Wednesday, April 1, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Student Association (SA) met to hear from La Crosse’s representative in the Wisconsin State Senate, Brad Pfaff. Senator Pfaff has represented Wisconsin’s 32nd district since 2021.
Pfaff spoke briefly about his love of UWL and the whole La Crosse region, and then he opened the floor up to some questions from the student senate.
One of the main topics of conversation was the recent construction and demolition that is happening at Cowley Hall. Pfaff was a major supporter of the 2-phase Prairie Springs project. Phase 1 was completed in 2018, and Phase 2 is set to be completed in 2028.
One senator asked Pfaff, “How are you and other members in your position going to keep the momentum going to continue to advocate for higher education and continue to make these kinds of budget adjustments that our university needs?”
Pfaff spoke about how higher education is actively competing with many other items in our state’s budget. He said that higher education can set itself ahead of these other topics by showcasing its capacity for economic growth. Pfaff’s vision is for La Crosse to become the healthcare center of western Wisconsin. Through a collaboration of the University, Emplify, Mayo and the local government, he hopes that La Crosse will hold that title.
After Pfaff’s final remarks, the SA discussed a resolution to increase and redirect the money used by the Green Fund. The Green Fund is a pool of money collected from student fees that is specifically set aside to be used to support sustainability projects on campus.
Next, the SA discussed a resolution to create an ad hoc committee within the Student Association to review and update its bylaws. Reviewing and revising bylaws is a common practice that helps keep current governing rules functional and effective.
Finally, the SA discussed a new resolution pushing for better quality control at the on-campus food pantry. The UWL Food Pantry is free and offered to all students after completing a brief registration form and approval from the COVE. There have been a few complaints of unsafe and expired food being offered in the food pantry. This resolution pushes for the COVE to instate stricter guidelines and more frequent expiration date checks.
