EARLY DISCUSSION KEY TO MIFFLIN The Editorial Board suggests the city and students work together to prevent another disaster OPINION 5
THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1969 Volume XLIII, Issue 82
Thursday, February 9, 2012
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Ward requests local advisory boards Chancellors say System schools could approach unique situations Mike Kujak State Legislature Editor University of Wisconsin System chancellors asked for the creation of local advisory boards to improve communications with the Board of Regents at the third meeting of Special Task Force on
University of Wisconsin Restructuring and Operational Flexibilities yesterday. UW Interim Chancellor David Ward and UWMilwaukee Chancellor Michael Lovell said the creation of local advisory boards would allow campuses to deal with the unique sets of circumstances and complex revenue stream problems they face. “I hope this spring will be about how we can maximize individual advantages of each campus
to create new value,” Ward said. “Old systems have a one size fits all. Having a wide variety of institutions is critical, and while I’m not sure we got our hands around [this issue] last spring, I hope we can do it in this encounter.” Under their proposal, the boards would inform the chancellor about advocacy approaches and work with upper level management at the university in strategic planning efforts. Ward said the groups would not only consist of local advocacy members,
but also include Board of Regents members. He said this would enhance the relationship between what occurs at the campus level and what happens at the UW System and state level. “Both of us have thought of the idea of having two to three regents on the advisory board, which would allow internal governance groups to be exposed to the relationship between mission and revenues,” Ward said. “It doesn’t undermine the power of the regents and creates a richer
engagement with the campus.” JoAnne Brandes, copresident at the Center for Leadership Excellence in Milwaukee, questioned the amount of authority the proposed advisory boards would have. She said the creation of these local boards could cause a “paralysis of authority.” “In a company, a board of directors holds a CEO accountable,” Brandes said. “Where is the authority here? Why not a governing board instead of
an advisory board?” Ward said while a governing board could be helpful, it would be a much more difficult task than their current proposal. He also said that being chancellor was not like being a CEO, but instead the mayor of a “messy city.” Former UW Regent Fred Mohs also expressed concerns the proposed boards could create unnecessary conflicts and create an uneven balance
WARD, page 2
Vinehout unveils race intentions Julia Jacobson Herald Contributor Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, D-Alma, announced her run for governor Wednesday in a potential recall election against Gov. Scott Walker, becoming the second Democratic candidate to do so. “We need a fresh start and a new attitude in Vinehout Wisconsin politics and government. I have the experience and temperament necessary to lead,” Vinehout said in a statement. Vinehout said in the statement she has fought for affordable health insurance and fair funding of schools. She said while serving on the Joint
Committee on Audit, she uncovered problems with accountability in state programs. “We need a governor who will lead with selfrestraint, ... who will respect Wisconsin’s traditions of good government; who supports and takes pride in our schools; who values the skills workers bring to their jobs,” Vinehout. Vinehout has become the second candidate to announce for the Democratic nomination for governor, joining former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk. Falk’s spokesperson Scot Ross said in an email to The Badger Herald Falk supports the right of other candidates to run. “Democrats will have the final say on who can best put together
the operation and who has the experience and provide the vision needed to go head to head with the extreme right-wing Walker agenda,” Ross said. In response to Vinehout’s candidacy announcement, Walker’s campaign spokesperson Tom Evenson said in an email to The Badger Herald Vinehout has shown Wisconsinites she avoids making tough decisions when she left the state during the spring protests. “Governor Walker is ready to contrast his positive record with the Democrats’ failed policies of the past and looks forward to hearing from Democrats like Kathleen Vinehout on how they would have balanced a $3.6 billion budget
deficit,” Evenson said. In an election against well-known politicians like Walker, name recognition may become a problem for Vinehout, University of Wisconsin political science Barry Burden said in an email. He said Vinehout may not be known in major metro areas like Madison and Milwaukee. UW political science professor John Coleman said a lack of name recognition could be beneficial to Vinehout. “The upside of that situation is that she doesn’t have to erase any negative impressions of her, so she starts as more of a blank slate for most potential voters,” Coleman said in an email. “The downside is that
VINEHOUT, page 4
Students arrested for sexual assault Katie Caron Higher Education Editor Officers from the University of Wisconsin Police Department arrested three UW students Wednesday in connection with a second degree sexual assault that took place on campus last semester. According to a UWPD statement, police arrested students Brian K. Allen, 18, of Menomonee Falls; Prentice A. Williams, 18, of Milwaukee; and Bruce H.
Beckley, 18, of Milwaukee in connection with an incident that occurred in Witte Hall Sept. 10, 2011. UWPD Sgt. Aaron Chapin said all three arrested students attend UW and the students have been detained in the Dane County Jail. All three of the arrested male subjects reportedly knew the adult female victim, who is not a student at UW, according to the UWPD statement. Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, said for
his district — which encompasses Witte Hall and is student-dominated — these types of incidents are not common. He said although he did not have any more details about the incident, ones like it generally are not normal in his district. “These incidents — although very unfortunate — do happen, but in general we live in a safe campus in comparison to the city we live in,” Resnick said. “UWPD and the Madison Police
Department work very hard and closely to make sure these cases are very few and far between.” Chapin said with this case in mind, he wanted to stress the importance of resources for students on campus, including the Rape Crisis Center and the Dean of Students Office. He said he encourages students who are facing these situations to reach out to the resources available.
ASSAULT, page 3
Just go with the flow... University of Wisconsin student Nika Taylor demonstrates her hoop skills at the Student Organization Fair Wednesday night. Taylor represents the Madison Flow Club on campus and used her talent to draw in new members. Megan McCormick The Badger Herald
Jill Peters The Badger Herald
Metro General Manager Chuck Kamp unveils the results of an investigation prompted by a fatal pedestrian-bus collision in August. Metro has since implemented new training policies for bus drivers.
Metro finds driver at fault in fatal collision Adrianna Viswanatha City Hall Editor Madison Metro will reform the way it trains and operates following the death of a pedestrian in a bus accident last summer. The pedestrian, Maureen Grant, died last June when a bus hit her at the corner of North Lake Street and University Avenue. Today, Metro announced the changes it has made to its buses and training procedures since the incident. Chuck Kamp, general manager of Metro, said the Technical Reconstruction Unit of the State Patrol reconstructed the accident. The State Patrol released a report of the reconstruction that said the driver’s side mirror was a “variable obstruction,” meaning the driver needed to move to see around it. Additionally, Kamp said an onboard video was shown at the conference. The footage ran for one minute until just before the moment of impact,
which showed the driver was in compliance with the company’s safety rules. However, according to the TRU report, driver Debra Foster’s failure to see Grant in the blind spot was a factor in the collision. “Blind spots and other view obstructions are commonly overcome in the normal operation of motor vehicles and even more frequently in the operation of oversized vehicles such as passenger buses,” the report said. “The failure to identify Ms. Grant as a pending hazard throughout the turning maneuver is a causal factor in this collision.” Kamp said safety changes began in 2007, when a new rule required the company’s buses to be equipped with high-mount mirrors instead of low-mount mirrors. He said most of the buses have been outfitted with the mirrors. Kamp said the highmount mirrors are designed to reduce the issue of a blind spot for bus drivers making
METRO, page 2
INSIDE Citizens United takes the stand Experts on the campaign finance decision argued both sides to the debate Wednesday.
NEWS | 4
Mad about Madge? Scan the QR code to read The Beat Goes On’s take on Madonna’s half-time show
Megan McCormick The Badger Herald
Border Battle resumes Wisconsin men’s basketball looks to rebound from it’s loss to Ohio State on the road at Minnesota.
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