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A vote to reinstate the Student Design Committee for the Union South project was added at the last minute to Union Council’s monthly meeting agenda Thursday night, but was postponed resulting in a heated argument among Union Committee members.
University of Wisconsin law student Dan Cornelius, who was appointed as the Associated Students of Madison’s representative to Union Council Wednesday, made a motion to add the reinstatement of the Design Committee to the agenda in order to increase transparency and openness as the project continues.
According to Patrick Tilley, vice president of project management, when he took over his position, the Design Committee was suspended and the furniture, fixtures and equipment selection process was left to complete the final stages of the Union South project.
Tilley added he believed there was adequate student involvement in this phase of the process.
Other members of the Union Council felt a vote to reinstate the Design Committee would be premature, considering spe-cific aspects of the committee needed further discussion.
The council postponed a vote until next month due to the necessity of more time to evaluate the value another design committee would have at this stage in the Union South project.
“I think it’s a very serious conversation to have, and I don’t think we have enough time or the resources to be able to vote on it,” said Jeff Rolling, ASM Shared Governance representative for Union Council and former Wisconsin Union president.
Cornelius urged the council to vote on the grounds that, if postponed, the issue would not be in effect until November, which he felt was a waste of time when the vote could have been handled earlier.
“We’ve got a whole month, but you’re losing an opportunity to engage more students and open the transparency,” Cornelius said.
ASM Chair Tyler Junger agreed with Cornelius that more student input would be valuable and emphasized students are the ones paying for the Union South renovation: $96 per semester until 2040, totaling $100 million of the total cost of the project.
“My point is that it is student money — I paid my $96 this semester,” Junger said. “At the very least, we shouldn’t err below the level of student involvement that was established and agreed upon (for the previously established Design Committee).”
Directors of the Wisconsin Union Directorate committ-ees that were present felt there was no need to resurrect the Design Committee because the design for the building itself has long been completed and construction has already begun.
Maggie Lalor, director of Society and Politics Committee, felt, since construction has already begun, the necessity for the Design Committee has passed.
Hoofer’s President Paul Davidsaver also pointed out that, though student involvement decreased over the summer, it was not dead as Cornelius argued.
According to Davidsaver, there were students present at the meetings, including himself. While he said he understood why the meetings were not as heavily attended during the summer, he received satisfaction in knowing that his voice was heard.
Most members agreed the Design Committee would at least be reinstated for the renovation of Memorial Union, the next phase of the Student Union Initiative.
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http://www.unionvote.wisc.edu/
“The Student Union Initiative will: … Give students control over every aspect of the project and ownership of the final results.”
http://www.unionvote.wisc.edu/involved.html
“If the Student Union Initiative is successful, the Design Committee will act as the steering group for the renovation and restoration projects at Memorial Union as well as the rebuilding of a new south campus union. This shared governance committee will put together final recommendations to Union Council after creating sub-committees, running focus groups and working with the architects.”
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Just like Union Leadership, get the money approved for use by promising that students will have “…control over every aspect of the project and ownership of the final results.� and then taking the money and decisions out of students hands because of low student interest during the summer. These projects are no longer student unions, they’re more like strip malls that charge $1.75 for a can of soda or an aspirin for $3.
This is why any possible cafe in the Student Activity Center should be kept out of the hands of the Union. They will promise to agree to certain terms and once the deal is done any promises will be broken.
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Wisconsin Union Design Committee http://www.unionvote.wisc.edu/involved.html
“The Wisconsin Union desires student members who are diverse in class standing, background, interests, and majors, and possess a deep interest and passion for student life and the Wisconsin Union. This committee will start October 20, 2006 and will continue to meet until construction begins.” Construction has begun, and plans assume that the Design Committee will once again become active when the project shifts focus to Memorial Union. NO PERSON present at the meeting disputed the fact the Design Committee would become active again when appropriate…when there is once again work for it to do.
The student voice has remained active in shaping this project, whether it’s student members of the Advanced Team, the Building Project Outreach Team which is composed ENTIRELY of students, or events like last weeks Chair Fair which garnered student input on chair selection in the new Student Union.
This was a mean-spirited motion made by a former leader who is unable to let go and have new student leadership direct the project.
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This project is a privatization of our University. The only way it barely passed was with the help of thousands of dollars of money from undisclosed very wealthy campaign donors.
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he needs to let go of his old job and grow up.
we should put up a survey and see how many students really care about what chairs go in union south. maybe MAYBE 10. 11 if you are lucky.