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Author: gbump

On thin ice: Once a college hockey powerhouse, the faltering Badgers men’s team is losing games, fans and revenue

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Capital Times

Wisconsin had its worst record in 82 years last season and, despite what some describe as improving play, the team is winding down another losing campaign, with just one conference victory in 16 games. The slide of one of major college hockey’s blue bloods from the top ranks to the basement has frustrated fans and raised questions about what the program needs to do to move forward.

UW-Madison joins Common Application for 2017 freshman class

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Wisconsin State Journal

Next fall’s class of high school seniors will have a new way to apply to UW-Madison, now that the campus has joined more than 600 other colleges and universities on the nationwide Common Application. Students will still be able to apply to UW-Madison through the University of Wisconsin System’s application process, as they have in years past, said Steve Hahn, vice provost for the Division of Enrollment Management.

UW-Madison increases student minimum wage, gives raise to graduate assistants

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Wisconsin State Journal

Some of the UW-Madison students who serve food in dining halls, staff the desks at campus libraries, work in research labs or lead class discussion sections will soon see bigger paychecks, campus officials announced Tuesday. Starting next fall, the minimum wage for student employees will increase from $7.25 to $9 per hour, the university said, while graduate assistants, whose work includes teaching and research, will see a 2 percent pay raise starting in July.

Self-insurance could disrupt health care market, UW business prof says

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Wisconsin State Journal

Self-insuring state employees might not affect workers’ benefits and premiums, and it wouldn’t pose much financial risk to the state, a UW-Madison business professor said Tuesday.But the move could disrupt the health care system — especially in Dane County, where several provider-owned HMOs compete for state workers, Justin Sydnor said during a UW-Madison faculty forum.

Johnson, David B.

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Madison.com

Johnson joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin, in the Department of Economics, in 1957. He served as associate chairman and chairman of the department from 1962 to 1968. After a year of leave at the National University of Singapore, he returned to the Department of Economics at the University of Wisconsin and later became Dean of International Studies and programs from 1972 to 1980. He served simultaneously for two years as Director of the Industrial Relations Research Institute from 1978 to 1981 and as Director of the Center for Development from 1984 to 1988, when he retired from the university.

Hiebing, Roman George

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Madison.com

Through his teaching of disciplined marketing planning, Roman both inspired and scared the hell out of hundreds of UW-Madison students. He made marketing feel very much like science, not just the art that they thought it was.

Anderson, Jean Wood

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Madison.com

Jean worked for the UW’s Engineering College as a programmer on the school’s early computer – the WISC, and then worked on a monumental project developing a computerized Dictionary of American Regional English.

UW-Extension’s pending fiscal cuts have farmers and county agents on edge

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Wisconsin State Journal

UW-Extension, which applies research and expertise across the state in myriad areas, has been forced to restructure due to a reduction of $3.6 million annually in state funding. It plans to cut $1.2 million from county-level programs, $1.7 million from campus programs and state specialists and $700,000 from administration, according to its chancellor, Cathy Sandeen. UW-Extension is a division of the UW System, which ordered the cuts after its state funding was reduced by $250 million.

Critics: State’s plan to save bees provides little protection from pesticides

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Capital Times

Noted: By 2012, virtually all corn seed, and about 30 percent of soybean seed planted in Wisconsin and across the country, was coated with neonics, said Paul Mitchell, a UW-Madison associate professor who co-directs the UW-Extension’s Nutrient and Pest Management Program. Neonic-coated seeds also are widely used on other crops such as potatoes and in lawns and gardens. Also: Russell Groves, an insect ecologist and vegetable crop specialist at the UW-Madison Department of Entomology, said farmers continually search for ways to reduce the risk of crop loss due to pests in part to meet consumer demand for low food prices. Groves said federal policies also incentivize larger farms, where natural pest solutions are less practical.

Badgers football: UW officially hires Jim Leonhard as defensive backs coach

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Wisconsin State Journal

Leonhard, who played safety for the Badgers from 2001-04, will replace Daronte Jones. Leonhard began his UW career as a walk-on in 2001 and went on to earn All-Big Ten honors three times; became the first sophomore to win the Badgers’ team MVP award since 1947 and matched UW’s school record with 21 interceptions during his career; played 10 years in the NFL with six different teams and retired after the 2014 season.

Jacobson, Pat (Dalsoren)

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Madison.com

Pat was deeply fulfilled by her career at the University of Wisconsin Athletic Department, first as an administrative assistant, but ultimately as an academic affairs guide for student athletes and contributor in myriad ways that aren’t found in a job description.

UW-Madison responds to anti-Semitic residence hall incident

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Daily Cardinal

Members of the UW-Madison administration issued a statement Thursday on the Jan. 26 incident in Sellery Hall in which students taped pictures of Hitler and swastikas to resident’s door. University Housing and the Division of Student Life quickly responded to the event, according to the statement, and an email was sent to residents of Sellery Hall notifying them of the incident.

Tom Oates: UW athletic director Barry Alvarez has big coaching decisions to make

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Wisconsin State Journal

If I’ve heard the question once, I’ve heard it a million times: What does University of Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez do to earn $1 million-plus per year? Well, we’ll find out because Alvarez is going to earn every penny of his salary over the next two months. In his 12 years in charge of UW’s athletic fortunes, Alvarez’s plate has never been as full as it is right now.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin: Strengthen America’s commitment to next generation of researchers

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Wisconsin State Journal

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin column: I have worked across party lines with U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and introduced the Next Generation (NextGen) Researchers Act. Our bipartisan legislation builds opportunities for new researchers, helps address the debt burden that young scientists face today, and invests in the future of research, science and innovation. This common-sense proposal, which cleared Senate committee consideration this month, would create the “Next Generation Researchers Initiative” in the NIH Office of the Director to coordinate all NIH policies aimed at promoting opportunities for new researchers and earlier research independence. The legislation also directs the NIH to consider recommendations from a National Academy of Sciences comprehensive study and report on fostering the next generation of researchers.

First test of voter ID law produces few major problems amid light turnout

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Wisconsin State Journal

On the UW-Madison campus, few students were taking the time to cast ballots. At the Red Gym, 15 people had voted by 12:30 p.m. while across the street at Memorial Library just five people had voted by midday. Poll workers at both sites said directing students to the correct polling place was more time-consuming than checking IDs. “Everything’s worked out fine. Everybody’s prepared and has their ID and we haven’t had any issue at all,” said Jim Fortner, who has been the chief inspector at Ward 48 since 2000. The polling place is normally at Memorial Union but was moved to the Red Gym because of construction.

Q&A: Karla Foster leads UW campus community in celebration of Black History Month

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Capital Times

Q&A with Karla Foster, the Pathways African-American Campus and Community liaison, who created the Black History Month student planning committee in 2014, a student-led committee that plans events and programs for Black History Month. Since its implementation, black students on campus have had the opportunity to celebrate themselves, discuss issues surrounding their lives and college experience and make memorable friendships in the process. This year’s theme is called “In Living Color: An Exploration of Blackness and Intersectionality.”

Gary D’Amato – Greg Gard proving he’s right man for UW job

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Badgers once again are playing the tough, physical brand of basketball that was their calling card under Ryan. Players have improved individually and are starting to click collectively. And they are doing it within the framework of the swing offense Gard installed when he took over.

Family says DNA match found in Brittany Zimmermann homicide case

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Wisconsin State Journal

Brittany Zimmermann, a UW-Madison junior at the time of her death, was killed by strangulation and stabbing in the middle of the day in her Downtown apartment on April 2, 2008. She had just returned from morning classes and was followed into her apartment by someone who forced entry through an outside door.

Badgers men’s basketball: Often-overlooked managers important to players | Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball | host.madison.com

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Wisconsin State Journal

On game days, student managers such as Alex Hayden can be spotted setting out chairs at timeouts or making sure water bottles are ready for players when they get to the bench. At practices, the managers keep stats and have their towels ready to wipe up sweat on the court. They’re not doing it to get rich, mind you. First-year managers are unpaid, while veterans receive an hourly salary that begins at minimum wage with slight increases based on experience.

Madison’s wily coyotes: An uptick in encounters has some worried, others delighted

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Capital Times

Noted: A University of Wisconsin-Madison research project looking at the habits and health of urban coyotes and foxes has emerged as something of an ambassador for the animals. “What we’re really trying to do with this project, in addition to understanding how these animals are using the urban landscape and understanding how health or not healthy these animals are, is trying to engage the public and educate the public and increase the public’s tolerance of these animals so we can increase a peaceful coexistence,” said David Drake, the lead researcher for the UW Urban Canid Project, which studies the urban habits of both coyotes and their cuter, less-threatening cousins, the foxes.

Local Grammy nominees come up short

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Wisconsin State Journal

Jim Leary, the UW-Madison professor of folklore and Scandinavian Studies and Mount Horeb resident, was nominated in the category of Best Album Notes. Leary’s project, “Folksongs of Another America: Field Recordings from the Upper Midwest, 1937-1946” was released by the University of Wisconsin Press and Dust-to-Digital in July. The Grammy went to Joni Mitchell for “Love Has Many Faces: A Quartet, A Ballet, Waiting to be Danced”

Election officials will clock voters to see how long ID checks take

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Wisconsin State Journal

Noted: Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell and Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl are collaborating with the UW-Madison Political Science Department to time the vote at Tuesday’s nonpartisan primary so adjustments can be made prior to the April 5 presidential primary and spring election, the fall primary in August and the general election in November.

UW women win WCHA title

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team crushed Minnesota State, 8-1, at the LaBahn Arena in Madison to win its fifth regular-season WCHA title.