Following protests, Student Senate decided not to move forward with an amendment to their constitution that would combine their diversity and gender issues executive board positions to make room for a new current issues director position.

Discussion began with Business Manager Andrew Dillard announcing that the Internal Affairs Committee had heard arguments from many constituents against the amendment combining the gender issues and diversity positions, and decided at their March 6 committee meeting not to go forward with the amendment. Many of those in attendance commended Senate for this action.

“I am glad Senate has taken these steps,” Mick Viney, assistant chancellor for Student Affairs, said. “I commend senate for listening to the students.”

Photograph by Anthony Bauer
Senate President David Dregne strikes the gavel, passing an amendment to the Student Senate Constitution. An amendment to combine diversity and gender issues was retracted before voting, but the other amendments passed.

Viney said that UW-Platteville has made a lot of progress on diversity and gender issues, but more needs to be made, and it will take the separation of these two groups on Senate to advocate for that progress.

Teresa Burns, director of Women’s Studies at UW-P echoed Viney’s praise.

“I am happy you decided to keep these positions separate,” Burns said. She said the way gender and diversity issues are discussed and managed on campus are very different and need different people managing these issues on Senate.

Carl Allsup, professor of ethnic studies, said that gender and diversity groups on campus have been working together for over 20 years, and they have realized that they must work together to make progress, but that their issues are different and need to be lead by different individuals.

“I am happy that Senate has recognized this also,” Alsop said.

Senate also decided against adding the current issues director position in a narrow 10-11-5 vote.

Those in favor of the position felt the current issues director could spotlight the smaller issues that do not fit under the other Senate committees and bring them to the attention of the entire body.

Those opposed to the position felt that it’s every Senators job to bring important issues to Senate, and that an executive board position was not required to bring issues to Senate.