City Alders
Local Madison officials enact policies and programs that affect University of Wisconsin-Madison students in addition to city residents.
The three campus-area alders, Scott Resnick, Mike Verveer and Ledell Zellers, help to facilitate important city issues including downtown alcohol policies and State Street’s redesign.
Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, represents all on-campus housing and residence halls. He graduated from UW-Madison in 2008 and just finished his term as vice president of city Council.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, is responsible for the citizens and students of the Capitol Square and State Street areas. Verveer has spent more than a decade in Madison politics and currently serves on the Alcohol License Review Committee, which decides on liquor license and alcohol policy in downtown Madison.
Newly elected Ald. Ledell Zellers, District 2, mainly represents the Langdon Street area, which is home to much of UW-Madison’s Greek community. Zellers is currently serving on a committee that is responsible for the redesign of State Street.
Lori Berquam
From visiting students in libraries during finals week or scooping ice cream during campus events, Dean of Students Lori Berquam is constantly working to help students feel at home at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Berquam’s office is home to many student support services, including sexual assault services, emergency counseling and academic support. Students can either make appointments or walk right into the Dean of Students office to take advantage of campus support services.
Appointments can be made by calling one of the deans on call at 608-263-5700 or by visiting the Dean of Students Office located in room 70 of Bascom Hall.
Mayor Paul Soglin
After a 14-year gap between terms, Mayor Paul Soglin returned to office in 2011 to preside over the city of Madison and its city Council.
Soglin graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1966 and was known to have attended the first ever Mifflin Street Block Party in 1969.
As the head of Madison’s Common Council, which is the city’s governing body, Soglin is responsible for creating and implementing important city policies and construction efforts, including the Library Mall reconstruction and ongoing downtown alcohol rezoning.
Soglin has plans to run for re-election in the 2015 mayoral elections, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
Chancellor Rebecca Blank
Chancellor Rebecca Blank is embarking on her second year in the top leadership position at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
In addition to leading the more than 40,000 students enrolled at UW-Madison, the chancellor has purview over administration-related decisions with the campus and manages more than 22,000 university faculty and staff.
Specifically, Blank oversees the campus financial and academic activity, including changes in tuition levels and various department leadership appointments.
As the university’s 31st chancellor, Blank also works with the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents and Wisconsin state legislators to discuss and enact change on a grander scale.
State Rep. Chris Taylor
State Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, represents a majority of the students who live on or near the campus area.
Taylor actively promotes women’s rights in the state Legislature and holds annual campus forums and discussions with University of Wisconsin-Madison groups.
Additionally, in the past Assembly session, Taylor was a key representative in passing legislation that would allow third party investigations into police altercations resulting in fatalities, which has become a controversial issue in recent months.
The historic 76th district was also once held by current U.S. Sen Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and current U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis.
