WEEKLY UPDATE

Good Evening,

I hope everyone had a good week. Mine was pretty slow compare to the last one, so this report may not be as exciting.

This week started off a bit slow for me. I focused myself this Monday to look over and try to better understand the state budget as it pertains to Higher Education. It is interesting to see how it is a pretty student friendly budget but still has some things I would not have wanted to see, but I hope the state of Wisconsin’s promise to its students is carried out in the near future. I believe that education is one of the most sustainable resources available to this state and this nation.

This week’s office visit was a bit uneventful for me compare to usual. We had CW 57 Madison folks at the office doing a news piece on United Council.  The link is posted on the UC face book page so you guys can go ahead and check it out.  I have also been talking to Cedric Lawson about the State Budget Campaign and other his exit from United Council. He has been very helpful in the process, and I wish him best of luck in the future. Aside from the office visit on Tuesday I didn’t have a whole lot of things going on.

UW-Parkside asked me to visit them on Wednesday March 11, 2009. The student senate of UW-Parkside needed more information regarding the restructuring and other United Council events, so Cedric Brei and I attended their student government meeting, and did an informal presentation to their senate. The response we got was very positive and supportive and I look forward to going back to that campus on April 17^th and 18^th for the General Assembly.  I hope the turn out to that General Assembly is bigger and better then ever.

My week concluded with my an informal visit to Waukesha, and a conference call with some of the student reps about the Auxiliary Sweep that is being anticipated during this budget cycle. Basically what that means is that the Governors proposal asks the UW-System schools to tap into their reserves to fund the 25 million dollars in financial aid. Michael and I are still looking into the issues thoroughly and we will be contacting other schools to see how their particular campus is going to be affected.  We are going to have another conference call next week Wednesday at 4 p.m. So if there is anyone who would like to call in please feel free to contact me via email or phone. Unfortunately, I don’t have much to report this week. Please feel free to contact me with any specific questions or comments. I apologize that my report is a bit late. Thanks for your continued support and work.

(P.S. don’t forget to check out my blog @ unitedcouncil.net)

Regards,

Omer Farooque

President

United Council of UW-Students

262-391-2653

pres@unitedcouncil.net