UW System students could soon see a new form of representation across the state, one that is more conducive to sharing and organizing their ideas and initiatives.
Currently, UW Student Representatives meet with staff from the UW System Administration five times throughout the year, providing an opportunity for discussion between students and administration.
Associated Students of Madison Vice Chair Derek Field said the new representative outlet
would allow UW students a more direct group to voice their opinions.
Field said the current student representation needs more student portrayal than solely the student government president and vice president.
“UW Student Representatives is only open to the two highest ranking members at each campus, which is part of the problem because people who are experts on the issues that they work on can’t actually go, they’re doing work and then there’s no organizing there,” Field said.
This student body, titled Wisconsin Student Association, would meet more often with the administration than the UW Student Representatives, and tackle issues with other UW campuses such as voting laws and
college affordability.
In addition to creating the Wisconsin Student Association, Field said higher education institutions across the nation are in the process of sending a letter to the secretary of education, requesting greater transparency on schools’ interactions with financial institutions.
Student leadership will meet later in the month to further discuss the new association and letter.
