Jeffrey Wright

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(Written July 22, 2008)

Jeffrey Wright (b.February 23, 1986) is a UW senior and representative of ASM Student Council. Wright was also chair of Shared Governance for the 2007-08 academic year. He is currently a member of the ASM Constitutional Committee, which is making changes to the governing documents of UW-Madison's student government.

Role in ASM

Wright began his time in ASM as chair of Diversity committee, where he pushed for different approaches to Plan 2008, including a "mandatory student diversity training session" for students coming into SOAR. Wright's proposal was well-recieved by SOAR directors, who planned to implement the training after consultation with SOAR.

Wright took a break from ASM duties before returning to serve as Shared Governance chair. During his two terms as chair, Wright spoke out against the Alcohol License Density Plan, a Madison city ordinance that limited the number of bars allowed in the downtown area. In a connected move, Wright also helped ASM guarantee a permanent student seat on the executive committee of Capitol Neighborhoods Inc.

At the beginning of the 2007-08 academic year, Wright helped spearhead a campaign to have a grocery store in the rebuilt Union South. The grocery store plan, which was an ASM "hook issue" designed to drive student interest in student government, was heavily criticized by both student newspapers, bloggers and one UW alum who wrote The Badger Herald a letter lampooning an ASM-run operation. While a piece by Andrew Wagner later asked students to hold judgment on the grocery store plan until it was finalized, most of the push for the grocery store fell apart when it was announced University Square would include a Rainbow Foods as part of its complex.

Wright also led Shared Governance to protest in front of the state Capitol during the 2007 state budget delay, demanding that the state Legislature ensure "sufficient" funding for the UW System:

Since its founding, this institution has been a pioneer in addressing the nation's most pressing problems, providing social and scientific solutions that benefit the citizens of this state and country. Now, our academic reputation is in jeopardy.

State of ASM and Fallout

Wright was one of the chairs missing during ASM's infamous "State of the ASM" address, due to the fact that he was in meetings appointing shared governance representatives at the time. However, after the event, Wright was one of 14 ASM representatives to sign on to the ASM reforms along with Gallagher. It has also been noted that the third reform on that list, creating a formal press shop to replace Campus Relations, was at his urging, according to Gallagher.

In the first meeting of the 15th session, Wright was nominated for ASM chair, but respectfully declined, asking ASM to bear with him as he decided whether he would be staying on for a whole year or just a semester. Chair decision was tabled for that night. At the end of the meeting, Gallagher resigned leaving Wright visibly shaken. Wright was heard saying "I felt like we just got back on our feet and now one of our legs has been cut off."

At the next meeting of Student Council on May 15, Wright officially declined the position of ASM chair, leading to a month with Vice Chair Karns assuming some duties and Student Judiciary Vice Justice Shaun Alexander presiding over a portion of meetings following Chief Justice Sol Grosskopf's resignation.

Wright is currently the chair of ASM's constitutional committee, which eventually create a new constitutional framework for the organization.