2012.02.01

Page 1

THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1969 Volume XLIII, Issue 76

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

www.badgerherald.com

GAB releases recall names Board decides to post over 1 million signatures, addresses online amid personal privacy debate Ilona Argirion Reporter

Megan McCormick The Badger Herald

Interesting weather we’re having, eh? University of Wisconsin senior Barbara Jedele enjoys an unseasonably balmy day in late January on the Memorial Union Terrace Tuesday. She said since Wisconsin winters are usually too cold, it was worth it to take in a warm day in one of campus’s best sunny spots.

State election officials publicly released the recall petitions for Gov. Scott Walker online Tuesday night, reversing their original decision to postpone publication amid privacy concerns. Government Accountability Board spokesperson Reid Magney said the board gave Walker’s campaign electronic copies of the petitions containing an estimated one million signatures Friday, and promised to post them online for the public to see Monday.

Reid said the board originally decided to hold off on posting the recall petitions after hearing concerns about releasing the addresses of domestic violence victims, along with complaints from individuals who signed the petitions and did not want their names released. GAB Director Kevin Kennedy said in a statement the petitions were released under Wisconsin law, a position also publically supported by the Wisconsin Department of Justice. “Unlike an elector’s vote, which is private and

NAMES, page 4

UW breaks ground on Camp Randall renovations $76.8M project for ‘Athletic Village’ to include new spaces for athletes to train Alyssa Smith Herald Contributor In less than two years, students can expect a newly renovated Camp Randall stadium, which will include a three-story addition to create facilities for student athletes to train and study. The University of Wisconsin project to build a new “Athletic Village” to

upgrade existing athletic facilities entered the first of three phases at the conclusion of the 201112 football season and will likely have cost $76.8 million upon its projected completion in 2014. Athletic Department spokesperson Justin Doherty said the first phase of construction will create a tunnel from underneath the McClain Athletic Facility to the field level at Camp Randall, as well as replace the turf and adjust some minor seating problems inside the bowl. Doherty said a lot of the facilities in the McClain

Athletic Facility and related areas are significantly outdated at this point, and the goal of the project is to provide student athletes with upgraded locker rooms, weight rooms and athletic training centers. Doherty cited UW’s need to stay competitive with other Big Ten schools as an added reason for the renovations. For example, the new weight room created through the project will be 17,000 square feet, as compared to the current 7,824 square-foot space. Other upgrades will include the reconstruction

of the north and northeast ends of Camp Randall, renovation of the second floor and east side and upgrading existing spaces such as shower areas and restrooms. The renovations make up only part of the UW Athletics Facilities Master Plan, which was developed and put into action in 2008, according to Gary Brown, director of campus planning and landscape architecture. The Master Plan also includes projects such as building the new men’s hockey practice facility, which is still underway, in addition to a new indoor

Falk to address aiding growth

swimming and diving complex and other future developments. “It’s really geared toward student athletes and providing this for them,” Brown said. Brown said along with facility upgrades, student athletes can also expect to see new tutoring services and academic support services, with the reconstruction providing space for these additional services. The project’s total budget of $76.8 million came from UW Athletic Department

The project includes: • A new three-story academic and strength training center • Renovation of university sports locker rooms • New turf and a tunnel in Camp Randall • A 32,00 ft. sq. addition to Camp Randall’s north end • Renovation of the McClain Athletic Facility basement

RENOVATIONS, page 5

Student Judiciary denies additional MCSC appeal Ruling ends MCSC’s appeal process; org will not be eligible Katie Caron Higher Education Editor

Former Dane Co. executive gears up to challenge Walker

In a written decision released Tuesday night, the judicial arm of the University of Wisconsin student government detailed its reasons for denying the Multicultural Student Coalition’s appeal against the Student Services Finance Committee. Student Judiciary

Mike Kujak State Legislature Editor Former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk is one of two Democrats who have announced a run against Gov. Scott Walker in a likely recall election. Falk served as Dane County executive for four consecutive terms from 1996 to 2011 and ran for governor in 2002, but lost during a primary. The Badger Herald sat down with Falk to discuss her gubernatorial aspirations. The Badger Herald: Wisconsin’s political landscape has changed a lot in the last year. What would you do to adapt to a new political scene? Kathleen Falk: I’d govern very differently. The hallmark of my life’s work has been bringing people together who disagree. When I was elected county executive for 15 years, one of the biggest issues was how to grow and build more homes. I brought environmentalists, realtors and builders together to protect the [Department of Natural Resources], wildlife,

Athletic Village features

Chief Justice Kathryn Fifield said the decision means the end of the “back and forth” over funding that occurred between SSFC and MCSC during most of last semester. “This should be the end of MCSC’s dealings with [the Associated Students of Madison] for now. I don’t know what course of action they will take going forward,” Fifield said. “They can’t appeal anything else within ASM at this point.” In the report, SJ explains the reasoning behind denying an appeal to the previous judicial decision, which

dismissed MCSC’s accusation that SSFC violated viewpoint neutrality in the decision not to grant the organization General Student Services Fund eligibility. MCSC’s most recent appeal alleged that Student Judiciary erred in its decision on the grounds that it misunderstood legal requirements and failed to recognize important facts in its evaluation. MCSC leadership also commented they had discovered new evidence that would change the original

APPEAL, page 6

Megan McCormick The Badger Herald

Former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk said she championed bringing opposing parties together on key issues during her tenure and that the signatures gathered in her previous race demonstrate the support of the people of Wis. streams and the quality of life in the state. That’s what I’ve spent my life doing, bringing people together and solving problems. BH: What would you do differently from your race for governor in 2002? KF: Well first, there [are] others like my friend Tom Barrett whose running has lost twice. But last time I ran I got 1.56 million signatures, which is 50,000 more than our Democrat candidate got last year, so people [would] vote for me across the state. BH: Why did you decide to step down early from your position as Dane County executive in April of last year? KF: When I was elected, I promised to get two things done. The first was to build this manure digester and we got it

built. It’s helping our dairy farms to grow here and it’s the green SCAN THE QR CODE technology [for] the to watch exclusive video coverage future. online. The other goal I had was to launch the [Coalition to Reduce Alcohol Abuse], another thing that is important on this campus. The culture of Wisconsin drinking is so off the charts on every barometer. I launched that coalition to change our culture. When those were done, I also turned 60 and I knew I had one

FALK, page 4 © 2012 BADGER HERALD

INSIDE Three Dems prep for recall campaigns Assistant Minority Leader Donna Seidel, D-Wausau, and two former lawmakers to run

NEWS | 3

ACC constitution needs your help

Photo courtesy of Liddell Entertainment

Hungry like the CGI wolf

A call to arms from ACC Chair Alex Brousseau

Liam Neeson makes the best with what limited script, direction and production he’s dealt in the new arctic thriller “The Grey.”

OPINION | 7

ARTS | 10


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