The speaker of the Whitewater Student Government (WSG) Charlie Kudy’s term ended on Jan. 1, after serving in this role for two years. Kudy, now a senior, plans to graduate this spring and take with him everything that he has learned throughout his years as a campus leader.

“During my sophomore year, I had seen that there was a need to help rebuild the organization in a manner that had a greater sense of collegiality,” Kudy said.

“Being a younger member of the Senate, as well as a fresh face in leadership who was well versed in Robert’s Rules, I thought that I would do well in the position to help fulfill the needs of the Senate and build the body into something much more efficient and productive.”

Kudy has always had a passion for helping others, which led him to pursue leadership roles in middle school all the way through his college years.

“Since I was young, I have always had an interest in helping others and empowering people to voice their opinions by getting involved in the bodies that made decisions that impacted them,” he said. “I started off in student council in middle school, and again in high school eventually becoming my senior class vice president. I knew I wanted to be part of another governance organization and help make sound, equitable decisions that were best for our campus.”

Throughout his time with WSG, Kudy served as Parliamentarian, secretary of the Constitutional Revision Committee, chair of the Internal Evaluation Committee, as well as Speaker.

He also held a seat on the Academic Affairs Committee, Student Affairs Committee, University Restructuring Committee for the UW-W and Rock County Campus Restructure, Leadership Committee, the Student Health Advisory Council and Dining Committee.

As a leader, Kudy spearheaded and worked on multiple projects alongside other members of WSG to make UW-W a safer and more enjoyable place for students and staff alike.

“A project that I am particularly proud of is the re-appropriation of an additional $65,000 of Student Segregated University Fees back into student organization budgets,” he said. “During the spring semester of 2019, the UW-System began enforcing a change in qualification for the use of students’ fees, and our campus had to discontinue the use of $65,000 to a certain area of our student organizations. I took the lead on drafting legislation in order to give student organizations access to these funds to incorporate into their budgets, and to use the money to enhance student experience. I am proud to know that this legislation passed through our Senate without issue, and almost all of the funds were disbursed.”

The one pivotal moment that shaped Kudy into the soon-to-be graduate that he is today was during a time of crisis for the university. Parking ticket prices changed almost overnight, and UW-W staff, faculty and students were the last to know.

“In July of 2018, our parking ticket prices were raised from $25/ticket to $100/ticket without any student, faculty or staff input. It was during this that I was able to utilize the connections I had been building at the university since I was a freshman, and the office of speaker of the senate to bring change to not only the immediate issues of pricing, but a long term solution to decision making,” he said. “All of this was done by creating the Parking Committee alongside administration and the University Police, with representatives from every shared governance group on campus.”

This project not only taught Kudy the importance of working with others, but how to be an even more effective leader.

“Throughout this process, I learned to stand my ground for what I believed was right and just, how to work and collaborate with others in order to bring lasting change, and how to respectfully challenge the status-quo to prevent any further issues from arising.”

Kudy plans to graduate this spring, and will take all that he has learned in WSG with him out into the world.

“Student government, and the people that I have been able to meet and call my friends, family and advisors over the past few years have given me all the confidence in the world to pursue not only my former positions of IFC President and President of Delta Chi, but to persevere through school and go into the workplace with the utmost confidence.”