Diversity Plan Framework
With UW-Madison’s latest diversity plan having expired in 2008, the urgency in creating a new diversity plan is intense. The opportunity to draft a new plan should not be taken lightly. While we eagerly await to see what this new plan will bring, we fear that it will not take a strong enough stance on the overwhelmingly real issues our campus faces regarding diversity. Graduation rates among students of color are not nearly where they should be, many students are not nearly as educated as they should be about diversity and we could certainly increase enrollment for students from diverse backgrounds. But still, this board has yet to see the specificity we would hope to see in the plan. Without specific means to meet these important ends, we fail to see how the new plan would be any more successful than its predecessor. We hope in the upcoming year the drafters of the plan will feel the pressure we feel to create a plan that will actually contribute to improving our campus climate and outlook for students from diverse backgrounds.
Rec Sports Referendum
University of Wisconsin-Madison students voted ‘yes’ to approve the Division of Recreational Sports’ $223 million Master Plan, which outlines changes to the Southeast Recreational Facility, the Natatorium and outdoor fields in the Lakeshore neighborhood near the Natatorium. The approved referendum will increase student segregated fees to a $108 maximum. Additional funding for the project is set to come from the UW Foundation, the Athletic Department and the state of Wisconsin. Despite the increase in student seg fees, this Editorial Board felt it was not fiscally responsible to pour money into run-down facilities that would eventually need to be reconstructed. The current schedule projects the new SERF facility to open in Summer 2019, and we look forward to seeing our student fees put to good use.
Eligibility Criteria
For anyone who has been on campus the past few years, its no secret the Student Services Finance Committee has had its share of mishaps and is probably not the most popular branch of our student government. That being said, this board also believes it is the branch that has the opportunity to give students the most power over their campus community and what resources are provided to it. Seemingly every year student representatives have made a late attempt at rewriting the SSFC eligibility criteria but until the 20th Session none had reached approval. This board applauds the efforts of the ASM members and representatives from student organizations who collaborated on writing the new criteria. The old eligibility criteria were restricting and confusing, forcing General Student Services Fund (GSSF) organizations to remain passive. The changes to programming requirements no longer punish groups for wanting to have an active presence on campus through campaigns and similar engagement activities. Additionally, under the new criteria, groups are forced to be more accountable—something we can all appreciate seeing as its our money they’re spending. But perhaps the best things to come out of this process will be more transparency and better communication between SSFC and GSSF student organizations. This board is looking forward to the implementation of these criteria—we hope that all students involved will be informed and able to use the changes to benefit our campus.
Gubernatorial Race
November 2014 means one thing, midterm elections and more importantly, the gubernatorial race for the state of Wisconsin. The race includes incumbent Gov. Scott Walker, who has emerged as an extreme polarizing Republican, against the leading Democratic candidate Mary Burke. The 2014 gubernatorial election marks the most recent opportunity since the recall election of 2012 that Wisconsinites can choose to continue with Walker’s conservative actions and ideals or to change the political tide and elect a liberal candidate that would more reflect the ideals of the city of Madison. Walker has come under fire, especially among liberals in Madison, for his staunchly conservative stances with social issues such as gay marriage, abortion and advocating for abstinence-only sexual education. Additionally, Walker has been continually outspoken against the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Burke, the former Wisconsin Secretary of Commerce, has been very openly opposed to the business practices of Gov. Walker and has emphasized that Wisconsin’s ranking of 45th in job creation is unacceptable. Despite the disappointing job creation rate, governor Walker currently holds a comfortable six point lead in the polls and it seems that unless a drastic event happens to damage his image, Wisconsinites will be under the leadership of Walker for another four years.
Leland Pan
After District 5 Supervisor Leland Pan was re-elected to the Dane County Board in April, we are excited to see what he will continue to do in his second term. Pan is progressive, but he’s also pragmatic. He is an advocate for the environment as well as labor and racial disparity issues in Madison, which we believe are things that need to be seriously addressed. On top of that, he understands the nuances of county issues, and his effort to increase the voice for people from historically underrepresented groups is important to consider. While Pan has done a good job of reaching out to underrepresented groups in Madison, we hope that he will make an effort to reach out to all the students he will be representing for the next two years.
Voter Identification Bill
One of the most controversial bills Gov. Scott Walker passed was recently overturned in the Supreme Court. The Wisconsin Voter ID Bill, which required individuals to display a state-issued ID at the polls, was rule excessive by a judge who claimed it posed too much strain on lower-income and minority residents who may not have the means to obtain said documents. This editorial board is looking forward to a more progressive and centered Wisconsin.
What are you looking forward to in the next year? Are there any other important issues coming up? Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
