“We couldn’t sign off on a possible tuition increase.”
– Charita Ford, multicultural issues director

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Student Association discussed the organization’s stance on the Milwaukee Commitment Phase II at its meeting Oct. 2.

The Milwaukee Commitment Phase II is an effort to promote diversity at UWM, both among students and faculty.

There were several problems with the proposal for some senators. Phase II calls for, among other things, a need to “increase the availability of campus housing for (minority) students including those from Milwaukee metropolitan area.”

Multicultural Issues Director Charita Ford said that one of the biggest factors in retaining students after one year is living on campus. Sandburg Hall is more crowded than it has ever been thanks to the largest incoming class in UWM’s history.

Phase II also recommends an increase in the percentage of faculty from diverse or disadvantaged backgrounds, which some said would force racial quotas in faculty hiring.

“We totally support all the ideas,” Ford said of Phase II. “The problems were mainly with the money. We couldn’t sign off on a possible tuition increase. With a tuition increase, it actually cuts off access to higher education for more students.”

Others thought that the goal of a more diverse campus was too great to ignore. Sen. Mikki Guerra asked which, if any, diverse student organizations were contacted before Student Association voted.

President Russ Rueden agreed with the idea of diversity, but said the plan wasn’t feasible and called it “flawed.”

A committee is in the works to further explore the particulars of the proposal. Ford plans to include senators who wanted to support the Milwaukee Commitment, as well as those who didn’t.

“I don’t want a rivalry, I want a consensus,” she said.

Ford also said there is a need to come up with ideas that everyone agrees on before moving ahead with the Milwaukee Commitment.

The committee should meet for the first time within the next few weeks. A senator who opposed the repealing of support was contacted, but could not be reached by press time.

A need for a clearer understanding of the issues at hand was also stressed. There was an amount of confusion at the meeting, as senators had to ask several times what it was they were voting on.

In other matters, four new on-campus groups were approved at the meeting. The Student Christian Conservative, Rocket Club, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and Kendo Club were all made official at UWM.

The next Student Association meeting will be held on Oct. 16 in the Union, Room W191A. Meetings are open to the public.

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