving and the bike race, I was hired as a Special Assistant to the Public Relations Department. My task is to help improve the press release process, and streamline publicity affairs. Although I'm just getting started, I already love my job, and I look forward to continuing in a similar direction with my eventual chairmanship of SLIC.

Due to my recent and continued activity with the SA over the summer, I should be updating more frequently. Less than a month to go before the next semester! Oh and Kyle, thanks for the bump, I'll enjoy all the added activity around here, and I happily await more comments and questions.

-Red Menace out.