Increasing Grassroots involvement in Student Issues
FACES sees that there is a huge problem in student power in that students do not feel as if they can make a difference in their community. We want to make sure that every student’s voice is heard and that every student feels like they can affect the outcome of issues on campus. FACES, which comprises much of the Vote No Coalition that overwhelmingly defeated the proposed ASM Constitution, understands the power and the process of grassroots organizing.
• We will address and tackle issues that affect the lives of students and that provoke student concerns thereby empowering them to take initiative.
• FACES will make the activities of ASM very public so that as many students as possible are aware that these problems are being addressed.
• Since student groups are a key component in grassroots organizing on campus FACES will reach out to as many groups as possible in order to create as wide of a coalition as possible, gaining support for our initiatives. This will involve making sure that student groups receive adequate funding. Also, we will use the grassroots committees to their fullest potential by utilizing them to unite students and conduct campaigns.
Improving Affordability and Accessibility of higher education
In these tough economic times it is more important than ever that as many people as possible receive higher education. We do not believe that the university’s money woes should be all passed on to working students and working families who will not be able to pay off their debts for many years. We see this as one of the most important issues plaguing students at the UW Madison and one that has gone unaddressed for far too long. Education is a right and no one should be excluded based on economic status.
• We will lobby the university and our legislators directly.
• Propose a shared governance committee to monitor university spending and make sure that unnecessary costs are not passed onto students and working families.
• FACES will make sure that any tuition increases correspond with dollar for dollar increases in financial aid and that the financial aid process is fair.
Encouraging a safe campus climate opposed to harassment and sexual violence
Students at the University of Wisconsin must feel safe at all times in all places in and around campus. Safety is important now more than ever to ensure that students understand that they are protected by the university and that the university will not stand for assaults on its members. We will use both education and heightened safety precautions to ensure the peace of mind of Madison students.
• We will start an education campaign about rape and sexual violence using campus groups. This education will be made public and readily available to all students. Also we will survey the existing programs and propose alterations if they do not adequately educate students.
• While Blue Safety phones are available throughout Lakeshore, few can be found in Southeast or along main off-campus locations. We will push for more phones to be added to the campus and surrounding areas.
• In order to make rapes and sexual assaults easily reportable we will propose to have the rape hotline in student wisc cards in order to ensure that no crimes go unreported and that they are dealt with adequately and promptly.
• We will reform safe ride and safe walk to ensure that they can effectively handle the volume of requests they receive. The safe ride and safe walk systems are good ideas but have many current limitations such as only covering a limited area and having a relatively small staff to handle the number of students who may need assistance on weekends. FACES will try to increase the budgets of these systems or revamp their structures to ensure that students are protected and safe when they need to be.
Improving Diversity Standards and Tolerance
We recognize that the University of Wisconsin is undergoing a serious diversity crisis. Minorities have not been actively recruited and those who have have felt alienated in a largely homogeneous school. Not only have diversity programs, like Plan 2008, failed, funding for diversity programs, centers, and scholarships is being rolled-back. We see this as unacceptable and as detrimental to progress in Wisconsin.
• We will push for a more diverse faculty by advocating for domestic partner benefits and a incentives for minority professors to come to Madison. Efforts that contribute to campus diversity, such as mentoring students from underrepresented minority groups, should count positively toward tenure decisions as well.
• FACES will advocate for increased finding of minority scholarships, such as the PEOPLE program, and will insist that these programs are not reduced.
• One of our first priorities will be to make sure that students who choose to live on the multi-cultural residence floor do not have to pay extra to live there. We understand that creating a sense of community is key in the retention of minority students and that adding this extra fee discourages diversity in Madison.
• We will insist that elected members of ASM and SSFC take a diversity training class. Many members of ASM are not in touch with every student and every point of view on campus. Therefore, we want to make sure that ASM makes decisions fairly and with the full knowledge of the consequences of their actions.
• We will use our lobbying power to make sure that diversity issues are tackled within Bascom Hall and within the capitol.
Advocating for Environmental Responsibility
The UW- Madison is extremely wasteful and oblivious to the environmental consequences of their actions. Not only do these wasteful practices affect our environment, but they force the university to over spend, taking money away from much needed programs.
• We will strive to get the university to reduce waste in general including in UW dining halls where enormous amounts of perfectly good food is simply thrown out every day, advocating for increased use of biodegradable products and shifting away from Styrofoam use, making sure that recycling programs are adhered to, increasing the use of fair trade products, and in decreasing energy use overall.
• Finally, we believe that for the general health of our campus and for the beauty of our surroundings we must cut back on pesticide use.
Creating Responsible and Accountable Representation
Our current ASM leadership is not in tune with the student body and is out of touch with the needs of this campus. We will be extremely transparent in our process and be very open to student input. Furthermore, by using grassroots organizing we will make sure that our decisions reflect the interests of the student body.
• By holding semester listening sessions, making ourselves available, and being as transparent as possible we will create a leadership that recognizes that every student in this university is an associated student of Madison and deserves to be heard.
• In order to meet our goals we will take advantage of the lobbying opportunities both within the university and in the capitol.
• In order for our university and its leaders to be responsible we will make sure that UW-Madison is investing in socially responsible causes.
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