The Associated Students of Madison Student Council unanimously passed a resolution in support of making the University of Wisconsin-Madison a conflict-free university in its last meeting of the 19th session Wednesday.
Katy Johnson, President of UW-Madison’s Amnesty International student chapter, said in open forum the university and its students indirectly fund the ongoing war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by purchasing electronics containing conflict minerals.
According to Johnson, conflict minerals, which include tin, tungsten, gold and tantalum, are mined in eastern Congo under rebel control. The minerals are smuggled and sold, and often end up in many of the laptops, phones or other electronics students buy, resulting in nearly $120 million funding the war each year, Johnson said.
She added the issues relate to UW-Madison and other colleges for two major reasons: college students and universities purchase and invest in these electronics.
“When colleges speak out, electronics companies really have to listen,” Johnson said.
According to Johnson, universities including Penn State, Stanford and many others have passed resolutions through their administrations against the use of these products on their campuses.
With ASM’s support, Johnson said she hopes incoming chancellor Rebecca Blank will pass a resolution “urging [the university’s] partner electronics companies to work toward going conflict-free when possible.”
“I truly believe that the University of Wisconsin has a legacy of being a leader on human rights, and we really have a unique opportunity here to be a leader,” Johnson said.
Student Council Rep. David Gardner, who sponsored the resolution, called the resolution’s passage a “victory” for Amnesty International and the whole campus.
“The strongest part is that we’ll work with the chancellor and with administration to hopefully work toward enacting a policy,” Gardner said.
The council also gave final approval to legislation aiming to create a better relationship between ASM and other student governments on campus by allowing college or school government bodies to have speaking rights on ASM Student Council.
