Dear fellow students,

I hope you enjoyed your first month of 2014. It’s a new semester, which means different classes to attend, more textbooks to purchase, new people to meet and more work to do. As you work toward graduation, Student Senate is working on your behalf to improve students’ lives throughout Madison College.

We recently began piloting the South Campus Shuttle program. The feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive.

At the moment, the Senate is asking for tools to better advocate on your behalf. If the Student Activities Board decides in favor of increasing the Student Senate’s capacity to help all students, we will begin looking for additional student staff to help us. Be on the lookout for potential job opportunities.

Recently, Madison College held an event with congressman Mark Pocan, during which he and several members of our community discussed important issues. We had an engaging conversation with Pocan, and attendees were glad for the opportunity to bring someone of such stature and dedication to the Truax campus. Please routinely visit our website at www.madisoncollegesenate.com learn about future events.

Our student organizations, like The Clarion, as well as our many clubs showcased their great membership and gave out free food at Winterfest Jan. 30. To check out such cool events, be sure to check out all our student groups on the LINK after logging into myMadisonCollege.

Before the end of the winter break, the Madison College District Board decided to allow the use of Tasers on campus. While the discussion on tasers is simmering down a bit, it’s important to remember the issues around safety like the possible use of guns and other lethal weaponry on our campus. We as students have a voice in this debate and we should never give it up. If you have opinions on this or any other issue, please let us know at [email protected] at any time.

We in the Senate are also working to help build a stronger voice for students in that same District Board for the future. You may not know we have been charged an extra one percent on tuition starting this semester by the college because of an Academic Support Fee. We in the Senate learned of this after the decision was passed by the District Board and so this has laid the foundation to have a student seat on the District Board.

This work won’t end with one advisory vote on a board. It’s only the start. We need you to carry this torch. Stay involved at the college so you can help inform others and speak your mind to senators and the administration. Don’t be afraid to be critical, but be respectful of course. Run for Senate, maybe even to be president. You just may be the person that will help ensure an effective, affordable education for all Madison College students into the future. Don’t pass up your great potential in school nor in life.