Category: Campus life

Over the years, the statue of Abraham Lincoln at the top of Bascom Hill has been painted red for a student protest of McCarthyism, surrounded with plastic pink flamingos and sat on by countless graduates asking for good luck.

Likely one of the most recognizable features of the UW-Madison campus, the bronzed statue of Lincoln peers east toward the state Capitol. When unveiled at commencement on June 22, 1909, according to a Wisconsin Historical Society write-up, the president of the Board of Regents called the statue “a sign to all future generations of the high ideals of American citizenship.” President Charles Van Hise apparently imagined thousands of future students silently absorbing the great manâ??s virtues as they walked past.

The first phase of the Credit Card Holder’s Bill of Rights is in effect.

President Barack Obama signed the legislation guaranteeing sweeping changes to credit card rules in May. It pass with broad support, but credit card companies lobbied hard against it. The changes could slash their profits by $12 billion.

The changes that started Thursday, Aug. 20, are aimed to help consumers, like UW-Madison senior Andrew Weckerly.

Ralph Armstrong, whose charges for the 1980 rape and murder of a UW-Madison student were dismissed last month, will be heading to New Mexico to face decades-old parole violations.

The Dane County district attorneyâ??s office said Wednesday that it will not appeal the dismissal of the charges against Armstrong in the death of Charise Kamps.

If first-year students must face the trials and yes, sometimes ridicule, of being freshmen, then they should at least be able to band together as a group.

Thatâ??s why UW-Madison student government, Associated Students of Madison (ASM), is considering a proposal to broaden the definition of who is a â??freshman.â?

Under the ASM bylaws, only students who meet the strict university definition of freshmen â?? someone with under 24 credits â?? can vote for the five â??freshmanâ? seats on the student council.

After 29 years behind bars, a man convicted of raping and murdering a UW student is cleared of those charges.

This month, a judge tossed out the conviction of Ralph Armstrong and blasted prosecutors. On Wednesday, the Dane County District Attorney’s office said it will not appeal.

A new online jobs tool connecting highly skilled UW-Madison alumni with employers seeking candidates with specific expertise will be fully operational Wednesday, after a successful test launch from March through May.

The Badger Career Network Alerts program will use targeted e-mails to connect graduates in mid-career and executive-level jobs anywhere in the nation with Wisconsin companies seeking new management, scientific and professional talent in biotechnology, health care and information technology.

Noted: Of course, there is no lack of colleges working on green technologies of their own. It is hard to walk around the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus without seeing a slew of students on mopeds zooming by. One of my favorite projects I have heard about recently is a class at the university that immerses engineering students into various engineering disciplines. A recent class took on a project to improve the environmental performance of a Vespa moped, a vehicle that already gets 90 miles per gallon. The goal was to improve the fuel efficiency of the vehicle by 10 percent using a system based on electrolysis, or splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using an electric charge. Whatâ??s most impressive is that the class is comprised of freshman students, most being exposed to real-life engineering problems for the first time.

Scott Rosenow has a year left of college, but he already has his sights set on a prominent job upon graduation.
He wants to be the mayor of Neenah. He plans to earn a political science degree in May from the University of Wisconsin.

As thousands of downtown renters recover from move-in weekend, this year’s citywide turnover of tenants coincides with Madison’s smoke alarm ordinance going into effect.

One downtown landlord is on a mission to educate his tenants about the new rules.

Before University of Wisconsin-Madison student Josh Moss finishes unpacking a few essentials and settles into his new home away from home on Garfield Street in Madison’s downtown, he’s getting a lesson in safety.

The University of Wisconsin – Madison is trying to make it easier for students to volunteer.

UW-Madison Morgridge Center civic engagement coordinator Anne Whisner wants to make it easier for students to give back to the community without the complications.

So last fall, Whisner launched Badger Volunteers at the Morgridge Center.

Last summer, University of Wisconsin-Madison senior Kiera Wiatrak and her roommate found themselves in a common predicament: The lease on their downtown apartment ended Aug. 14, but their new least didnâ??t start until Aug. 15.Fortunately, the residents of Wiatrakâ??s new apartment had moved out early, so apartment managers told Wiatrak she and her roommate could move in early if they were willing to pay $40 a night before their lease began.

At a busy bar near the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus Friday night, someone suddenly shouted: “Who’s homeless tonight?”

The assembled students erupted in cheers.

The city’s streets held the evidence: Students crashing on couches, sleeping in moving trucks and guarding piles of furniture. Dylan Loss, a 20-year-old junior, pitched a tent in his friend’s yard. Kristin Paul, of White Bear Lake, squatted in the cabin of her sailing club’s boat on Lake Mendota.

Mike Lucas, a UW-Madison junior, had a bad day on Friday.

It was moving day for him, just as it was for scores of other students in Madison, and he had already gotten two parking tickets, had his car battery die, and he clipped another car earlier that day with his trailer.

One thing he didnâ??t have to worry about was finding a place to sleep on Friday night.

There’s a 24 time window for UW-Madison students moving out of one apartment: that typically leaves many with no place to call home.

It’s the annual move-out weekend downtown. Students who are not renewing their leases had to be out of their apartments by noon Friday. They can move back into their new units beginning at noon Saturday, august 15. The one-day lag gives landlords the opportunity to clean apartments between tenants.

The large-scale moving out of downtown Madison apartments has become a mainstay leaving thousands of rentals empty for 24 hours each August.

But, the annual event that leaves young renters scrambling and clogs sidewalks with possessions is leaving many to ask if there’s a reason behind it.

Near the Kohl Center on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, there’s one of three secured parking lots that are new this year. UW police are patrolling the lots that are packed with cars, moving vans and trailers packed with student belongings.

It’s a rite of passage for UW students: move out day!

A rite of passage, but also a pain in the neck. Many students were up early Friday morning to clean up and move out. And most of them won’t be able to move in to their new place until Saturday, leaving many students homeless and their stuff in harm’s way.

“It’s scary because we’ve been chasing away like lots of people. My roommates mom tried to tackle somebody to get him away from her stuff,” says Melanie Most.

MADISON, Wis. — The piles of unwanted belongings lining the streets of Madison is a sure sign that Move Out Day is here again for downtown renters.

Itâ??s a lease loophole for renters. One rental lease ends on Friday while the other doesnâ??t start until Saturday, which leaves many without a roof over their heads for 24 hours. With that 24-hour window between moving out and moving in, some students are not only figuring out what to do with all their stuff scattered near sidewalks, but theyâ??ve got to figure out what to do with themselves.

Starting Saturday, the first half of Madisonâ??s new smoke alarm ordinance will go into effect, requiring all apartment buildings and rental properties to have smoke alarms in place.

The city streets division is pulling out all the stops this week to remove materials from curbside during the annual move out/move in days.

Garbage and recycling trucks were on the road by 4 a.m. today (Thursday, Aug. 13) and will be out once again at 4 a.m. on Friday, trying to stay ahead of the tidal wave of stuff discarded downtown and on campus by thousands of renters moving from one apartment to another Friday and Saturday.

Last summer, University of Wisconsin-Madison senior Keira Wiatrak and her roommate found themselves in a common predicament: The lease on their downtown apartment ended Aug. 14, but their new least didnâ??t start until Aug. 15.

Fortunately, the residents of Wiatrakâ??s new apartment had moved out early, so apartment managers told Wiatrak she and her roommate could move in early if they were willing to pay $40 a night before their lease began.

Wiatrakâ??s boyfriend, Jeff Stein, wasnâ??t as lucky.

MADISON, Wis. — For motorists who commute through downtown Madison, officials are advising they watch out for movers.

Most renters in the city’s downtown have to be out later this week so the city’s Streets Division will be busier than usual. Crews will empty trash and recycling carts each day this week for downtown residents who put items out on the curb.

MADISON, Wis. — Move out week underway in Madison, and this year there are new options for displaced students.

With off-campus leases ending Friday, and new ones starting Saturday, thousands of students are left with no place to go. But this year, the student government is sponsoring the first ever “Move Out” night at the student activity center in University-Square. The all-night event is free with a valid student ID, and offers games, food, entertainment and a place to spend the night.

While Madison is far from foreign countries and international borders, itâ??s home to many people who delve into international problems, some working at an individual and grass-roots level.

The cityâ??s international sensibility and influence come through in its 10 sister-city relationships and its international student population of nearly 4,000. More than 1,000 people from the Madison area have served in the Peace Corps, said spokeswoman Christine Torres.

Coming this weekend are two of Downtownâ??s most hectic days â?? Aug. 14 and 15, a stressful time for Downtown residents whether youâ??re a student whose lease is up or not.

But Madisonâ??s Tenant Resource Center wants to help those struggling to figure out why that landlord charged you for cleaning an immaculate bathroom or what to do with that extra sofa.

MADISON (WKOW) — The Associated Students of Madison (ASM) are offering a safe place for students and their stuff to stay overnight on this year’s annual move-out, Friday, August 14.

ASM is hosting the first-ever Move-Out Night in the Student Activity Center (SAC) at 333 East Campus Mall.

ASM is teaming up with the University Police Department, the dean of students’ SafeU task force and Transportation Services to keep the SAC open all night. There will also be secure parking offered.

Freshmen in the know will heed these pieces of advice as they prepare for dormitory living: Shop early. Be selective. Place everything you plan to take to college in a big, open space and take a hard look at what you have.

The annual “rite of summer” known as move out/move in days in Madison will be a little easier for young apartment and flat dwellers this year, as city crews downtown plan to empty garbage and recycling carts every day this week.

Most leases end on Aug. 14, which is Friday, with most new leases starting up the next day.

Hundreds of tons of refuse and recyclables used to be piled high at curbside, but the city has been very proactive for several years, both in collections and working with agencies to get dropoff donation sites set up downtown and on campus.

OSHKOSH — The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is trying to incorporate interactive technology such as Twitter and Facebook into a four-year degree.

Jakob Iversen, a professor of Information Systems, is part of a three-member team looking to incorporate the popularity of the technology, its workings and possible applications into the degree.

Bill Gierach is moving out and taking the stuff he does want.

And stuff he can’t bring he says he’s left for anyone who wants it.

“There is too much we can’t go home with,” he says.

He’s not alone, student move in is a week away, but already box springs, couches and clothes line the curb all up for grabs.

For the first time since forming in 2002, the UW-Madison IEEE team won first place in the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition. The team’s robot, “Paradroid” also placed in the top 10 in the navigation and autonomous challenges.

The robot survived a significant portion of the course before failing. It was the team’s best competition showing since they first entered in 2002.

Madison Police are cracking down on bicyclists who break traffic laws. A traffic sting last week netted ten bicyclists for running red lights. Seven more are planned in four-hour blocks for the next two months.

The issue had us wondering, how well do bikers and drivers follow basic rules of the road.

We picked a four-way stop that saw heavy traffic and counted. The findings weren’t surprising. Whether four wheels or two, we are bad about stopping at stop signs.

It was one intersection, for one hour, on one day, but it could be anywhere.

“I haven’t seen any that have come close to a complete stop yet,” said DOT state program manager Larry Corsi shortly after staking out the intersection of Linden and Babcock on the UW-Madison campus with 27 News.

….The new Post-9/11 GI Bill, which went into effect Aug. 1, is modeled after the highly successful post-World War II Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, the original GI Bill, which is credited with making education affordable for eight million World War II veterans. Like the original GI Bill, the current version also has the added bonus of keeping returning veterans from adding to the jobless ranks.

….”Veterans are coming back with real-world experience,” says Gerald Kapinos, a 28-year-old Air Force veteran, UW-Madison student and the Midwest regional director of Student Veterans of America. “Give them just a little more education, and hopefully we can be part of the solution and help turn this economy around.”

Nearly all public law schools rely on a combination of tuition, public money and private donations or revenue from endowments. Public funding has been on the decline for decades at many public law schools, but state funding cuts were especially steep this year as legislators struggled to address deep budget deficits. Some law schools are looking to tuition to help fill those funding gaps.

“We face a cut in state funding, like many other schools, and a decline in the revenue that our endowment produces,” said Kenneth Davis, dean of the University of Wisconsin Law School. “Our tuition differential will account for some of that cut funding.”

Police say a UW-Madison student fought off a would-be robber downtown on Friday evening, with pepper spray.

The victim, a 21-year-old woman, told police that around 8:30 p.m. a man on a bicycle riding on the 200 block of North Frances Street tried to steal her purse.

MADISON (WKOW) — Police say a UW-Madison student fought off a would-be robber downtown on Friday evening, with pepper spray.

The victim, a 21-year-old woman, told police that around 8:30 p.m. a man on a bicycle riding on the 200 block of North Frances Street tried to steal her purse.

A 21-year-old University of Wisconsin-Madison student was mugged as she walked near campus Friday night, but her yells during the attack attracted the attention of police who arrested the 17-year-old alleged attacker.

Angel Garcia Montes was tentatively charged with attempted armed robbery following his arrest at about 8:30 p.m. Friday at the corner of Park and Regent Streets.

Madison police said the victim was walking in the 200 block of North Frances Street when the suspect, riding a bicycle, tried to steal her purse.

Noted: At UW-Madison, I have also joined AIESEC, the largest student-run nonprofit in the world! With a mission of global understanding through international internships, AIESEC has allowed me to learn about the world from international students my own age who are working in Madison and from my AIESEC friends who have interned abroad. Although my internship opportunity to teach English in China had to be canceled because I had to have knee surgery, I still plan to travel the world and learn about it firsthand.

A judge Friday dismissed the 29-year-old first-degree murder case against Ralph Armstrong, citing what he said were repeated violations by prosecutors of a court order concerning evidence in the case and a failure to tell Armstrong’s lawyers about his brother’s purported confession nearly 15 years ago.

But Armstrong, 56, who has been in prison for nearly 30 years, won’t be immediately released. Reserve Judge Robert Kinney stayed his order for 20 days to allow prosecutors to decide on an appeal. Armstrong’s legal status in New Mexico is also in question, although his attorney, Jerome Buting, said he believes authorities there will ultimately decide not to hold him.

Armstrong was convicted in the rape and murder of UW-Madison student Charise Kamps, 19, who was found dead in her Downtown apartment on June 24, 1980, after a night of partying with Armstrong and others.

UW-Whitewater has introduced a new program encouraging former undergraduates to return to school and complete their bachelorâ??s degrees.

UW-Whitewater has identified about 330 students who attended the university since 2001 and dropped out, for whatever reason, with one semester of coursework to complete.