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Author: jnweaver

Campus Connection: Dumb jocks stereotype takes hit

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Capital Times

Would you be surprised to learn student-athletes who compete at the top level of college sports actually graduate at a higher rate than their classmates? That?s not the case at UW-Madison, which is among the national leaders in making sure all students who start school earn a degree. But more on that later.

According to a report from the National Collegiate Athletic Association, 79 percent of all Division I athletes who entered college in 2003 graduated within six years. That figure is slightly higher for student-athletes at UW-Madison 81 percent.

UW women’s basketball: Karel makes media’s preseason all-Big Ten team

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Madison.com

ROSEMONT, Ill. ? Alyssa Karel has convinced the media around the Big Ten but apparently she still has some work to do on the conference coaches.Karel, a senior guard for the University of Wisconsin women?s basketball team, was named to the six-player preseason All-Big Ten team in the voting by media members from around the conference. But she did not finish among the top five vote-getters in the coaches? balloting.

Biz Beat: Wisconsin job losses continue

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Capital Times

There?s not much good news on the job front and a switch from Democrat to Republican won?t likely make much difference, a new report suggests. Wisconsin lost nearly 10,000 jobs from August to September, with manufacturing and construction sectors posting the biggest losses, according to the latest report from the Center on Wisconsin Strategy.

Obituary: Dylan D. Ellefson (Madison.com)

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Dylan Daniel Ellefson, age 21, was tragically killed in an auto accident on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010. He was born on June 19, 1989, in Madison, the son of Daniel and Deborah (Dougherty) Ellefson of Sun Prairie. Dylan was a 2007 graduate of Sun Prairie High School and was currently a senior at UW-Madison, majoring in Spanish education.

Biz Beat: Sniffing Austin’s fumes

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Capital Times

It wasn?t so long ago that Madison would compare itself favorably to Austin, Texas. Both are state capitals, home to a major public university, with a reputation for liberal politics and a soft spot for street people. But the latest economic performance report from the Milken Institute suggests the similarities end there.

Police: Homeless Man Grabs UW Student On State St.

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WISC-TV 3

MADISON, Wis. — Madison police said they have arrested a 35-year-old homeless man suspected of grabbing a University of Wisconsin-Madison student while she was walking down State Street Sunday night.

Madison police said the 21-year-old UW-Madison student was walking with her 14-year-old sister on State Street Sunday night when a stranger grabbed the older sibling from behind and threw her over his shoulder. Police said the victim reported that the man who grabbed her seemed to either to be drunk or on drugs and was laughing.

New scan technology at UW Health gives a hand in identifying patients

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Wisconsin State Journal

Being identified at UW Health is now a hands-on experience. Check-in clerks are using devices that scan vein patterns in palms to link patients to their electronic medical records. The scans can also help emergency room staff identify patients unable to speak.

Until the scanners were introduced this month, patients gave their name, date of birth, address and other information when entering UW Hospital or UW Health clinics. But errors can occur because some patients have the same names, said Mike Sauk, UW Health?s chief information officer.

Campus Connection: St. Paul’s unveils updated expansion plans

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Capital Times

Leadership of St. Paul?s University Catholic Center unveiled updated designs Monday for a new $45 million, 14-story facility on the State Street Mall.

The Rev. Eric Nielsen, St. Paul?s director, said the new 10,000-square-foot facility would include a modern student center with study and gathering spaces, and apartments to house up to 200 people. It also would include a chapel, which would seat about 500 people and use reclaimed elements of the current St. Paul?s sanctuary.

Younger Voters May Play Significant Role In November

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WISC-TV 3

MADISON, Wis. — With mid-term elections so close, experts are wondering if young people will have the same impact they did in 2008. Voter turnout for non-presidential elections are usually lowest among young people. But with a wide open governor?s race and a hotly-contested senate election, some feel that this year may be different.

John Korememos has been registering voters with the College Republicans and he thinks the student turnout may surprise people this year.

Campus Connection: Go Big Read

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Capital Times

UW-Madison will be hosting author Rebecca Skloot Monday night at the Kohl Center. Skloot penned “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” which tells the story of an African-American cancer patient who was the unwitting donor of the “HeLa” cells — which were used to further numerous advances in modern medicine.

Skloot will lead a community discussion which will touch on a range of issues related to bioethics and diversity. The event starts at 7 p.m.

132 people arrested in Whitewater

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WKOW-TV 27

WHITEWATER, Wis. (WKOW) — Whitewater police arrested 132 people at a house party near University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. According to police, many of those arrested were students. Multiple residents face charges for allegedly providing alcohol to underage people, selling alcohol without a license and failing to prevent underage alcohol consumption.

UPDATE: Police Investigating Fatal Crash

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NBC-15

MADISON – Members of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus community are remembering Dylan Ellefson as a warm and funny friend who would have made an outstanding Spanish teacher.

Ellefson, 21, was killed in a two-car accident in the 1400 block of East Johnson Street around 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 24, according to Madison Police. Madison Fire Rescue transported Ellefson to a nearby hospital where he later died, according the report.

Ellefson, originally of Sun Prairie, was majoring in Spanish education in the School of Education.

“Dylan was one of those friends that are too good to be true,” recalls his friend and roommate, UW-Madison senior Melissa Janssen. “He always had a big smile on his face. He enjoyed life so much! I remember him saying once that he wanted to live life for the laughter and funny moments.

MATC referendum vote generates little buzz

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Capital Times

There?s little doubt MATC leaders have done a good job meeting with key movers and shakers to educate them about the referendum, which, if passed, would allow the school to raise taxes on area property owners to fund $133.8 million in new building projects and upgrades to MATC?s campuses throughout the region.

,,,,And yet, with just days remaining before the big vote, there is a general lack of buzz surrounding the referendum. There has been no strong organized opposition and the citizens group supporting the referendum has been relatively quiet. And there are distractions, including hotly contested races for governor and U.S. Senate.

Regent Street road work set for this weekend

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Capital Times

Pavement work on Regent Street, including at the busy intersection with Park Street, could make for slow going on Friday and Saturday. Crews will be working on Regent Street on Friday and at the intersection of Regent Street and Park Street on Saturday, making repairs to deteriorated pavement and utility patches that have failed.

There?s no Wisconsin Badgers football game at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, which is a reason the work was scheduled for this weekend.

Campus Connection: Big win, scary moment at Camp Randall

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Capital Times

To be clear, it wasn?t a replay of the tragedy at Camp Randall Stadium in 1993. Not even close. But this raw video taken by the Cap Times? Todd Milewski Saturday night shows some frightened red-clad fans screaming for help as they are pinned against a fence at the bottom of the student section.

Thankfully, police reported only two minor injuries following the Badgers? big win over top-ranked Ohio State. A look at Milewski?s video shows things could have been worse.

Purloined coin: Downtown parking meters under attack

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Capital Times

Thieves in downtown Madison apparently have decided parking meters are an easy source of cash. More than 20 parking meters in the downtown area have been broken into during the past week, with thieves damaging the lock boxes to gain access to the money inside. Streets with damaged meters include Henry, West Johnson, Langdon, Winnebago, Russell, and East Main.

“Breaking into the meters likely creates a good amount of noise,” said Madison police spokesman Joel DeSpain. “Anyone who hears or sees suspicious activity around parking meters should call 911.”

Phil Haslanger: Don?t let homophobia sidetrack battle against bullying

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Capital Times

….You?ve seen the news stories of late of gay teens and college students committing suicide after facing bullying. You?d think that even folks who have issues with the morality of homosexuality would find in their religious values a call to work with schools and parents to make sure students are not singled out for harassment and bullying because of their perceived or expressed sexual orientation.

Instead, religiously oriented groups like Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council are trying to make sure that anti-bullying programs do not mention the reasons for bullying, that they only target the act of bullying.

Vigil against bullying set for Wednesday night on UW campus

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Madison.com

A glow-light vigil will be held Wednesday night on the UW-Madison Library Mall as part of “Stop the Silence,” the anti-bullying campaign in the campus LGBTQ community.The vigil starts at 8 p.m. on the mall which is across Langdon Street from the Memorial Union. During the vigil, a moment of silence will be held for students around the country who?ve committed suicide following bullying.

Report: UW panel violated primate researcher?s rights

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Capital Times

The animal care committee on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus that temporarily shut down a researcher?s lab in a high-profile case violated her right to due process and failed to follow established procedures, a faculty committee says after conducting its own investigation.

The seven-page report, which was obtained by The Capital Times, was dated Oct. 4 and addressed to Chancellor Biddy Martin. It outlines the University Committee?s findings from an investigation into a grievance filed by Michele Basso, an associate professor of physiology whose neurological research using monkeys was the subject of a long letter to the entire campus from Martin earlier this year.

Campus Connection: Privatizing higher education

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Capital Times

Should folks in Wisconsin be paying attention to a higher education debate across the pond?

Tuition at some British universities could jump up to a level charged by top private institutions in the United States if the proposals by a government-authorized committee released last week are adopted, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported. The assessment, which could help the government devise a plan to tackle a financing crisis facing British universities, “encourages a market-oriented approach toward higher education,” according to The Chronicle.

….This trend away from federal support of higher education as a public good and a shift toward market forces as a private benefit also could be playing out much closer to home. In fact, UW-Madison this week will host a series of forums to discuss Chancellor Biddy Martin’s vision for a new business model for Wisconsin’s flagship university.

College admission counselors: Candidates should pledge to continue Wisconsin Covenant

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Capital Times

Dear Editor: Four years ago, students began signing a pledge to participate in the ?Wisconsin Covenant.? The agreement has enticed over 50,000 students to take college prep courses and maintain at least a B average. In return, the state of Wisconsin committed to reward these students with a place in the state university system and a financial aid package that would make college a realistic possibility.

Since the first group of future scholars has yet to graduate high school, this program has required very little funding. That will change, starting next year.Funding for the covenant is necessary for Wisconsin to uphold its end of this agreement.

John Nichols: In solidarity with labor?s David Newby

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Capital Times

David Newby, whose recent retirement as Wisconsin AFL-CIO president was recognized this weekend by hundreds of his friends and fans who attended events honoring him, was a throwback to the labor leaders of the early 20th century. He recognized that for working people to get a fair shake, they had to make the labor movement a genuine movement. To a greater extent than all but a handful of contemporary labor leaders, Newby put an emphasis — as a leader of the UW-Madison Teaching Assistants Association, the president of the old Madison Labor Council, and since 1994 the head of the state?s labor federation — not just on economic and political fights but on social and cultural initiatives.

Amy Burns: Sheep deaths at UW should not go unpunished

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Capital Times

Dear Editor: After reviewing evidence presented to her in April of this year, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Amy Smith found probable cause to believe that several employees of the UW-Madison violated the ?Crimes Against Animals? Wisconsin statutes during experiments when sheep were killed using decompression. Those experiments took place over several years at the UW and I am concerned that these experiments are still going on.

Obituary: John K. McAnelly

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John K. McAnelly, age 79, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, Oct. 11, 2010, in Madison. John was a Senior Scientist at the Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Paul Kihn and Matt Miller: Why aren?t our teachers the best and the brightest?

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Capital Times

Why don?t more of our smartest, most accomplished college graduates want to become teachers?

People trying to improve education in this country have been talking a lot lately about boosting ?teacher effectiveness.? But nearly all such efforts focus on the teachers who are already in the classroom, instead of seeking to change the caliber of the people who enter teaching.

Three of the top-performing school systems in the world — those in Finland, Singapore and South Korea — take a different approach, recruiting 100 percent of their teachers from the top third of their high school and college students. Simply put, they don?t take middling students and make them teachers. They tap their best people for the job.

Federal stimulus dollars jump-start stalled infrastructure projects

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Capital Times

…According to the state?s economic recovery website ? www.recovery.wisconsin.gov ? Dane County has been awarded more than $352 million in Recovery Act funding, a figure that includes aid for school districts and local units of government.

Of that, $62 million is going for transportation improvements such as the Badger Interchange. Other local transportation projects using stimulus funds include the extension of taxiway B at the Dane County Regional Airport $3.69 million and reconstruction of University Avenue $3.6 million.

The rest of the money is divided among the UW System and other government or nongovernmental agencies.

Jim Doyle?s final report card

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Capital Times

….Doyle created the Wisconsin Covenant Program to make a college education affordable for all Wisconsin students, invested heavily in the UW-Madison campus and boosted biomedical research, including stem cell research.

Doyle never wavered in his support for stem cell research, even though it infuriates abortion opponents who equate the destruction of embryos with the destruction of human life. In fact, when running for re-election in 2006, Doyle often talked about how stem cell research could help people like his mother, who suffered from Parkinson?s disease.

Biz Beat: Epic passes American Family as No. 1 private employer

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Capital Times

Epic Systems in Verona has supplanted American Family Insurance as the region?s largest private sector employer. Fueled by demand for its medical records software, Epic now counts nearly 4,000 employees at its sprawling headquarters on Verona?s west side. That?s up from 3,450 in 2008. That compares to the roughly 3,600 employees at American Family on Madison?s far east side.

….In either case, government remains the top employer in Dane County. UW-Madison is the largest, followed by 2) the Madison Metropolitan School District and 3) the Department of Corrections, according to the Department of Workforce Development.

UW football: How to attend ESPN College GameDay

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Madison.com

The last time ESPN College GameDay came to town, it was held on the University of Wisconsin?s grass practice field. But Saturday?s prime-time matchup against No. 1 Ohio State is befitting a grander forum, so the wildly popular weekly football preview TV show will emanate from Camp Randall Stadium.

The show, which runs from 8 to 11 a.m. Central time and features the triumvirate of Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso, is free to attend.

Tonette Walker: Walker supports adult stem cell research

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Capital Times

Dear Editor: Scott and I have known Tom Barrett a long time, which is why I?m even more disappointed that he continues to lie to you about my husband.

Tom Barrett is using the Jim Doyle playbook by exploiting the plight of those afflicted with diabetes and other diseases in TV ads, falsely telling you that Scott is ?against hope? and that he would ?ban stem cell research.?

?College Life? figure, attorney talk rights

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Daily Cardinal

With the help of a reality television personality and a civil defense attorney, the UW-Madison American Civil Liberties Student Alliance gave a group of approximately 100 students a crash course in civil liberties and individual rights Tuesday.

The “Know Your Rights” event was the first event to be sponsored by both the College Democrats and College Republicans in almost two years and featured Kevin Tracy, a cast member on the MTV series “College Life.” Tracy spoke about his experience receiving numerous police citations for hosting a house party last month.

Campus Connection: Christianity vs. atheism debate

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Capital Times

There are hundreds of intelligent individuals brought to the UW-Madison campus each year to give a lecture or take part in an event related to this or that. Few happenings, however, offer the intrigue of a Christianity vs. atheism debate.

Student organizations on campus are teaming up to host a debate Thursday night headlined “Is God the Problem?”

Madison360: Back in town, Shalala will call for new era for nurses

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Capital Times

When the Badgers battle top-ranked Ohio State at Camp Randall Saturday in this year?s biggest game, the person who started UW?s two-decade football ascent will be in the crowd.

Donna Shalala, who as University of Wisconsin-Madison chancellor hired athletic director Pat Richter, who then hired coach Barry Alvarez, who then won three Rose Bowls, says she plans to attend with current Chancellor Biddy Martin.

Michael E. Mann: Attacks on climate science must stop

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Capital Times

As a scientist, I shouldn?t have a stake in the upcoming midterm elections, but unfortunately, it seems that I — and indeed all my fellow climate scientists — do.

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., has threatened that, if he becomes chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, he will launch what would be a hostile investigation of climate science.

Plain Talk: Kathleen Falk and Sandy Wilcox are both local treasures

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Capital Times

….about 300 guests gave Andrew ?Sandy? Wilcox a big send-off during a reception and dinner at the Memorial Union last Thursday night.

Wilcox has served as president of the UW Foundation, the university?s fundraising arm, for the past 21 years. During that time the foundation has experienced phenomenal growth with its assets growing from $190 million to $2.5 billion. Additionally, the foundation pumped roughly $2 billion into the university. That?s been a great help for a campus that has seen its state-supported funding drop from 35 percent of its budget to less than 19 percent, as former Chancellor John Wiley pointed out during a brief program honoring Wilcox in the union?s Great Hall.

William R. Benedict: New model will speed treatment of chronic diseases

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Capital Times

On Dec. 2 the University of Wisconsin will celebrate the opening of the Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery. I wish David Iverson, a former news reporter for Wisconsin?s public television, would be invited to speak on this auspicious occasion.

While many will see this event as a huge investment in innovation technology and higher paying jobs for Wisconsin?s shrinking economy, many of us who suffer daily from disabling chronic diseases see it as a day of hope — hope that this new science facility?s foremost mission is to shorten the period before we are once again whole and free of pain.

Anne Morgan Giroux and Colleen Penwell: Hard hats, soft hearts are in abundance at Institutes for Discovery

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Capital Times

Dear Editor: The Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery on the UW-Madison campus will soon be occupied by brilliant scientists and eager students. For the time being, it?s home to hundreds of men and women who are busy putting the finishing touches on a stunning research facility.

Their craftsmanship is evident at every turn. Less visible is their equally impressive generosity and compassion. These carpenters, pipefitters, welders, electricians and glaziers are also generous benefactors.

Contract At Whitewater Technology Park Violated Rules

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WISC-TV 3

MADISON, Wis. — The city of Whitewater and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater violated federal rules when awarding a construction contract at the Whitewater University Technology Park.

The problem revolved around a $2.9 million contract awarded to Janesville-based J.P. Cullen & Sons. Cullen was in charge of reviewing the bids and recommended itself for the main construction contract. It?s also construction manager.

Authorities Identify Victims In Fatal Interstate Crash

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WISC-TV 3

MADISON, Wis. — Authorities have identified the three people killed in crash with a man suspected of drunken driving on Interstate 39/90 near Madison on Thursday.

The victims were identified as Marcus S. Johnson, 19, of Milwaukee, Elysia M. Rapp, 20, of Racine, and Wilfredo Ugarte, 23, of Puerto Rico. Two of the victims were identified as University of Minnesota students.

University of Minnesota spokesman Daniel Wolter said the two students were with the university’s Spirit Squad, a cheerleading squad. Wolter said the group was driving from the Twin Cities to Milwaukee when the crash happened.

Diesel fuel spill stopped short of Lake Mendota

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Capital Times

Madison firefighters prevented diesel fuel from getting to Lake Mendota Thursday night after the fuel leaked into a storm sewer and then into a creek that empties into the lake. The spill was reported at 4:58 p.m. Thursday at the Walnut Street Heating Plant, 505 Walnut St., according to a report from the fire department.

An unknown amount of diesel fuel leaked when a fuel truck was pumping the fuel into a tank at the heating plant, which provides steam and chilled water to buildings on the UW-Madison campus.

Man arrested for OWI after fatal crash

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WKOW-TV 27

MADISON (WKOW)– Three University of Minnesota students are dead following a crash that happened early Thursday morning on Interstate 39 near Madison.

….University spokesman Ryan Maus tells the Star Tribune of Minneapolis that two of the students were cheerleaders with the university?s Spirit Squad. Maus says the students were driving home from the Twin Cities to Milwaukee when the crash happened.