Berquam: Participate in ASM fall elections

University of Wisconsin–Madison interim Dean of Students Lori Berquam is encouraging all students to play an active role in shared governance by voting in next week’s Associated Students of Madison (ASM) fall elections.

Paper-ballot polling will take place from noon-6:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 18 and 19, at Wendt Library, College Library, Gordon Commons and Holt Commons.

“UW-Madison has a proud history of student involvement in governance, but shared governance only works if a critical mass of students get involved,” Berquam says. “Voting is a way that every student can help shape campus.”

All currently enrolled undergraduate, graduate and special students may vote.

The election will re-run two referenda invalidated by technical problems that affected ASM’s spring election. UW–Madison’s administration takes no formal position on the measures, but Berquam encourages students to learn more and vote.

The first issue is the Student Union Initiative, a student-led effort to fund repairs at Memorial Union and build a new Union South. The plan would use funds from student-segregated fees, private donations and other sources.

Specifically, students would pay $48 per semester for the first two years and $96 per semester after the first two years for up to 30 years.

The second measure is a “living wage” proposal sponsored by the Student Labor Action Coalition. The university has already announced plans to increase wages for most limited-term employees (LTEs) up to $10.23 per hour.

Also on the ballot are four freshman representative seats on ASM’s Student Council and four seats on the Student Service Finance Committee.

Steps have been taken to safeguard the validity of the fall election, says Leah Moe, ASM election chair.

“We’re hoping for a good turnout and a problem-free election,” she says. “We’ve tried to make the paper ballot process as voter-friendly as possible.”

Ballots will be in Scantron format and will be counted by machine at the UW Survey Lab. The Scantron system will allow ASM to run a paper-ballot system that is virtually free of human error, and is also easy for voters to use, she says.

The Division of Information Technology has also revamped a previous voter identification survey, which will further ensure the integrity of student elections. There will be space for write-in candidates as well.

For more information, e-mail Moe at lmoe@wisc.edu.