UWM groups succeeds in lobbying governor
After lobbying Gov. Jim Doyle since September, Democracy Matters at UWM is claiming victory for Doyle’s convening of a special legislative session on campaign finance.

The organization was created in spring 2007 and works as a student lobby for full public financing.

Democracy Matters campus coordinator, Daniel Ginsberg-Jaeckle, is excited about the success.

“We have a broken campaign finance system that is negatively affecting all different aspects of student life and there has never been a student movement that lobbied for full public financing.”

UW enrollment at all-time high
Enrollment in the University of Wisconsin System is at an all-time high this semester with a 2.1 percent increase from last year, reported Sharon Wilhelm, associate UW interim vice president, at the Dec.6 UW Regents meeting. Her report continued with news that students of color now comprise 10 percent of the System’s student body, and the gender gap is slowly closing with increases in male enrollments.

Regents look into cheaper text books
The UW Board of Regents Business, Finance, and Audit Committee is looking into ways to provide more affordable text books at universities. At an information presentation, the committee looked at different institutional procedures including textbook rental programs, library reserves, and textbook swap markets.

Other ideas suggested by many UW institutions include instructors’ enhanced awareness of their impact on textbook costs, students’ knowledge of alternatives available to them, and institutions’ potential delivery methods and business models, according to UW System news.

Regents approve new segregated fee policy
The UW Board of Regents approved a new segregated fee policy at their Dec.6 meeting that provides clear-cut criteria for recognition of official student organizations, and uniform guidelines for how those organizations spend university funds, according to a UW Regents news summary. Many addressed concerns about too much administrative oversight, but the policy was passed despite opposition.

University officials emphasized how university leaders have been careful to consider many comments and suggestions provided by students, administrators, legislators, and others.

Many students, especially those from UW-Madison, also expressed concern about the ability to use segregated university fees to pay for contractual services. The new policy provides a mechanism for this use, when there is a substantial need for services that cannot be provided by the UW campus. If administrators and students agree that contractual services are needed, those contracts must be struck in accordance with state procurement processes.

Similarly, the new policy allows for segregated fees to be used to lease non-university facilities for use by recognized student organizations, if there is a lack of available space on campus. Students and chancellors must agree on this need, and the lease must be granted by the Wisconsin Department of Administration in accordance with state statutes.

Briefs compiled by Stephanie Brien

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