Seth Pollak, a distinguished professor of psychology and professor of anthropology, pediatrics, psychiatry and public affairs at the University of Wisconsin at Madison who signed the open letter against advising students to work or study at Rochester, said Thursday that he hoped Seligman’s resignation was a step in the right direction for the campus. But the report itself was unsatisfying, he said, as Jaeger was found not to have harassed women to a “pervasive” or “severe” degree, even though multiple women testified about harassment.
Category: Crime and safety
Bond set for man accused of taking pictures of woman in UW bathroom
He faces charges of capturing an intimate representation and disorderly conduct.
UW hall evacuated for chemical spill, nobody injured, officials say
The geology hall at UW-Madison was evacuated Tuesday afternoon following a small chemical spill, with nobody hurt in the incident.
Moped parking restrictions in Madison take effect Jan. 1
Beginning Monday Jan. 1, Madison’s new ordinance banning mopeds from being parked on public sidewalks and terraces takes effect. No respite will be found for moped drivers hoping to continue this practice as a provision in the law allowing property owners to set up designated parking areas on terraces has drawn little interest.
ATF agent no longer employed; accused of taking pics in UW women’s restroom
An agent of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives no longer works for the bureau after his arrest Tuesday for allegedly trying to take pictures of a woman inside a residence hall bathroom at UW-Madison.
Federal agent arrested for taking photos in women’s restroom, UW-Madison police say
A federal agent was arrested Tuesday for taking pictures in the women’s restroom of a UW-Madison residence hall, the university’s police department said.
ATF mum on report of agent being arrested in women’s restroom incident at UW-Madison
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives refused Tuesday to confirm that a male special agent was arrested for taking photos in a women’s restroom at the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.
Man arrested for taking photos in residence hall bathroom
A 27-year-old man was arrested by UW-Madison police Thursday after he allegedly snuck into a university residence hall, entered the women’s restroom and took pictures of a female inside last week.
UWPD warns of scams targeting grandparents
The University of Wisconsin–Madison Police Department asks students to talk with family members about scams targeting grandparents during the holiday break.
New overnight finals-week shuttle at UW-Madison designed for student safety
University of Wisconsin-Madison students spending a late night studying for final exams at the College Library in White Hall now have a new option to get home: an overnight finals shuttle that stops at the library, plus six residence halls on campus.
Late-night shuttle service to be offered at College Library during finals week
Nearly a month after university officials discussed the implementation of additional resources that ensure students get home safe late at night, a new pilot transportation program has been initiated to get students home during finals week.
UW campuses to get free Narcan to fight opiate overdoses
University of Wisconsin schools are getting free Narcan to combat opiate overdoses on campus.
UWPD Police Chief pledges to improve campus relations
Roman acknowledged there have been difficult relationships between police and marginalized groups across the nation for many years.
Bill would create crime victims’ legal clinic at UW Law School
A bill scheduled to be discussed at the Capitol on Tuesday would establish a legal clinic at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to help local crime victims.
Thousands of surveillance cameras keep watch over Madison’s public spaces
The city has more than 850 stationary cameras at points east, west, north and south, with an especially heavy concentration of police cameras in the State Street and Downtown areas.
UW-Madison: We don’t know how widespread sexual harassment has been on campus
University of Wisconsin-Madison officials say they don’t know how widespread sexual harassment on campus has been beyond the results of a 2015 survey in which a significant number of female graduate students said they were victimized by a supervisor or faculty member.
No reliable data on hate crimes
There are no reliable data on the number or rate of hate crimes in the United States, according to the investigative news nonprofit ProPublica. The organization has collected several dozen self-reports of alleged incidents of hate and bias in Wisconsin — most of them unconfirmed — since November 2016 when it began soliciting tips as part of its Documenting Hate project. The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism is among more than 100 news outlets and other groups participating in the project.
Judges grant motion to move trials for ex-UW student out of Dane County
Two Dane County judges, deciding together, ruled Friday that former UW-Madison student Alec Cook, who is accused of sexual assault and harassment of female students, will be tried outside of Dane County, citing intense media coverage and publicity that the case has received that would make it too difficult to find impartial jurors in Dane County.
Armed intruders enter home near UW campus and injure resident, Madison police say
Two armed intruders entered a home near the UW-Madison campus Saturday evening, injuring one of the residents, the Madison Police Department said.
Resident threatened with guns, beaten inside campus-area home
The suspects entered the house, located on North Orchard Street, through an unlocked door while residents were at home, the victims told police.
Police: Intruders enter home near UW campus, hurt resident
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Madison police say two armed intruders entered a home near the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus and hurt one of the residents over the weekend.
Former UW student accused in sex assaults asks judges to remove
A former UW-Madison student accused of sex assaults and stalking campus women has asked two judges to throw out his journals as evidence, and move his upcoming trials out of Dane County.
Man charged with hitting, killing UW student pleads guilty
The man accused of hitting and killing a University of Wisconsin-Madison student in April pleaded guilty Thursday.
Alec Cook’s journal, filled with women’s names ‘systematically’ written in it, could be excluded from trials
When a Madison Police Department detective opened a drawer in the apartment of former UW-Madison student Alec Cook — who faces 21 counts, including second-degree sexual assault, felony stalking and strangulation in cases involving nearly a dozen women — he found a Ziploc bag with a leather journal inside.
Man who killed UW student with his vehicle pleads no contest to homicide charge
Before a courtroom packed with his friends and family members, a man who struck and killed a UW-Madison student from China pleaded no contest Thursday to homicide by intoxicated driving and two other felonies.
UW Police Chief Kristen Roman: Students’ lack of trust ‘disheartening’
Just over half of University of Wisconsin-Madison students said in a recent survey that they feel comfortable contacting campus police with a problem, a count Chief Kristen Roman called “at best disheartening.”
Don’t blame hip-hop for violence — Kyra Fox
As a UW-Madison student, I take issue with Ald. Mike Verveer for blaming hip-hop for the rise in violence on the 600 block of University Avenue in Saturday’s article, “Police say gangs think city’s bar area is their turf.”
UWPD answers student concerns on communication, safety in forum
University of Wisconsin Police Department officials fielded questions from a small group of UW-Madison community members Monday in Union South — and communication was the main talking point.
UW Police holds first community forum to campus members
The forum was open to anyone in the campus community and was planned before the Campus Climate survey results were revealed.
Madison police: Gangs now consider bar-focused 600 block of University Avenue part of their turf
After a drive-by shooting in front of bars on University Avenue near the UW-Madison campus in 2012, some feared gangs were beginning to invade an area dominated by college students.
UW-Madison to add a centralized reporting and database system for sexual harassment
As sexual assault and harassment in the workplace gained national attention, UW-Madison is working to update its prevention and reporting of sexual harassment on campus.
City grapples with emerging ‘criminal gang’ presence on University Avenue
A strip of bars near the UW-Madison campus has become a center for “criminal gang” activity, according to some city officials. And local law enforcement is having trouble keeping up.
UW-Madison to centralize sex harassment reporting, records
The University of Wisconsin-Madison will establish a central reporting system and database of sexual harassment and sexual assault reports as part of efforts to bolster prevention and response practices, officials said.
Police: UW fraternity members steal Christmas tree installed near State Street
Surveillance cameras in the area captured the University of Wisconsin-Madison freshmen as they hauled the heavy tree several blocks to their fraternity house.
UW-Madison dean acknowledges school’s failure to address sexual harassment
The dean of UW-Madison’s College of Letters & Science acknowledged this week a failure to provide a safe environment in the wake of a Wisconsin State Journal report on a culture of persistent sexual harassment in a university department.
Sexual Harassment On College Campuses
The Department of Urban and Regional Planning at UW-Madison got a lot of attention over the weekend. The Wisconsin State Journal published an article about the department’s struggle with sexual harassment surrounding one prominent professor, Harvey Jacobs. The article says Jacobs’ alleged conduct had long been known in the so-called “whisper network” of women in the department. A survey on sexual misconduct at UW-Madison in 2015 revealed that about half of the responding female graduate students had experienced sexual harassment during their time at the university. About one in five of those who experienced harassment said a faculty member was responsible for the misconduct. We talk to an expert about sexual harassment on college campuses.
UWPD chief responds to lack of student comfort in police
In her latest “Chief’s Corner” blog post, Roman called the survey results “disheartening” but reaffirmed UWPD’s commitment to serving students from all backgrounds.
WiscAlert: When and why does campus receive WiscAlerts?
By the UW-Madison Police Department’s definition, WiscAlerts — UW-Madison’s emergency notification system — aim to warn people of potentially dangerous situations promptly so the community can take action to stay safe without creating unnecessary panic.
UW course for fraternity members educates men on sexual violence
Throughout UW-Madison’s efforts to combat sexual assault on campus by implementing a variety of new programs, one program has remained the same.
Madison Police ranks one of the most gender-diverse departments in America
The Madison Police Department is one of the most gender-diverse in the country, according to a new survey done by Politico.
Late-night attack on campus prompts van service proposal from UW leaders
An after-hours van service might soon be an option for UW-Madison students who study at the library late at night to get home safely.
UW Police: no crime referral on campus false threat report
A UW-Police spokesperson says there will be no crime referral in connection with someone’s false report of a gunman in a campus building earlier this month.
UW-Madison officials consider safe van rides for late-night studiers
Dean of Students Lori Berquam and Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf discussed the possibility with members of Associated Students of Madison on Nov. 7.
December trial against former UW-Madison student postponed after lawyers file motions
The first trial of former UW-Madison student Alec Cook, accused of sexual assault and harassment of female students, scheduled to happen in December, was pushed back Wednesday after Cook’s lawyers filed motions to have the case heard by a jury from outside Dane County, and to suppress some evidence taken by police during a search of Cook’s apartment.
Defense asks for change of venue, suppression of evidence in former UW student sexual assault case
The defense in the case of the former UW student accused of sexually assaulting multiple students asked for evidence — including a black leather notebook with a list of women’s names — to be thrown out and for a change of venue Monday, according to court documents.
SAFEwalk program sees increase in request for walks after reports of recent incidents
Elizabeth Pulvermacher usually walks home with friends after dark.
UW Law Library evacuated after report of man with gun; all clear given 30 minutes later
The Law Library at UW-Madison was evacuated Wednesday morning and students were sent an alert asking them to avoid the area, after police got a report of a man with an AK-47 rifle.
Man arrested for breaking into residence halls sent to mental health facility
If determined competent, Siedl could still face charges.
$50,000 bail set for man accused of UW-Madison attacks
Bail was set for a Monona man accused of kidnapping two women on the UW-Madison campus.
Sexual assault reported in residence hall
A sexual assault reportedly occurred in a southeast residence hall this past Saturday, according to a UW-Madison Crime Alert.
Chemical spill at UW Hospital; nobody injured, Madison Fire Department says
A small chemical spill at UW Hospital Tuesday night brought out the hazardous incident team of the Madison Fire Department, with nobody injured in the spill.
Report on death of windsurfer killed in collision with UW rescue boat goes to Dane County DA
A report on the death of windsurfer Yu Chen is now in the hands of Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne. Chen was killed in Lake Mendota May 31 after a collision with a University of Wisconsin-Madison Lifesaving Station rescue boat.
‘Unusually violent’ attack on UW-Madison campus prompted webchat with parents
University of Wisconsin-Madison officials sent out a crime warning after a shocking attempted abduction of a female student on campus early Oct. 2 and followed it up with a web chat with parents, campus police said.
Man who reportedly attacked two UW-Madison students on, near campus charged
A 30-year-old man who was arrested earlier this month for attempting to abduct UW-Madison women on or near campus in two separate incidents was charged Monday in the cases.
Man charged with attacks on women in Downtown area, on UW campus
A Monona man who is on probation for a federal child pornography conviction was charged Monday with attempted kidnapping, armed robbery and other charges after a woman told police earlier this month that he struck her with a hatchet, bound her with duct tape and tried to throw her into the trunk of a car.
Help us investigate campus sexual assault in UW System
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin published an article Oct. 26 examining a swift rise in sexual assaults reported to UW System authorities. Now we are asking for your help.
UWPD hosts live chat for parents and students about safety
MADISON (WKOW) — Inside a tucked away room at UW-Madison police headquarters, a team swiftly responded to questions from parents on Wednesday night.
UW campus buildings free from unsafe lead contamination levels
Students, faculty return to Bascom, Agricultural Hall after lead paint contamination.
Police deploy pepper spray before arresting three men in University Avenue disturbance
Madison police used pepper spray this weekend to break up a fight before arresting three men outside a popular strip of downtown bars this weekend.
Melee breaks out on University Avenue, 3 arrested, Madison police say
Madison police needed to use pepper spray on the crowd to break up the large disturbance that started around 1:20 a.m. in the 600 block of the main thoroughfare through the UW-Madison campus, which has about a half-dozen bars very popular among students.