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THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1969 Volume XLIII, Issue 83
Friday, February 10, 2012
www.badgerherald.com
Third Chadima allegation reported Jackie Allen Campus Life Editor The University of Wisconsin Police Department is investigating a third allegation of misconduct against former Associate Athletic Director John Chadima involving an adult male, officials
announced Thursday. “As previously stated, university police continue to investigate all allegations of sexual impropriety or abuse of power brought to their attention,” Interim Chancellor David Ward said in a statement released on Thursday. Developments leading
up to this latest allegation began with Chadima’s resignation Jan. 6 after he was placed on administrative leave. UW officials released a 30 page report detailing the first alleged sexual assault Jan. 24, and the second and third allegations have come to the forefront over the past week.
Vice Chancellor for University Relations Vince Sweeney said this third allegation will be included in the review by an independent panel to investigate a second adult male individual’s claim of misconduct against Chadima, which Ward made public on Monday.
against Chadima. “It is inappropriate for the UW Chancellor to solicit complaints against John Chadima and engage in a reckless campaign of character assassination,” Giesen said in an email to The Badger Herald. “It is
Sweeney said he did not believe the second allegation and the newest allegation announced also took place during the football team’s trip to the Rose Bowl. Chadima’s attorney, Charles Giesen, said Ward’s actions throughout these investigations amount to “character assassination”
CHADIMA, page 3
Wis. faces greater budget shortfall Officials announce state must address $143M lapses during biennium, despite projected surplus
October vs Current Budget Projections $73 million surplus
Current
Sean Kirkby State Politics Editor Wisconsin is facing a larger biennial budget shortfall than originally projected according to new estimates, and it is one that could require emergency action by legislators and the governor’s office. In a memo sent Thursday to Joint Finance Committee chairs Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, and Robin Vos, R-Burlington, Legislative Fiscal Bureau Director Robert Lang said new estimates show the state could face a $143 million budget shortfall by June 30, 2013. The estimate differs by $216 million from the bureau’s previous prediction of the state having an approximately $73 million surplus. Lang said in the memo this is due in part to an approximate $273 million decrease in estimated tax collections. “The [Walker administration] is currently discussing steps it might take to address the budget shortfall, including debt refinancing and restructuring,” Lang said in the memo. Dave Loppnow, a spokesperson for the bureau, said the administration could also pass an emergency budget bill. He said either approach could be feasible, but if the governor addressed the issues through refinancing and restructuring he has the authority to do it without involving the Legislature. Loppnow said the state constitution contains a provision which says when a state finishes a year with a budget shortfall, it has to address it in the next year. He said the administration could choose to
October
Andy Fate The Badger Herald
Gov. Scott Walker announced Thursday that Wis. will receive funding from the federal government following a $25 billion agreement with the nation’s five largest mortgage services.
SOURCE: LEGISLATIVE FISCAL BUREAU $143 million shortfall
address the issue during the period from 2013 to 2014. “However, as a practical matter they would probably address it within the next year,” Loppnow said. Andrew Welhouse, spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said the budget lapse is about $71 million below the threshold that would require it to be fixed. He said the Walker administration said it plans to deal with the shortfall through other measures. Gov. Scott Walker said in a statement the new estimates show that they will finish the fiscal year in a surplus, and he plans to manage Wisconsin taxpayer’s money well to keep the state budget balanced. He said the actions he took to balance the budget stand in contrast to what other states have had to do to deal with the current economic state. He said Illinois Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn is proposing higher taxes and cuts to Medicaid, and Maryland Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley is proposing tax increases to combat shortfalls.
BUDGET, page 2
Walker, Van Hollen announce $140 million in federal grants State to receive funds for families affected by housing foreclosures, borrowers in high debt Mike Kujak State Legislative Editor Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and Gov. Scott Walker revealed in a conference Thursday a national settlement which will bring $140 million to Wisconsin to go toward damages for families affected by the foreclosure crisis. Van Hollen and Walker said Wisconsin joined a landmark $25 billion joint federal-state agreement with the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers over foreclosure abuses and unacceptable nationwide mortgage servicing practices. “For those who have
suffered damage to unfair practices related to foreclosure,” Walker said, “not only will they be getting compensation, but compensation will also be given to make sure these types of practices don’t continue again in the future.” During the conference, Van Hollen said almost half of the funds, more than $60 million, would go to direct relief for loan holders. He also said $17.2 million would go toward payments of up to $2,000 for eligible Wisconsin borrowers who lost their homes to foreclosures during the crisis, and $31.3 million in refinancing benefits for eligible borrowers who are currently making payments but owe more than their home is worth. “It is these types of success that we bring about through bipartisan efforts time and time again [that] we operate
Benefits to Wisconsin
$17.2 million
in payments to borrowers who lost homes to foreclosure
$31.3 million in refinancing benefits for eligible borrowers
$31.6 million in payments to the state
together in the best interest of consumer protection,” Van Hollen said. A statement released by Van Hollen before the conference also specified $31.6 million of the funding will be used as a payment to the state, which may be used for compensation
GRANTS, page 3
Regents weigh coping with cuts to System INSIDE Officials from UW schools highlight need to reallocate financial resources leading to higher faculty-to-student rates, cutbacks to other services Kylie Peterson Herald contributor The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents weighed ways the UW System could combat state budget cuts while maintaining quality of instruction on all campuses on Thursday. Mark Nook, UW System interim senior vice president for academic affairs, said for the past two decades, the price of tuition has been higher than the money appropriated by the state. UW campuses around the state are now also being forced to implement new strategies in an attempt to control operating costs and students’ tuition costs. Nook said the cost of tuition per student is also greater than what the state grants the UW System in funding per student. He added despite the lack of funding, the UW Systems Jill Peters The Badger Herald reported a 45 percent Mark Nook, a University of Wisconsin System official for academic affairs, said the price of tuition has remained higher growth in the number of than funding levels from the state for almost two decades while enrollment and the number of degrees awarded has grown. degrees awarded since © 2012 BADGER HERALD
1980 as well as a 12 percent growth in enrollment. Officials said the pressure to control tuition costs is hurting some UW System institutions. UWMilwaukee, for example, has a student to faculty ratio of 3.5-to-100, UWMilwaukee Chancellor Michael Lovell said. The national average for student to faculty ratio is 7-to-100. According to a study by the Goldwater Institute, Lovell said UW-Milwaukee was ranked the 12th-lowest in annual spending per student out of 198 research universities surveyed. He said UW-Milwaukee spends $13,007 annually on each student, while the national average is $41,337. “The ratios in some other parts of our campus are the ones that are being impacted. For example, in the College of Letters and Science, we currently have an 800-to-1 student to adviser ratio,” Lovell said.
REGENTS, page 3
They grow up so fast Joseph LaBate skipped junior league play, coming right to Wisconsin after high school and found himself on UW’s top line quickly
SPORTS | 8
Tenants’ rights under fire Proposed legislation that would allow landlords to sell property left behind and hold security deposits indefinitely is headed to committee.
NEWS | 2