THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1969 Volume XLIII, Issue 139
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
www.badgerherald.com
Risser reflects on longtime career Sean Kirkby State Politics Editor Last Saturday, as thousands of students turned out for the Mifflin Street Block Party, Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, celebrated his 85th birthday. The longest-serving state legislator in the nation, Risser recently announced he will again seek reelection. He sat down with The Badger Herald to reflect on the past session and the more than half-century he has spent in the Legislature. The Badger Herald: Why have you remained in the Senate and why have you decided to run again? Fred Risser: There was a time when I thought about moving up the ladder. … That period is passed. That’s
Andy Fate The Badger Herald
Bob Lavigna, Human Resources director, presented recommendations from university work groups on the Human Resources Design Project. One of the more controversial provisions which sparked debate among faculty senators was a provision that would create a greater link between pay and performance, a “market based” approach for University of Wisconsin staff.
Faculty weigh HR plan Jackie Allen Campus Life Editor University of Wisconsin faculty members debated recommendations to revise the campus human resources system in their last meeting of the academic year Monday, including a controversial provision that would eliminate bargaining rights for certain positions. Bob Lavigna, UW director of human resources and one of the leaders of the Human Resources Design Project, presented the initial recommendations of the project’s seven work teams, adding each would increase the university’s value and efficiency. He also addressed one of the more controversial recommendations by the team on employee categories which
suggests combining UW academic staff and classified staff under the same title. If implemented, the recommendation would have implications for collective bargaining and governance, Lavigna said. “The team is considering whether or not they will revise their recommendation, and we are all sort of breathlessly awaiting the team’s decision,” Lavigna said. Noah Feinstein, an assistant professor in the School of Education, asked Lavigna to provide more of the evidence that supported the recommendations. Lavigna added each of the teams heard from campus forums in an effort to represent a range of the campus community. UW English professor Cyrena Pondrom also
questioned Lavigna on the effects of eliminating important distinctions between university staff members. “I think you set up a potentially dangerous situation for academic staff,” Pondrom said. “To obliterate the difference between a research scientist and a custodian is not, I think, a very good idea.” In an Academic Staff Executive Committee report released at the end of April, members said combining the two categories would result in classified employees losing their collective bargaining rights. Lavigna said while the recommendation is controversial, the team will continue to hear from the campus on the issue and may potentially change its recommendation. Other recommended changes include
restructuring the university’s compensation system in a more marketbased approach with a greater emphasis on performance. Lavigna said this change would allow UW to be more competitive and flexible in efforts to attract talent to campus. “In some sense, we already have a marketbased approach; it’s just ad hoc,” Lavigna said. “This team is recommending we take a systematic approach in understanding what our markets are for different positions.” With the recommendation for a greater link between pay and performance, he said UW should also ensure performance reviews will be fair, objective and transparent. He added setting performance
fine when you’re younger. You don’t go to Congress when you’re 80; you have to build up seniority. You don’t run for statewide at that age either. But you can stay in the Legislature as long as you’re healthy and motivated. And you know, there are lots of age categories, not only chronological age, but the age of maturity, the physical age. You’ve got the mental age, you’ve got the age of interest. And I am still motivated; I know what I’m doing, I enjoy it and I feel like I can make a difference. BH: How do you view the voter ID law? Do you think challenges should be dealt with in the courts, or should the Legislature step in?
RISSER, page 2
Megan McCormick The Badger Herald
Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, is the state’s longest-serving legislator. He also recently announced he would again seek reelection. Risser said he does regret leaving the state to delay a collective bargaining vote.
FACULTY, page 5
Disorderly conduct among most cited in downtown bars Lauren Tubbs Reporter Several popular campus bars in the downtown area had a total of 242 citations issued on their premises between February 2011-12, with most of the overall citations involving underage people in a bar and disorderly conduct, and with two of these bars having a high concentration of citations issued to patrons, according to documents obtained by The Badger Herald. Red Shed, State Street Brats, Wando’s Bar, Osaka House, City Bar, Vintage Spirits & Grill, Johnny
O’s Restaurant and Bar, Whiskey Jack’s Saloon, Hawk’s, Kollege Klub Bar, Brothers Bar & Grill, Logan’s Madtown and Chaser’s Bar and Grille had a collective total of 242 citations given out at the bars from February 2011 to February 2012, according to the citations obtained from the Madison Police Department. Logan’s lead in total number of citations with 63, and Whiskey Jack’s Saloon was the second highest with 49 citations. Osaka House, City Bar, and Brothers were the three taverns with the fewest citations, having one, two and two
respectively. Of the various kinds of citations issued at the taverns, the most common were underage persons inside a licensed premise with a total of 67 citations and disorderly conduct with a total of 55, according to the documents. Sgt. Tony Fiore, supervisor of the Community Policing Team, said a majority of calls his team gets from the bars are for fights, which result in a large number of disorderly conduct citations. He added his team stresses the importance of the bars calling the police when these situations arise,
despite what they think the consequences might be. “If the bars are calling us for a disturbance or fight usually disorderly conduct is the catch-all,” Fiore said. “Bars have been hesitant to call us on something that didn’t result in a big incident because they fear that we see that as their fault. … If we’re seeing more [disorderly conduct citations] the bars are doing a good job in a sense that they’re calling us when these incidents are happening.” Kelly Van Ermen, a manager of State Street Brats, also said while underage drinking is a
major problem, fights and disorderly behavior among bar-goers is one of the biggest problems a bar faces. “When a patron gets far too intoxicated and won’t leave or starts to cause problems is when most calls to the police have to be made,” Van Ermen said. “Mainly when a patron refuses to leave after being asked.” Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said one of the most important factors in the number of bar citations issued is the staffing level of the Community Policing
BARS, page 5
Citations by bar MPD issued 242 citations at 13 downtown bars between Feb. 2011 and Feb. 2012. Logan’s Whiskey Jack’s Saloon State Street Brats Chaser’s Wando’s Johnny O’s Hawk’s Kollege Klub Red Shed Vintage City Bar Brother’s Osaka
63 49 22 21 21 19 19 12 6 5 2 2 1
GOP outpacing Dems in campaign spending INSIDE Expert projects expenditures on election could reach $80M, could double state’s previous record Jacob Kaczmarowski Herald Contributor With the recall election for the governor’s seat still a month away, campaign spending for the race has already surpassed the most expensive elections in the state’s history. Mike McCabe, executive director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a nonpartisan campaign finance watchdog group,
said he believes this will continue to be a recordbreaking year. “The election in 2010 was the most expensive to date with $37.4 million spent.” McCabe said. “This recall election has spent $42 million before the primary. We are expecting anywhere from $60-$80 million spent by the end, doubling the previous record.” McCabe said he had never seen this level of out-
of-state money come into a Wisconsin election. He said a noticeable amount used to be 10 percent from outof-state where as Walker’s campaign reports show 60 percent of individual donations from outside Wisconsin, totaling $13.7 million. The Democratic candidates out-of-state funding is less than Walker’s, with Falk’s campaign raising 46 percent from out-of-state
and Barrett with 13 percent coming from out-of-state. Tom Evenson, a spokesperson for the Walker campaign, said the amount of money raised is a testament to Walker’s vision. “This is clearly an issue that the state and the nation care very deeply about,” Evenson said. “We wouldn’t have to raise a dime is the Democrats had not forced this recall election
© 2012 BADGER HERALD
on Walker’s successful reforms.” McCabe said he believes that most of the money spent by both sides will be wasted because the state has had enough time to make their mind up about how they feel towards Walker. “Most of the $80 million spent in the election will be on TV ads.” McCabe said. “But at this point I
SPENDING, page 2
Students aim to launch businesses Campus resources allow students to be entrepreneurs as undergraduates.
NEWS | 4
Barrett best choice in recall primary The Editorial Board weighs in on the Democratic primary candidates.
OPINION | 6