On Wednesday evening, more than 60 people took their own time to find the DNR offices, show up for a public hearing, stand up, and be heard. Every last one of those people voiced their concerns about the UW�s antiquated, dirty coal-fired power plant and asked the UW to take a lead on combating global warming, and to start by cleaning up the Charter Street plant
Category: Opinion
Death penalty shouldn’t have lived
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Mentions that Steven Avery was freed in 2003 after University of Wisconsin-Madison students involved in the Innocence Project proved he wasn’t guilty of the rape and assault for which he served 18 years in prison.
In the Pink No More
New York Times
ON Nov. 1, just two months shy of its 50th birthday, the plastic pink flamingo went extinct. Or more accurately, it stopped reproducing, when its manufacturer, Union Products, shut down the factory in Leominster, Mass.
Mourning a loss
Badger Herald
While the rest of the University of Wisconsin campus was going about yesterday like any other day ââ?¬â? attending class, studying at the library and going to work ââ?¬â? a fellow Badgerââ?¬â?¢s life came to an abrupt end.
Bias-free? Someone Should Tell The Dean
Wisconsin State Journal
My university is extremely disappointed — in me. And that is not fair.
After months of deliberation over my position on the state’s ballot initiative concerning the definition and recognition of marriage in Wisconsin, I voted “yes” on Nov. 7.
In Wiley we trust
Badger Herald
Yesterday, the Associated Students of Madison Student Judiciary decided to uphold the election results from the Student Union Initiative referendum that students voted on in October.
Lampert Smith: T-shirts aimed at halting abuse, raising money
Wisconsin State Journal
I do get mad, but I also like to get even.
That’s why I’m saluting the folks over at Domestic Abuse Intervention Services, the girls of Alpha Chi Omega on the UW-Madison campus, and Avon.
Undocumented kids deserve a chance to learn
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Not far from where I live, two girls live with their undocumented immigrant parents from Mexico in a rented cottage behind a city duplex.
Maria, 7, is in the second grade at a Milwaukee public school. She speaks Spanish at home while rapidly attaining English fluency at school. She is bright, social and intelligent.
Imagine who Maria could be in 10 years – confident, close to her family and recently accepted to the state’s best university, the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is one of many diverse faces of the next generation of Americans – Hispanic, bilingual and educated, despite coming from what many Americans would consider a very poor background.
Student organization plan misguided
Daily Cardinal
UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley�s State of the University speech Monday was impressive overall, but had an important flaw.
Shalala: Nation needs more women in science, engineering
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
I recently chaired a committee of the National Academies – the research complex that includes the National Academy of Sciences – that was charged with gathering and analyzing the best available information on the status of women in academic science and engineering.
Bielema keeps Iowa roots under wraps
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
To prove once more that the media wouldn’t know a good story if it smacked it upside the head like a Britney Spears text message to Kevin Federline’s chops, Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema says he has been asked about his Hawkeyes tattoo all of three times during Iowa week.
Judiciary must dismiss Elliott case
Daily Cardinal
Step aside Florida 2000ââ?¬â?The case seeking to overturn the Student Union Initiative, Elliott v. Student Elections Commission, is challenging legitimate election results for baseless reasons.
Six students stepped forward last week to challenge SUI�s election campaign, citing five petitions that they argue should nullify the student vote.
Langdon Street patrol plan worthy of praise
Daily Cardinal
As increasing late-night violence threatens the safety of UW-Madison students, the Madison Police Department is joining forces with a number of fraternities to provide more resources to help students avoid danger.
Mayer: Return to the norm (The Courier-Mail, Australia)
BARRING the discovery of a secret cache of uncounted ballots in Northern Virginia, the Democrats will have control of the US� Congress for the first time since 1994.
Professor Kenneth R. Mayer, of the Political Science Department, University of Wisconsin, Madison, is the visiting Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Political Science at the Australian National University, Canberra.
Lampert Smith: Wisconsin wants W abusers whacked
Wisconsin State Journal
Wisconsin’s war on those wascally wobbers who are making off with Wisconsin’s “motion W” has expanded far beyond that wily corn growing state to our west.
Students� rights ignored by UW
Badger Herald
It is a sorry state of affairs for the First Amendment on the University of Wisconsin campus.
Greeks� plan ill-advised
Badger Herald
Halloween is over and, surprisingly, ended without pepper spray or riots ââ?¬â? an achievement that students and city officials should be proud of. With that said, it is now time for Madison officials to put away their riot gear and return to the more pertinent issues facing the downtown area.
Baggot: UW sports near top of game
Wisconsin State Journal
You may not have noticed UW- Madison has eight teams ranked nationally in the top 25 of their sports. Say what you want about the meaning of polls and ratings, but that’s pretty impressive.
Halloween: The aftermath
Daily Cardinal
At 2:00 a.m., pre-daylight savings time Sunday morning, the 500 Block of State Street looked like a bad case of dÃ?©jÃ? vu. A frenzied crowd of partiers alternatively chanted ââ?¬Å?Fuck the policeââ?¬Â and ââ?¬Å?We want tear gasââ?¬Â while throwing chunks of pumpkin and debris from the street.
A sigh of relief
Badger Herald
Whew, it worked.
The city of Madison successfully executed Mayor Dave Cieslewicz�s plan for Halloween 2006, and despite some reservations about the new system, the night went off without a hitch.
Do We Really Need 2 Barrys?
Wisconsin State Journal
The sculpture of Barry Alvarez that stands outside the main entrance to Camp Randall Stadium is remarkable not only in its detail, but its message.
From the pair of regulation Adidas shoes on his feet, to the watch on his left wrist that says it’s 7:24, to the stressed expression on his face, Alvarez looks much like he did on the sidelines during his final seasons as University of Wisconsin football coach.
Brawn Trumps Brains, At Least In Statues
Wisconsin State Journal
Early on during the 20 or so years I worked in Washington, D.C., I concluded that the main function of the many statues in that monument-obsessed city is to give pigeons a place to poop.
Here in Madison, we know the two statues recently erected at the University of Wisconsin’s Camp Randall — one a tower of spheroid objects, the other a likeness of former coach and current athletic director Barry Alvarez — serve a higher purpose. That would be the glorification of big-time college football.
National spotlight skews image of UW
Daily Cardinal
Can you feel it yet? That ââ?¬Å?itââ?¬Â is a spotlight honed in on Madison from the national media as a result of recent events that have taken place at the university.
Diversity efforts need consolidation
Daily Cardinal
Diversity is a notoriously sticky issue on campus, and the university deserves to be commended for its continual willingness to grapple with it.
John Nichols: Wellstone wise on stem cell debate
Capital Times
The last day that I spent with Paul Wellstone began on a sunny morning in the living room of his St. Paul home. I’d arrived to join him as he campaigned for re-election in what was widely seen as the most hotly contested Senate race in the nation.
….This week, as we mark the fourth anniversary of his death in a Minnesota plane crash, stem cell research is finally emerging as the sort of political issue that Wellstone thought it should be.
And Michael J. Fox, whose book the senator was reading on that sunny morning that now seems so very long ago, is at the center of the debate. This week, Fox began appearing in televised campaign commercials for Democratic supporters of embryonic stem cell research including Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle who are locked in tight races with Republicans who want to limit support for scientific inquiry.
Hold the pepper
Badger Herald
After months of planning and speculation, Halloween 2006 is finally upon us. Considering the blitz of national and local news coverage highlighting the negative aspects of the party, it�s easy to forget it hasn�t always ended with pepper spray.
Reilly: UW System has a plan for economic growth, access (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
St. Paul Pioneer Press
Wisconsin deserves a competitive edge in the knowledge economy, and the University of Wisconsin System and its institutions are ready to lead the way. The solution we are proposing to the Wisconsin Legislature is a “Growth Agenda for Wisconsin” that will contribute to the state’s economy in three ways.
Professors must keep bias out of classroom
Daily Cardinal
After taking numerous classes at this university, chances are at one point you have taken a class in which a professor gave a lecture or assigned a book that you did not agree with.
Oates: 11-1 and in BCS? If it’s UW, no
Wisconsin State Journal
It’s almost November, which means it’s time for the silly season in college football.
ââ?¬Ë?Freakfestââ?¬â?¢ outcome lies in student hands
Daily Cardinal
As Halloween weekend fast approaches, many students are threatening to boycott the planned Saturday night State Street event, ââ?¬Å?Freakfest,ââ?¬Â by doing their partying on State Street Friday night.
Partying Friday will show the mayor what happens when he denies us our right to party, right? Wrong. This is the spoiled and stubborn attitude that got restrictions placed on Halloween in the first place.
O’Reilly bedevils UW yet again
Wisconsin State Journal
A last-minute call on Oct. 13 landed WTDY-AM 1670 talk host Casey Hoff on Bill O’Reilly’s Fox TV show that night, talking about instructor Kevin Barrett, the UW Band and profs with criminal records in a segment called “UW Out of Control.”
Who Says Money Corrupts Campaigns?
Wisconsin State Journal
With the primary election over and the general election campaigns in full gear, the gnashing of teeth and mashing of keyboards is in full force.
Critics are quick to point out the flaws of the system. Too much money is spent, too much is contributed, too much is devoted to television ads.
Are these charges accurate? UW-Madison political scientist John Coleman examines the issue.
Plain talk: Political attack ads misleading, petty
Capital Times
Here are yet more examples of what’s wrong with our politics today: Several days ago an official state audit reported that faculty and staff at the University of Wisconsin seldom take any sick leave, a practice that allows them to accumulate days that they can convert into paid health insurance when they retire.
Anita Weier of our staff covered the audit report, which was released late on a Friday morning. But before the newspaper actually hit the streets a couple of hours later with her story, there was a press release in my e-mail inbox from GOP gubernatorial candidate Mark Green, blaming it all on incumbent Gov. Jim Doyle.
Anyone who is at all familiar with state government knows that such a charge is patently silly. University and state workers for better or for worse have been taking advantage of that state benefit for decades.
Sick leave reporting needs transparency
Daily Cardinal
Arecent report released by the Legislative Audit Bureau that looks at the personal practices and policies of the University of Wisconsin System found that faculty use a great deal less sick time compared to other staff.
In a response, UW System President Kevin Reilly addressed the concerns in the audit and ensured they would be reported on and further investigated over the upcoming months.
Lampert Smith: Nugent a good pick for campus
Wisconsin State Journal
The Motor City Madman, Ted Nugent, will storm the stage at Union Theater Wednesday to deliver a lecture on “God, Guns and Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
Maybe he’ll bring his hunting bow, which he uses to shoot at photos of Saddam Hussein.
UW marks down Comparative Lit.
Badger Herald
The humanities are an extremely important and integral part of our university. And the University of Wisconsin administration is beginning to disregard the humanities in a way that will negatively impact our campus in the future.
Wiley scapegoats Leckrone, Band
Badger Herald
This past week produced a flurry of media attention for the iconic UW marching band. Unfortunately, it hasn�t been the kind of attention the organization is used to receiving.
Cheers
Badger Herald
In a semester in which the University of Wisconsin has seemingly garnered attention for all the wrong reasons, it is easy to overlook professors whose contributions to the school are far more important yet attract considerably less notice.
Fuson: Badger becomes bully over its scarlet letter (Des Moines Register)
I knew this would happen.
Some of these formerly small towns in Iowa are getting too big for their britches. One day, they’re smaller than the seats on a commuter flight. The next day, they’re larger than the federal deficit.Take Waukee. You’ll find it on the Omaha side of West Des Moines. Or the Minneapolis side of Urbandale. I get so confused.
Bill O’Reilly is giving distorted lessons on higher education (The Southern Illinoisan)
I may be hung out to dry for saying this, but would you believe university professors like Kevin Barrett, the University of Wisconsin instructor currently under fire for his belief the U.S. government orchestrated the 9-11 terrorist attacks, can give college students one of the best higher learning experiences money can buy?
Extremist lectures harmful to UW education
Badger Herald
While the controversy began before most of us returned to campus for the fall, the Kevin Barrett scandal seems not to want to die.
Vote ââ?¬Ë?Noââ?¬â?¢ on Union referendum
Badger Herald
The big, nostalgic slogan of the Student Union Initiative is a clever one. It speaks of a time when some 3,000-odd University of Wisconsin students were selfless enough to give $50 each to fund the construction of Memorial Union.
Union facelift fits with campus plan
Daily Cardinal
Proponents of the Student Union Initiative say Memorial Union desperately requires renovation and that Union South is too small and unwelcoming to students.
Vote yes to union improvement
Daily Cardinal
After months of printing green t-shirts, pinning campaign buttons, publishing ads in newspapers and pressing students for their support, advocates of the Student Union Initiative have only one thing left to do: Hold their breath and hope that students will cast a vote in favor of the plan.
Time to grade colleges: Fears of proposed database are hypothetical, but need for it is real
USA Today
For parents and students mulling one of the biggest investments of their lives, a college education, comparison shopping is nearly impossible. The most popular college guides tell more about the test scores of incoming students than about how many came out four years later with a degree.
Don’t invade student privacy
USA Today
The most difficult choices in public policy mimic the most difficult choices in life. Choosing between good and evil is easy; choosing one good over another is not.This is the real issue behind the intense debate over the Education Department’s proposal to require colleges to report individual student record data rather than aggregated totals, as is now done.
David Shi is president of Furman University and chairman of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
Leave Leckrone alone
Daily Cardinal
After the release of last week�s allegations against the marching band, one thing is obvious: The University of Wisconsin Marching Band Director Michael Leckrone should not be blamed for the hazing actions of band members.
Google merger positive for public
Daily Cardinal
Bob La Follette would be proud. In the spirit of the Wisconsin idea, UW-Madison has forged a partnership with Google that will vastly expand the capacity to sift and winnow beyond university confines.
Drumming in the dark
Badger Herald
For a group that does its work on large fields in front of thousands of fans, it�s hard to believe the University of Wisconsin marching band could be shrouded in so much mystery.
Charles Sorensen: Let’s talk facts in debate over UW tuition, access
Capital Times
Tuition rates and access to University of Wisconsin System institutions have emerged as a major topic for debate among candidates. While it is good that UW issues are getting candidates’ attention, it is important for voters to have a deeper knowledge of what the facts are concerning some of the claims being made about the university.
For example, the candidates have been sparring over whether UW campuses give special consideration to nonresidents, both in cutting nonresident tuition and in granting special access. There is an implication that students from outside Wisconsin are favored at the expense of students close to home. Another contention is that students from outside Wisconsin are let in to UW institutions with lower academic credentials over Wisconsin students.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Regents’ meddling misguided
Badger Herald
The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents is the governing body for the Wisconsin school system, and while the board has many tasks, political activism is not one of them. Despite this minor detail, the UW Board of Regents voted last Friday to oppose a state amendment outlawing same-sex marriage.
Uw Sends Chilling Message On Diversity
Wisconsin State Journal
The straight “F’s” given by the Black Coaches Association to UW-Madison for refusing to open the position of football coach offers redundant evidence that the university has sunk to such depths that fundamental rights are now in jeopardy there. Bret Bielema is qualified to succeed Barry Alvarez and as proud Badgers we hope that he does well. But there is no doubt that Bielema wasn’t the only individual well qualified to coach Wisconsin.
Oates: ESPN’s call leaves viewers blindsided again
Wisconsin State Journal
If you want to watch today’s football game between Northwestern and the University of Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium but don’t have a ticket, don’t worry.
Even though the Big Ten Conference matchup will appear on fewer television sets than your average NHL game, you won’t miss much.
Stem cell plan spurs state growth
Daily Cardinal
Gubernatorial candidate Mark Green equates stem cell research with leaving the ââ?¬Å?moral compassââ?¬Â behind. On the other hand, incumbent Gov. Jim Doyle equates stem cell research with an industrial compass that will bring scientific breakthrough and job market expansion to Wisconsin.
Gov. Doyle right on stem cell research
Daily Cardinal
You have probably all heard, at one point or another, that UW-Madison scientist Jamie Thomson was the first person in the world to grow human embryonic stem cells. You have also probably heard about the amazing promise that stem cell research has to cure scores of deadly diseases.
Lampert Smith: Girls, you don’t have to take it
Wisconsin State Journal
UW-Madison’s committee for a Coordinated Community Response to Dating/Domestic Violence is sponsoring a used cell phone drive all month to benefit the Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS) of Dane County (www.abuseintervention.org). Each donated phone will earn $40 for DAIS. Drop-off boxes will be placed at eight campus locations: 75 Bascom Hall, the Campus Women’s Center in the Memorial Union, Eagle Heights, Kronsage, Union South, the Graduate School Office in Bascom, Witte, and the Student Organization Office. Please delete all stored information prior to dropping off your cell phone. Contact Tonya Schmidt tschmidt@bascom.wisc.edu or Yolanda Garza ygarza@bascom.wisc.edu.
Hit and Run: Why won’t Bielema denounce cheap shot?
Capital Times
….if a University of Wisconsin football player wrenches the leg of an opponent but, luckily, the foe isn’t seriously injured, is such an action still a dirty play?
Hmmm.
In the eyes of first-year UW head coach Bret Bielema, the answer to the second question, apparently, is no.
UW religion policy needs change
Badger Herald
In the Jewish religion, which encompasses 15 million people worldwide, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year.
Need-based aid will increase diversity
Daily Cardinal
In the state of Wisconsin, minoritiesââ?¬â?including Blacks, Latinos, American Indians and Asiansââ?¬â?comprise 9.8 percent of the population. At UW-Madison, the flagship of the UW System, minorities comprise a comparable 10 percent of the student body. And yet university administrators continue to vigorously strive for greater diversity.
Liberal arts degrees need more funding
Badger Herald
Across the United States, there has been an explosion in the number of students interested in Arabic. At the University of Wisconsin, all four sections of first semester Arabic filled up so quickly many students had to be turned away.