Participation and student power were key themes in the Spring 2007 Associated Students of Madison Kick-off Tuesday night in the Humanities Building.
An enthusiastic group of ASM members unveiled plans for this semester.
The biggest issue for ASM this semester is pushing for an extra study day before finals. Students at the meeting signed a petition requesting the Board of Regents ""add additional study time to the academic calendar prior to each final exam.""
UW-Madison is currently the only Big Ten school without multiple study days built into the academic calendar, according to ASM Chair and UW-Madison senior Dylan Rath.
The Campus Relations Committee will be working to implement a campuswide neighborhood watch program, especially in light of the recent robbery in Witte Hall.
""We have a very transient student body, and we need more presence on the streets—not necessarily police presence, just more bodies out there,"" said ASM Campus Relations Chair and UW-Madison junior Christie Penn.
Penn said groups of five to seven students would walk around the neighborhood with wristbands and flashlights to promote safer walking on Friday and Saturday nights between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
The Shared Governance Committee has appointed two members to work directly with the UW-Madison Athletic Board to negotiate a way to improve distribution of student tickets to big-revenue sporting events.
Shared Governance committee intern and UW-Madison sophomore Katie Lorenze said one idea being thrown around is a system based on loyalty points. According to Lorenze, students would receive points for showing up to games on time, or by going to sporting events other than basketball, hockey and football. Student tickets would then be distributed to students with the most points.
""So many students that really want tickets aren't getting them,"" Lorenze said. ""And the athletic board has been really receptive to this idea.""
Plans began to unfold for the new Student Activity Center, which will fill the space formerly occupied by University Square on the 700 block of University Avenue. UW-Madison is one of the only universities in the Big Ten without a Student Activity Center. Student Activity Center Chair and UW-Madison sophomore Renee Mechanic said the primary purpose of the center will be to house free spaces for student organizations, but will also include a fireplace, study rooms, cubbies and a Student Print. It is slated for completion in Fall 2008.
