UW-Eau Claire will now hold a student referendum each spring on whether to maintain relations with United Council, a state-wide student lobbying group.

Student Senate passed a bill 20-3-1 that made various changes to bylaws concerning United Council, most of them minor procedural considerations, except for the clause on annual referendums.

The bill, which authors presented as a set of adjustments to Senate’s bylaws concerning United Council, faced opposition as some members questioned the need for an annual student referendum.

Before Monday’s meeting, the United Council membership issue underwent a referendum every other year. Students would consider whether to continue Eau Claire’s relations with the group, which includes a refundable $2 charge included in each student’s fees.

A proposed amendment to the bill called for a return to such biannual referendums, with some Senate members arguing annual referendums would force United Council to devote time and money to campaigning on
campus, as opposed to lobbying in Madison.

“I thought every two years was sufficient,” Finance Director Aaron Brewster said.

Others, including supporters and former critics of United Council, agreed that annual referendums would increase accountability and allow the group to better assess and meet student needs.

“This is just another step in making them accountable,” Treasurer and Chief of Staff Ray French said.

The amendment calling for biannual elections failed 11-13-1. A second amendment, which Brewster proposed and then withdrew soon after, called for the referendum to be in the fall.

Doing so, he said, would remove partisanship over United Council to influence presidential and senatorial elections.
Others said a fall referendum wouldn’t allow new students to familiarize themselves with United Council in time to vote.

Senate also approved a resolution 20-0-1 in favor of promoting student safety following a neighborhood walk and in reaction to news coverage of students who have said they were the victims of unprovoked attacks.

The resolution will go to city and police officials encouraging them to increase lighting in areas surrounding Water Street, send more police patrols there during peak hours and set traffic lights to flashing mode at a later hour.