Wisconsin Student Government - About Us

What We Want to Achieve

WSG will promote its own unique needs and assets that are inherent in Wisconsin's technical college system. WSG is a strong statewide organization that opens the lines of communication between the 16 technical college districts. WSG addresses political and other issues that affect students, faculty, the system's financial concerns, and its existence.

Philosophy and Purpose

Wisconsin Student Government's purpose is to bring students issues and concerns to the forefront, into the limelight with a united voice. With that, we will join with other colleagues to work together as a team on all relevant issues.

WSG is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting political awareness and stimulating discussion and action among students.

WHAT CAN BE LEARNED THROUGH STUDENT GOVERNMENT?

Student government is the vehicle to be used for improvement of certain character traits such as citizenship and leadership abilities.

Students involved in student government are fortunate enough to have an opportunity to develop their leadership abilities. Participants not directly in a leadership position must also be able to cooperate within groups and have confidence in their ability to fulfill their role. Students are provided with an abundance of opportunities to discover, develop, and improve leadership skills that will be great assets through their lives.

All these leadership characteristics can be developed through active participation in student government. This allows students to become aware of their inborn talents and to develop these talents to levels much greater than the student's pre-conceived concepts.

Self-improvement is one of the foundations of student government. Every member must be given the opportunity to grow and develop individual potentials. The vehicle for self-improvement is involvement.

SUPPORT

A strong and consistent funding base is necessary for Wisconsin Student Government to continue to provide a statewide voice for technical college students. Wisconsin Student Government does not have a mandatory fee structure.

Contributions from the student associations are made by November 1 for the current year. If a campus chooses not to fund Wisconsin Student Government the association may become a Member in Bad Standing - which would revoke voting rights and resource availability.

Every student in Wisconsin is a member of Wisconsin Student Government but campus membership is voluntary. Wisconsin Student Government raises funds in four ways.

  1. Campus Dues
  2. Seminar fees
  3. Silent auction
  4. Donation

Want more information on membership?
Benefits of Membership
What Campus Membership includes
Campus dues structure

Recent Victories

  • Creation and passage of legislation to seat a student on the Wisconsin Technical College System Board §15.94 as a voting member §15.94
  • Seating of WTCS students on both the Higher Educational Aids Board §15.67 and the Council on Financial Aid
  • Seating of a student on the Governor's Task Force on the technical college system
  • Establishment of a statewide WSG Governor's Board of Directors and officers
  • Control of the expenditure of student activity fees §38.145 within the guidelines set by the districts and the WTCS state board
  • Guaranteed retraining of WTCS graduates §38.24 who are deemed not adequately prepared for the workforce
  • Successful lobbying of biennium budget increases
  • Gained ground on the transferability of credits between the UW system and the WTCS system
  • Recognized as members of the the Wisconsin Technical College System Coalition. The coalition confederation of key stakeholder organizations that “reflect the interest of and coordinate the support of” the individual member organizations, the Wisconsin Technical College System, the colleges, their learners, and technical and career education in Wisconsin.

    WTCS Coalition Member Organizations:
    Wisconsin Technical College System
    Wisconsin Technical College District Boards Association
    WTCS Presidents Association
    Wisconsin Education Association Council
    AFT-Wisconsin
    Wisconsin Association of Career & Technical Education
    Wisconsin Student Government

Benefits of Membership

There are many obvious benefits in an organization that has a membership of working individuals, individual campuses, and districts. Some of these benefits which your districts/campuses can realize include:

  • Receiving crucial information on legislation and proposals dealing with our education in the technical college system.
  • Establishing lines of communication and a working rapport with educational, government, and political leaders.
  • Helping create and take part in state legislative campaigns and lobbying efforts, and participating in and positively affecting the legislative process as it pertains to the technical college system.
  • Working together on worthwhile projects that can benefit education, both now and in the future, while developing camaraderie among members, student governments and thereby developing stronger and more effective organizations.
  • Meeting in a common forum to discuss diverse as well as common problems and areas of concern affecting education at the state level of government.

Responsibilities of Local WTCS Student Governments

  • The local student government is responsible for establishing a local legislative committee to effectively carry out a legislative program of work:
  • Communicate legislative issues and information to the local student government membership.
  • Maintain regular contact with local legislators.
  • Work with local vocational educators, college administrators, students, and others to represent the WSG voice on WTCS issues.
  • Generate legislative information through the Regional Action Plan (State Network System) when called upon.
  • Communicate issues and concerns of local student governments' membership to the Wisconsin Student Government District Governor.
  • Work with your college administrators to invite legislators, students, and representatives of business and industry, labor, and agriculture to the annual WSG Legislative Seminar.
  • Form a local legislative committee to work within your student government.

Campus Membership Includes

  • Campus membership in Wisconsin Student Government.
  • Campus voting rights at meetings.
  • Campus registration discounts at seminars sponsored by Wisconsin Student Government.

What does campus membership cost?

2009-2010 Dues structure
College
Dues
Blackhawk Technical College * $405
Chippewa Valley Technical College * $755
Fox Valley Technical College $1,070
Gateway Technical College $865
Lakeshore Technical College $375
Madison Area Technical College * $1,627
Mid-State Technical College 
 $393
Milwaukee Area Technical College * $2,244
Moraine Park Technical College * $555
Nicolet Area Technical College * $185
Northcentral Technical College * $527
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College * $1,124
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College * $275
Waukesha County Technical College $733
Western Technical College * $648
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College * $496
Total $12,277

*Designates member colleges that have paid dues
Dues are calculated by multiplying eleven percent (17%) by the colleges pervious years FTE count as reported in the WTCS Fact Book, FTE's by College. One year's membership fee shall be from July 1 - June 30 of each calendar year.
FTE figures can be found at http://www.wtcsystem.edu/

Governing Documents

Bylaws, Procedures, and Policies 2009-2010

WTCS Fees

Did you know base tuition costs are the same for each of the 16 technical colleges?
Wisconsin residents

  • Degree, diploma, and certificate programs - $87 per credit
  • Collegiate Transfer program - $117.90 per credit

Out-of-state residents

  • Degree, diploma, and certificate programs - $536.30 per credit
  • Collegiate Transfer program - $326.85 per credit
Other fees
Books are an additional cost, as are other tools you may need for particular programs. You may experience other incidental fees, depending on which college you choose and the particular program you enroll in.

How tuition and material fees are set click here.
http://www.witechcolleges.com/tuition_fees.htm

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