When UW-Madison leaders brag about the “holistic” approach they use to choose “well-rounded” students for admission — putting good grades in a mix of other desired traits such as community service and different life experiences — junior Ashok Kumar could be their poster boy.
Since virtually the day he arrived as a freshman, from a poor school district in Yuma, Ariz., Kumar, 21, has stirred things up.
Minneapolis, Minn. ââ?¬â? Congress clamped down on schools that denied military recruiters on campus last year. It tightened restrictions under the so-called Solomon Amendment, which requires schools that receive federal funding to give recruiters the same access to their career placement offices as other employers.
When the Air Force came to Harvard Law School in October to recruit students for its Judge Advocate General’s Corps, Adam R. Sorkin, a second-year student, signed up for an interview.
Mr. Sorkin, who is gay, knew he would be turned down for the job under the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. But he went anyway, to argue for an end to the ban on homosexuals in the armed services.
BOSTON, Massachusetts (AP) — Stephanie Swisher is settling in nicely as a freshman at the University of Virginia, enjoying classes, Naval ROTC, club volleyball and football Saturdays.
Assembly Bill 343, which prohibits the distribution of emergency contraceptive prescriptions from any UW System University Health Services center was passed in the Wisconsin state Assembly in June and now waits to be voted on in the state Senate.
The active anti-war student organization Stop the War plans to file a court injunction with the American Civil Liberties Union against UW-Madison, following a disciplinary investigation initiated by The Dean of Students Office. The university took action against Stop the War, claiming inappropriate behavior at a Nov. 2 rally.
I guess Facebook isn�t only for stalking and poking. As demonstrated by the Student Labor Action Coalition late last week, some people believe the popular website can also be used for pressuring university officials to take action on important issues and proposals. Debatable, though, is whether creating mock Facebook profiles for university administrators is the best way to get them on your side.
The state�s attorney general�s office declined to offer a legal opinion regarding the controversial University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Bible-study ban last week. The office received requests from both the UW System and the delegation of 25 Republican legislators and both parties are disappointed with the recent declination.
Dear Editor: The resident assistant religious policy issue has exploded at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The taxpayers, as well the students of this state, have made it abundantly clear that the current verbal policy restricting RAs from holding, leading or organizing religious activities in their dormitory is wrong. This policy does not represent the values of Wisconsin. Furthermore, it is in violation of the First Amendment.
….The negative publicity that the UW System is receiving is unhealthy, and the UW System needs to make sure that the support of public funding from the taxpayers is not deterred with this issue.
Jeff Baldovin, Eau Claire
Yes, on my first day of college, a guy down the hall encouraged me to take a peek at his roommate having sex.
Yes, I once heard the thud of a drunken student hitting concrete after he fell from a 12-foot perch in the middle of the night.
And yes, during a football game, a tumbler of ice struck my head with such force that the plastic shattered.
So, like most University of Wisconsin-Madison alumni, I was not shocked that hundreds of revelers were arrested in Madison again this past Halloween or that Madison has again topped the annual list of party schools.
In true Thanksgiving fashion, cultures combined throughout Madison on Thursday as families opened their homes and shared their turkey dinners with international UW-Madison students.
About 75 students went to 45 homes to share in a Thanksgiving Day meal, said Kathy Granquist. “The response from the community has been very good.”
In-depth State Journal report on the rise of activism and community-based volunteer work among UW-Madison students. Story not available online.
It may be little comfort, but it’s official now.
Students in the University of Wisconsin System are drinking dangerously at a rate fully one-third higher than their peers nationwide, with the hangovers, missed classes, DUIs and unprotected sex to show for it.
In true Thanksgiving fashion, cultures combined throughout Madison on Thursday as families opened their homes and shared their turkey dinners with international UW-Madison students.
About 75 students went to 45 homes to share in a Thanksgiving Day meal, said Kathy Granquist. “The response from the community has been very good.”
Outsiders will soon weigh in with possible solutions to the continuing puzzle of how to make the University of Wisconsin System more diverse.
System President Kevin Reilly is assembling a first-of-its-kind panel, choosing heavy hitters from government, business, nonprofits, private colleges and even out-of-state schools. The state and national experts will act as his advisers, working with ongoing internal efforts to make the System’s student body and work force less white.
Yes, on my first day of college, a guy down the hall encouraged me to take a peek at his roommate having sex. Yes, I once heard the thud of a drunken student hitting concrete after he fell from a 12-foot perch in the middle of the night. And yes, during a football game, a tumbler of ice struck my head with such force that the plastic shattered.
So, like most University of Wisconsin-Madison alumni, I was not shocked that hundreds of revelers were arrested in Madison again this Halloween, or that UW has again topped the annual list of party schools. Perhaps more surprising to the average Badger is that, in my four years there, I didn’t have a single drink.
With heating costs expected to soar by 60 percent this winter, the highest levels of state government are hunting for a solution.
Citing ââ?¬Å?record highââ?¬Â energy prices, Gov. Jim Doyle signed an executive order at the Capitol Monday, ordering all state agencies under his jurisdiction to take steps to reduce energy costs. Following this trend, UW-Madison officials said the school is working toward similar goals.
A ââ?¬Å?fireside chatââ?¬Â with members from organizations concerned with UW-Madisonââ?¬â?¢s sweatshop policy met Monday night to discuss the issues facing the university.
I guess Facebook isn�t only for stalking and poking. As demonstrated by the Student Labor Action Coalition late last week, some people believe the popular website can also be used for pressuring university officials to take action on important issues and proposals. Debatable, though, is whether creating mock Facebook profiles for university administrators is the best way to get them on your side.
The National Student Clearinghouse released a report last week detailing where the thousands of college students who were displaced by hurricanes Katrina and Rita enrolled.
The University of Wisconsin System will have to look elsewhere for legal advice regarding UW-Eau Claire�s controversial Bible-study ban.
The Associated Students of Madison held a ââ?¬Å?Fireside Chatââ?¬Â to discuss faculty, student and business viewpoints about the current relationship between the University of Wisconsin and its numerous apparel licensees Monday.
STEVENS POINT – Requiring registration of keg purchases in the city will not affect University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point students buying the kegs for parties, students said.
And it may wind up hurting some small city businesses, some liquor store owners said.
Stevens Point Common Council approved a new keg ordinance Monday 7-4 with an implementation date of Jan. 15, to allow surrounding villages and towns an opportunity to review the ordinance and possibly adopt similar resolutions.
Harvard researchers published a study last week concluding that cooperation between colleges and communities reduces binge drinking and drunk driving.
Three researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) found that schools that fully implemented the ââ?¬Å?A Matter of Degreeââ?¬Â (AMOD) approach prevented drunk driving more effectively than institutions that used traditional alcohol policies that focus on educating individuals.
One college freshman’s photo shows her sitting beside an open toilet seat, looking hung over.
The profile she posted on an online college directory describes her as a “firewoman.” “And you slide down my pole,” she writes. “Does that make you hot?”
The long tale of the Teaching Assistants� Association�s battle for a wage increase without health care premiums is coming to a close. But the moral of this story is not a happy one for teaching assistants or their union. The product of this two-year battle and strike is a meager 8 percent wage increase and a total capitulation on health care payment.
The Facebook restricted a profile created by the Student Labor Action Coalition criticizing Chancellor John Wiley for his stance on an anti-sweatshop proposal, according to UW-Madison sophomore and SLAC member John Bruning. Bruning said that those from SLAC who were working on the profile were unable to edit it.
The Teaching Assistants� Association could end the nearly two-year process of contract negotiations by ratifying its contract with the state on Dec. 2. While the contract offers minor wage increases, it also dictates TAs will pay for health care, according to the TAA contract offer obtained by The Daily Cardinal. The health care payment was the main point of contention in the past two years, resulting in a strike and two-day walkout in April 2004.
When freshman students begin life on a new campus, safety is of the utmost importance. After a while, the feeling of safety becomes interminable and immunity to danger develops. Crime rates are as low as they have ever been, and the belief that ââ?¬Å?thereââ?¬â?¢s no way anything could happen to meââ?¬Â is overwhelming. Walking home at night alone? No problem. This feeling of safety is what every student deserves to feel while at home at his or her school. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and the root of some problems may be the fault of the university.
Broadcaster Pat Robertson recently issued a fatwa over the citizens of Dover, Penn., who voted out of office school board members who supported intelligent design in the school curriculum. ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢d like to say to the good citizens of Dover: if there is a disaster in your area, donââ?¬â?¢t turn to God. You just rejected Him from your city,ââ?¬Â Robertson said. Hmm ââ?¬Â¦ is this about science or religion?
It could be argued Regent Christopher Semenas has a more difficult and challenging role than any of his fellow board members.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation early Friday morning cutting $14.3 billion in federal student financial aid and $11.4 billion in Medicaid funds.
After nearly three years of on-and-off deliberations, the University of Wisconsin Teaching Assistants Association and the state reached an agreement last week to bring the two groups into compliance through 2007.
Considering headlines about UW students’ drinking, what are the stumbling blocks that contribute to problem drinking? They are poor role-modeling by parents, teachers and government leaders; greedy bartenders; churches hesitant to speak up lest they lose members; legislators unwilling to alienate the alcohol industry by taxation and restrictions on ads and the apathy of others who say it’s culture and unavoidable.
Abraham Lincoln said “A child is a person who is going to carry on what you have started. He will assume control of your cities, states and nations . . . the fate of humanity is in his hands.”
The Roman Empire was not defeated from enemies without but by debauchery and corruption within. We cannot let this happen to our state and nation.
– Allegra Zick, president, Baraboo Woman’s Christian Temperance Union
Next weekend marks the annual flight home of the college freshmen, the midterm migration in which recently fledged students return home to prove their parents are getting their money’s worth.
We have so many questions for these kids. How are they holding up against all those liberal professors we keep hearing about? Is it really possible to live on nothing but Chipotle burritos? And how could they have gone so many minutes over their monthly cell phone allotment without ever having called home?
Anti war activists hoping to shut down a UW-Madison campus area military recruiting office were surprised to find the office closed during regular business hours.
Now that we have a couple of weeks’ distance from this year’s Halloween “festivities” in Madison, during which the police decided to pepper-spray a crowd to pre-empt the drunken rampages of previous years, perhaps we can begin to think seriously about underage drinking.
The University of Wisconsin steals the national spotlight, but for reasons other than academics.
News 3�s Steve Van Dinter reported Thursday�s article in USA Today is being celebrated by some, but despised by others, because it focuses on the UW�s drinking reputation.
Before making an all-night journey to an infamous military training center in Georgia, Madison area peace activists urged Bishop Robert Morlino to work to bring about change there.
Morlino was appointed last month to the 13-member board of visitors of the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, formerly known as the School of the Americas, at Fort Benning in Georgia.
…. The 42-member Madison delegation included 30 college age students, including six from Edgewood and 15 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Many UW-Madison students opened their e-mail Thursday morning to find a Facebook friend request from Chancellor John Wiley. The link led them to a mock profile engineered by the Student Labor Action Coalition as a statement against Wileyââ?¬â?¢s criticism of its anti-sweatshop proposal. At the bottom of the profile was a disclaimer announcing the profile, like Wileyââ?¬â?¢s stance on sweatshops, was ââ?¬Å?an offensive joke.ââ?¬Â
With tuition costs constantly on the rise, many students worry that there�s no end in sight. Various solutions to the ever-increasing cost of higher education have been proposed, but none seem viable.
City officials pondered the future of a keg-registration ordinance Thursday after the Madison Alcohol License Review Committee filed the proposal at a meeting Wednesday.
Every day at the Wisconsin Unions, dozens of events ranging from student organizational meetings to the Distinguished Lecture Series and live music performances take place.
Since retiring as vice president of Worldwide Marketing at the Parker Pen Company in Janesville 20 years ago, Regent Roger Axtell has spent much of his retirement speaking on international business and stressing the value of studying abroad.
Seeking stronger action to prevent University of Wisconsin apparel from being manufactured in sweatshops, the Student Labor Action Coalition invited students to join Chancellor John Wiley�s list of Facebook friends Wednesday.
Buying more than one keg of beer could become illegal in Madison if a proposed keg registration ordinance is passed.
With the holiday season fast approaching, students can ask for gift cards from Best Buy, The Gap and now the UW System under a bill that allows for tuition gift certificates.
Freshmen descended on the university in droves this year, putting pressure on admissions to tighten enrollment and raise standards for next year.
To keep students in class and out of the doctor�s office this winter, University Health Services announced Wednesday the department will again offer students free flu vaccinations throughout the semester.
Twenty-five Wisconsin legislators sent a letter to Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager Wednesday, asking her legal opinion on a University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire policy, which they feel may be unconstitutional.
The Alcohol License Review Committee approved the keg registration ordinance at a meeting Wednesday.
Western Collegiate Hockey Association commissioner Bruce McLeod said he’s disappointed in Adam Burish’s actions, but he won’t add any extra games to the University of Wisconsin hockey captain’s punishment.
Burish is out for Saturday’s WCHA game against Minnesota State because of a game disqualification he received for a hit on Colorado College’s Scott Thauwald at the end of last Saturday’s game. McLeod reviewed video of the incident but, after consulting with league supervisor of officials Greg Shepherd and taking into account past league suspensions, decided Tuesday it did not warrant more on-ice discipline.
College students who have already suffered negative consequences of drinking and driving are more likely to drink and drive again than are their peers who have not dealt with such consequences, a study has found.
According to the study, which was published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol, it’s hard to break the habit of drinking and driving, even though college students who have experienced a drunken-driving accident or arrest show a better understanding of the risks involved than those who have not.
If Angie Gratzl could make kids understand one thing about the dangers of underage drinking, it’s that bad things can happen to you. She knows, because they happened to her son. Some 15 months ago, during move-in time last year at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, her son Jason, then 18, drank too much at a house party and fell from a second-floor balcony, where a friend told police he had gone to vomit.
Research by Pennsylvania State University professor Rob Turrisi suggests that parents who talk with their child about alcohol can influence his or her drinking habits in college. And it can make a difference even if parents don’t start until the months before the start of the freshman year.
A proposal to regulate the number of kegs in houses and apartments in Madison to twoââ?¬Â¦suffered a defeat last night. Alderman Paul Skidmore’s measureââ?¬Â¦.which was designed to crack down on house partiesââ?¬Â¦was voted down by the city’s Alcohol License Review Committee.
Wren Singer, director of freshman orientation at the University of Wisconsin, calls them the ââ?¬Å?wink-wink, nudge-nudge parents,ââ?¬Â the ones who typically make themselves known during parent sessions at orientation. When the topic turns to how parents might talk with their child about drinking, ââ?¬Å?One parent in the back will say, ââ?¬Ë?Oh, but kids will be kids,’ and everyone will laugh. You see it in their faces ââ?¬â? relief: ââ?¬Ë?Oh, yeah, kids will be kids.’ ââ?¬Â
Growing criticism could cut off access to prime market. Every marketer has its sweet spot. That’s the age group where brand preferences begin forming for their product. For fast-food giants, it’s the Happy Meal set. For soft-drink makers, it’s preteens. For beer kingpins ââ?¬â? and, increasingly, wine and liquor producers ââ?¬â? it’s the college crowd.
Should you have to pay to attend next year’s Halloween festivities on State Street?
That’s one of the ideas being tossed around to help cover law enforcement costs for the event.
Would a beer keg registration law in Madison help cut down on binge drinking and underage drinking?
