Quoted: Allan Odden, a professor at the University of Wisconsin who studies teacher compensation.
Long Reviled, Merit Pay Gains Among Teachers
New York Times
Author: jplucas
Baggot: Yes, times they are a changin’
Wisconsin State Journal
Change is inevitable, or so we’re told. Today’s habits, fashions and traditions are next month’s vices, regrets and memories. Most of us are able to keep change in perspective because we don’t think of it in terms of sheer volume.That is, until some jerk like me comes along and hands out a long list of transitions we’ve had to make over the years.
If you’ve followed University of Wisconsin sports long enough to remember when Camp Randall Stadium had walk-up ticket booths, when Bucky Badger was the center court logo of choice and when six-figure coaching salaries were rare, then you have endured a lot of changes.
Many feel unsafe in city (Elmira, NY Star-Gazette)
Quoted: Dominique Brossard, a professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
‘The Most Poisonous Force in Technology’
Chronicle of Higher Education
Quoted: Thomas J. Scott, senior enterprise resource-planning strategist at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, said Mr. Mossberg was using strong words to describe an age-old issue about how much computing should be centralized.
Uw Coaches Snag Nearly $480,000 In Bonuses
Wisconsin State Journal
Nearly $480,000 in bonuses will be paid to University of Wisconsin coaches for achievements in 2006-07.
Chancellor Didn’t Read Fired Professor’s Defense
Wisconsin State Journal
The chancellor of UW-Superior never read a professor’s defense against misconduct charges before convincing the UW Board of Regents to fire him in 2001, recently released documents show.
Barrows To Get $135,000 From Uw
Wisconsin State Journal
The University of Wisconsin System has agreed to pay $135,000 and withdraw a critical letter to settle a long-running dispute with a former top administrator.
What happens when young offenders fall into the caldron of adult prison?
Wisconsin State Journal
Ken Streit, an associate professor at the UW-Madison Law School, said the prison system is full of predators who pick on the most vulnerable of any age — the young, the old, the mentally ill.
Extend benefit to domestic partners
Wisconsin State Journal
Wisconsin puts itself at a costly disadvantage in the job market by failing to cover the domestic partners of state employees under the state’s family health insurance benefit.
That’s why lawmakers should put back into the state budget Gov. Jim Doyle’s proposal to extend health insurance to the partners of gay, lesbian and heterosexual state employees, including those in the University of Wisconsin System.
Plan would raise at-the-gate ticket prices for Halloween
Wisconsin State Journal
The proposed resolution also would encourage organizations to sponsor free or discounted tickets. Verveer said UW-Madison students expressed interest in receiving a free or discounted ticket, while students flocking from across the Midwest to party in Madison would pay full price.
U. of Wisconsin Settles With Administrator Demoted After Harassment Allegations
Chronicle of Higher Education
The University of Wisconsin system will pay $135,000 to settle a messy and much-publicized dispute with a black administrator who was ousted from his position on the system’s main campus following allegations of sexual harassment.
In a settlement made public on Friday, the university system’s Board of Regents agreed to pay the administrator, Paul W. Barrows, $124,000 plus $11,000 in back pay and to remove a letter critical of him from his employment records. And Mr. Barrows, who was vice chancellor for student affairs at Madison, will drop a number of pending employment and racial-discrimination claims against university faculty members and administrators.
Credential Creep
Chronicle of Higher Education
While a Ph.D. takes on average about 12 years to complete from the start of college, the new degrees, sometimes mocked as a “Ph.D. lite,” typically take six or seven years. (The occupational-therapy degree is often completed in five and a half years, though new standards will require six years as of January.) Generally the new degrees do not require a major research project.
“For the last 15 or 20 years,” says John D. Wiley, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin at Madison, “we’ve been under pressure to take what is basically a master’s degree and call it a doctorate.”
Hainstock trial parallels another teenâ??s murder case (Wisconsin State Journal)
La Crosse Tribune
Quoted: Ken Streit, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School.
Wisconsin wins UW’s concrete canoe competition (AP)
SEATTLE (AP) – And you thought badgers were land animals.
For the fifth year in a row, the University of Wisconsin-Madison won the National Concrete Canoe Competition over the weekend in Seattle.
The Wisconsin team used a 179-pound, natural gray canoe — named the Descendent — to capture the “America’s Cup of Civil Engineering” prize at what is officially called the American Society of Civil Engineers’ National Concrete Canoe Competition.
UW System struggles with admissions (Wausau Daily Herald)
Wausau Daily Herald
Mark Bradley, recently elected president to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents stopped by the Wausau Daily Herald on Friday to discuss the UW System’s mission and its challenges.
Among his hopes are to ensure access is provided to capable students and to make sure the Regents’ Growth Agenda, an initiative that would provide greater access, growth and affordability, becomes a reality. All components of the agenda have been approved by the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee.
Learn to love minerals at the UW Geology Museum (Isthmus)
Isthmus
You may think you’ve been around a while because you remember when music television featured music. But there is a place on the UW-Madison campus where you can look at stuff from 300 million years ago, a time long before the heyday of the Thompson Twins.
That place is the UW-Madison Geology Museum in Weeks Hall, home of the department of geology and geophysics and a stone’s throw from Union South. On a hot summer day, the museum’s cool confines are a haven for fans of asteroids, dinosaurs and pink rocks.
Barrows Receives $135,000 Settlement
WKOW-TV 27
Former U-W Madison Vice Chancellor Paul Barrows, whose use of paid sick leave to prospect for jobs was first exposed by 27 News, has settled his legal claims with the university.
A settlement made public says Barrows will receive 135-thousand dollars in return for dropping several legal claims.
UW-System spokesperson David Giroux told 27 News system attornies recommended the settlement to Board of Regent members as in the best interest of everyone involved.
TomoTherapy, Lawrence Livermore team up on cancer device
Wisconsin State Journal
TomoTherapy is teaming up with the prestigious Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California to develop a more powerful type of cancer radiation therapy device.
We’re losing birds
Wisconsin State Journal
Quoted: UW-Madison bird researcher Kevin Ellison.
You can’t put self-esteem on a credit card
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Quoted: Cynthia Jasper, professor of consumer science at UW-Madison.
Girlfriend’s testimony emotional (Monroe Times)
Quoted: Dr. Robert Corliss, a forensic pathologist from the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison.
Obesity surgery safer for teens than adults, study finds (Bloomberg News)
Quoted: Jon Gould, an obesity surgeon at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine in Madison, in a telephone interview.
Doyle says veterans deserve free education (Wisconsin Radio Network)
Wisconsin Radio Network
The legislature’s budget committee recently put limits on free tuition for veterans, and now the governor says those lawmakers raised a legitimate issue.
Governor Jim Doyle questions whether tuition remission for veterans should be “completely open-ended” for Wisconsin veterans enrolling in our universities and colleges.
Report Details Deals in Student Loan Industry
New York Times
Gifts and payoffs to universities and their officials by student lenders were far more pervasive than had been disclosed and in some cases were demanded by university officials themselves in exchange for promoting lenders to students, according to a Senate report on the student loan industry issued yesterday.
A Way to Keep Domestic Partner Benefits (Inside Higher Ed)
Inside Higher Education
Michiganâ??s public colleges and universities were barred by a state appeals court in February from offering health and other benefits to the same-sex domestic partners of employees. So Michigan State University is trying another tack: extending benefits to people it labels â??other eligible individuals.â?
Curiosities: Flowers smell to attract pollinators
Wisconsin State Journal
Q. Why do flowers smell, and why do plants smell, too?
A. The luscious aroma of flowers attracts lovers, and the biological role of that smell is similar: to attract pollinators.
Twelve CIC Universities Join Google Library Project (American Libraries)
The 12 universities that make up the Committee on Institutional Cooperation announced June 6 that they would join the Google Books Library Project, making up to 10 million volumes from their collections available for digitization and access through Googleâ??s search engine.
Arrest Uncovers Divide in Hmong-Americans
New York Times
Quoted: Alfred W. McCoy, a history professor from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
APSS: New drugs for insomnia will focus on safety (Psychiatric Times)
Quoted: Ruth Benca, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, noted that, for many people who can’t get to sleep at night, the problem lies with a build-up of negative stressful events.
States divided on flag lowering (Appleton Post-Crescent)
Appleton Post-Crescent
Quoted: John Witte, a University of Wisconsin-Madison political science professor, said there can be political ramifications to ordering flags lowered.
Identifying the niche (The Scientist, UK)
The Scientist
Quoted: E. Camilla Forsberg, an HSC biologist at University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Study Focuses On Early Detection Of Ovarian Cancer – Health News Story – WISC Madison
WISC-TV 3
Quoted: Dr. A.C. Evans in the division of gynecological oncology at University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics.
Tuition reciprocity threatened (KARE-TV, Minneapolis)
For 40 years, students in Minnesota and Wisconsin have traded states and traded schools, crossing the border for college and, thanks to a program called reciprocity, still paying their home state tuition rates.
Schools use one tuition system for home-state residents, and another for students from out of state. Reciprocity deals treat students from neighboring states like they’re home-state residents.
UW System funding and benefits should be ‘no-brainers’ but aren’t (Spooner Advocate)
MADISON– Investing in Wisconsinâ??s higher education through the University of Wisconsin System should be a â??no-brainer,â? but thatâ??s not the case these days.
Last week, the Wisconsin Legislatureâ??s Joint Committee on Finance voted to increase UW funding by $149 million, but the issue has fallen into the partisan political pit now masquerading as the Legislature.
Report to President Bush on Virginia Tech Tragedy Faults Federal Privacy Laws
Chronicle of Higher Education
Educators, mental-health officials, and law-enforcement officers often do not share information about troubled students because they are confused by what they can disclose under complex and overlapping privacy laws, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings and two other top Bush administration officials said in a report released Wednesday on the Virginia Tech shootings.
More Disclosure of Campus Threats
WKOW-TV 27
Governor Doyle said information on potentially violent, college students needs to be shared, at least with roommates. The governor’s challenge to navigate privacy protections and find more ways to disclosure was issued to his new task force on campus security.
Fuzzy Understandings of FERPA (Inside Higher Ed)
Inside Higher Education
A federal report on the Virginia Tech shootings considers the misunderstanding of federal and state privacy laws to be a â??substantial obstacleâ? to the information sharing needed to protect students.
Task Force on Campus Safety Meets in Madison
NBC-15
“They can lock down a high school. Faculty have keys. Everybody’s trained. They know what to do … On a college, it’s so much different,” UW Milwaukee Police Chief Pam Hodermann says.
Two months after the tragedy at Virginia Tech, Wisconsin begins its closer look at campus safety.
The issue is complex — how to keep your child’s campus safe. Wednesday, a panel of experts — charged with looking at ways to improve campus safety — began its work.
Campus security flaws a pattern in slayings
USA Today
The University of Washington devised a bold plan six years ago to protect students and faculty after a struggling medical resident shot to death his mentor, then killed himself. A new safety team would be alerted to all threats. It would move potential victims to a new dorm or office, assign them police protection or take steps such as changing their phone numbers.
Campus killers’ hints ignored
USA Today
About once every year, a campus murder is committed after administrators take insufficent action despite warnings about threats, flawed security or dangerous situations, a USA TODAY analysis of college homicides since 1991 shows. In at least 15 of the cases reviewed, the campus killer showed signs of being a danger, often with either a criminal or psychotic background, or by making violent threats.
Boost state funds for UW System
Wisconsin State Journal
Several years of flat state funding for the University of Wisconsin System have contributed to higher tuition, cuts in programming and more risk of losing star faculty to other universities.
The System, which provides high-quality education that benefits all of Wisconsin, deserves better than that. State lawmakers should value the state’s education jewel by giving it a significant boost in state funding.
More grads opt to serve the poor
USA Today
Recent college graduates, including tens of thousands graduating this spring, are seeking community service jobs, where they can learn marketable skills while doing work they find meaningful. For many, it offers a chance to test out a career before settling into one. But as interest in service grows, some organizations are getting more selective; others are feeling the squeeze of a competitive market for idealistic young adults.
Milwaukee Airport Cab Limit Struck Down (AP)
Forbes
University of Wisconsin law professor Peter Carstensen, who represented the cab drivers, said the ruling should prompt the county to stop giving citations to taxi drivers picking up specific passengers. He said the county might also amend the ordinance to give those taxis a specific waiting area.
Evidence Thin on Student Gains From NCLB Tutoring (Education Week)
Quoted: Patricia Burch, an assistant professor of educational policy studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Romney Steps Up Advertising Push
New York Times
Quoted: Kenneth M. Goldstein, a professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin who specializes in political advertising.
Experts say slayings fit â??family annihilationâ?? pattern (AP)
La Crosse Tribune
Quoted: UW-Madison psychiatry professor Burr Eichelman said.
Wis. veterans may see cut in benefits (AP)
Miami Herald
MADISON, Wis. –Lawmakers have moved to scale back tuition benefits once lauded as some of the nation’s most generous to veterans, saying they proved far more popular and costly than expected.
The state Legislature’s budget committee voted 16-0 last week to approve changes to the benefits, including eliminating a promise of free graduate school tuition for veterans and setting a limit on how much time they would have to apply.
Musser vows to restore veterans benefits (Wisconsin Radio Network)
Wisconsin Radio Network
A state lawmaker is vowing to fight a move to cut education benefits for veterans.
The state legislature’s budget committee has voted to limit the amount of credits involving free tuition at universities campuses or tech colleges. â?¦ also eliminate free tuition for and limit free tuition to ten years after leaving military service.
Veterans May Soon Be Banned from Graduate Tuition Money
WKOW-TV 27
At 46, Peter Kind admits he’s older than your typical graduate student.
After 20 years of flying F-18s in the Navy, he turned in his retirement papers and moved to Madison with the family all because of the promise of free tuition at UW’s Law School.
However, the legislature’s budget committee just voted 16-0 to cancel that benefit.
State Officials Examine IT Project Problems
WISC-TV 3
MADISON, Wisc. — A special state task force has been created to look into the information technolog troubles that have emerged in the state in recent years.Problems began with a $30 million computer project failure for the University of Wisconsin System nearly two years ago, and the IT troubles have continued to pile up ever since, WISC-TV reported.
The task force will examine the failed IT projects and decide what can be done to stop wasting taxpayer money.
U.S. voters may face outbreak of “campaign fatigue” (Reuters)
Reuters
Quoted: Thomas Holbrook, political science professor at the University of Wisconsin.
More proof that exercise eases pain (Cox News Service)
Miami Herald
It seems absurd that walking and other forms of exercise may be helpful to lessen pain, but that’s the generally accepted — and now proven — notion.In studies of older adults entering assisted care, Dr. Kelli Koltyn of the University of Wisconsin surveyed adults in their 80s who participated in various exercises, with some using a cane, walker or wheelchair.
Wis. lawmakers may scale back tuition program for veterans (AP)
La Crosse Tribune
MADISON, Wis. â?? Lawmakers are moving to scale back a fast-growing tuition benefit program for Wisconsin veterans, eliminating the promise of free graduate school and a lifetime to use the aid.
Their plan also would shortchange the landmark program by tens of millions of dollars, forcing universities and technical colleges to raise tuition or make cuts to other programs to accommodate the veterans who are enrolling in greater numbers than expected.
Task Force Takes On I.T. Failures
WKOW-TV 27
Members of the private business community have joined with state officials to try to help Wisconsin get past millions of dollars lost in failed information technology projects.
State officials told members of the Assembly Speaker’s Special Task Force on Technology that audit teams within state departments are checking on projects, and less ambitious computer projects are being considered, to make sure things get done right.
Tuition Break Could Be Cut Before It Takes Effect
NBC-15
Wisconsin veterans could lose a benefit before it even takes effect.
A law signed by Governor Jim Doyle last year guaranteed free tuition to any Wisconsin veteran who enrolls in a public university. It was supposed to start this fall. Now many men and women seeking graduate or professional degrees say they will not have the chance.
Twenty- seven year-old Patrick Wilcox joined the Army Reserves to fund his education.
Auditor cites inadequate planning, oversight of IT programs (Wisconsin Radio Network)
Wisconsin Radio Network
An audit of state government spending on information technology reveals some bad news for taxpayers. The state spends millions every year on information technology projects, but state auditor Janice Mueller told a legislative committee that an audit of that spending reveals a couple of big problems.
Give economy an angelic boost
Wisconsin State Journal
Lawmakers should direct the center to be located in metropolitan Madison, where it could capitalize on the UW-Madison research that is the source of many business ideas and where it would be near the growing community of high-tech entrepreneurs in Dane County.
A Spectrum of Disputes
New York Times
Author: Maureen Durkin is an epidemiologist at the University of Wisconsinâ??s School of Medicine and Public Health.
Drug for thyroid cancer shows potential
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Quoted: Herbert Chen, assistant professor of surgery at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, who also conducts basic science research at UW’s Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Despite all the hunters’ grousing, turkeys don’t have grouse on run (Appleton Post-Crescent)
Appleton Post-Crescent
Quoted: Scott Lutz, a University of Wisconsin wildlife ecologist in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.