Student Reps gives students a say in running UW campuses

Beyond their campus representatives in student government, UW-River Falls students have another organization that gives them a voice on a statewide basis: the UW System Student Representatives.

Student Reps, as the group is known informally, is made up of leaders from each UW school who promote the idea of shared governance, or having a say in how their campus is run. According to the UW Student Reps website, the group represents all of the 180,000 students from the 26 UW System schools and is currently in its seventh session.

UWRF student body President Tate Schlichting is a part of the group and attends the monthly meetings.

“UW System Reps is an active group formed by the UW System schools’ SGA (student government association) presidents and vice presidents,” he said. The group discusses issues regarding student interests. The organization’s goal is to support the rights of students at both a state and federal level.

Although the group members are located throughout the entire state of Wisconsin, they try to be as communicative and connected as much as possible.

“We meet once a month on a designated campus,” Schlichting. November’s Student Reps meeting took place in Madison. The group also corresponds within its public Facebook page. The page is open for anyone to view and this is where the meeting agendas and materials are posted before each meeting.

“There is a new page made for each session and it is directed by the chair and vice chair of the group,” Schlichting said.

The group shares ideas and makes plans on the Facebook platform before each meeting. The last meeting of the semester is expected to be held on Dec. 7 on the UW-Whitewater campus.