WASHINGTON — Young adults with college degrees are now more likely to be married than those who are less educated, a reversal of longtime trends as the struggling economy pushes weddings to all-time lows.
About 62 percent of college-educated 30-year-olds were married or had been married, compared with 60 percent of those without a bachelor’s degree, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of census data.
Research expenditures at UW-Madison topped the billion-dollar mark for the first time according to figures for fiscal year 2009 released by the National Science Foundation.
UW-Madison expenditures in science and engineering in 2009 were at $952 million, while those in other areas — including business, education, arts and the humanities — totaled $62 million.
….In light of the significant across-the-board salary cuts to virtually all other university system employees, many of whom truly did demonstrate excellence, I found Bielema?s 2009 financial windfall hard to stomach. I propose a public outcry should that scenario unfold again.
Sixty percent of parents have saved money to help put their child through college, and those who are doing so project they are on pace to save a little more than $48,000, on average, by the time their kid turns 18 according to a new national study released by Gallup and Sallie Mae.
Wow. Does anyone else feel like they?re falling a bit behind the curve?
The report also indicates nearly a quarter (24 percent) of parents who are saving to put their child through college are risking their own financial future by using retirement accounts.
The recent suicide of a Rutgers University student is a heartbreaking and tragic reminder that harassment and bullying can have serious, even deadly consequences. It also speaks to the need for acceptance and support for gay teens and young adults and those who might be struggling with their sexuality, and for a greater conversation around these issues in our schools and on our college and university campuses.
To keep his state?s current budget balanced, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland?s administration plans to give colleges and universities in the Buckeye State only 11 monthly payments instead of 12 in fiscal year 2011, which wraps up June 30. According to the Columbus Dispatch, that means June?s scheduled payment of $127.5 million would be pushed into July.
….With the budget situation in Wisconsin far from rosy, one has to wonder how the next governor is going to handle this state’s deficit and what impact those decisions will have on public higher education here.
Wisconsin Badgers football coach Bret Bielema might have surprised some fans with his muted reaction to Michigan State?s coaches possibly violating an NCAA rule on Saturday in the Spartans? 34-24 victory. Spartans defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi admitted after the game he was in constant contact from the press box with coach Mark Dantonio, who watched the game from a hospital bed.
Paul W. Lyne, 55, died peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 3, at his home. Paul worked at the Waisman Center. He and his wife, Mary Czynszak-Lyne, would have celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary this month.
….there is no doubt in our mind that some UW students will, following the president?s visit, be more inspired than ever to get out and vote Republican or Libertarian or Green. So be it with those choices as well. Election seasons should be energizing and challenging. They should stir Americans to all sorts of action. And university campuses should be hotbeds of political activity and engagement.
So we find it comic that anyone is complaining — or even worried — about the UW welcoming Obama. Anytime a president, or a leader of the opposition to the president, wants to appear on the UW campus, officials should bend over to make the visit happen. In fact, if Sarah Palin wants to come and campaign in Wisconsin, we hope she?ll consider a visit to the UW campus. Then students — and the rest of us — could compare the two. And the discourse would be the better for it.
So how about it, governor? Fancy a trip to the UW? You?re invited.
UW-Madison?s first Faculty Senate meeting of the 2010-11 academic year was held Monday evening at Bascom Hall. Following are a couple tidbits worth noting:
** Few faculty members seemed overly interested in learning more about Biddy Martin?s Badger Partnership ? which is the chancellor?s vision for a new UW-Madison business model ? or her plans to pay an outside consultant $3 million or more to examine how the university might run more efficiently and effectively.
The University of Wisconsin football team dropped nine spots in both major polls after suffering its first loss of the season Saturday at Michigan State.
The Badgers (4-1) fell to No. 19 in the USA Today coaches? poll and No. 20 according to The Associated Press.
Laurie Nosbusch and Alev Kelter scored on headers Sunday as the University of Wisconsin women?s soccer team beat Iowa 2-0 at the McClimon Soccer Complex to extend its unbeaten streak to nine matches. The Badgers (6-3-3, 3-0-1 Big Ten), who have not allowed a goal in their last eight matches, prevailed by more than one goal for the first time since beating Tennessee 2-0 on Sept. 17.
Every two years, the state of Wisconsin comes out with its 10-year predictions on job growth. The report is designed to guide young people into new careers, let business owners know what employment trends are coming and help educators adjust their training programs. But the timing of the just-released “2008 to 2018 Jobs Outlook” could not have been worse.
Quoted: Kari Dickinson of the Center on Wisconsin Strategy (COWS)
UW-Madison police are investigating a break-in to the outdoor rentals office at Memorial Union, with the suspect possibly suffering a laceration from the broken window. The break-in and burglary happened sometime between Thursday night and Friday morning, according to the police report.
Whitewater Police are investigating a hate crime. They say a woman was punched in the face because the attackers thought she was gay. With the attackers still on the loose many on campus are outraged, most of all those fearing they may now be targets.
It is on a quiet Tratt Street just blocks from the UW-Whitewater Campus where police say a female student was assaulted because the attackers thought she was gay. It’s an attack that initially went unreported.
PISCATAWAY, N.J — The shocking suicide of a college student whose sex life was broadcast over the Web illustrates yet again the Internet?s alarming potential as a means of tormenting others and raises questions whether young people in the age of Twitter and Facebook can even distinguish public from private.
Cruel gossip and vengeful acts once confined to the schoolyard or the dorm can now make their way around the world instantly via the Internet, along with photos and live video.
Susan M. Ross, 66, died Wednesday, Sept. 27, at the University Hospitals after a long illness with breast cancer. Susan received an M.A. and Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Wisconsin. She worked as a lecturer and research associate for several years before being appointed assistant dean in the Office of Student Affairs, College of Letters and Science, a position she held until her retirement from the UW in 1992. She authored or co-authored a number of research articles in the field of psychology.
Janice Williamson, previously of Mazomanie and Pine Bluff, lately residing in Madison, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 29 at University Hospital. She was employed by University Hospitals for her entire career. Before retiring, she held the position of administrative secretary and supervisor in the Ophthalmology Department.
UW is eager to get back to its dominant ways after a year without its coach and top two stars.
On the family tree of insights and attitudes, appreciation is a first cousin to longing. You experience something wonderful only to have it vanish in the breath of circumstance. In the process of trying to recapture that sensation, you vow to be more aware and grateful should you find it again.
** Monkeys may possess a higher level of self-awareness than once thought, according to this report in wired.com. The findings come out of neuroscientist Luis Populin?s lab on the UW-Madison campus.
** Would you sign up for a class at UW-Madison taught by football coach Bret Bielema?
Almost 50 years ago, the young director of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Leslie Fishel, and three other leading Madisonians asked the United Givers Fund — the predecessor to the United Way of Dane County — to fund a study of discrimination in Madison and the needs of the city?s growing African-American population. The request was initially rejected on the grounds that ?discrimination as it exists in other communities does not exist in Madison.?
Fishel, already one of the nation?s pre-eminent historians of Northern segregation and discrimination, begged to differ.
(Fishel died of complications from colon cancer at his Seattle home on Sept. 8. He was 88.)
WASHINGTON ? A couple of hours before President Obama offered a boffo revival of his 2008 campaign persona during a boisterous rally at the University of Wisconsin, Sen. Bernie Sanders was analyzing why the president was in a political pickle in the first place.
Charl M. Groom, age 61, of Madison, passed away on Sept. 23, 2010, at her home. She worked as a nurse at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Meriter Hospital in Madison, and later worked in human relations at Meriter Hospital for many years.
Dear Editor: After Saturday?s embarrassment at Camp Randall, during which the Badgers stomped the daylights out of the Austin Peay, I have to once again revisit a question I?ve been asking for years without ever getting a straight answer.
Madison police have released a sketch of a young man suspected of beating up a security guard on duty near a campus-area apartment building.The alleged battery took place at about 1:40 a.m. Sept. 19 near the Dayton House apartments in the 1000 block of West Dayton Street, police said.
The 55-year-old security guard from Columbus was watching over mopeds parked outside the apartment building, when he observed two young men twisting mirrors on several mopeds while trying to knock the vehicles over.
Green roofs are sprouting up on local mixed-use condominium and apartment buildings as well as some public buildings, an effort to promote storm water retention, prevent urban heat buildup, and create appealing green spaces for city dwellers to enjoy.
How do you explain to your insurance adjuster that the dent in the side of your car was caused by a kicking horse? That?s what several car owners are dealing with, including UW-Madison assistant men?s hockey coach Gary Shuchuk, after two University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department horses got loose, kicked and jumped over vehicles at the Kohl Center before being corraled while heading out to West Dayton Street.
The horses were tied up behind the Kohl Center on Tuesday afternoon at about 2:45 p.m., munching on hay while their police officer mounts took a break. The detail was part of the security force in place for President Obama?s visit to Madison and the UW-Madison campus.
Madison police Sgt. June Groehler was recently giving a presentation on cybersafety at a local church, during which she advocated keeping tabs on kids? cell phone and computer use with powerful new web monitoring software. A minister asked her why she was telling parents to spy on their children.
Her response: ?It?s called parenting.?
Quoted: Megan Moreno, a UW pediatric physician who specializes in adolescent development
Wisconsin?s bioscience industry provides jobs for 24,000 employees whose paychecks are nearly two-thirds higher than the average Wisconsin worker, a study released Wednesday shows. And the industry, which ranges from drug development to medical instrument manufacturing, is a growing field.
While employment statewide dropped 3 percent between 2004 and 2009, the number of bioscience jobs increased 3 percent during the same period, according to the report, compiled by the UW-Milwaukee Center for Workforce Development.
If you did not feel great urgency about the Wisconsin economy three years ago, the impact of the Great Recession has probably changed your mind. It has changed ours. That is why we both agreed to serve on the steering committee consisting of representatives from business, government and education that commissioned the Wisconsin Competitiveness Study. We strongly support the recommendations of the completed study, entitled ?Be Bold Wisconsin? — especially the two recommendations that would radically alter the economic development infrastructure in the state.
(Wisconsin School of Business Dean Mike Knetter and Marquette University School of Business Dean Linda Salchenberger)
When the television networks projected Barack Obama had secured the presidency at 10 p.m. on Nov. 4, 2008, much of the UW-Madison campus erupted in jubilant celebration.
….Almost two years later, Obama was attempting to rekindle that unbridled enthusiasm during his trip to campus Tuesday evening for what amounted to a pep rally put on by the Democratic National Committee.
According to the most recent figures compiled by the polling experts at Gallup, 49 percent of Americans disapprove of the job Obama is doing as president, while only 45 percent approve (with a margin of error of 3 percentage points). To the surprise of no one, however, Tuesday’s gathering at Library Mall was distinctly pro-Obama.
Facing the potential for historic losses in midterm elections,President Obama sought tonight to light a fire under his party?ssupporters at a rally in front of thousands of college students inMadison, Wisconsin.
President Barack Obama swooped into this college town Tuesday evening, hoping to rekindle the youth vote that helped propel him to the White House for the benefit of Democrats in next month?s mid-term elections.
Would it be all right if the Leader of the Free World stopped by your campus for a little while?
MADISON, Wis. — Mike Lucas, a longtime Madison media personality and radio color commentator for Wisconsin football and men?s basketball games, has been covering Badgers athletics since 1969, but after 39 years working for the Madison Capital Times, Lucas has taken a job with Learfield Sports to provide exclusive content for UWBadgers.com starting on Oct. 1.
Lucas will be responsible for producing content for the official website of Badger athletics on a daily basis, including event previews, post-game coverage, personality profiles, video segments and more.
President Barack Obama is returning to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to ask young voters who helped propel him to the White House to support Democrats in key governor and U.S. Senate races.
Tuesday?s visit carries a different political atmosphere than the one that surrounded the then-candidate in 2008, when a boisterous overflow crowd of more than 17,000 people greeted him at the Kohl Center on the Madison campus.
Obama’s popularity has dipped, and many Democrats are facing tough challenges in the Nov. 2 midterm election.
The National Research Council at noon Tuesday finally released its much-anticipated rankings of some 5,000 doctoral programs at institutions across the country. UW-Madison officials said in an e-mailed press release that 23 university programs ranked in the top 15 percent of their respective fields.
“It is wonderful, but not surprising, that many of our graduate programs are so highly rated,” UW-Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin said in the release. “The talent and hard work of our faculty, combined with the quality of our students and staff make our graduate programs among the best.”
A 20-year-old Madison woman allegedly was sexually assaulted early Saturday morning, her attacker ripping her underwear before running off when she screamed.
The assault happened at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday on Randall Avenue near Vilas Avenue, Madison police said. According to the police report, the woman was walking home alone after drinking at downtown bars.
Barbara Thompson, long-time Wisconsin educator and the first woman to serve as state superintendent of public instruction, died Thursday at a retirement residence in Bradenton, Fla.
Thompson served two four-year terms in the state?s top education office from 1973-81. During her tenure she introduced rules requiring teachers to complete a professional development program every five years to renew their licenses, essentially eliminating lifetime teaching licenses.
So, will President Barack Obama?s rally on Library Mall Tuesday evening have much of an impact on the November elections? What message did he attempt to convey? The Wisconsin Union Directorate Society and Politics Committee will host a discussion and attempt to answer these questions Tuesday at 8 p.m. in the Memorial Union.
Signs and posters are among the rather lengthy list of items not allowed at President Barack Obama?s rally on Library Mall Tuesday, which is sponsored by the Democratic National Committee. This bothered local marijuana activist and 2012 U.S. Senate candidate Ben Masel, who said it infringes on his right to speak freely in a public space.
It?s not a security issue. The Secret Service does not prohibit signs, just poles and sticks attached to the sign, said John Hirt, resident agent in charge of Secret Service for Wisconsin.
If everything had gone according to plan, fans heading to today?s UW home football game might have spent Friday night in a new hotel across from Camp Randall Stadium. Instead of bustling with Badger fans, however, the hotel at the corner of Regent and Monroe streets remains empty.
With President Barack Obama?s visit to UW-Madison just a couple of days away, Republican candidate for governor Scott Walker visited campus on Sunday and told students he?s ready to fight for their votes.
“I?m not conceding any votes anywhere in the state of Wisconsin,” he told the crowd of about 40 students gathered inside a small room at the Memorial Union.
Dear Editor: Spend $3 million to save money at UW-Madison? Before bringing in yet another outsider who does not understand the massive UW machine, why not instead look internally for free?
One block of Spring Street on the UW-Madison campus will be shut down starting Monday and possibly lasting through the end of the year.
As the University of Wisconsin volleyball team prepared for its first match of the season last month, senior Allison Wack told coach Pete Waite that the team?s competitive edge ? missing the previous two seasons ? was back. The Badgers backed up Wack?s statement by winning all 11 of their non-conference matches. They head to Friday night?s Big Ten Conference opener against Ohio State at the UW Field House having already matched last season?s win total.
MENOMONIE ? A UW-Stout student from Waunakee who was assaulted before a bike crash on Sept. 18 died Thursday afternoon as a result of serious head injuries. Two men have been arrested in connection with the death.
UW-Madison officials announced more details about President Barack Obama?s Democratic National Committee political rally on campus Tuesday.
Underground utility work will force the closing of the northbound lane of Charter Street between West Dayton and West Johnson Streets, beginning on Monday, Sept. 27. The Madison Traffic Engineering and Parking Divisions said the repair project will take 2-3 weeks.
Catching up on a couple higher education-related items …
** The FBI is stepping up its efforts to locate Leo Burt due to his connection with the bombing of Sterling Hall on the UW-Madison campus just over 40 years ago, the Washington Post reported.
** ** Most colleges with NCAA Division I sports programs are using mandatory student fees to help fund athletic department budgets, according to this USA Today report.
UW-Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin headlined a forum Wednesday evening on campus examining the many challenges associated with funding public higher education. For those who pay close attention to this topic, little new ground was tilled ? although Martin shed some more light on The Badger Partnership, which is the chancellor?s vision for a new UW-Madison business model.
Ninth graders only have eight days left to sign the Wisconsin Covenant, which ensures them a spot in a Wisconsin college or university if they work hard in high school. Gov. Jim Doyle called on high school freshmen on Tuesday to sign the pledge, joining more than 50,000 students from around the state who already have done so.
A 55-year-old Columbus man is recovering from being beaten up severely over the weekend while working as a security guard at an apartment complex near the UW campus. Police said the man was patrolling outside the complex in the 1000 block of West Dayton Street just before 2 a.m. Sunday when he saw two men twisting mirrors on mopeds and trying to knock them over.
….Police are looking for a white male, 19 to 21 years of age. He’s approximately 6 feet tall, 145 to 165 pounds, with short blond or brown hair worn in a “buzz cut.” He was wearing blue jeans and a blue and black checkered button-down shirt. Anyone with information on the assailant would be asked to contact Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 266-6014.
A 55-year-old Columbus man working as a security guard outside an apartment building on Dayton Street allegedly was beaten and spit upon by a young man early Sunday morning. The attack happened at about 1:40 a.m. Sunday in the 1000 block of West Dayton Street outside the Dayton House apartments, Madison police said.
….According to the police report, the security guard was hired to watch over mopeds parked on the property, since there had been vandalism problems in the past.
Wisconsin has one of the better-funded public worker retirement systems around, but can it continue? According to data compiled for the recent Bloomberg Cities and Debt Briefing held in New York last week, less than half of state retirement systems had enough assets to pay even 80 percent of the benefits they?ve already promised.
President Barack Obama will be coming to the University of Wisconsin campus during his visit to Madison next week. An official with the Democratic National Committee said Tuesday that more details of the Sept. 28 rally, including the exact location, will be released soon.
MADISON, Wis. — Anytime University of Wisconsin-Madison is first, the city and its passionate student population take notice. On Monday, the Memorial Union Terrace was the first Big 10 campus to provide a backdrop for a newly launched ESPN effort focusing on the Big 10 conference.
Dear Editor: You are cordially invited to ?A Century of Challenges? at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22, at UW-Madison in Room 180 of Science Hall, 550 N. Park St. As a lead organizer for this event, I believe it will offer insights vital for our survival and well-being. Not only did speaker Nicole Foss predict the financial meltdown well before it happened, she correctly explained WHY it would occur.
Dear Editor: The Dane County Board?s decision not to question the way experimental monkeys are treated at the UW-Madison Primate Center serves to perpetuate the monkeys? unnatural and cramped lifestyle. Perhaps a future board will see the wisdom of providing a more humane existence to captive animals.
When UW-Madison leaders quietly made it known last month they were searching for a consultant to examine how the university might run more efficiently and effectively, the few faculty and staff on campus aware of the proposal may well have been a bit uneasy with the whole idea.
The world of higher education, after all, is not an enterprise with an easy-to-measure bottom line. Of course, with the state facing a projected budget shortfall of at least $2.7 billion, no one was going to speak out against a project designed to save a few bucks during these economically challenging times.
But after university administrators told faculty leaders last week that such an endeavor would likely cost UW-Madison at least $3 million, some on campus started to openly question the merits of such a project.
