Category: Campus life

In a heated meeting last night, members of University of Wisconsin student government once again did not vote on a funding eligibility decision for a student organization.

The University of Wisconsin administration and Police Department are investigating an apparent safety threat against ?those in power and those with perceived power? posted anonymously on Tuesday in the online comments of a Badger Herald article.

University of Wisconsin-Madison has pulled down a video of Dean of Students Lori Berquam pleading with students to avoid the upcoming Mifflin Street Block Party.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison dean of students took to the Internet to try to dissuade students from attending the Mifflin Street Block Party, but it didnt prompt the desired reaction from students.

A 21-year-old UW-Madison student was injured Tuesday by a hit and run driver on Park Street. Madison police said the crash was reported at 12:42 p.m. Tuesday in the crosswalk across Park Street connecting the pedestrian mall from the end of State Street to Bascom Hill. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call 911.

On Sunday, UW-Madison Dean of Students Lori Berquam produced an awkward, stilted YouTube video advising students “Don?t go” to this year?s Mifflin Street Block Party. The video went viral and students almost immediately began to heckle Berquam on social media.

The Student Services Finance Committee ruled Monday that the Multicultural Student Coalition committed an intentional policy violation by failing to follow university and state purchasing policies.

While many students are gearing up for this year?s Mifflin Street Block Party and preparing for the changes that will be implemented at this year?s event, the University of Wisconsin Dean of Students Office put forth a simple message Monday: Don?t go.

As a portion of the student body looks forward to graduating in four weeks and moving on to life after their undergraduate years, a new study shows that their transition into the working world may not be easy.

UW-Madison has agreed to change the wording on a scholarship letter after at least one student complained that it led her to believe she would receive thousands of dollars more than she did. The scholarship is called the Advanced Opportunity Fellowship and it was given to about 229 graduate students at UW-Madison in 2011-12. The fellowships are given to students who will increase diversity on campus.

The return of the annual All-Campus Party, spanning from today through April 28, will give students an excuse to cast aside their books and participate in free events hosted by the Wisconsin Alumni Association and the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board.

Flextory, a Web-based, flexible inventory system, is the big $10,000 winner of the 2012 UW-Madison Qualcomm Wireless Innovation Competition, held this week to highlight innovative, wireless technology products. UW senior Chris Beley, 22, a computer engineering and computer science major from Hayward, developed Flextory. It lets users decide what they want to organize and how they want to do so, and works by scanning bar codes.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month in the United States, which means Val Kowis has been even busier than usual. Kowis is chair of Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment (PAVE), a student organization at UW-Madison whose mission is to end sexual assault, dating/domestic violence and stalking on campus through education and activism.

Lake Effect?s material culture contributor, Gianofer Fields, introduced us to Madison-based metal artist Erika Koivunen and her mighty welder. Fields is a material culture student at UW-Madison, and she produces and curates the series, “It?s A Material World.” That project is funded by the Chipstone Foundation, a decorative arts foundation whose mission is preserving and interpreting their collection, as well as stimulating research and education in the decorative arts.

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is among a growing number of campuses turning to agencies to recruit foreign students.

Students can enjoy a week of free events, food and prizes beginning Saturday, as members of the Wisconsin Alumni Association and more than 85 student organizations will participate in the 12th annual All Campus Party.

Nearly 35 people fared the rain Thursday for the UW-Madison Campus Womens? Center?s ?Take Back the Night,? where participants discussed personal experiences with sexual assault and the misconceptions surrounding it.

With the Mifflin Street Block Party on the horizon, city officials are anticipating and preparing for more alcohol-related crimes as police plan to increase their presence at the event.

Because of the proximity to campus, many students attend the market to browse, taste-test, and purchase from the wide variety of produce and flowers. Morgan Rehberg, a freshman at UW-Madison said the Farmers? Market is a different experience than shopping at a grocery store. ?It?s bringing?the small town thing into a city,? she said. ?I like how they kind of meet together.?

A UW student is putting his body and mind to the test all for a good cause. He?s biking almost 2,000 miles to raise money to help under-privileged kids all over the world.

It?s not often that students in Bascom Hall know what other student  are doing across campus, let alone in the South Pole.  But that?s  exactly what #UWRightNow aimed to do all day Wednesday.

In light of a 50 percent increase in crime on campus since this time last year, city and university police met with students Wednesday to discuss ways to stay safe on campus.

A city committee voted unanimously to grant final approval for a 65-unit development on West Dayton Street that would primarily provide a new apartment building for students.

A public forum held by several city officials Wednesday evening shed light on the rash of crimes in recent months near University of Wisconsin residential areas that have sparked concerns over campus safety.

Chris Calvey calls it “a little bit of a crazy idea.” He?s a graduate student at UW-Madison, and along with some of his fellow students he?s organizing a major three-day conference in Madison starting Friday, April 27, for atheists, humanists and agnostics. As of this afternoon, 510 people had registered for the free event. Calvey expects the total to reach 700.

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is among a growing number of campuses turning to agencies to recruit foreign students. Recruitment agencies can charge schools more than $1,000 per international student, but universities say the cost leads to more revenue. During a four-year period, an international student will spend about $68,000 in tuition, said UW-Eau Claire international education director Karl Markgraf.

UW-Madison is considering adding an official winter term, which officials say could help students graduate faster and bring in extra tuition dollars to campus. If approved, the term would be the first in the school?s 164-year history. Every other four-year campus in the University of Wisconsin System offers courses over winter break ? sometimes called winterim or J-term (January term).

Madison Mayor Paul Soglin wants to end it. So does Police Chief Noble Wray. So do UW-Madison officials. Even Downtown Ald. Mike Verveer, who has represented the neighborhood and its many college-aged residents for more than a decade, wishes the annual Mifflin Street block party would go away.

….The Mifflin Street party, unfortunately, seems little more than an excuse for heavy drinking, something that spiraled out of control last year when the city tried to add more structure and distractions from alcohol. There’s no easy answer. Yet it’s easy to see more limits and law enforcement are needed ? with elimination as the ultimate goal.

UW-Madison administrators said Monday the possibility of offering courses during winter break, which could happen as soon as next January, would give students more flexibility in their college educations.

Since 2009, the number of sexual assaults reported by UW-Madison students nearly tripled. According to Assistant Dean of Students Tonya Schmidt, that increase is a good thing.

University of Wisconsin System schools saw the highest number of transfer students in a decade last year, a trend that appears to be continuing into this year, a recent report found.

Union South celebrated its first birthday Monday by unveiling a new project intended to encapsulate the timelessness of the building.

Student neighborhoods that have witnessed increased burglaries and other criminal activity could be the focus of a city program in the works to foster crime prevention among engaged citizens.

Mifflin Street resident Michael Stulka witnessed the horror of the 2011 Mifflin Street Block Party, and he wants to make sure the stabbings, beatings, sex assaults and other lawless behavior don?t happen again. ?We need to get students more actively involved and turn it around to give it a positive community direction,? he says.

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is among a growing number of campuses turning to foreign agencies to recruit new students. UW-Stout is also looking at recruiting agencies to attract international students, which can cost more than $1,000 per individual. But, universities say it can also mean more revenue.

Student leaders asked members of the Board of Regents Friday to consider increasing avenues for communication with students system-wide.

UW-Madison students could have the opportunity to take in-person and online courses during winter break, according to an e-mail sent to the student body asking them for feedback on the idea.