Category: Campus life

Noted: Bryon Eagon, a delegate and junior from UW-Madison, found it hard to remember a Democrat in Washington before Clinton

Friends of Lindsey Plank describe the 23-year-old chemistry student’s personal side, calling her fun-loving, goofy, perky, wild, energetic and uniquely charismatic.

“She was ready and raring to go all the time. I could never imagine her being in a bad mood. She was incredibly energetic and wild. She had a zest for life that I haven’t seen with anybody else,” said Ashley Gritton, 23, who has known Plank since elementary school and reunited with her a month ago at their five-year high school reunion.

Plank, a Stoughton native, and her boyfriend, Richard H. Putze, 22, from Milwaukee, were killed along with Daniel Myers, 22, when the car the three were traveling in hit a tree just after 1:45 a.m. Wednesday at 215 S. Midvale Blvd., just north of Mineral Point Road.

College students today celebrate 21st birthdays with an average of 12 drinks for men and nine for women, finds the most in-depth picture yet of the consequences of extreme partying.

Madison motorists are advised to be on the lookout for out-of-state license plates Wednesday and Thursday when panicky dads and moms look for parking on the UW-Madison campus, their eager youngsters anxious to move into their dorms.

About 6,900 freshmen and sophomores will be descending onto the nearly 20 campus dorm halls and houses, prompting the university and city to shut down or restrict access to several campus/downtown streets.

Noted: New to the convention scene is Molly Rivera, a sophomore at UW-Madison and Wisconsin delegate.

Rivera was chosen by the Obama campaign to appear on stage at the Pepsi Center as a representative of the youth vote.

Three UW-Madison undergraduates who died Wednesday after the car they were in hit a tree on Midvale Boulevard were remembered as outstanding students who overcame personal obstacles, pushed boundaries and went out and did amazing things.

“We don’t know what these young people could have been or done,” said Lori Berquam, dean of students. “It’s nothing short of horrific tragedy that’s befallen our campus.”

Killed were Lindsey T. Plank, 23, and Richard H. Putze, 22, both seniors majoring in chemistry, and Daniel Myers, 22, who this summer completed his requirements to graduate with a major in music performance, with piano as a specialty.

Authorities said two UW-Madison seniors and a recent UW-Madison graduate have died after a car left a well traveled Madison boulevard and smashed into a tree early Wednesday morning.

Authorities identified the victims as Lindsey Plank, 23, and Richard Putze, 22, both seniors majoring in chemistry, and graduate Daniel Myers, 22, whose degree is in musical performance. Plank and Putze lived just three blocks from the scene of the crash, which was in the 200 block of South Midvale Boulevard on the city’s west side.

MADISON, Wis. — A third person has died after being injured in a single-car crash early Wednesday morning on Midvale Boulevard.

The Dane County coroner has identified the third victim as Daniel Myers, 22, of Madison. Myers was pronounced dead at UW Hospital late Wednesday morning.

The other victims were identified as Lindsey T. Plank, 23, of Madison, and Richard H. Putze, 22, of Madison, according to the Dane County coroner. Putze was pronounced dead at the scene while Plank was pronounced dead at UW Hospital.

At around 1:45 am, Madison Police say a car swerved off the road and crashed into a tree on the 200 block of South Midvale Boulevard.

All three people in the car were killed in the crash.

23-year-old Lindsey Plank and 22-year-old Richard Putze were Seniors at UW-Madison, and 22-year old Daniel Myers was a recent graduate of the UW.

UW chemistry professor John Moore is numb.

MADISON, Wis. — Thousands of University of Wisconsin students are moving into their dorm rooms this week, and the school’s new chancellor is also trying to acquaint herself with campus life.

Carolyn Biddy Martin is introducing herself to some new students at Ogg Hall.

Just days before the opening of a new semester, the University of Wisconsin-Madison community was stunned today by the deaths of two incoming seniors and a recent graduate in an early morning crash Wednesday on South Midvale Boulevard, just south of Hillcrest Drive between Mineral Point Road and Regent Street.

MADISON – The University of Wisconsin-Madison campus community is mourning the deaths of three of its students in a Midvale Boulevard car accident early Wednesday.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of three members of our campus community,” says Dean of Students Lori Berquam. “The timing of this tragedy, just as we’re about to start a new semester, hits us all particularly hard.”

“ODOS offers our deepest and sincerest sympathies to all those who knew, attended class or worked with Lindsey Plank, Richard Putze and Daniel Myers,” Berquam says. “In particular, our thoughts go out to their parents and families, during this time of grief.”

….”The UW chemistry community is devastated by this loss,” says Professor Robert Hamers, chair of the Department of Chemistry. “In addition to being chemistry majors, Lindsey and Richard volunteered their time and energy to assist with lecture demonstrations. Our heartfelt condolences go out to all the family and friends of all three students.”

Madison motorists are advised to be on the lookout for out-of-state license plates Wednesday and Thursday when panicky dads and moms look for parking on the UW-Madison campus, their eager youngsters anxious to move into their dorms.

Incoming Chancellor Biddy Martin will address the University of Wisconsin-Madison community for the first time at the Chancellor’s Convocation for New Students.

The event will be held at noon on Friday, Aug. 29, at the Kohl Center. As a bookend to commencement, the convocation inaugurates students into the campus community as they begin their studies.

The majority of University of Wisconsin-Madison students who will be living in university residence halls this fall – approximately 6,900 of them – began moving in on Aug. 24, and many of them are scheduled to move in Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 27 and 28.

Motorists should be aware that the following temporary changes in campus-area traffic patterns will take place between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday to accommodate the unloading of the students’ belongings.

Like most Americans, Democratic delegate Awais Khaleel was deeply affected by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Not only was he shocked by the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people, but as a young Muslim two weeks shy of his 17th birthday, Khaleel was dismayed that members of his religion committed the attacks in the name of their faith and that Americans’ images of Muslims were shaped by the attackers.

“The events of September 11th shook me up and made me re-examine my own life and my own purpose,” Khaleel said. “At that point, I decided I wanted to pursue a career in politics and public service.”

â?¢ Superdelegate Is Super Busy Being Wooed (Feb. 10)
Khaleel, 23, and a recent UW-Madison graduate, is off to a fast start.

MADISON, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Madison has launched a new Web site to help raise the level of safety education and awareness for students who will soon start the fall semester.

The Web site, Safeu.wisc.edu, contains information about personal safety, off-campus living, sexual assault and domestic violence prevention, emergency preparedness tips and information on how to sign up for WiscAlerts-Text, the university’s new emergency text-messaging system.

The Web site is part of the university’s “Safety 24/7” campaign, which encourages students to take care of their personal safety at all times by integrating safety measures into their everyday lives.

The new Chancellor, Carolyn Martin, says the stakes are “very high” for UW Madison to be able to help fund the education of graduate students. Martin says it’s one of several budget items she hopes to discuss with lawmakers. Shamane Mills reports. (Audio.)

From University of Wisconsin: Taking care of your personal safety isn’t something to just to think about at nighttime or after class, but to make a part of your life, all of the time.

That’s the message from the Offices of the Dean of Students to UW-Madison students, faculty and staff, at the start of the 2008-09 academic year. Move-in for some University Housing residents is already under way, and classes begin on Tuesday, Sept. 2.

The university is making an added effort to raise the level of safety education and awareness during the start of the fall semester with the launch of a new Web site.

A recent report from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that in the next 40 years, minorities, including Asian Americans, Latinos, and African Americans, will become the majority of the United States population. You might not be aware of this, living in Wisconsin, but Damon Williams, who on Aug. 1 started his new job as vice provost for diversity and climate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, knows full well that the nation is changing demographically and that businesses need employees who understand and reflect the types of consumers they are trying to connect with their products.

At 4 a.m., while many college students are in bed, Danny Spirn is reading the Web sites of UW-Madison’s student newspapers.

Spirn, who is the author of the Critical Badger blog, says he wants to be “the first person to get a real good look at this stuff and put commentary out there. So in a sense, it would shape the day’s thoughts for those who read it, or at least give them an alternative vision.”

It’s been 10 years since the UW System launched its major diversity initiative — Plan 2008 — and in that time administrators have successfully recruited hundreds of students of color and faculty to come to UW-Madison.

In that same 10 years, UW-Madison has made news for photoshopping a photo of a black student into a crowd of white students on a brochure and for a law school professor’s remarks about the Hmong that some considered racist.

MADISON â?? University of Wisconsin System regents called for action Friday in response to what they called a troubling audit that showed a growing demand for mental health counseling.

The audit found UW students often wait a week or more for counseling now and wait times are likely to increase as demand grows faster than resources. Also, not all UW campuses track troubled students referred to off-campus health care providers to make sure they get treatment, the report by UW System auditors found.

As the students come flooding back into Madison those looking to party are finding a new obstacle.

Meant to curb underage drinking, new scanners at local businesses are getting their first real test.

It’s a Friday night in Madison and the streets are packed, students are back in town and liquor stores are buzzing.

Those looking to celebrate their return with alcohol are getting a surprise.

MADISON, Wis. — Some of the nation’s most educated academic professionals believe the legal drinking age should be lowered from 21 to 18.

The movement, called The Amethyst Initiative, was undertaken by college leaders who believe that lowering the drinking age could cut the abuse of alcohol.

“The important thing from the university perspective is the decision-making,” said UW Associate Dean of Students Kevin Helmkamp. “We want our students to make good decisions.”

MADISON, Wis. — A Dane County judge has set a trial date for a Minnesota man accused of fatally stabbing a Madison man earlier this year.

Jury selection will begin Jan. 12 for Adam Peterson, 20, of North Grant.

The former University of Wisconsin-Madison student has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

It’s almost time to head back to school — and back to the doctor’s office. Doctors recommend adolescents and college freshmen get vaccinated against meningitis. But one family has learned how suddenly this deadly disease can strike.

“He loved to read,” Ruthann Baxter-Cutting says of her son.

22-year-old Erik Baxter was an aspiring writer himself.

Nearly 100 presidents of some of the top universities and colleges are banding together to tackle binge drinking on campuses across the country.

The UW was approached, but declined to take part.

That’s because their top leader, newly appointed Biddy Martin, doesn’t even start until September.

Still, UW Associate Dean Kevin Helmkamp says he is skeptical of the idea.

http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8868814&nav=menu1362_2
Nearly 100 presidents of some of the top universities and colleges are banding together to tackle binge drinking on campuses across the country.

The UW was approached, but declined to take part.

That’s because their top leader, newly appointed Biddy Martin, doesn’t even start until September.

Still, UW Associate Dean Kevin Helmkamp says he is skeptical of the idea.

Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk announced Wednesday that her 2009 budget proposal calls for the county’s 911 Center to receive $578,000 in significant improvements.

….Both Falk and the 911 Center have been heavily criticized for the mishandling of an emergency call from UW-Madison student Brittany Zimmerman, who was murdered earlier this year.

UW-Madison students hoping to use the podium concrete stage next on the Library Mall for speeches, rallies and music are being displaced by underground utility construction.

But never fear, demonstrators, the city parks department will let you speak (or sing, or act) your piece on either side of the public platform.

The podium is expected to be out of service from now to November.

In response to the city of Madison’s latest budget crunch, library officials recently floated a plan to close the Monroe Street branch library or, at the least, cut back hours and services. But maybe there’s a “green” way to save some dollars there instead.

A study by students in Mike Oliva’s sustainable design engineering class at University of Wisconsin-Madison last year found that the 47-year-old library could shave energy costs by using high-performance fluorescent light bulbs, natural lighting, double-pane windows, occupancy sensors for bathroom lights and fans and additional insulation. The students found, incredibly enough, that there was no insulation in the walls.

On a sultry summer day, Sheridan Glen has the interior of his BMW cool as his pulls out of the parking lot of his home in the 4th Ward Lofts. A Madison resident for eight years, Glen has immersed himself in the historical fabric of one of Madison’s oldest neighborhoods on the isthmus.

….As the (Brittany) Zimmerman homicide illustrates, the neighborhood, despite its recent developments and new residents, is not immune from violence and criminal activities. Roughly 500 major crimes, including rape, murder, burglary, theft and aggravated assault, have been committed in the neighborhood over the past five years, according to Madison Police Department records. The numbers, though, have declined slightly each of the past five years.

Capt. Mary Schauf of the Madison Police Department’s Central District says major crimes have stabilized as the result of acute attention paid to the area in recent years.

Students entering college this fall have lived their whole lives in a digital world â?? where GPS has always been available, phones have always had caller ID and tax returns could always be filed online. The incoming freshmen, born mostly in 1990, also grew up knowing only Jay Leno on The Tonight Show. Those are some of the 60 cultural landmarks on the Beloit College Mindset List.