The high-speed rail stop in Madison will be near the Monona Terrace downtown.
Doyle Picks Monona Terrace As Spot For Future Rail Station
WISC-TV 3
Category: State news
Marquette Rescinds Offer to Sociologist
New York Times
Marquette University on Thursday abruptly rescinded an offer to a sociologist to serve as dean of one of its colleges, angering some students and faculty members who said the university did so after learning she was a lesbian who wrote about sexuality.
University disputes attorney general on abortion
Madison.com
The University of Wisconsinâ??s health system denied Wednesday that it was dropping plans to offer abortions at a Madison clinic, contradicting what a state Justice Department attorney said in a letter last week. Abortion foes have vociferously opposed the plan to offer second-term abortions at the university clinic in Madison, and they were the first Wednesday to circulate the letter from the attorney generalâ??s office indicating the plans had been abandoned. But a statement from University of Wisconsin Health issued hours after the letter was made public said it was untrue.
University disputes attorney general on abortion (AP)
WKOW-TV 27
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – University of Wisconsin Health is denying that it is dropping plans to offer abortions at a Madison clinic.
A letter sent Friday from an attorney with the state Department of Justice says that UW had abandoned its controversial plan to offer second-trimester abortions at the clinic. But on Wednesday, UW Health issued a statement saying that was not true. The statement says “UW Health remains strongly committed to a comprehensive womenâ??s reproduction health service that includes this important procedure.”
The board that oversees the clinic approved a plan to begin offering abortions there back in February 2009 but the services have not begun.
AGâ??s office says plans to offer second-trimester abortions at UW are off
Capital Times
The attorney generalâ??s office is claiming that the UW has abandoned its plans to offer second-trimester abortions at the Madison Surgery Center.
UW Health officials would not comment verbally but have promised a written response by early afternoon Wednesday.
In an April 30 letter to Eau Claire attorney Karen Mueller, Assistant Attorney General Kevin Potter would not be pursuing a requested investigation into the surgery centerâ??s plan to offer abortions because of the facilityâ??s own change in plans.
Biotech industry provides almost 25,000 jobs in state, report says
Wisconsin State Journal
Wisconsin is not one of the biggest centers for biotechnology in the U.S., but the state does rank in the upper 40 percent of all states in terms of companies and jobs in bioscience, a new report says. Wisconsin Commerce Secretary Aaron Olver said he is trying to â??meet as many companies and investors as possible and tell them about some of the great things going on in Wisconsinâ? â?? from the UW-Madisonâ??s Institutes for Discovery to the tax credits for investors in young technology companies.
Doyle: New UW research center to open in December
Madison.com
Gov. Jim Doyle says two cutting-edge research centers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will open in December. Doyle announced at a biotechnology conference in Chicago on Tuesday the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery will open its doors just before he leaves office in January. The centers — one public, one private — are designed as a way to bring researchers together from across campus to tackle some of the most pressing issues in science and medicine.
Take a peek at new UW science facilities
Wisconsin State Journal
If youâ??ve driven past Campus Drive and University Avenue lately, you likely noticed the exterior of the wedge-shaped Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery is nearly complete. The buildingâ??s twin institutes â?? the publicly funded Wisconsin Institute for Discovery and the private Morgridge Institute for Research â?? will house scientists doing research designed to improve human health. On Thursday, the public can visit Memorial Union to see a preview of the Town Center, or the first floor of the new building.
State’s biotech industry growth kept pace with U.S.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Wisconsinâ??s biotech industry held its own during the first year of the recession, a new report shows. The stateâ??s bioscience sector grew at about the same pace as that of the rest of the country, according to the Battelle/BIO State Bioscience Initiatives 2010 report, which was released Monday by the consulting firm Battelle and the Biotechnology Industry Organization.
UW System set records in 2009
Wisconsin Radio Network
A new report shows efforts to increase the graduation rate on UW campuses is paying off.
On Campus: Last gasp for veterans tuition bill
Wisconsin State Journal
A bill that would restore some college tuition benefits to Wisconsin veterans died in the Legislature last week, but some legislators want to revive it. Members of the Assembly Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs on Thursday sent a letter to Gov. Jim Doyle urging him to call the Legislature into a special session to act on the bill, which would allow some veterans to take more semesters of college tuition-free.
Wisconsin leads nation in census form return rate
Badger Herald
Wisconsin is leading the nation in census form return, according to the United States Census Bureau.
Fix sought for money issues
Badger Herald
Political officials and leaders from 30 Midwest research institutions, including University of Wisconsin Chancellor Biddy Martin and Gov. Jim Doyle, attempted to find solutions to the mounting monetary challenges of conducting research at the university level at a meeting Wednesday.
State again seeks to strip protection for gray wolves
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Mentions a 2009 study by Adrian Treves, of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, found that as many as 17% of hunters in wolf range were willing to illegally shoot wolves.
Gov. Doyle to tout Wis. Covenant program across the state
WKOW-TV 27
Governor Doyle making stops across the state this week to tout the Wisconsin Covenant program.
Leinenkugel launches GOP run against Sen. Feingold
Madison.com
Leinenkugel will have to work quickly to build personal recognition rather than relying too much on his famous name, said Charles Franklin, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Burning waste outside is a health and forest fire threat
Capital Times
A common way for rural Wisconsin residents to get rid of trash and wood is to burn it, either in open burn piles or in barrels.
That practice is not good for health, the environment or our stateâ??s millions of acres of forests, so the UW-Extension is working with two state agencies to educate residents about the dangers of trash burning. The UW-Extension Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center (SHWEC) has joined with the Department of Natural Resources and Department of Health Services to get the message out to reduce open burning in Wisconsin.
Pharmacy school could ease shortage
Wisconsin State Journal
“Itâ??s hard to get students interested in rural areas,” said David Mott, an associate professor at the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy, where a survey showed that 14 percent of graduates work in rural communities.
Wisconsin Historical Society restores reading room
Madison.com
The Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison has renovated its Library Reading Room.The seven-month, $2.9 million project has restored historic details missing or obscured since a 1955 renovation, including a replicated stained-glass skylight in the roomâ??s 30-foot-high ceiling.
Wisconsin Historical Society Restores Reading Room
WISC-TV 3
The Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison has renovated its Library Reading Room.
Schools shouldn’t lobby for money (UWEC Spectator)
Ever since movies like “Thank You for Smoking,” and other pop-culture references, lobbying has been a dirty word. The word has connotations of back-room deals and corporate interests, big tobacco and pharmaceutical companies.
Harley, Cheese Microbe Honors Will Have To Wait
WISC-TV 3
Itâ??s tough all over when cheese and Harleyâ??s canâ??t even get some love from the Wisconsin Legislature. Bills that would have named Harley-Davidson Wisconsinâ??s official motorcycle and the bacterium that converts milk into cheese the official state microbe appear to be dead this year.
John Janty: Young people are good antidote to tea party
Capital Times
….I saw young children sprawled on the Capitol lawn. Judging by the school buses parked in the area, it appeared that these young people had traveled from rural areas of Wisconsin to visit, perhaps for the first time, our grand Capitol and to develop a patriotic sense of democracy. Their smiles and enthusiasm were indeed a heart-lifting scene in contrast to the bitterness and hatred on the other side of the building.
Continuing down State Street and through campus, I saw hundreds more people, mostly young, optimistic students, hurrying off to classes and choosing not to participate in destructive rhetoric, but instead choosing to enjoy the day by pursuing the truth through education and civil conversation. They too were a refreshing contrast to the depressing gathering on the other end of State Street.
Charles J. Czuprynski: Science shows no benefit in raw milk
Wisconsin State Journal
Perhaps legalizing the sale of raw milk is a bad idea whose time has come. But I believe itâ??s a mistake from a food safety and public health perspective at a time when Wisconsin is moving assertively in other directions to protect and promote the health of its citizens. â?? Charles J. Czuprynski, director, Food Research Institute, and professor, UW-Madison Department of Pathobiological Sciences
Doyle signs bill designed to help rural hospitals
Madison.com
Gov. Jim Doyle has signed a bill into law that imposes a tax on rural hospitals in order to generate more federal money. Doyle says the bill he signed on Monday ensures that 59 communities across the state served by rural hospitals that are open 24 hours but have fewer than 25 inpatient beds can leverage additional resources and federal funding. It also directs the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health to create family medicine residency programs at rural hospitals.
Meteorite hunters flock to southwest Wisconsin
Wisconsin State Journal
When Ruben Garcia saw video of the meteorite that streaked across the Wisconsin sky on Wednesday night, it might as well have been the Bat-Signal. The professional meteorite hunter, known to many as Mr. Meteorite, was in his car the next day, driving from his home in Phoenix, bound for Iowa County to look for every chunk of that meteorite he could find.
State’s problem broader than UW graduation plan
Racine Journal Times
University of Wisconsin President Kevin Reilly wants to boost the stateâ??s college graduation rate by 30 percent over the next 15 years, and although his goal is laudable his plan is not necessarily the path to it.
Assembly session leads to passage of key legislation
Badger Herald
Public citizens may not have access to audio of 911 tapes, if a bill passed by the state Assembly Thursday gains support in the Senate.
Small business may receive tax incentive to pay studentâ??s tuition, regents may receive $25K grant
Badger Herald
State businesses may have more of an incentive to pay for a studentâ??s tuition after the state Assembly passed a bill Thursday giving tax credits to such companies.
Go West Happy Cow: Wisconsin-themed road trip film premiers Friday
Wisconsin State Journal
One movie that will premier this weekend is not part of the Wisconsin Film Festival, but is very Wisconsin.
The first showing of the documentary “Go West Happy Cow” will be Friday at the Stadium Bar, followed by showings in a barn in Deerfield and a bar in Sheboygan. The 95-minute movie was filmed last fall during a nine-day, 2,200-mile trip through eight states from Wisconsin to California. It chronicles the adventures of two Wisconsinites, one dressed as a cow, promoting the contents of the 30-foot horse trailer they pulled behind their pickup truck.
Editorial: Plan for more grads bodes well for UW-S (Sheboygan Press)
University of Wisconsin President Kevin Reilly has set an admirable goal of graduating nearly a third more students from all UW campuses by 2025.
Editorial: More graduates smart, but do it wisely
Appleton Post-Crescent
Over the next 15 years, University of Wisconsin System President Kevin Reilly wants to see 33,700 students graduate annually from the system of four-year and two-year colleges, up from 26,000 per year currently.
He says itâ??s a financial investment in the stateâ??s economic future.
Producing more college graduates is a laudable goal â?? and, yes, college degrees give adults an edge in the jobs market. How that growth is pursued will determine how effective such a plan will be.
Editorial: More graduates smart, but do it wisely
Appleton Post-Crescent
Over the next 15 years, University of Wisconsin System President Kevin Reilly wants to see 33,700 students graduate annually from the system of four-year and two-year colleges, up from 26,000 per year currently.
Our view: Finally some ideas – and they’re yours (Wisconsin State Journal)
The state of Wisconsin is finally at the brink of the crisis weâ??ve all seen coming for a long time.
As structural deficits increased each biennium the past many years – with no end in sight thanks to inexorable shifts in demographics and Wisconsin’s economy – blue-ribbon panels and special commissions have tried to come up with ideas that could right the ship of state.
Teege Mettille and Joe Yeado: 38 minutes not enough time to pick a college
Capital Times
Dear Editor: This time of year, high school seniors across Wisconsin are making their decision about where to attend college. In the midst of all of this excitement, the story that is so often not discussed is that of the students whose options are limited due to a lack of time spent discussing their post-secondary opportunities.
Far too many students are unaware of their opportunities for financial aid and scholarships. Furthermore, the structure designed to give these students the information they need often leaves them with more questions than answers. Much of this is due to inadequate college counseling.
Biz Beat: What’s an aging rust belt state to do?
Capital Times
The natural beauty of Wisconsin hides an ugly truth: This state is facing an aging population of non-working retirees while its best and brightest young people are leaving for greener pastures.
This scenario is played out in a new report from Wisconsin Way, a coalition of business, government and educational groups working on solutions to the stateâ??s biggest challenges.
In UW System’s bid for more graduates, UWM could lead charge
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
If a plan to boost the number of Wisconsin graduates gets a green light, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will have to do the heaviest lifting.
The university would award about 14,000 more degrees by 2025-â??26 than it would if the plan doesnâ??t get funding. Thatâ??s nearly three times the number of additional graduates that UW-Madison would produce under the plan, and more new graduates than any of the other UW campuses as well.
Chris Gegg: Donâ??t block public access to 911 calls
Wisconsin State Journal
Wisconsin lawmakers are considering a bill to bar public access to recordings of 911 emergency calls. These audio recordings would be replaced with transcripts.
As a broadcast news professional, I understand that 911 calls may be painful for families of victims. Thatâ??s why a lot of thought already goes into deciding whether and how to use these recordings.
At WMTV-TV (Ch. 15) in Madison, where I work, these decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. We do not sensationalize 911 calls. We do not air these recordings just because we have them.
Official: UW System Computer Project Still On Time (AP)
WISC-TV 3
The University of Wisconsin Systemâ??s top financial official said an $81.4 million information technology project remains on time and budget. UW System senior vice president Tom Anderes told a Board of Regents committee on Thursday said some parts of the project to install the new payroll and benefits system might be slightly behind schedule because of vacant positions.
Editorial: UW System expansion a good investment
Wausau Daily Herald
Education is economic development. Education achievement is linked to long-term economic success not only for individuals but also for much larger societal groups. Itâ??s education that helps to ensure that workers are skilled and able to adapt to a changing marketplace.
UW to offer Covenant students additional services (AP)
University of Wisconsin campuses will recruit students in the Wisconsin Covenant program during high school by inviting them to visit and offering financial aid counseling.
Will more animals suffer if law is â??strengthenedâ???
Isthmus
Rick Bogle doubts the UW-Madison paid much attention to the stateâ??s animal cruelty statute until last year, when the local Alliance for Animals began questioning the legality of sometimes-fatal decompression experiments involving sheep (see Watchdog, 8/27/09, 9/24/09 and 10/8/09).
Amid emotional testimony, bill targets workplace bullying
Wisconsin State Journal
In 2008, 31-year-old Jodie Zebell appeared to have a full life. The UW-Madison graduate was married with two young children and a part-time job as a mammographer at a La Crosse clinic, where she was praised as a model employee.
But soon afterward, Zebell became the target of co-workers who unfairly blamed her for problems at work. After she was promoted, the bullying intensified, her aunt Joie Bostwick recalled during a legislative hearing Wednesday attended by members of her nieceâ??s family, including Zebellâ??s mother, Jean Jones of Spring Hill, Fla.
Voter turnout may have been lowest in a decade
Wisconsin State Journal
Lack of a major statewide race and nonpartisan elections were some of the key reasons for low turnout, said UW-Madison political science professor Barry Burden.
Our View: Graduation rate increase a tough sell right now (Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune)
We hate to argue against a goal to graduate more students from University of Wisconsin System colleges. After all, study after study have shown the benefits a higher education degree will have on a personâ??s lifetime income.
Bar owners drop eminent domain lawsuit (The Daily Reporter)
The owners of a Madison bar Tuesday dropped a lawsuit filed against the state for using eminent domain to acquire their property for a construction project.The trial was scheduled to begin Wednesday in Dane County Circuit Court.
Brothers Bar & Grill owners drop lawsuit, accept offer
WKOW-TV 27
The owners of a popular campus-area bar have agreed to drop their lawsuit and accept the University of Wisconsin-Madisonâ??s $2.1 million offer for their property.
Suit To Block UW From Pushing Bar From Location Dropped
WISC-TV 3
A face off between a popular downtown Madison bar and the University of Wisconsin-Madison wonâ??t happen after all. The owners of the Brothers Bar & Grill have decided to dismiss their lawsuit that sought to stop the University of Wisconsin-Madison from taking their property through eminent domain.
Wisconsin Radio Network â?? University wants to increase number of graduates
Wisconsin Radio Network
University of Wisconsin schools want to bump the number of graduates. By the year 2025, the UW-schools want to confer nearly 33,700 undergraduate degrees per year, up from the current 26,000 per year.
Doyle cabinet member named â??10 UW Distinguished Alumni
Badger Herald
The University of Wisconsin announced over break a member of Gov. Jim Doyleâ??s cabinet would be awarded the 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award.
UW goal: 30% more graduates by 2025
Wisconsin State Journal
Calling it an â??ambitiousâ? goal, University of Wisconsin System President Kevin Reilly said he wants to increase the number of UW graduates by 30 percent over the next 15 years to create a better-educated and higher-paid workforce in the state. But he said reaching that goal will take buy-in from Wisconsin families and a renewed investment from the state, which didnâ??t provide funding for the universityâ??s growth plans â?? called the Growth Agenda â?? in the most recent biennial budget.â??If we do nothing, Wisconsin will fall further behind,â? Reilly said.
Village of Plain gets grants for green technology training center
Wisconsin State Journal
The village of Plain in Sauk County will get a $1.1 million state grant to help build a green technology training and enterprise center to address the need for new manufacturing workers, Gov. Jim Doyleâ??s office announced Thursday. The project will include partnerships with several high schools, Madison Area Technical College, UW-Madisonâ??s Green Construction Management program, the Association of General Contractors and several private industry partners, who also will be able to use the center for training.
Politics Blog: Audit: $2.4 million in state spending of federal money questioned
Wisconsin State Journal
At least $2.4 million in costs related to federal programs administered by the state are being called into question, an audit released today says. The audit examines fiscal year 2008 – 2009, a period in which state agencies administered $13.6 billion in federal financial assistance. That involves more than 1,600 federal programs, including 919 grants awarded to the University of Wisconsin System.
UW System unveils goal to produce more graduates
Madison.com
University of Wisconsin System President Kevin Reilly is challenging campuses to find new ways to graduate more students as part of a long-range plan to increase the number of degree-holders in the state. Reilly said he wants the system of 13 four-year universities and 13 two-year colleges to increase the number of degrees issued by 30 percent by 2025. That would bump the number of graduates up from the current 26,000 per year to 33,700 and produce 80,000 more graduates in the next 15 years, he said. The system must act, Reilly said, for the good of the stateâ??s economic future.
Remember swine flu? State still urging residents to get vaccinated
Capital Times
Swine flu seems so 2009 and is hardly talked about today, but state health officials say the H1N1 virus isnâ??t gone and people should get vaccinated.
State health officer Dr. Seth Foldy said in a release on Wednesday that the lull in cases in Wisconsin may only be temporary.
“We should not be complacent,” Foldy said. “Many of us have a little extra time during school spring break, so we should take advantage of the time by getting ourselves and our families vaccinated.”
Some southern states have reported an increase in new H1N1 pandemic influenza cases, prompting the Wisconsin Department of Health Servicesâ?? call for people to get their flu shots.
Some Wisconsin Parents Say State Broke ‘Covenant’ on Scholarships – The Ticker – The Chronicle of Higher Education
Chronicle of Higher Education
Some Wisconsin parents are complaining that state grants for college tuition are falling far short of what they thought Gov. Jim Doyle had promised, the Associated Press reported. The Wisconsin Covenant program has enrolled 50,000 eighth graders over the past three years, but Governor Doyle, a Democrat, only recently announced details of the grants it would pay. Those range from $250 to $2,500, based on family income. At a legislative hearing on Monday, some parents complained that they had thought the grants would cover the entire cost of college.
Some parents expected ‘free ride’ from Covenant
Madison.com
The director of the Wisconsin Covenant program acknowledged Monday sheâ??s heard from “a lot of parents” who believed it would give their children a free ride to college, but insisted that was never the intent. Gov. Jim Doyle proposed the Covenant in 2006 to motivate students to attend college and help them afford it. He promised “the neediest families will receive grants to pay the costs of education” and others would receive a mix of loans, grants and work study opportunities. Sharon Billings, who runs a service with her husband that helps parents plan for their childrenâ??s higher education, testified Monday that sheâ??s heard from many parents upset about the size of the state grants. The “word on the street” was that students would get a full ride for fulfilling the Covenant requirements of a B average and good citizenship during high school, Billings said. Covenant Director Shannon Loredo responded that she had heard from a lot of parents with similar comments, but the Covenant “was never intended to be the only piece.”
UW-Madison, some state offices closed on Friday
Capital Times
The University of Wisconsin-Madison will be closed Friday, one of four designated campus-wide furlough days scheduled this year in accordance with the mandate approved in the 2009-11 state budget.
UW-Madison, some state offices closed on Friday
Capital Times
The University of Wisconsin-Madison will be closed Friday, one of four designated campus-wide furlough days scheduled this year in accordance with the mandate approved in the 2009-11 state budget.
Campus workers also have to take four furlough days of their own this year, part of the 16 unpaid furlough days in the two-year budget cycle for all state workers including those on University of Wisconsin campuses.
Some Parents Expected A ‘Free Ride’ From Covenant
WISC-TV 3
MADISON, Wis. — The director of the Wisconsin Covenant program said sheâ??s heard from “a lot of parents” who mistakenly believed it would give their children a free ride to college.