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Category: Campus life

UW explains model as crunch time nears

Badger Herald

As public rhetoric surrounding the New Badger Partnership continues to dominate conversations on campus, Chancellor Biddy Martin and other University of Wisconsin officials offered the campus community another chance to voice their concerns with the new model.

Walker wants to remake tuition agreement (Milwaukee News Buzz)

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is proposing major changes to the decades-old tuition reciprocity agreement between this state and Minnesota. The agreement allows Badger State students to attend Gopher State universities at reduced rates. Walker is proposing to eliminate a state subsidy for the program after Wisconsin shelled out about $12.9 million to Minnesota under the agreement ? and got no payment in return.

Martin, TAA debate NBP

Daily Cardinal

The Teaching Assistant Association and United Council invited Chancellor Biddy Martin and 10 other University of Wisconsin affiliates to debate the controversial New Badger Partnership with them Tuesday.

Crime in brief

Badger Herald

The Madison Police Department Monday released a report tallying up the total number of reported incidents from Saturday?s Mifflin Street Block Party.

Casey Sweeney: Keep Saferide accessible to underclassmen

Capital Times

Dear Editor: No Saferide route services my housing community, so why am I concerned? The restructuring of the late-night campus bus routes endangers most strongly the students who do not have a voice on the matter: the incoming freshmen and freshmen for years to come.

GAB urges caution as voter ID bill sails toward passage

Wisconsin State Journal

Voters will be required to show photo identification at the polls under a bill approved Tuesday by an Assembly committee, despite warnings from Democrats and the state?s nonpartisan election watchdog agency. Some GOP lawmakers said they would support minor changes, including tweaks to the bill?s new provision allowing certain college IDs to be used as photo ID at the polls.

Committee sends voter ID bill to Wis. Assembly (AP)

Madison.com

Voters will be required to show a photo ID at the polls under a bill approved by an Assembly committee Tuesday despite concerns from Democrats and the nonpartisan board that monitors Wisconsin elections that the measure was moving too quickly. To address concerns that the measure was too restrictive, Republicans on the Assembly?s election and campaign reform committee voted Tuesday to expand the list of acceptable identification to include student IDs from public and private colleges and universities. But even that proved to be problematic. As the bill currently stands, student IDs would have to include a current address, birthdate, signature and expiration date. No college or university ID used in the state, including at the 42,000-student University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, meets that criteria. Further complicating things for the Madison campus, student ID cards there are used to gain entry to residence halls and other buildings. Because of the security risk raised by placing a student?s address on the card that also works as a building key, UW-Madison opposes it, said Don Nelson, director of state relations for the campus.

Voter ID clears Assembly committee

Wisconsin Radio Network

Republican legislation requiring voter ID has passed a state Assembly committee on Tuesday. The Assembly Election and Campaign Reform Committee acted in the bill, with Democrats complaining that they hadn?t had a chance to look at a lengthy amendment.

Police Chief questions Mifflin after stabbing

Daily Cardinal

Madison Police Chief Noble Wray expressed his gratitude to law enforcement workers working at the Mifflin Street Block Party in a press release Monday, while also commenting on the seriousness of several incidents that occurred during the festivities.

GOP proposal: College IDs may work as voter IDs, with limits

Wisconsin State Journal

Students trying to vote in Wisconsin elections may be able to use college ID cards under changes to a bill requiring voters to show identification at the polls proposed by Republicans. But some Democrats called the changes “meaningless,” saying the revised bill still threatens to keep college students from voting, is costly and risks exposing students? privacy. Earlier drafts of the legislation barred student ID cards from being used at the polls. But the latest version, which will go to a vote before an Assembly committee Tuesday morning, would allow a voter to use an identification card from accredited public or private university or college if it included a photo, date of birth, current address, an expiration date no more than four years away, and a signature. The GOP proposal privacy concerns, opponents said, noting that the UW-Madison student ID is also used as a key card for the dormitories. Anyone who found a lost card could have not only the student?s address but access to the residence hall where he or she lives.

Police seeking ID of man who stabbed UW student on Mifflin Street

Wisconsin State Journal

Madison police are asking for help identifying the person who stabbed a 21-year-old UW-Madison student multiple times at Saturday?s Mifflin Street Block Party. The victim, who police said was nearly killed, remains hospitalized. Police are asking anyone who took photos in the 500 block of West Mifflin Street around 5 p.m. to see if they have any images that could be related to the incident.

Mifflin change a ?mistake?

Wisconsin State Journal

Two days after a large, drunken crowd and violence marred the 42nd annual Mifflin Street block party, Madison officials are mulling what happens next ? with no clear answers. But they are sure of one thing: Letting partygoers drink in the street was a mistake. Mayor Paul Soglin vowed to end the process of issuing a permit for larger events, known as a picnic beer license, without formal approval from the mayor and City Council. A picnic beer permit now requires only an administrative review by the city clerk?s office.

Food software plan wins Burrill business plan contest

Wisconsin State Journal

BadgerBites, a proposed online food order software system, won the $10,000 top price in the UW-Madison School of Business? G. Steven Burrill Business Plan Competition on Friday. The product, developed by Alex Wyler, Eric Martell and Matt Howard, would streamline and improve the online food order processing, according to their business plan.

Laptop City Hall: Is there a way to rectify the Miff-stake?

Capital Times

If you want damning evidence about what the nature of this year?s Mifflin Street Block Party was like, look no further than the extensive Madison Police Department press release that details two stabbings, two potential sexual assaults, battery and general resistance to police officers and emergency responders, and the level of intoxication of all 162 people arrested or cited. On that last point: More than two-thirds of the people cited were legally drunk, and many were dangerously so – 29 people (18 percent) had a blood alcohol concentration between .251 and .300, and three people had a blood alcohol concentration between .301 and .400. For those who need a refresher, .20-.29 often leads to stupor and loss of consciousness, while. 30-.39 can lead to unconsciousness, impaired breathing and heart rate, and death.

The Badger Herald: Without alternative focus, Mifflin may well be an indefensible event

Badger Herald

Like most Madisonians and veterans of Mifflins past, I read with dismay the news that two partygoers were stabbed ? leading to ?multiple life-threatening injuries? requiring emergency surgery in one case ? at this year?s celebration. Equally disturbing is that three police officers were injured ? including a female officer who was punched in the face when she tried to stop a reveler ? and that four times as many partygoers ended up in detox as compared to last year.Not surprisingly, Mayor Paul Soglin and other city leaders want to see Mifflin come to an end.

Soglin?s right about Mifflin mess

Capital Times

Two people were stabbed ? one of them suffering life-threatening injuries that required surgery. Three police officers were injured. At least 160 people were arrested on a variety of charges ranging from underage drinking to depositing human waste.

That?s not a block party. That?s a riot. And while we don?t have much problem with the University of Wisconsin?s reputation as a party school, we have a big problem with the mess that organizers of the Mifflin Street block party have made of the annual event.

How to make UW students responsible drinkers

Isthmus

The debate over Mifflin fits into a broader dialogue about how to best address binge drinking on college campuses. Is it by enforcing strict rules against underage drinking? Is it through alcohol education and awareness?

Annual Madison street party gets rowdy

Wisconsin Radio Network

They were celebrating spring in downtown Madison Saturday at the 43rd annual Mifflin Street Block Party. New rules allowed for open container and beer drinking in the street. But the day didn?t end well for a number of people. As of Saturday 9 p.m. 160 people were arrested and two people were stabbed.

?Hammered out of their skulls?

Badger Herald

This year?s Mifflin Street Block Party ended on an unsettling note as the crowds swelled to record numbers, bottles and cases of beer flooded the street and police said two partygoers were stabbed.

UW-Madison eyes new intervention program to tackle problem drinking

Wisconsin State Journal

UW-Madison is considering a new alcohol intervention program that could include a component that allows students to opt out of an underage drinking ticket in exchange for taking courses on the risks of alcohol abuse. The program is one that has been nationally recognized as a model to reduce problem drinking on campuses and could mark a significant shift in the way it is handled at UW-Madison. The goal is ?trying to reduce the number of students who are having negative consequences from alcohol,? said Sarah Van Orman, executive director of University Health Services, ?whether that be trouble with the law, drinking to the point where they get into trouble with housing or academic difficulties.?

Soglin, city leaders want Mifflin block party ended

Wisconsin State Journal

City leaders are interested in ending the Mifflin Street block party once and for all after a huge crowd turned out for the 42nd annual party Saturday that culminated in two people being stabbed and three police officers getting injured.

Feds chase more student loan defaults

USA Today

The number of people who aren?t paying back their student loans is on the rise, and the government is increasingly threatening to sue them for the money. The amount of loan defaults that the Education Department has referred to Justice Department lawyers for possible legal action has risen dramatically since before the recession and nearly doubled from 2009 to last year.

College campuses add language immersion programs

USA Today

Next fall, a group of 10-12 students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will live together in a dorm dubbed the Russian House. Throughout the semester, they will speak, read, watch TV and pretty much do all their communicating in Russian.”The idea is that we are creating a little bubble for them of Russia on the Madison campus in a supportive environment,” says Diana Murphy, associate director of the Russian Flagship Center and Language Institute.

UPDATE: Madison police investigate two stabbings

WKOW-TV 27

Madison Police are investigating two separate stabbings that took place Saturday evening at the Mifflin Street Block Party in downtown Madison. The stabbings happened just a few hours apart on Mifflin Street. A 22-year-old suspect with a Green Bay address was detained in connection with the first stabbing. That happened around 5:00 Saturday evening.

Police say a 21-year old UW-Madison student suffered life-threatening injuries after being stabbed multiple times in the 500 block of W. Mifflin Street.

Outspoken professor gives Biddy Martin’s plan a failing grade

Capital Times

Sara Goldrick-Rab does not shy away from controversy. Being direct, she says, is in her genes.

….The assistant professor of educational policy studies and sociology is the most outspoken faculty critic of Gov. Scott Walker?s proposal to award UW-Madison some long sought freedoms from state oversight by granting it public authority status and breaking it away from the rest of the UW System. sue that has divided many smart folks both on campus and across the state.

ASM endorses New Badger Partnership after debate

Badger Herald

Members of the University of Wisconsin student government grappled with whether to support new initiatives in the last meeting of the session and voted to formally support the New Badger Partnership for the first time since the proposal was announced.

Wis. pays $12.9 million to Minn. for tuition deal

Madison.com

The more than 40-year-old tuition agreement between Minnesota and Wisconsin has turned into a good financial deal for Minnesota students, while Wisconsin officials are working to reduce the program?s cost. Wisconsin paid $12.9 million to the state of Minnesota and its colleges and universities for the 10,301 Wisconsin students who went west for the 2009-2010 school year, according to a report released Wednesday. That was the largest tab since at least 1975. The rising expense prompted Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to ask the Legislature in March to change the reciprocity agreement to make Wisconsin students pay a greater share of their education in Minnesota. That would shrink the state?s obligation. The request is pending.

First Mifflin Street Block Party changed Madison

Isthmus

Every year in Madison on a Saturday in early spring, there is a huge outdoor beer bash for UW students in a neighborhood southeast of campus. This year the officially organized and heavily policed bash, known as the Mifflin Street Block Party, is taking place on Saturday, April 30. And most of the thousands of undergraduates who go there to get publicly drunk know nothing about how the party came to be.

Voter ID bill gets public hearing

Wisconsin Radio Network

An Assembly committee held a day long public hearing at the state Capitol Wednesday, on Republican legislation which would require Wisconsin residents to show photo identification in order to vote. It?s legislation which opponents claim will disenfranchise voters, and make Wisconsin the most restrictive state in terms of what ID would be allowed. The hearing quickly became contentious.

J.B. Van Hollen: Alcohol is most prevalent date rape drug

Capital Times

The month of April has been designated Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a month focused on raising public awareness about sexual violence and educating communities and individuals on how to prevent sexual assaults. Sexual assault is a pervasive problem in our society. It is estimated that one in six American women has been the victim of sexual assault or attempted assault. However, sexual assault can affect people of any gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation or ability.