As midterm election season draws near and talk of stem cells continues to heat up at the local and national level, you may find your head spinning. Stem cells, hailed a mere eight years ago as the most profound discovery of their time, have become the common circumlocution of politicians.
Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson endorses gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis., in a new advertisement unveiled Friday that attempts to refute accusations that Green wants to stop stem-cell research.
WHAT DO a 100-year-old woman who rides motorcycles and a 25-year-old woman who raises money running marathons have in common beyond an adventurous spirit? They are both in today’s column, that’s what. I think you’ll like them both.
….JAIME-ALEXIS Fowler is a graduate student in history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and one thing history teaches us is that a marathon is 26 miles long, and 26 miles is a long way, especially if it’s your first marathon, and it’s the Big Sur Marathon out in California on the Monterrey Peninsula, a race famous for its grueling hills.
But Fowler, 25, was on a mission back in April, when she ran Big Sur, and she was still on a mission last weekend, when she ran the Chicago Marathon. In each case she was running to raise money for causes of considerable personal importance.
This is one in a series of editorials analyzing the gubernatorial candidates’ positions on specific issues. This peice focuses on Jim Doyle and Mark Green’s views on education — including higher education. The Journal Sentinel will end the series with an editorial recommending one of the candidates.
A look at how polls in the Wisconsin governor’s race have tracked. The article quotes University of Wisconsin-Madison political scientist Charles Franklin, a polling expert, and references the Badger Poll, conducted by the University of Wisconsin Survey Center.
The University of Wisconsin System and state lawmakers are on opposite sides of a cultural divide, and many political observers worry that the outcome of the state’s gubernatorial race could widen that rift.
During the last weeks of a campaign, candidates are not the only ones who are anxious for Election Day.
Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle professed his commitment to public education in Wisconsin during a state teachers convention in Madison Thursday.
MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Jim Doyle paints his re-election bid in stark terms: If voters choose his opponent, they will shut down stem cell research that could mean medical cures for debilitating illnesses and an economic boom for Wisconsin.
The UW System consistently receives more funding and support under Democratic control, John Witte, professor of public affairs and political science in the La Follette School of Public Affairs, said Wednesday in a forum.
Once again bringing higher education to the forefront of this year�s gubernatorial race, Gov. Jim Doyle announced Wednesday a proposal to help alleviate the cost of a University of Wisconsin System education.
Dear Editor: Congressman Mark Green cares about embryos more than American soldiers paralyzed while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. He likes to tell veterans he honors their sacrifice, but his opposition to stem cell research tells a different story.
We know he cares about embryos more than children with diabetes and old ladies with Alzheimer’s disease, so turning his back on paralyzed veterans must seem easy.
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.
Gov. Jim Doyle blasted critics like radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh today for questioning whether actor Michael J. Fox stopped taking medicine for his Parkinson’s disease for political ads he is running promoting candidates that support embryonic stem cell research.
Administrators studying a possible overhaul of the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha have concluded that the least expensive option is a “university center” concept with expanded services from multiple outside institutions.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=523579
Quoted: Mary Beth Elliott, an associate professor of pharmacy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Gov. Jim Doyle on Wednesday laid out a plan to allow middle-class families to deduct the entire cost of college tuition, books and fees from their taxes as part of the next biennial budget.
Doyle made the announcement during a campaign stop at Reeve Memorial Union on the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh campus Wednesday afternoon. Under his proposal, single parents earning $50,000 or less and couples earning $80,000 or less would be able to deduct tuition expenses of up to $6,000, the current cost to attend UW-Madison, for any public or private university and technical colleges.
They stand on a couch, but that doesn�t do the trick. They try again from the stairs, but the two youngsters featured in Martin O�Malley�s campaign advertisement just can�t touch that darned college diploma that�s framed on the wall.
Wisconsin families would be able to deduct tuition payments of up to $6,000 a year per student from their state income taxes under a proposal released today by Gov. Jim Doyle.
Doyle’s plan would also – for the first time – allow students and their families to deduct the full cost of books and fees from their state income taxes as part of that deduction.
With the race to Nov. 7 intensifying, gubernatorial candidates beefed up their TV advertisements this week with new celebrity cameos and ethics accusations.
Even though University of Wisconsin student voters passed the Living Wage initiative in last week�s Associated Students of Madison election, the implementation of the initiative might not actually be possible.
With the election two weeks away, Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle returned to the stem cell issue Tuesday, unveiling a TV ad with actor Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson’s disease.
Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle’s campaign unveiled a new TV ad today that features actor Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson’s disease, urging voters to stick with Doyle in the Nov. 7 election.
In addition, Schultz and Robson pushed for a sensible ethanol bill to help Wisconsin farmers. And they are key supporters of the University of Wisconsin System, having graduated from UW-Madison. Schultz is a farm manager and real estate broker. Robson is a registered nurse.
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.
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.
In the third and final debate before the Nov. 7 election, Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle and Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Green brought up a number of facts, figures and accusations. Here are some facts to help sift through the rhetoric:
Stem-cell research: Doyle, in his closing statement, once again spoke of his support for embryonic stem-cell research. In his closing, Green said he too supports the research. What Green supports, however, is stem-cell research involving adults or an untested method in which the embryo is not destroyed. He does not support spending tax dollars on embryonic stem-cell research.
Education: Green said his plan to earmark 70 percent of education funding for in-classroom expenses will free up enough money to hire 7,000 new teachers. But critics of such earmarking say that what it really does is force cuts in needed areas such as nurses, transportation and building upkeep, and also unnecessarily hamstrings districts.
UW tuition: Green again took Doyle to task for the 50 percent increase in tuition at the University of Wisconsin System during his tenure. While Doyle does not set tuition at the university, the increase was caused in part due to cuts in state funding agreed to by the GOP-controlled Legislature and Doyle. Even with the tuition increase, UW-Madison has one of the lowest tuition levels of Big Ten schools.
Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle and Republican challenger Mark Green went toe to toe for the final time Friday night in a debate that brought a new testiness to their encounters.
Green, who analysts said had the most at stake because he is the challenger, called out Doyle on health care costs, University of Wisconsin System tuition and casino cash, saying that “one election and millions in contributions” led Doyle to change his position on tribal casino expansion.
Quoted: UW-Madison political scientist David Canon.
In the midst of the media frenzy over the illegal “motion W” penalties handed out by the University of Wisconsin is the not-so-funny problem concerning a logo used by Weston High School.
The little school located 70 miles northwest of Madison, which made national news in recent weeks when its heroic principal was shot and killed while wrestling a gun away from a student, has a “motion W” for one of its logos, too.
“I’ve just become recently aware that they are using that logo,” said Cindy Van Matre, the licensing director for the UW. “In light of what’s happened at that school, could you imagine the PR uproar if they were a school that we contacted right now?”
WASHINGTON – A federal government decision on supervisory employees could hurt efforts by University of Wisconsin-Madison professors, graduate students and staff to join unions.
A number of labor experts agree that a recent National Labor Relations Board ruling barring union participation by workers with supervisory duties, such as registered nurses, could affect university employees as well.
Gary Mitchell, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2412, which organizes administrative workers, worries that the NLRB has limited which workers can unionize.
At its founding, Wisconsin took a strong stand against discrimination.
Entering the union as a “free state” in the years before the Civil War, Wisconsinites established a state constitution that went far beyond the federal document when it came to guaranteeing the rights of all citizens and protecting against attempts by the state to deny those rights based on differences in race, religion or class.
….organizations that seek to promote economic growth, including Downtown Madison Inc., the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, the Madison Development Corporation, the Wisconsin Federation of Business & Professional Women, and the UW Board of Regents have all urged Wisconsinites to vote against this amendment.
Quoted: UW-Madison political science professor Charles Franklin.
When Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle and Republican challenger Mark Green square off tonight in their final debate, the group they most need to reach – undecided voters – may be the least likely to tune in.
While the first debate focused on budget and taxes. This one is billed as “quality of life issues.” According to “We the People,” the list of issues includes a host of hot-button topics: “education, health care, the marriage amendment, campaign finance reform, immigration, energy, transportation and stem cell research.”
A special Board of Regents committee met again Tuesday, inching the controversial faculty disciplinary process toward revision.
Quoted: Charles Franklin, a University of Wisconsin-Madison political scientist.
MADISON, Wis. – Three University of Wisconsin professors who took paid sabbaticals did not return to their schools afterward for the year required under state law, according to a new audit.
The faculty members at UW-Madison, UW-Platteville and UW-Stout should be expected to repay the salary and benefits they received during the sabbaticals, according to the report by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau.
(MADISON) Various organizations are on college campuses in Wisconsin this fall registering students to vote. The main organization that opposes a proposed state constitutional amendment defining marriage hopes young voters can swing the vote in their favor.
Political science professor Barry Burden at UW-Madison studies voter turnout. He agrees the student voice could be a deciding factor in the referendum, partly because people in that age group are more likely than older people to know a gay couple.
Ed Bosold hears people discussing the Paul Bunyan Axe and he can’t figure out what the fuss is all about.
A linebacker for the University of Wisconsin from 1971 to ’73, Bosold recalls those Badgers wanting to beat Minnesota because the team was their rival and it was always the last game of the season, not so they could race over and snatch the axe from the Gophers.
The UW System found itself under heavy scrutiny Friday following the release of a state audit questioning whether university employees are ethical in reporting sick leave and vacation time.
University of Wisconsin System faculty members report far fewer sick days than other state employees and as a result earn hundreds of thousands of dollars more for health insurance when they retire, according to an audit released Friday.
The University of Wisconsin System has come under pressure to reform personnel policies following an independent audit released Friday.
MADISON – University of Wisconsin faculty members report far fewer sick days than other state employees and as a result earn hundreds of thousands of dollars more for health insurance when they retire, according to an audit released Friday.
A new audit of the UW System shows concerns about sick leave policies and possible abuses.
State Rep. Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) says the review turned up some incredible abuses, especially in the accumulation of unused sick leave. He says it’s ridiculous that the average faculty member retires with 200-thousand-dollars worth of unused sick leave. Nass believes the review shows some faculty aren’t reporting sick leave, in order to cash it in when they retire. And he says the legislature will have to order changes.
A Republican state legislator called for an ethical investigation Thursday into the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents� formal declaration of public opposition to the state�s proposed constitutional marriage amendment.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Wisconsin Historical Society are joining Google’s effort to digitize the world’s books and make them searchable on the Internet.
UW-Madison said Thursday the school and the historical society would make nearly 500,000 of their historical books and documents available on the search engine’s new site, Google Book Search.
MILWAUKEE (AP) – Joseph Munz, a former high school football player from Lodi, didn’t worry about the danger of his job delivering sandwiches to help pay his way at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, friends and family say.
After Madison�s ABC 27 News unearthed a story Tuesday that a textbook used by UW-Madison Professor Kevin Barrett is politically charged and includes an essay comparing President Bush to Hitler, state legislators again decried Barrett�s UW-Madison lecturer position.
Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle unveiled a new job-creation initiative Wednesday in an effort to address the state�s growing need for workers capable of filling jobs in emerging high-tech industries.
Wednesday marked the 35th anniversary of the creation of the University of Wisconsin System, following the merger of the state�s two public university systems in 1971.
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.
Wisconsin received $387.7 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health in 2005, down almost 1 percent from the $391.9 million the state received in 2004.
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.
As part of his plan to provide $5 million to stem-cell research companies, Gov. Jim Doyle presented $1 million Tuesday to a new company aiming to generate blood products from human embryonic stem cells.
Doyle presented the financial package to founders of Stem Cell Products Inc., started by research pioneer and University of Wisconsin biology professor James Thomson, who isolated the first embryonic stem-cell line.
Gov. Jim Doyle announced another pledge for stem cell research Tuesday, giving $1 million to a stem cell start-up company founded by three UW-Madison researchers including James Thomson, the professor who pioneered stem cell research and isolated the first embryonic stem cell.
Stem Cell Products, Inc., run by Thomson and fellow UW-Madison researchers Igor Slukvin and Dong Chen, will begin research on a process that derives red blood cells and platelets from embryonic stem cells. According to Doyle, platelets are in short supply and the U.S. military frequently flies wounded soldiers to Germany in order to perform blood transfusions.
Stem cell pioneer James Thomson and two other University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists have started a company that aims to grow platelets and red blood cells from embryonic stem cells.
The company, Stem Cell Products Inc., has the chance to have the first therapeutic product based on human embryonic stem cells to make it to the marketplace, said Bob Palay, managing member of Tactics II Ventures LP, a Wisconsin venture capital firm that invested in and helped start the company.
Gov. Jim Doyle today gave $1 million in state funding to a Madison-based firm headed by UW-Madison stem cell researcher James Thomson.
Doyle announced the combination of state grants and loans to Stem Cell Products, Inc., the second start-up firm headed by Thomson, at a news conference this morning.
The firm is developing the use of embryonic stem cells in producing components of human blood cells, such as platelets that assist in blood clotting.
PLATTEVILLE ââ?¬â? In a move that adds fuel to a fiery statewide debate, the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents voted Friday to oppose a state amendment outlawing same-sex marriage.
The board took the formal stance as part of an effort to retain quality educators in the UW System, saying the amendment would hurt the chances of instituting domestic partners benefits in Wisconsin schools.
PLATTEVILLE ââ?¬â? The president of the University of Wisconsin System and the UW Board of Regents said Friday that people across the state of Wisconsin are voicing their support for higher education in the state.
UW Board of Regents President David Walsh said people have been passionate about the work the UW System is doing.
Incumbent Gov. Jim Doyle and his Republican challenger U.S. Rep. Mark Green, butted heads for a second time Friday night in Milwaukee, debating a wide range of social issues including stem cell research, abortion, the death penalty and education.
Stem cell research proved to be the hot topic of the debate, with Doyle saying, “There is no issue on which we differ [more] fundamentally.”
