Last spring, conservative students, running for seats on the UWM student Senate, on a platform of lowering segregated fees (paid by students) and fiscal responsibility, won the student election by a 2-to-1 margin. “We saw this as a mandate,” recalls A.J. Piwarun, who is now deputy speaker of the student Senate. “At the first college republicans meeting in September, I recruited about nine members to run for open Senate seats. During the course of the semester, more Senate seats opened up, and we recruited additional conservatives to the cause.”They've achieved some successes, but how long will they last? They may regret not following the advice I offer students every year:
As of mid-January there are 40 student senators: 16 are members of the College Republicans; 8 are non-affiliated conservatives; 10 are moderates; just six are considered liberals. Piwarun says that about half of the moderates vote with the conservatives, “giving us a clear majority.”
Close the student government down.
