Newly elected Associated Students of Madison Chair Allie Gardner said she is optimistic about the future of ASM.
Gardner, who estimated she has been involved with approximately 30 student groups on campus, said although she does not have as much direct involvement with ASM, her experience with groups will provide insight into how to lead student council.
""I think that having that difference of skill set is going to be a benefit in how I get things done and how the committees are run,"" Gardner said.
ASM has many specific ideas in place for the year ahead, including implementing a new plan for shared governance, establishing better relationships with student groups and creating more overarching goals that all ASM committees can work on collectively, Gardner said. She added student council, as a whole, plans to spend more time on campus-wide issues rather than internal affairs.
""If what we're doing does not reflect what's going on on campus, we're not doing our job,"" Gardner said.
In order to best accomplish this, Gardner said she plans to reach out to student groups as much as possible.
Gardner said she disagrees with the many people on campus who think students generally do not care about what happens in ASM. She said her goal is to inform students so they can take stances on issues addressed in student council.
""I've heard the phrase ‘students are apathetic' so much more than I can handle. I refuse to believe that,"" Gardner said. ""I think that you have to make students care about certain things.""
