STUDENT MEDIA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2017 · VOL 49 Issue 12 · BADGERHERALD.COM
Students work to promote interfaith dialogue amid disparities in feelings of isolation, religious spaces pg. 14
Designed by Autumn Brown and Sam Christensen
MADTOWN CRIER
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Madtown Crier Madtown refuses to slow down. Here are some upcoming events The Badger Herald recommends to keep you up to speed.
Thursday 12/7 Joe Pug at the Wisconsin Union Theater, 8pm, $10 for students
Tuesday 12/5 Trivia Night at Mickey’s Tavern, 7:30pm, FREE
Wednesday 12/6 Evanscence at the Orpheum, 7p,m, from $116
Thursday 12/7 December Art Opening: Alaura Borealis, 5-9pm, FREE
Friday 12/8 Redefined Fall Show at Music Hall, 7pm, $10 for students
Friday 12/8
Saturday 12/9 James the Magician at Mother Fools, 8-9:30pm, FREE
Sunday 12/10
Saturday 12/9 Brian Reegan at the Orpheum, 11-8pm, from $68
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TEDxUW Madison at the Discovery Building, 10am-2pm, $40
Optima Dance Fall Show at Shannon Hall, 2-9pm, $5 for students
Monday 12/11 Lunchtime Yoga at Monona Terrace, 12-12:45pm, FREE
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Turning Point USA was rejected recognition on campus at UW-Stevens Point, a decision which was later overruled by administration.
Fergusons and Benzschawels find unique experience in playing with their sibling on the field
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HUMP DAY: HISTORY OF SEX THROUGH ART
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Columnist provides historical and cultural context for sexual attitudes and practices as observed through ancient and contemporary artists.
GOP TAX REFORM DIRECTLY TARGETS HIGHER EDUCATION
Increased tuition, budget cuts for universities nationwide yet another wave of Republican-led attacks on America’s education system.
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Election committee prioritizing cybersecurity in recruitment efforts
After 28 percent decrease in staff over the last two budget cycles, the regulatory agency struggles to fill vacant positions by Izabela Zaluska State Editor
The Wisconsin Elections Commission is searching for three additional staff members after experiencing a 28 percent decrease in staff over the last two budget cycles. Two of the positions would focus on election security, such as cybersecurity and security of voting equipment. The third position would focus on outreach and updating public information about voter registration and photo ID requirements. Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator Michael Haas said losing these positions makes it more challenging to keep up with the commission’s responsibilities. The commission is responsible for certain election duties at the state level, such as maintaining the electronic voter registration system, helping candidates get on the ballot and reviewing nomination papers, Haas said. In addition, the commission is also responsible for educating voters and making sure that voters know what the rules are, how to register to vote and what
a proper photo ID, Haas said. “With losing these positions, that just cuts into some of our core responsibilities and makes it more challenging to keep up with all of those tasks,” Haas said. “On top of that, we have this new priority on election security and building on what we’ve done previously to secure elections.” The commission has always worked with agencies like the FBI, state law enforcement and local law enforcement, Haas said. But the Department of Homeland Security is a new actor the commission is working with. Before the next election, University of Wisconsin political science professor Barry Burden said security concerns are most likely at the top of the list of things to focus on. “[Security concerns are] not going away,” Burden said. “They’re gonna become more complicated and more pressing as things go on.” In addition, Burden believes more education for the public is needed about voter ID laws. He said numerous surveys have shown the public is not fully informed about the law. A study published in late September by UW political science professor Kenneth Mayer
found more than 16,000 Wisconsinites may have been deterred from voting because of the voter ID law. Haas said the commission invited Mayer to their Dec. 12 meeting to discuss the study. “The state has done very little public education, even though the law mandates that the state has to allocate funds to help inform the public,” Burden said. “I think there’s much more that can be done there.” Hiring additional staff members to address some of the concerns Burden mentioned was originally part of the 2017-19 biennial budget, but the measure was vetoed by Gov. Scott Walker in late September. Soon afterwards, Rep. Melissa Sargent, D-Madison, and other state Democrats, introduced a bill that would allow for five additional full-time Wisconsin Elections Commission staff members. “The Legislature in Wisconsin has been standing in the way of people being able to vote,” Sargent said. “Rather than creating barriers for people to vote, we need to remove those barriers.” Around $304,000 dollars would be spent in
order to pay for the additional staff members, Sargent said. She said it’s a “small price to pay” to ensure Wisconsin’s elections are secure. “It’s really important to add staff to make sure we can stand firm in protecting the integrity of elections security in the democratic process,” Sargent said. As a lawmaker, Sargent said she is passionate about ensuring the voting process has as much integrity as possible. The commission plans to meet with the Department of Administration to figure out whether or not separate legislation is necessary to create those additional positions and what would be required to get additional positions approved, Haas said. If legislation is necessary, the commission will work with the Legislature to ask for their support. “It is imperative ... that we have fair, transparent and honest election systems in order to make sure our democratic process can move forward,” Sargent said.
Rejection of UW-Stevens Point conservative group recieves backlash Turning Point USA was banned at UW-Stevens Point, administration later overturned decision denying their recognition by Kate Lawless Reporter
Earlier this month, the Student Government Association at University of WisconsinStevens Point banned conservative group Turning Point USA from becoming a recognized chapter at the university — a decision that was later overturned after administrative involvement. UW-Stevens Point Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Al Thompson noted that Turning Point had fulfilled all requirements needed to become a recognized organization and was concerned about the legitimacy of the SGA decision. Thompson found that according to UWStevens Point policies, Turning Point qualified for recognition. “I knew I would probably have to review the decision and decide how we would proceed,” Thompson said. During the Nov. 9 meeting, Turning Point USA representatives said the goals of their group were to “promote fiscal responsibility and limited government.” SGA also heard from constituents advocating for and against the recognition of the group. 4• badgerherald.com •December 5, 2017
Certain constituents called Turning Point USA a “hate speech group” and worried the actions and words of the parent organization foster prejudice and close-mindedness. Several people cited their Facebook page use of
denyingTurningPointUSAtheability “toByform achapterandberecognizedasan officialstudentorganizationoncampus,the StudentGovernmenthasfundamentally stripped the voice of conservative organizationsandstudentmembersof UWSPalongwithinfringingontherightsof students.
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Amelia Heup Chairwoman of UW-Stevens Point College Republicans memes as evidence of bias against minorities. The SGA’s vote to deny recognition led to backlash from other conservative groups on campus. The UW-Stevens Point College Republicans
were disappointed in the vote. College Republicans Chairwoman Amelia Heup stated that all political groups deserve to have a voice on the UW-Stevens Point campus. “By denying Turning Point USA the ability to form a chapter and be recognized as an official student organization on campus, the Student Government has fundamentally stripped the voice of conservative organizations and student members of UWSP along with infringing on the rights of students,” Heup said in a statement. UW-Stevens Point sophomore Alex Gotto believes students who don’t support the group should still support the group’s right to exist on campus. Shortly after the SGA decision was reversed, Tyson Langhofer, a member of the Senior Counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom which defends student’s freedom of speech, contacted the UW-Stevens Point Chancellor, Bernie Patterson via email. Langhofer stated the student government had originally “violated TPUSA’s constitutional rights by denying its application to be recognized based upon the viewpoint of its speech.”
Despite the later achievement of recognition, ADF was still concerned the RSO policy allowing a group to be denied based on their speech was still in effect. According to the legal analysis portion of the email, these policies are unconstitutional and violate the First Amendment. Gotto and another UW-Stevens Point sophomore Jeremy Roemer agreed the initial decision was unconstitutional. “[The initial decision] was keeping the freedom of speech away from a certain group,” Roemer said. Earlier this year, the UW Board of Regents approved a policy that would suspend or expel students who disrupt the free speech of another student or speaker on campus. To create a productive learning environment, Roemer believes it’s important to allow all viewpoints to have a space on campus. “I think allowing all viewpoints is a good idea,” Roemer said. “It helps get ideas out there and some of them could be great ideas, some of them you might not agree with, but somebody will and it’s good to be a part of a group.”
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OSS restaurant closes after four years, signals changing landscape As latest restaurant in Madison closes its doors, State Street restaurant owners reflect on latest food trends
by Abby Doeden Reporter
After almost four years in the restaurant business, the OSS restaurant on Regent Street closed after hours Saturday. According to The Cap Times, the restaurant, which opened in February 2014, was known for their sausage menu with bratwurst, polish sausage and all-beef hot dogs. The Cap Times also reported that OSS restaurant was known for their name, which was intentionally vague. Owners and brothers, Tyler and Chris Soukup, came up with many variations for what it could mean, such as “Our Sausage Shop,” “One Stop Sausage” and “Only Serving Sausage.” But OSS is only one of the many restaurants to recently close in Madison. Between the closing of Sofia’s Bakery & Café and Granite City suddenly going out of business within the last month, the city of Madison is currently seeing a dramatic change in businesses.
Noah Williams, a University of Wisconsin economics professor, said the restaurant business is “ever-changing.” “Restaurants are very volatile and turn over quite frequently. There’s a chance that any individual restaurant will go under, and generally within a year,” Williams said. According to an article from the Wisconsin State Journal, this specialization problem may have been one of the driving factors in the closing of the OSS restaurant. In the article, Tyler Soukup said one weakness in their restaurant was their niche-only serving sausages and cheese. Along with a lot of turnover, the restaurant industry is also very specialized and sometimes unpredictable, Williams said. There are a lot of trends following the industry that come and go quickly, he added. People are tending to order in for food service, which can negatively affect businesses who do not offer ordering services, Williams said.
Williams said some consequences to the failure or closing of restaurants, including unemployment and potential decrease in property value. “There would also be an impact on the spending — people would go to different places, there would be a slight reduction in economic activity, as many of the people would choose to go elsewhere, but others would choose to just not spend the money,” Williams said. Similar to OSS, State Street Brats has a very central focus: Their brats. State Street Brats has been in business since 1952 when they opened as the Brathaus, popular with students from the start. Seph Blackstone, the general manager of State Street Brats, said it has been a very successful football season for them since they tend to gain good business when the Badgers are playing well. Blackstone also attributes their success to their owner. “The owner has done a very good job establishing Brats as ‘The Place to Meet’,” Blackstone said. “We also get a lot of
alumni on game day which shows our popularity throughout generations.” Because they have been on State Street for so long, State Street Brats has seen many changes in their business as well as changes in Madison as a whole. Blackstone said many businesses will open up along the first floor of new apartment complexes because of recent construction in Madison. “This [construction] opens up more choices for both customers and employers, which makes it harder for us to keep customers coming here,” Blackstone said. Although Blackstone realizes the business has changed over the years, he believes their foundation is what will keep them in business for years to come. Blackstone believes with the support of alumni and current students they can, however, stay in business. “When it comes down to it, we’re a place that sells brats and beer, and that’s what has kept us in business for so long, and it’s what we still try to do,” Blackstone said.
Legislators, prison reformists debate proposed bills on crime laws
Legislation will address rising issue of repeat violent offenders, proponents of the bill claim it will increase public safety
by Madeline Boulanger Reporter
A package of bills aimed toward addressing the growing problem of repeat violent offenders introduced by State Sen. Leah Vukmir were passed by the State Senate last month. Three of the bills received bipartisan support in the legislature. Vukmir believes these bills will make Wisconsin safer and aid in protecting victims. “It’s time to say enough is enough and pass laws that protect victims, not enable criminals,” Vukmir said. Some of the bills did not receive bipartisan support, however, remaining unpopular among Democratic leaders and prison reform policy groups. One bill allowed inmates to be held longer at state troubled youth prisons and the other bill required the Department of Corrections to recommend revocation of probation, parole or extended supervision for anyone charged with another crime. EX-Prisoners Organizing is one such group that vocalized opposition to the passage of these bills. EXPO works to end mass incarceration and structural discrimination, as well as help prisoners return to their communities after incarceration. EXPO Organizer Mark Rice said these bills are not effective in solving the problems they aim to fix. “The bills are going to likely increase
incarceration rates and create the need for Wisconsin to spend more on corrections, and potentially build more prisons, and that’s what we fight against,” Rice said. “We believe that we need to focus on building safer, stronger, healthier communities in other ways.” Rice argues policies utilizing mass incarceration are historically ineffective and expensive. He said policies like the ones suggested in the bills have already been tried in the 1980s and 1990s, and largely failed. This led to less money available to spend on public education, increasing the minimum wage and generally other programs that could help build stronger and safer communities, Rice said. Instead of focusing on punishment, he would like to see these funds put back into the community to focus on crime prevention. “Wisconsin already spends more on corrections than on the University of Wisconsin System, [so] we’re spending more on failed policies that have already been tried in the 80s [and] 90s,” Rice said. “So we’d like to see them take a more proactive approach and focus on preventing crime in the first place.” But Vukmir argues these bills are necessary to protect Wisconsin neighborhoods against repeat offenders. “Wisconsin has experienced a shocking and unacceptable increase in violent crimes,” Vukmir said. “My bills hold violent offenders who repeatedly victimize our communities in
egregious ways accountable.” But Rice said these bills do not address crimeless revocations, one of EXPO’s main issues. Rice, in an article for Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, said that crimeless revocation is when a formerly incarcerated person is sent back to prison for a technical violation or minor infraction such as unauthorized cell phone use or failing alcohol tests. “The Wisconsin Department of Revocations sent 3,000 people back to prison for a revocation without a new conviction, so we’re calling on Wisconsin to end crimeless revocations and reinvest that money back into programs that would help to reduce recidivism,” Rice said. While these bills are not law yet, Vukmir hopes these bills will pass through the Legislature and be put into effect soon. The Senate has already passed the bill, but the Assembly referred the bill to the joint committee on finance. Ultimately, Rice said these bills do not address the causes of crime or the underlying
problems which lead to crime. He argues more can be done to address crime by investing resources back into the communities which need them, especially in areas of Milwaukee. “We can’t solve these problems just by building more prisons and adding more police officers to the streets,” Rice said. “We need to take a different approach.”
December 5 2017 • badgerherald.com • 5
PHOTO
cRun Santa Run 5K E
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Photo · Students, families and even dogs participated in the annual Run Santa Run 5K that started and ended at Madison’s Capitol Square. The 5K route toured downtown Madison and runners had the opportunity to stop at three holiday stations which featured cookies, mistletoe and other treats. Sarah Godfrey The Badger Herald 6• badgerherald.com December 5, 2017
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UW focuses on campus safety amid‘legacy of sexism’within UW department
UW Department of Urban Planning under close review after reports of sexual assault against male faculty last year by Gretchen Gerlach Reporter
Amid the continuing national conversation regarding sexual harassment, sexism and gender prejudice in the workplace, the University of Wisconsin reaffirmed its commitment to a campus climate free of sexual harassment, assault and misconduct. This reaffirmation comes after recent scrutiny of the UW Department of Urban Planning, in which the almost entirely male faculty has divulged years of complaints from female students and staff about sexual harassment. Since early 2016, the department has been under close review and investigation by UW after allegations of sexual harassment were made by multiple female faculty members and students against an unidentified professor in the department. Multiple women have reported to the Wisconsin State Journal that the professor in question is Ken Jacobs. UW officials also believe Jacobs to be the professor which against which these accusations have been levelled.
The impact “harassment
of upon students and faculty that has already occurred will continue to manifest trauma, mental stress and PTSD-like symptoms.
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Samantha Johnson University Health Services Violence Prevention Manager
While Jacobs has been prevented from meeting alone with female employees and students, he has not faced any formal discipline for the alleged incidents. University Health services violence prevention manager Samantha Johnson said these allegations could be referring to a range of incidents, all of which involve some “unwelcome and unwanted” action. “Sexual harassment can include unwelcome sexual advances, unwelcome sexual requests, unwelcome physical contact of a sexual nature and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature,” Johnson said. In a March report, the Wisconsin Student Planning Association said current and former students have felt the “strain of the sexism, lack of protection and in some cases, sexual harassment and
hostile behavior” at the Dept. of Urban Planning. In a 2015 survey on sexual assault, the American Association of Universities found 53.3 percent of female graduate students reported experiencing sexual harassment during their time as a student at UW, and of those female graduate students, 22.2 percent cited that harasser was a faculty member, 10.7 percent said it was a staff member or an administrator, and another 4.8 percent said it was a person affiliated with a UW program. Among UW’s staff, the UW Title IX Coordinator Lauren Hasselbacher said there have been five discrimination investigations conducted over the past five years in which sexual harassment was alleged against a university employee. A faculty review committee was formed to address the issues, and a report was released in February in which the department acknowledged its history of sexism. “Accusations of sexism have been leveled against department members in the past and it appears that the community continues to struggle with this problem,” the report read. The Department of Urban Planning faculty, students and staff were interviewed about gender relations within the department and whether they felt the program provided a safe, inclusive and comfortable space. The report found most women feel included, although several noted that they would not feel comfortable working one-on-one with some male faculty members. Further investigation of the department’s climate was conducted by consultant Ann Zanzig, who implemented a survey questionnaire to members of the department to thoroughly evaluate their experiences. It was found that of the 20 respondents, as many as 22 percent had either experienced or witnessed some form of harassment or discrimination due to gender, race or other personal attributes. Following the release of the faculty review committee report, Zanzig’s report and the 2015 AAU report on seuxal assault, the need for reform has been requested by multiple groups. The faculty review committee report posited recommendations for future actions, saying that the department should work to improve the departmental climate, including mandated diversity training for all faculty. In response to the program review committee’s February 2017 report, the WSPA also came out with reform requests. “Moving forward, URPL students expect to see immediate measures to address these
Photo · 53.3 percent of female graduate students reported experiencing sexual harrassment at UW in 2015, according to the American Association of Universities Daniel Chinitz The Badger Herald issues on a short and long term basis,” the student group wrote to the department in March. “Students echo the severity of this issue as identified by the Review
Accusations of “have been leveled
sexism against department members in the past and it appears that the community continues to struggle with this problem.
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March report from the Department of Urban Planning
Committee and desire immediate action by the Department that addresses the scale of the issue.” According to the report, this immediate
action should include a dedication of time and resources necessary to ensure student safety. UW spokesperson Meredith McGlone said the department chair has worked with faculty, staff and students to address many of the concerns expressed. This includes a variety of actions, such as conducting relevant surveys and ensuring transparent reporting of their results, ensuring the completion of sexual harassment awareness training and a commitment to diversifying departmental staff with respects to gender through the hiring of another tenured female professor, McGlone said. While the efficacy of these changes has yet to be seen, allowing these reforms to have meaningful effect will take time. Johnson said the effects of sexual assault can linger and will continue to cause problems for survivors. “The impact of harassment upon students and faculty that has already occurred will continue to manifest trauma, mental stress and PTSD-like symptoms,” Johnson said. December 5, 2017 • badgerherald.com • 7
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UW staff creates submission tool for researchers reporting their work
BuckySubmit reviews research manuscripts, ensures they are in complaince with ‘public access’ guidelines for publication by Matt O’Connor Campus Editor
University of Wisconsin staff have developed a new service to assist faculty researchers in maintaining compliance with federally mandated reporting guidelines and public access requirements when publishing their work. The service, called BuckySubmit, was developed in May through the efforts of a unit headed by UW public access compliance specialist Ryan Schryver. The goal of BuckySubmit is to make researchers’ lives easier through easing some of the burdens of UW researchers in making sure they comply with certain guidelines when reporting their work to federal agencies. With the advent of this new tool, researchers can now leave their completed, federally funded research manuscripts at Schryver ’s office in Ebling Library. From there, Schryver and his team review the manuscript and submit it for the researcher, thus ensuring compliance with the federal agency or agencies which funded it. Researchers at UW or any institution who receive funding from federal agencies must follow “public access” guidelines. These rules are enforced with the intention of making federally funded research more accessible to the public. Schryver said these guidelines have been
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in place since 2008, when the National Institutes of Health first started mandating that research be made more publicly accessible. In 2013, Schryver said these guidelines were greatly expanded to other federal agencies. The Obama administration’s White House Office of Science and Technology Policy mandated that every federal agency which spends more than $100 million on research and development must also enforce public access guidelines on the research it funds. As this policy expanded, however, it did not become centralized under a single agency or database. Each individual federal agency maintains their own system for submitting research, which Schryver can become time consuming and confusing for researchers when they submit their manuscripts. “The public access requirement is kind of a weird beast in that it’s not centralized,” Schryver said. “Almost every agency has their own repository for public access, and almost every agency has their own pathway as far as submitting a manuscript.” The real benefit of this new tool, Schryver said, is that it allows faculty to devote their limited time and energy solely on their research, without having to worry about whether they are in compliance with public access guidelines. Researchers who fail to report or
publish their research in compliance with federal guidelines could see their funding delayed or even forfeited. Schryver said it is understandable for them to worry about whether they are in compliance with these rules. “The whole point is that we want researchers to focus on what’s important — the research,” Schryver said. “If we can assist them by taking away one thing off their plate, we’re going to try and do that.” The new tool will undoubtedly be used by many researchers on the UW campus, as federal agencies spent more than $589 million on research at UW alone in 2016. This number was more than $250 million larger than all non-federal funding sources combined for that year. Natasha Kassulke, a spokeswoman for the Office of the UW Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education, said the federal government and research universities like UW have a “long-standing and successful” partnership. “The federal government relies on universities to conduct research in the national interest,” Kassulke said. “This includes research aimed at meeting specific national goals such as health and welfare, economic growth and national defense.” Kassulke said more than half of federal funding in 2016 — $325.5 million — came from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. Other federal agencies which awarded substantial amounts for research and development at UW included the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy. These three agencies comprised 81 percent of federal spending on research and development on the UW campus in 2016. Along with the National Aeronautic and Space Administration, the remaining 19 percent came from the U.S. Depts. of Defense, Education, Commerce and Agriculture. These funds landed in various colleges and institutions at UW, but 33 percent of all federal funds in 2016 went to the School of Medicine and Public Health, the largest recipient by 15 percent. Other recipients of large portions of federal funding in 2016 included the College of Marissa Haegele Engineering (18 percent), the The Badger Herald College of Letters & Science (18 percent) and the Graduate School
(17 percent). With the School of Medicine and Public Health, these four colleges received 86 percent of all federal funds for research and development at UW in 2016. Kassulke said there are many reasons why a particular program might receive more funding than others, and much of the determination occurs in the application process, where researchers outline their proposals to federal agencies. While UW’s status as a large research institution means it receives generous levels of federal funding relative to other institutions, the university has recently received less funding than in years past. While the $589.7 million awarded in 2016 was the highest level of federal funding seen since 2013, this amount was still more than $100 million less than the university received in 2010 and came after a series of years in which funding continuously decreased. Kassulke attributed these smaller funding levels to federal budget cuts. Despite these expenditure cuts, a survey conducted by the National Science Foundation ranked UW sixth in the nation among research institutions for the second year in a row — a ranking which UW vice chancellor for research and development Marsha Mailick said is a good sign for the university after years of cuts to research expenditures. These cuts, however, could possibly increase in 2018 and onward, as President Donald Trump’s proposed budget for that year includes deep cuts to federally funded research. In a statement, UW Chancellor Rebecca Blank said these cuts would harm numerous programs at UW which are “vital to the interests of the state.” “If enacted by Congress, such cuts would significantly impact the nation’s public research institutions and the students who attend our institutions, as well as the overall competitiveness of our country,” Blank said. Chancellor Blank said she and the university administration will be working with Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation and others in the nation’s capital to advocate for UW’s interests in light of Trump’s proposed budget. While the future trajectory of federally funded research at UW and other institutions like it remains to be seen, research at UW continues to make headlines for its discoveries. Through the use of BuckySubmit, Schryver and the UW administration hope the university’s researchers will maintain current funding levels and continue to publish acclaimed research.
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UW social work program looks to retain high quality professionals
Public Welfare Training program hopes to increase number of skilled social workers in Wisconsin through added training by Emilie Cochran Campus Editor
In an effort to better equip students studying social work at the University of Wisconsin, the School of Social Work is training and providing hands-on experience to students through a training program. The Public Welfare Training Program uses Title IV-E funds to train both undergraduate and graduate students who wish to work in public child welfare by placing them to work in Dane County and surrounding counties. After earning their degrees, students join the public child welfare workforce in Wisconsin. The program is a partnership between the Department of Children and Families, a state organization and the university, PWT program coordinator, Ellen Smith, said. “This benefits the students because they get both free tuition and a monthly stipend to help them support their education so that they can really, fully embrace all of the opportunities the program has, both in classes and extracurriculars,” Smith said. Not only does the program benefit the students, but it benefits the families being helped as well, Smith said. The families are able to get social workers who are committed to them and the difficult work this career ensues. During her placement in her first year of graduate school at the School of Social work, Katie Taber was in the Jefferson County Initial Assessment Unit. There, she
took phone calls regarding people of cases with child abuse and neglect. “[After the call], we screen those reports in or out based on whether or not there’s
This “students
benefits the because they get both free tuition and a monthly stipend to help them support their education so that they can really, fully embrace all of the opportunities the program has, both in classes and extracurriculars.
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Ellen Smith Program Coordinator reason to suspect child abuse either has occurred or is likely to occur in the future,” Taber said. “When a report is screened in, we send out a social worker who meets with the family, conducts an assessment and provides any resources they can to help the families.” This year, Taber is placed in Dane
Photo · The Public Welfare Training Programs uses federal funds to train both undergraduate and graduate students who want to go into public child welfare through placing them to work in nearby counties Daniel Yun The Badger Herald County Ongoing Services. In this position, she works with various families who need support from the state over a longer period of time. The fact that students spend so much time in the field of social work is critical to be successful and useful in this field, Taber said. Having a supervisor and being directly under a social worker helps students become independent in the field upon graduation. “I don’t think that it’s reasonable to send people out into the field of public child welfare who don’t have any experience,” Taber said. Students in this program also receive extra training and attend conferences important to their field and interests within the field, Taber said. These extra resources gives students opportunities to build themselves as a social worker by becoming more informed on their field and the people they may help in the future. While students are responsible for finding their own job upon graduation, the program helps prepare students for interviews and inform them about job opportunities that are available across
Wisconsin, Smith said. Students are also required do their work pay back time for the same amount of time they received the federal funding in the state. “In the state of Wisconsin, the Department of Children and Family Services has really felt that because this support is really coming to the students through the state of Wisconsin, the students should really give back,” Smith said. Since the program is funded through the federal government, other states receive the same funding, but it’s up to the individual state whether or not they wish to have students work in the state and for how long, Smith said. States also have other requirements for the program but those choices are up to them. Smith recognized that in this difficult and demanding line of work, it’s difficult to recruit and retain highly qualified individuals. The issues the families and the social workers face, however, continue to increase. “I think the need for our program is going to continue,” Smith said. “I hope that our program will continue to expand across the state and i hope that we’ll be around for a long, long time.” December 5, 2017 • badgerherald.com • 9
ARTSETC.
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Artistic time period, medium of choice influence how society looks at sexually explicit material in famous works of art by Adi Dina Hump Day Columnist
Even though the existence of humankind is dependent on sex, it has always been a taboo topic of discussion. The entire history of art, from ancient to contemporary, has portrayed sex in very overt ways, bringing the subject of sex into the institution of art museums. Because of the lack of recorded history about sex, these frank depictions of sexuality in art visually uncover the way sexuality was viewed over time. These works of art can help us understand attitudes towards sex as they were transformed and shifted geographically through time. Studying erotic art exposes the open attitude ancient Romans had towards sex. Statues, frescoes and household decorative items from ancient Rome prove that sex was an integral part of their everyday lives and that they were not afraid to show it. The Secret Museum in Naples exhibits ancient Roman works of people having sex, phallic statues and beastiality, which is sexual relations between a human and an animal. Although the ancient Romans were seemingly comfortable with sex, the museum is called The Secret Museum because King Naples I of Naples deemed the works inappropriate and demanded they be locked away. Art’s attempts to comfortably illustrate sex have been historically shunned and disapproved because it is considered taboo. Mesopotamian art (c. 4500-539 BCE), like ancient Roman art, portrayed sex openly. Observing these works reveals the sex customs in the culture as well. For example, it was a custom for every woman to perform a specific type of prostitution at least once in their life. This ritual was for women to sit outside the Temple of Ishtar and have sex with a man who chooses them. Mesopotamian plaques frankly evoke people having sex as well as this ritual of prostitution. Western culture is particularly known to disapprove of open sexuality. But, Western artists rebelled against this notion, especially with the introduction of Modernism. Prior to what we call Modern art (1860s-1970s), was the Renaissance in Europe. Renaissance art is typically more discrete with depictions of sex and sexuality. Because it is inspired by classical antiquity, nudity is common among the works. This portrayal of nudity is not shunned because it depicts religious figures and 10 • badgerherald.com • December 5, 2017
figures of the past. As a response to urbanization and industrialization, Modern art took a major turn from classical antiquity, which created a shift in subject matter. This introduced illustrations of what were contemporary figures rather than ancient ones. Suddenly, sex and nudity were deemed inappropriate and tasteless. Modern artists have intentions of being radical, disregarding this response to their work. Modern artists in Europe explored how the rapid urbanization and industrialization of the time period commodified sex and alienated figures of the modern. Egon Schiele frankly depicts sex to address this condition of modernism in his work “Two Women Embracing” (1915). The drawing portrays two women being sexually intimate in front of a blank background. Although the figures are embracing, the perspective and the background make them appear as if they are floating in a space of loneliness and alienation. This melancholy feeling of isolation that stems from modernization is a condition that Modern artists repeatedly evoked. Schiele expresses this feeling through a depiction of sex to elicit that even in the highest forms of intimacy, feelings of loneliness exist. “Two Women Embracing” and the rest of Schiele’s works were extremely radical for the time. In fact, Schiele was forced to spend time in jail as a pornographer. His frank representations of sexuality were so incredibly radical because of his depictions of modern subjects and lesbianism. Schiele revolutionarily instigated a discussion about sex and sexuality in the Western world where it had been neglected and shunned. Following Modern art is what we call Contemporary art, which was produced from the late 20th century to the 21st century today. Performance art was a medium introduced with Contemporary art. The medium aimed to create a bodily encounter between the artist and the viewer. Many performance artists took advantage of the live relationship between artist and viewer to bring sex into their workplace. A lot of performance art would be considered abject art — art that works to introduce the bodily functions that are silenced and taboo into the museum. When a viewer encounters an abject work of art, they are forced to think about their
Photo · “Two Women Embracing” is a work of art by Austrian painter Egon Schiele. Courtesy of WikiMedia Commons own body and what they repress everyday. Abject artists oftentimes work with the concept of sex in an attempt to dismantle its history as something forbidden and address issues about sex and sexuality. Vito Acconci’s abject work titled “Seedbed” (1972) encounters the viewer in a shocking and vulnerable way. It was a performance piece in which Acconci said sexual comments to the audience members walking past a little wooden square in the corner of a museum. During the performance, he hid under a ramp so the viewers could hear his vulgar comments out of a speaker yet they could not see him. Under the ramp, Acconci was masturbating to those who encountered the wooden square. By making the repressed sexual act of masturbation a public performance, Acconci attempted to break stigmas
about sex while simultaneously addressing issues of sexual objectification. The Contemporary artist Carolee Schneemann evoked sex through performance art as well. In her 1964 performance “Meat Joy,” men and women wrestled sexually with meat in an orgy encounter. She provoked the viewer to look at sex in a profoundly unusual way. Through this seemingly odd performance, Schneemann confronted the audience with this overt sexuality in an attempt to reject the notion that sex should be repressed. Throughout the history of art, sex has been evoked in ways that simultaneously challenge, repress and embrace its notions. From ancient art to contemporary, artists have continuously worked to make sex a comfortable topic that should be embraced and addressed openly.
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UW alum to explore sexuality, gender, chronic pain in upcoming exhibit Through conversations with queer peers, Alaura Borealis took personal life experiences and translated them into works of art by Morgan Grunow ArtsEtc. Staff Writer
Untangling “gender” in different ways is a goal that the artist Alaura Borealis has been working on throughout their ongoing project. Borealis, a social artist and University of Wisconsin alumn, will showcase their exhibit, “Embodying the Shadow” at the Black Locust Café during December and January. The exhibition is part of their ongoing social project, “Season of Shadows.” Borealis has been interviewing and working with queer individuals about gender and their experiences. Together, they have been collaborating to create metaphors for such gender experiences that may be difficult to explain. Being a social artist, Borealis does a lot of work in and with [the] community and other people, they said. As such, the medium for creating their art can vary much depending on the artist’s preferences and goals. “In some cases, it’s really performative and in many cases, it doesn’t stick to a particular discipline. I’ve done things ranging from drawing to sculpture to teaching,” Borealis said. They also explain that their inspiration to be a social artist has primarily derived from personal experiences within their community. Borealis’s commitment to their community inspires them to create their artwork. Life experiences as a queer person, housing insecurities
and chronic pain also inspire the artwork, they said. Collaborating with Queer Pressure has brought Borealis to be featured within Black Locust Café. Sarah Akawa, a member of Queer Pressure, has been partnering with Borealis throughout the “Season of Shadows” project in other ways. Recently, they have worked together on a party called Queer Shadows, which occurred around Halloween. “By partnering with Sarah at the Queer Shadows party, we were exploring what it means to get to play with our expression and to get dressed up with friends for the fun of it,” Borealis said. “With Embodying the Shadow, we’re partnering to articulate an entirely different side of the shadows project. In particular, this new partnership is about the intersection of disability and gender.” Throughout their artistic career, Borealis describes their creative process as one that attempts to answer a question or problem they have at the time. Once Borealis finds a question that needs attention, they research the topic over a period of time to learn more. With the “Season of Shadows” exhibit, they are interested in the non-binary gender experience and how people articulate certain aspects of that experience, they said. To learn and uncover more about the non-
binary experience, Borealis has been interviewing queer peers about gender and other life experiences to obtain a variety and large quantity of information. From there, they take the certain themes that arose during the interviews and express the information through performance, workshops and writing, they said. The process is trans-disciplinary, Borealis said. In other words, it is a combination of behind the scenes research as well as working with other people to explore whatever the question is. Borealis will be working on this social project for about a year in a variety of different ways. In an “organic” manner, then, a new question will surface, and they will work through it in a similar way. Having been featured in galleries before, Borealis describes the experience of viewing their own art on display not only with excitement, but a further way of examining their progression in answering the question. “I think it’s another opportunity to explore the question or problem at hand. I haven’t actually been doing a lot of drawing lately and so an opportunity to show work on the walls of the gallery space is actually really different to what I have been doing,” Borealis said. The artist has been working on a lot of performance, writing and conversation-based
mediums lately, so this gallery is “another part of the creative research.” Hearing from other queer peers in constructing this ongoing project has been a very interesting way to compile the pieces. “It’s really obvious that we all have very different life experiences and different ways of articulating our experience,” Borealis said. “We’re really digging into a lot of different aspects of our lives to better understand this thing we call gender.” For Borealis personally, they have been thinking of gender as a shadow, or as a “shadowy thing” that tends to shift depending on one’s perspective. Like a shadow, gender may be gone at certain moments and very visible at other times. With the exhibition and the entire project related to shadows, some perceptions of gender may be visible more often than others. Borealis also said much of the work is “really an image of me by myself.” As part of a project where they have been collaborating with other people, it has been interesting to reflect on the moments that Borealis spends alone. In the future, Borealis hopes to find something new with other people. Unsure of what it will be, they emphasize that it doesn’t have to be something extraordinary, but something true. The opening reception for the exhibition will be held Dec. 7 from 5-9 p.m. at the Black Locust Café.
Photo · Borealis’s artwork features self-portrait styled drawings that show her sitting in isolation.
Photo ·Having a history of working with different mediums, Borealis found it interesting that stories can be conveyed through still images.
Courtesy of Alaura Borealis
Courtesy of Alaura Borealis December 5, 2017• badgerherald.com • 11
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‘Antiparallel’ to showcase what is transformed, but not lost, in translation
UW alum Chris Maddox excited for how patrons will react to upcoming exhibit that will feature various forms of translated art by Jillian Kazlow ArtsEtc. Associate Editor
Instead of focusing on what is lost in translation, artist Chris Maddox will be exploring what is transformed between different works of literature through visual and digital pieces in his upcoming exhibit Antiparallel (≠). The will be showcased at the Arts + Literature Laboratory Dec. 9 from 6-9 p.m. Maddox is no stranger to Madison, having received a graduate degree in the fine arts from the University of Wisconsin and working at different design agencies in this area. Although he has traveled the world and upheld a multitude of different employment opportunities, he will be circling back to Madison to showcase the upcoming installation. It took some time for him to travel, meet new people and have another person believe in his ability as an artist to be able to get back into focusing on his art in a new light and a more scheduled manner, Maddox said. “What kind of guides the choice of what I work on is similar to the product of my background and my experience in the world and my persisting interests in things scientific and thoughtful,” he said. “It keeps me engaged in the work that involves something really concrete to begin with and very relatable that comes out of a physical object like a map.” For his latest installment, Maddox decided to use the unequal to symbol (≠) to embody
the idea of the “Anti-parallel.” The story what the show is built upon,”The Garden of Forking Paths,” also helped inspire the name. An obsession with the idea of differences in translation between languages sparked a new inspiration in him. “Suddenly, I just got really interested into looking into this literature content from a more esoteric point of view and from the visual artist point of view ... It has always troubled me as to what happens to literature and poetry when it’s translated from its original language into a new language,” Maddox said. This notion of what is and is not parallel was originally explored through Maddox’s research of translation and linguistics. Maddox realized literature can be transformed into something new and different in its translation. He decided to incorporate this into his work, and said the cultural significance of a story in its original time, place, language and culture is always transformed. “I’m interested in the beauty of the Antiparallel, or the fact that there are changes, and looking at how that can be a very generative process,” Maddox said. “When people talk about translation, they talk about what’s lost and the expression “lost in translation” is the catchphrase. We are forgetting this is a generative process and we’re not giving it credit for being that.”
Photo ·Instead of losing meaning in translation, Maddox supposes there is something to be gained from different interpretations Courtesy of Chris Maddox
12 • badgerherald.com • December 5, 2017
It is acknowledged in his work that although there might be some meaning or cultural context lost in something that is transcribed to a different language, a new insight from those interpreting the work can be gained from comparing both the original and reconstructed texts. He compares this to the idea of film adaptations varying from storylines of plays or books as there are always going to be noticeable differences, but they might not necessarily be considered bad. In terms of his exhibition, Maddox said it is quite varied and disjointed, actually. “It’s sort of a conveyance of a stream of consciousness,” Maddox said. It will not only contain visual and threedimensional art, but it will also contain digital film and other multimedia pieces. Maddox decided to do this to showcase how limitless making visual art in response to the content of a piece or literature work can be.
The conversations that his pieces might spark between viewers are what he is most excited about. For most artists, the way in which their art affects those subjected to it can be either a positive experience, a learning experience, or a bit of both. Maddox’s advice for aspiring artists is to make sure that their goals are set straight and planned out clearly — as well as being able to recognize when it is time to adjust their goals a little bit. He also advises aspiring artists to be willing to “work at it” for a long time and make it a labor of love until it gets fun because, even though art is a passion and can be very fun, it also becomes a lot of work. “You have to really devote a lot of time and energy into trying to become an artist,” Maddox said. “They say until you’ve put 10,000 dollars into something you’re not going to be good at it.”
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Local poets to present ancient Greek, ekphrastic poetry at Chazen Since 2012, poets have been recruited to participate in hopes of building a sense of community in Madison, greater Wisconsin area by Molly Miller ArtsEtc. Staff Writer
Ekphrastic poetry, consisting of poems inspired by visual works of art, is an ancient greek tradition. On Dec. 7, the Chazen Museum of Art will present its biannual Bridge Poetry Series, allowing members of the local Madison community to experience encapsulating readings of such. This program was initially launched in 2012 by a group of Madison poets and has been a part of the Chazen ever since. Each yeawr, around a dozen poets from the Madison and greater Wisconsin area are recruited to participate. This year’s program’s poet, Katrin Talbot, founded the program and works as an organizer for the event. She works closely with the Chazen to pick an exhibit that will compliment the chosen style of poetry. Candie Waterloo, the curator of education for the Chazen, is the main organizer for Chazen’s side of the event and worked with Talbot to find the perfect gallery. The setting, Waterloo said, is a very important factor in coordinating this event. Poets are invited to visit an exhibition and write poetry about the art pieces. They return to read their poems for an audience on the night of the event in the physical gallery space with which they have been inspired by to create a fascinating ambiance. This year, the event will take place in the
Rowland gallery. The exhibit is called “Certainty and Doubt,” which features paintings by Chicago artist Dan Ramirez. “Katrin and I chose this exhibit for a number of reasons. The work is very large. It almost seems confrontational when you approach it, but when you spend time with it it is almost calm and meditative work. Because it is abstract, it lends itself to interpretive art like poetry. It encourages the poets to be very creative,” Waterloo said. In the past, Waterloo said they have held the reading in the auditorium. But, as the program moves forward, she added they have moved the event to a physical space where the artwork gives patrons a different experience of the poems. During the event, tahe poets will be able to either point or walk over to the art that inspired their poem. When the series is done, the museum collects all the poems and publishes them on their website. “The word ‘bridge’ is very significant,” Waterloo said. “The series is seen as a way to build bridges between visual art and poetry so that was a very intentional word choice on the founding of the series.” The event features poets from Madison as well as other areas of the state, allowing Wisconsin artists the opportunity to share their work in Madison. Waterloo describes the event as being about “connecting different communities” — the
Courtesy of Candie Waterloo University of Wisconsin as well as the rest of Wisconsin. People can definitely expect to be engaged with the Chazen’s collections in this new way. “To have this unique poetry recital is a very specific experience that will engage them in a way that they will not always get to in this museum,”Waterloo said. “Museums are known for being quiet meditative places where you don’t have a lot of interaction with other people. Patrons can expect this event to be a very multi-sensory experience.” The only thing that truly unites the poets is
that they are passionate writers from Wisconsin, Waterloo said. They are a very diverse group in terms of their style, affiliation and age. This event is great for those who have never been to a poetry reading as an introduction to poetry recitals. Waterloo is very excited to hear what this year’s poets have come up with as well as seeing the community’s response. “I am excited to see what the response is from a larger audience about the exhibition and for the Madison community to share in that,” Waterloo said.
Singer Joe Pug to bring emotional folk ballads to Wisconsin Union Theater
After taking a short break to organize his personal life, Pug returned to music with his third studio album Windfall by Aidan McClain ArtsEtc. Editor
Singer and songwriter Joe Pug is set to make his return to Madison on Dec. 7, where he’ll be showcasing his past works — which includes three studio albums and two EPs. After endless touring, Pug contemplated quitting the music industry, but since studio time was already booked, he decided to keep recording. He recorded in Lexington, Kentucky where he would worked with producer Duane Lundey to record his third studio album, Windfall. The record was released in 2015, but Pug has a very strict regimen of writing everyday, which means new music will be released in 2018 or early 2019. “I write everyday. I’d say that I throw away about 95 percent of what I write. I keep the best 5 percent, or whatever I deem to be the best 5 percent out of it,” Pug said. “I’m writing [a new album] right now and I have been writing for the past year but it’s just really slow-going.” Despite a lack of intense progress, Pug
has a rich history that allows him to put his personal life into his music. After moving to Chicago, the large American city inspired his work. This was the first time that he was living without his family, and his life experiences are seen in his lyrics. Even though Windfall was released in 2015, Pug still feels connected to the album. Years after releasing an album, an artist can look at their work in a negative light, but this isn’t the case for Pug with Windfall. It has been three years since the album’s release and Pug still stands behind almost every lyric on the album. Pug’s music is highly emotional and personal, but before he could record new music, he had to get a grip on his personal life. After taking a break from four years of nonstop touring, he spent time reconnecting with himself. Once he reached a clear state of mind, he took his life experiences and put them into his music. “I just tried to speak about my own experience and it just came through the songs
in that way,” Pug said. “Putting [emotions] into songs was pretty straightforward.” Prioritizing personal life over work is highly important to Pug. After his extensive touring, he realized that family had to be his main priority. For Pug, he found he was able to get work dome more efficiently when personal life is prioritized. Family comes first for Pug, and he thinks everyone should find a balance between work and leisure. Pug isn’t only close to his family, but his band as well. Instead of using a studio band, he used the band members that he has been touring with to record Windfall. By using the band members that he had toured with, they created a sense of familiarity that allowed the album’s recording process to feel organic. When Pug tours live, his set is never the same. Since he tours often, his live performances are one of Pug’s highlights. Each year, Pug throws new songs into the set list to keep things fresh, he said. For those that came to his University of Wisconsin nearly two years ago and choose to see him again, it
will be a completely different show. Pug said his crowd tends to skew to younger aged people, which makes UW the perfect host for a show. Since Pug “keeps the saw sharp” when it comes to live performing, the Madison area is almost guaranteed a good show. For those who wish to perform themselves, Pug has hard but real advice. To make it in the music industry, no one can go in with high expectations. “You have to go into it expecting no one to care about it because the chances are, with this business … the chances are it’s going to be very hard to get people to listen to it or care about what you’re doing,” Pug said. “As long as you’re not expecting to be heard, you can only be pleasantly surprised.” Those interested in his country-folk ballads can see Joe Pug at the Wisconsin Union Theater on Dec. 7. For $10, students can see the raw live performance of the Maryland native. December 5, 2017 • badgerherald.com • 13
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Non-Christian students feel less welcome, have fewer spaces than Christian students on campus by Peyton David News Editior
In the basement of The Crossing church, a small group of students gathered Nov. 28 to discuss their respective creeds and what interfaith dialogue meant to them. Led by student fellows of the recently opened Center of Religion and Global Citizenry, the space gave students a way to facilitate interreligious conversations. But while efforts such as this event to facilitate inter-religious conversations are ongoing, some UW students feel less welcome than others. According to the 2017 campus climate survey, non-Christian religious students feel less welcome on campus than their Christian peers. Though the university must be unaffiliated with a specific religion, UW sophomore and Muslim student Zahiah Hammad believes the Christian presence on and round campus is “overpowering,” especially following the finalization of the new St. Paul’s University Catholic Church on Library Mall. “It’s dark, it’s midnight, and [my friend and I] see this mosaic lit up,” Hammad said. “If I’m a freshman coming to this campus and I didn’t know about this before, and I see this mosaic, I’m automatically thinking, ‘is this university a Christian or private university?’” Christian students are able to seek the Calvary Lutheran Chapel, St. Paul’s and University Presbyterian Church and Student Center on Library Mall alone. For students of other religions, there are significantly fewer places on and off campus. This disparity coincides with the fact that Christian students reported feeling the most welcome on campus while Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and students of other faiths reported they were more likely to feel excluded and less likely to feel respected and welcome.
Religious minorities report feeling less welcome
Coming to UW, Hammad knew she would not find a Muslim-majority community. But, for her, the nervousness balanced out with the excitement of the opportunity to learn about other faiths. Being a hijabi woman on a predominantly white and Christian campus, Hammad feels students do not approach Islam with the same open mind and curiosity as she does. 14 • badgerherald.com •December 5, 2017
“Because I wear a scarf, people automatically know what religion I am. That comes with a lot of labels that I don’t personally identify with,” Hammad said. “They already think they know who I am and what my stance on what things are and that’s difficult for me.” For UW fifth-year senior Keith Lyster, however, he has felt the Catholic community has been largely accepting. A member of St. Paul’s, Lyster said Lutheran Memorial took in those without a space during the church’s recent reconstruction. “They were just really excited to bring in another Christian group to work together towards some goals that they had,” Lyster said. “I thought that was really cool — Christian unity on campus.” But some members of minority religions do not feel as at home on campus as Lyster, a Christian student, does. UW sophomore Nesha Ruther, a Jewish student, feels her college experience is different from others, specifically from that of Christian students like Lyster. UW sophomore Arielle Bordow, also Jewish, said religious marginalization of minority students is exemplified in the ways that the UW calendar is structured. “When I was in Israel, it was so cool that the big holiday was Purim — that was the centerpiece,” Bordow said. “They got off of school for that. Here, we get off of school for Christmas.”
Disparities in spaces for minority religions heightens feelings of isolation
Despite feeling interpersonal conflicts with some Jewish students, Ruther said she feels lucky to have a well-funded space like UW Hillel to practice at. The number of spaces for the Jewish population, both in terms of student organizations and privately-funded groups, provides an easier way for Jews on campus to find peers compared to their minority counterparts, UW professor of religious studies Ulrich Rosenhagen said. UW Hillel executive director Greg Steinberger estimates that Hillel, a privately funded group, serves around 5,000 people — roughly 12 percent of the campus population. This number is an estimate, as UW does not keep records on its religious demographics. Other non-Christian students only have access to a few student organizations and virtually no privately-funded groups, the latter usually being responsible for building religion-specific spaces. Because of this, groups with the most money have the most space, UW religious history professor Charles Cohen said. Saja Abu Hakmeh, a UW sophomore and Muslim student, said the lack of spaces makes it difficult for the Muslim community to come together in times of need. “It’s difficult because we don’t have a space for Muslims to come together and
I feel like there are a lot more spaces for the Christian population on campus and it makes it difficult to practice my religion,” Abu Hakmeh said. “I don’t like that I don’t even have the option to practice.” Haengjung Ye, a Nichiren Buddhist student, said she experienced trouble even finding a Buddhist community at UW when she first arrived. Ye had to be connected to one through the Madison community. Though UW Chancellor Rebecca Blank said in a Nov. 27 interview with The Badger Herald that she would be “delighted” to see more groups on campus for underrepresented religious, she said she cannot support specific religious establishments due to UW’s public university status and the First Amendment restrictions that come with it. Religious student organizations, though affiliated with the university, receive their funding exclusively through Associated Students of Madison’s segregated fees. Still, UW sophomore Hajjar Baban, a Muslim student, said the university should promote religious diversity and bring about more spaces. UW’s inability to invest financially, though for legal reasons, also represents an irony for Babban because she believes the school benefits from the diversity her and her peers’ presence adds to campus. “[Where’s the investment] in students you’re benefiting off of for future students in pamphlets?” Baban said. “[UW should] care about the people [they’re] showing off.” But, UW graduate student and president of the Muslim Student Association Razan Al Dagher said it shouldn’t be up to the university. She said instead of relying on the university for that space, it should be up to the Muslim community to raise funds and build it on their own. Rosenhagen said one way the university could help would be by creating neutral spaces for spiritual practice, such as the one in Union South. But he said their neutrality must be ensured because of the possibility of them getting “hijacked” by one religion.
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facebook.com/badgerherald Solomon Roller, he believes there to be fractures within Christianity over political issues due to close-mindedness. “There are people who like to put what they already believe [in] … and they try to find some way to tie that within the faith,” Roller said. “Christianity gets a bad rep because ‘oh, they were taught this in Christianity.’ No, it wasn’t Christianity taught them those things ... [but] then they claim it to Christianity.” But for members of underrepresented religions, these differences can also be rooted in the lack of available spaces. Abu Hakmeh struggled to find community in the Muslim Student Association as a self-identified nontraditional Muslim. Similarly, Hammad said MSA catered to a “certain type” of Muslim. “I would go to MSA things but I would sometimes feel like MSA was targeting a certain group of Muslims, and a lot of other Muslims would feel left out or feel like they couldn’t come into the space and sometimes I would feel like that,” Hammad said. “It was hard to first of all find a group of Muslim people that I was able to form friendships with.” Though Ruther has had a positive experience in UW’s Jewish community, she believes the varying beliefs of students within the community clash and can create tension. Ruther, being pro-Palestine, often finds herself having to seek out Jewish spaces carefully whereas other Jews on campus may not. “When I go to Chabad, I go and have a great time but I have to pick and choose the Jewish people I interact with and I let in my life very carefully in a way [other] Jewish students on campus might not,” Ruther said. Meghana Brandl, an agnostic-atheist and outreach chair for Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics, said a similar divide is felt within AHA. There are people who fall under different ends of the AHA spectrum, Brandl said. Because they are all in one group, certain beliefs can drown out others. But, not all individuals of non-Christian faith experience division within their respective communities, however small they are.
Though her student organization Buddhist Badgers only has seven members, Ye said she’s found unity while practicing with them.
Lack of interfaith dialogue contributes to tense campus climate
While there are disparities between different religions in terms of spaces, there are also divisions between members of different faiths in terms of knowledge and understanding. This lack of knowledge and understanding can make disagreements over divisive issues tenser than they already are. Last spring, students flooded the hearing room of the Student Activity Center to hear a contentious resolution proposal ASM brought forth. The resolution requested the university divest from companies complicit in human rights abuses, some of which originally included Israeli companies. The argument quickly became about whether the resolution attacked the identities of Jewish students or if the university’s investments were harmful to students of color and Muslim students. The resolution passed after two lengthy debates, but the university issued a statement refusing to recognize it, citing how it was “harmful” to the existence of Jewish identities. Al Dagher, who helped draft the resolution, said the divestment resolution became an affront to Jewish students, which was not its intention. She hoped the resolution would create dialogue on campus. But, students heard “divestment” which stigmatized it, she said. UW sophomore Yogev Ben-Yitschak, a Jewish student, said dialogue could have helped during the debates. The conversation quickly turned from divestment to white privilege and marginalized communities, both of which are important conversations, he said, but should not have been held there or at that scale. “Had [opponents of the resolution] talked to Jewish students and seen that not all Jews fit that [Zionist stereotype], I don’t think they would’ve said what they said,” Ben-Yitschak said. “At the same time, a lot of Jewish students came and said stereotypes about what they believed about different students—Muslims, Hindus, black students — which probably wouldn’t have been said had they talked to people and seen why those issues mattered to them so much.”
By having civil dialogues about differences in ideologies and in faiths, Al Dagher said students can also come together and defuse tensions. In past years, the Lubar Institute provided a way for students to come together and discuss the interrelationships between the Abrahamic religions. But in 2016, it lost a majority of its funds and closed. As a result, the Center of Religion and Global Citizenry opened up, spearheaded by Rosenhagen. Rosenhagen said there’s less focus on Abrahamic religions and more on dialogue between all faiths to create better campus climate and diversity. He argued there would be less hate and bias incidents if students were to have inter-religious conversations. “More inter-religious conversation on campus and more learning in that area would help us become a more diverse and more inclusive public institution of higher learning,” Rosenhagen said. “Religion would bring us together despite our differences.”
Interfaith dialogue helps promote understanding, reconciliation
Brandl, along with other fellows of the Center, stood in front of roughly twenty people at a Nov. 28 potluck, making sure everyone had name tags and kept conversation geared towards what interfaith meant to each individual. Students of different faiths chattered together about the importance of dialogue while eating a variety of foods from different cultures. For UW senior Omar Jandal, interfaith dialogue needs to be promoted on campus because it gives individuals a greater understanding of each other that can be extended into future conversations. UW senior Ben Adams, an atheist student, said he attended the event to break the stereotype that atheists are angry at those who practice religion. “Interfaith dialogue is how we can resolve our conflicts in a very laid back and neutral manner without forcing ourselves to do so,” Adams said. “It’s a way of coming to a better consensus of what types of things we agree on and how we can work past our differences to achieve goals we agree on.” But, similar to establishing groups, there are discrepancies about whether the university should facilitate this dialogue. While the university isn’t allowed to take official action,
Blank said student groups are the ones who can and should start conversations on issues persisting on campus. Rosenhagen would like to see at least some university action toward facilitating these dialogues. He suggested having recommended religious diversity training at orientation. Much like racial diversity training, freshman should be shown that there are opportunities to engage in religious dialogue, he said. But Badger Catholic service coordinator Jenny Baylon said it is hard to have dialogue unless people are willing. “It’s hard to say if UW is responsible for facilitating [interfaith dialogue],” Baylon said. “Religion is really personal, so it would be hard to make people talk about it.” Like Rosenhagen, Baylon said that if the university were to go about fostering dialogue, they should make it nonmandatory, emphasizing that the space should be welcoming and non-judgemental. Ye agreed. Her faith is about interrelated relationships, which she said can be fostered through dialogue. Still, she questions whether the kind of dialogue necessary would be possible if it was carried out by the university. “In order to gain more trust with a community here, it’s always important to have a genuine dialogue [with people] who have different backgrounds, different beliefs,” Ye said. “If the university stands in with that process, I don’t know if that could create a really genuine dialogue.” Regardless of university involvement, though, students of faith from different backgrounds as well as religious experts at UW, when asked, agree these dialogues should be happening on campus. Jandal said it is crucial for students to have these conversations, so they can carry it with them into the real world. For Cohen, it’s a first step — but an important one. “I don’t think greater understanding is the ‘be all and end all,’ but I certainly think it’s one of the important way-stations,” Cohen said. “When people talk to each other, when they inquire about each other, they are at least more likely … to learn empathy, to have their horizons widened and to be able negotiate differences.”
Lack of spaces tied to interpersonal conflicts among minority religions Not everyone will experience the unity Lyster did with all the members of their faith. For UW sophomore and Christian student
Designed by Autumn Brown December 5, 2017 • badgerherald.com • 15
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Capitalist system not at fault for negative effects of climate change
Stakes of inaction are high, people must take responsiblity to remedy pressing environmental problems, protect future of planet by Natalie Spievack Columnist
It’s no secret the Earth is warming at an alarming rate and that the United States is largely to blame, both for its enormous emission of greenhouse gases and for the inaction of the current administration. But rather than directly blame corporations and government negligence for climate change, Benjamin Fong proposes a radically different culprit in his recent New York Times article — our system of capitalism itself. His argument goes as follows: Because profit rather than sustainability drives the way we globally produce, slowing climate change in any meaningful way requires an attitude of “systemic change or bust” — which, in his mind, means toppling the entire capitalist system. Fong gets one thing right — that if we have any hope to preserve a livable planet, we need systemic change in the way we produce goods. Companies produce to the point of diminishing returns with little regard for the environment, and even the most liberal administrations struggle to take a hard line because politicians are
indebted to special interests. Where Fong makes a serious misstep, however, is that in identifying capitalism as the sole culprit of climate change, he proposes shifting blame (and thus responsibility) away from individuals, individual companies and the government. This type of thinking is potentially dangerous for two reasons. First, blaming the system risks absolving ourselves and the government of responsibility for our impact on the climate. Our ability to prosecute individuals and individual companies for wrongdoing (think Volkswagen’s diesel scandal) is a critical way we demonstrate the moral objections to practices that harm the environment. Taking advantage of this prosecutorial role, in turn, makes other companies less likely to transgress. Constituents can vote out politicians who are weak on the climate, forcing politicians to change their priorities. The entire capitalist system, on the other hand, cannot be prosecuted or voted out of office so easily. Thus, it is critical that we hold tangible forces and institutions responsible for climate change. Second, and most importantly, placing the blame on capitalism is unproductive, given
that for better or for worse, we are likely stuck with it as the dominant force of our economy. A more productive approach is to think about how we can slow climate change while working within the framework of capitalism. Through this lens, individuals, individual companies and the government share the burden of responsibility for addressing climate change. Contrary to Fong’s belief, if these actors work harmoniously toward sustainability, overturning capitalism is not necessary to creating systemic change in the way we produce goods. Individuals can make lifestyle changes, which in turn help influence the people in their communities to do the same. Through organizing to change public opinion, they also have the power to force the government to act — a role which has driven the success of major social movements throughout our nation’s history. Individual companies, as the entities largely responsible for environmental degradation, can practice corporate social responsibility, as many major players have already begun to do with great success. They can also change the way people consume by
introducing eco-friendly products such as LED light bulbs, rechargeable batteries and cloth grocery bags. Finally, the government can regulate production in a way that protects the environment and design compelling incentives for corporations to act responsibly. Progress is made by setting achievable goals and having the ability to hold bad actors accountable. Given this, and given that we must change the way we produce within the framework of our capitalist society, the power to slow current warming trends lies in our own hands. The stakes of inaction are high and we must rise, unified, to meet them. Natalie Spievack (spievack@wisc.edu) is a senior majoring in political science and economics.
Investment in prison system ironically reinforces pattern of reincarceration Wisconsin legislators seem to be aware of recidivism rates, refuse to take significant measures to reverse longterm pattern by Lucas Johnson Opinion Editor
At first glance, any measure aimed at improving the already shoddy, almost inhumane conditions of state prisons seem well-reasoned. Generally, those incarcerated are immediately neglected by both the American public and government. They’d been given their shot to lead productive lives within the boundaries of society and had failed, therefore somehow justifying the squalor in which inmates are forced to serve out their sentences. As such, an investment designed to make such an establishment more livable and suit the needs of those thrown to the wayside feels like the right thing to do. But, investing more money into a system which many argue unfairly targets people of color does little to solve the issues sprouting from our current justice system, in fact, an argument can be made that it makes the problem worse. The Dane County Board of Supervisors reached an agreement by vote Nov. 21 to approve a $76 million prison renovation of the top two floors of the City County Building in Madison. Supporters of the investment assert 16 • December 5, 2017 • badgerherald.com
that it’s not the job of the Board of Supervisors to pass judgement on the judicial process, but rather it’s their responsibility to uphold and maintain the prisons as required by the state, including County Board Chair Sharon Corrigan. “The county board doesn’t get to decide who goes in the jail or how people get sentenced. But we are required by the state to maintain a jail,” Corrigan said. “We are obligated to provide a safe, humane space for inmates. There’s no way around it. And we are reducing the number of beds in our jail [system] by nearly 100. So continuing to drive down the jail population isn’t a choice. We have to do it to make this new facility work.” Corrigan makes an excellent and logically sound argument. Prisoners deserve humane conditions, they’re no less human than you or I, and rationally, conditions of solitary confinement and hellish living space do not work well as rehabilitation techniques. But, in the context of Wisconsin, whose criminal justice system is arguably among the worst in the country when it comes to incarcerating African American men, investing in a system that perpetuates a problematic pattern is the wrong measure. According to a
study conducted by the University of WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin incarcerates a higher percentage of its African American men than any other state in the country, and by a sizable margin. At a staggering rate of 12.8 percent, or 1 in 8 African American men, Wisconsin’s incarceration rate is a full three percent higher than the second worst state in Oklahoma, and a full six percent higher than the national average. What’s more, according to data collected by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, those convicted of a crime have a 37.5 percent chance of being re-incarcerated within three years of their release from prison. The data is clear, our prison system doesn’t need more money, but programs that aim to prevent a rising prison population do. Investing in affordable housing, mental health services, coalitions tasked with aiding employment following prison release and a reevaluated parole system would be a far more effective and long term solution as opposed to a temporary patch-up of a run down prison that could benefit from housing less inmates in the first place. M Adams, an organizer for Freedom Inc., perhaps outlined it most blatantly.
“Jail is for punishing people. You shouldn’t be punishing people because they are homeless. You shouldn’t be punishing people with mental health issues because they have mental health issues,” Adams said. “I’m sorry, somebody who is locked in a cage and is suicidal, they aren’t going to care if the new paint is yellow or blue. They won’t care if there are bars or a concrete door. It won’t save people’s lives.” The elegance contained in such a blunt statement is the sometimes hidden truth of prison reform: Energy should be spent improving the justice system so as to prevent the trend of reincarceration and unbelievably lopsided racial demographic of America’s prison population. The goal should be to shut down prisons due to low inmate totals. There’s something ironic about renovating an area where close to 38 percent of convicts will end up again, it’s almost as though legislators are aware of the reincarceration problem, but won’t take significant measures to reverse the pattern long term. Lucas Johnson (ljohnson52@wisc.edu) is a sophomore majoring in journalism.
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Republican tax reform bill detrimental to universities nationwide
Education is a privilege, not a right, should not exclusively be available to an exclusionary, miniscule group of people
by Aly Niehans Opinion Editor
As college students find themselves in the throes of what are arguably the worst three weeks of the semester, where we’re all lulled into false senses of security by the turkey and mashed potatoes we shoveled into our mouths over Thanksgiving and the holiday season on the horizon, it’s easy to forget how fortunate we are all to be in college in the first place. I know I certainly don’t feel lucky when my alarm goes off at 7 a.m. in the morning or I’m four hours into a night of homework. With this said, having the privilege to study at the University of Wisconsin is an honor that many people do not get, and many do not understand the value of. In fact, the entirety of the higher education system has come under repeated scrutiny from conservative politicians and become subject to harsh budget cuts, revocation of funding for research and policies inhibiting student rights. The Republican war raging against higher education (and education in general) is not unique to the party’s politicians. More than one-third of Americans, and six out of every ten Republicans believe that institutions of higher education are harming the country. In a study conducted by Gallup, Republicans are seen as more likely to distrust and dislike higher education because of their belief that universities are too liberal and political, forcing liberal agendas down the throats of students that are therefore not taught the correct material. Conservatives use this set of beliefs to justify massive desecrations of public universities and higher education systems nationwide. The new GOP tax reform bill, which Republicans claim will drastically reduce taxes for middle class Americans and is not — as Democrats argue — yet another policy that will truly only benefit the upper one percent (a group that the president happens to belong to himself), begs the question of how the government plans on funding a $1.5 trillion tax cut for corporations. The masterplan put forth is as follows: To fund the massive, permanent tax cut for corporations, the government will raise taxes on institutions of higher education and on university students themselves. These taxes include a more than $60 billion reduction in benefits for universities across the country and force these same schools to increase tuition more than the inflated rates students already are subjected to. In addition, the plan targets graduate students by taxing tuition waivers. As a graduate student at some universities, one is allowed to work either as a teaching assistant or in some other university job in exchange for not paying tuition for their graduate-level education. Nearly 150,000 students across the country benefit from these programs, many of whom will continue to become leading scholars and researchers for their generation. These 150,000 students are now required to, under the tax reform, count their unpaid tuition as taxable income, a tax increase of somewhere between 300 and 400 percent. This means that,
Photo · Newest GOP tax plan causes funds to be stripped from universities, potentially resulting in yet another spike in tuition costs , placing higher education out of reach for thousands of students nationwide. Riley Steinbrenner The Badger Herald if a graduate student has $30,000 put toward their tuition of $50,000 a year for their work as a teaching assistant, their taxable income is now $80,000, whereas under the current tax law it would only be $30,000. Not only does this discourage students from pursuing further education by burdening already financially vulnerable students unnecessary and wildly expensive tax payments, but it is poised to hurt the economy, as an increase in college degrees would shrink the pay gap and arguably the largest driver of wage growth has been college education. Blatant taxes imposed on universities is not where the war on education ends. Because a vast portion of the Republican agenda rests on the incessant promise of repealing and replacing healthcare while simultaneously drastically cutting federal funding of healthcare programs such as Medicaid, state governments may be forced to spend more on health and public welfare to make up the difference. To find this additional money, states will potentially entertain the idea of spending less on higher education, meaning that tuition will increase for students. With tuition at UW already sitting at more than $25,000 a year for in-state students, and approaching $50,000 a year for out of state
students, an increase in tuition would discourage prospective students from attending, as well as marginalize students of lower socioeconomic status who no longer are able to afford their education. Paired with UW’s fall in the rankings of best research institutions largely due to budget cuts of funding and problems retaining leading professors and researches as a result, students will be paying more for a poorer quality of education. Higher education remains a privilege for hundreds of thousands of Americans who have the opportunity and financial ability to attend college. As aforementioned, there are direct links between a more education population and a stronger economy, as education drives wage growth, as well as closes the pay gap between men and women. As a party that repeatedly bashes the Obama administration and Democrats before him for decimating the American economy, it seems as though the GOP’s latest tax reform will do its fair share of damage to an economy that, much to the chagrin of conservatives, steadily improved under Obama. When looking at the future of jobs in America, President Donald Trump should focus more on white collar jobs that will encourage Americans to get college degrees instead of
pointing to the coal industry and other blue collar jobs as industries as bastions of potential in reducing unemployment and increasing the standard of living in rural areas. In conjunction, the Trump administration needs to understand the detrimental impact its tax reform will have on all students of higher education, as well as on the institutions themselves. Raising tuition to unprecedented levels, imposing arbitrary budget cuts to fund corporate tax reductions and forcing states pull from education funds to fund health programs unfunded by the GOP-controlled federal government will make America trend toward a less educated citizenry, regressing from where a developed country’s society should be. Education is a privilege, not a right. But, it’s a privilege that should not be exclusively available to the top one percent that not only reaps the benefits of Republican tax reforms, but is able to pay the arm and a leg tuition costs imposed because of them. Aly Niehans (aniehans@badgerherald.com) is a sophomore majoring in international studies and intending to major in journalism. December 5, 2017 • badgerherald.com • 17
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University should raise student salaries or risk losing more employees UW’s exploitation of students apparent in soaring number of unfilled student jobs across campus, shows students’ dissatisfaction by Cait Gibbons Columnist
With a continuously rising cost of attendance, many college students feel it necessary to get a job while in school. For University of Wisconsin sophomore Asher Bernards, he said the main reason why he decided to get a job in college was to pay for his own textbooks and food. But, despite availability of jobs within the university, such as in dining halls or with the Wisconsin Union, many students opt for off-campus jobs in the private sector. In fact, the university has had trouble filling all of the student job positions over the past several years. In an interview with Isthmus, Wisconsin Union’s communication director Shauna Breneman commented that while they do employ around 1,750 students, there remain nearly 400 unfilled student positions. This has not always been the case. Per Isthmus’ article, Brendon Dybdahl, a University Housing spokesperson, explains that during the recession in the late 2000s and early 2010s, they had a long waiting list of students looking for jobs, but as the economy has improved over the past several years, fewer and fewer students seem to be seeking out jobs with the university. This is not necessarily because significantly fewer students are getting jobs in general — according to the National Center for Education Statistics, between 2010 and 2015, the percentage of full-time undergraduate students with jobs (oncampus or off-campus) only fluctuated by about 1 or 2 percent, meaning that the same numbers of students still want jobs, they just don’t necessarily want jobs with the university. During the recession, job availability plummeted because many establishments were forced to freeze or reduce hiring, if they managed to stay in business at all. Because of this, students seeking jobs really only had one option: Apply to work within the university. But, as the economy grew and more positions became available in the private sector, students moved away from the university’s jobs, and toward those at businesses in the city of Madison. Clearly, many students view working for the university as a second choice, and given the option, would rather work off campus. UW sophomore Alexis Hilton, a server at a State Street restaurant, said “I chose to work off campus because there are more options for jobs and I could make more money working at a restaurant. It was also cool to have a mix of some coworkers that were students and some that were just 18 • badgerherald.com • December 5, 2017
Photo · Rising cost of college tuition paired with stagnant, low wages for student workers has resulted in a vast number of student jobs remaning unfilled. Erik Brown The Badger Herald residents of Madison.” While UW sophomore Ellie Knoll worked on campus last year, she got a new job off campus this year. “I chose to leave my on-campus job because this job provides better experience for my future career aspirations of working in the medical field, and it pays more too,” Knoll said. UW junior Salvatore DiVita chose to work at a downtown Italian restaurant instead of in the dining halls because the low pay deterred him. Students have a variety of reasons for choosing to work off campus, but one common answer stands out: Offcampus jobs pay more. In 2016, the University took a major step forward in hiking its starting student wage up to $9 per hour, from $7.25 per hour, which had been the starting wage since the federal minimum wage increase in July 2009. But, in 2016, the Dane County Board approved a plan that commits to raising minimum wage for county and contract employees to $12.50 per hour by the end of
2017, adding 50 cents each year to reach $15 per hour by 2022. This doesn’t necessarily require privately owned businesses to follow the same plan, but to remain competitive in the job market, many privately-owned businesses have also been increasing their wages, while the university’s starting wage remains stagnant below $10 per hour. Additionally, even though the difference in pay is only a few dollars, you’d be hardpressed to find a convincing argument that cleaning dishes at Gordon is a more desirable job than serving at a downtown restaurant where you could score some leftover food, or working in a boutique on State Street. Given that Madison is not a very big city, convenience also isn’t really a game changer — it might be just a five minute walk to Memorial Union, but also only be a seven minute walk to a coffee shop on State Street. Simply put, the university pays less money for less desirable jobs. If the university wants to fill these student positions, it needs to consider how
it might incentivize student employees. The best way to do this is to follow suit with Dane County and continue to raise student wages. According to UW’s 2016-17 Data Digest, cost of attendance has increased by an average of 3.7 percent per year, since 2009. The wage increase in 2016 only brings the annualized increase in wages up to around 2.4 percent. If the university is going to increase cost of attendance at a greater rate than other Big Ten universities (average annualized increase of tuition at these schools is around 2.7 percent) without paying higher wages for student workers, that increase looks more like 4 percent for a student paying for 15 percent of their expenses. The unfilled job rate is telling us students are underpaid. It’s time for the university to stop exploiting students who work just to get by. Cait Gibbons (cgibbons3@wisc.edu) is a sophomore majoring in mathematics.
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Fame does not negate nor excuse serious sexual assault allegations Society remains repsonsible for holding everyone accountable for misdeeds, improving sexual assault awareness, visibility by Julia Brunson Columnist
Wednesday morning, the country woke up to news of Matt Lauer ’s exit from the TODAY show. After years as a lead anchor, Lauer had been fired for “inappropriate sexual behavior.” He was sent off by a teary and confused Savannah Guthrie, in a farewell segment that has already gone viral. In the post-Weinstein world, the court of public opinion can be as damning as any legal charges. After years of ambivalence, we have pounced on each new allegation with a mixture of shock and horror. Childhood icons, celebrities and politicians have been caught between the media and an infuriated public. We move from shock, to disbelief and then to feelings of betrayal. This new era of openness is unprecedented. Never before have so many men and women come forward with such difficult stories. Indeed, this is a pivotal moment in the fight against sexual harassment and assault. The sheer number of allegations suggest what we’ve always suspected: The systems of power within our country can and will be abused. They
have always been. And women, from time immemorial, bear the brunt of this burden. But, this new era has its innumerable shades of gray. Many of those accused in recent weeks have been fired, forced to step down or have removed themselves from their positions. Often, no legal charges are filed. The power of allegations have been proven to shape elections, senate committees and news leadership. How do we reckon with this kind of power? One commenter from a New York Times piece about Lauer lamented the power of these accusations, saying: “We are on the verge of McCarthy tactics applying to men’s personal behavior ... in Lauer’s case, it would have to be extreme to justify firing him based on one person’s complaint.” The difficulty in unraveling these discussions is often compounded by the position of the accused. We are surprisingly reluctant to see those in the public sphere — long-respected, admired and loved — as villains. Much like when accusations were raised about Bill Cosby, we have an understandable
aversion to viewing childhood celebrities as men capable of committing horrible crimes. In Cosby’s case, many waited for “credible” accusers to have their allegations dissected in court. Sometimes, these accusers — and their allegations — are completely ignored.
man’s celebrity, job and “of Agood deeds should never sexual misconduct.”
history excuse
The wide disparity between then and now brings up difficult questions. How do we support accusers now, after years of ignoring stories? How do we examine allegations without making it difficult for survivors to come forward? And how do we deal with accusations that hit too close to home? Some of the internet has resorted to joking about which male celebrity will be “next,” declaring childhood favorites like Tom Hanks and Mister Rogers “off-limits.” With U.S. Sen. Al Franken’s, D- Minn, recent fall from grace, and Garrison Keillor’s exit
from NPR, we have come precariously close to doubting assault and harassment allegations based purely on the position of the accused. We come up with excuses. We question a lack of charges, circumstances and pat ourselves on the back when the man in question “apologizes,” appeased. But a man’s celebrity, job and history of good deeds should never excuse sexual misconduct. Celebrities are just like us — human, and they can do horrible things as easily as the rest of us. When we give them a free pass on misconduct, we are only furthering the pre-Weinstein era we pride ourselves from breaking away from. So if allegations of misconduct appear on your newsfeed, take a breath. Resist the urge to be defensive. Support the process towards a resolution for all parties involved. Childhood hero or not, we must hold everyone accountable. It is the only way to move forward. Julia Brunson (julia.r.brunson@gmail.com) is a sophomore majoring in history.
Bipartisan gun control legislation beacon of hope for Americans Compromise on legislation strengthening sytem of background checks necessary to obtain firearms aims to make country safer by Abby Steinberg Columnist
As of Nov 29, 2017, there have been 14,157 gun related deaths in the United States. Included in those statistics is the Las Vegas Shooting on Oct. 1, the deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history. The frequency of these events has caused us to be almost desensitized to such tragedies. We try to remedy the situation by tweeting and sending thoughts and prayers — efforts that mean well but do very little. The only way to systematically prevent such tragedies from occurring — legislative action — has been the focus of political gridlock and partisan debate several years, but to no avail. Policy fails to be changed, bullets continue to fly and lives continue to be lost. But hope may be on the horizon. For the first time in years, Democrats and Republicans have drafted gun-control policy that both sides agree on. The bill in question, sponsored by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-CT, sets out to strengthen the system of background checks necessary to purchase a gun. Although the bill is sponsored by a Democrat, it has garnered
support from several Republicans in the Senate, including John Cornyn, Orrin Hatch, Tim Scott and Dean Heller. Gun control debates in Washington generally lead to inaction because of Republican opposition to increasing restrictions. Rather, this specific bill’s purpose is to make sure people cannot attain firearms when they were never supposed to have them in the first place, a stark divergence from other gun control proposals. The proposal is a direct reaction to the Sutherland Springs church shooting in Texas in early November, where gunman David Kelley shot and killed 26 innocent churchgoers. In 2014, Kelley was convicted of domestic violence against his wife and child while serving at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. Consequently, he was removed from military service and spent a year in prison. Obviously, a man with such a violent history should never have passed the background check to obtain firearms. But it was found that the United States Air Force failed to record Kelley’s offenses in
the National Criminal Information Center database. This bill is set to make sure a fatal mistake such as this one never occurs again. The fact this piece of legislation has gained so much support from both sides is promising for gun control advocates, as it shows that common ground between Democrats and Republicans in such a polarizing issue exists. What is even more promising is that bipartisan policy such as this has been approved before, such as the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 after the Virginia Tech shooting. Despite this promising start, there is no guarantee the legislation will pass, as it must be supported by Republican congressional leadership. But after years of partisan fighting and political gridlock, common ground between the two opposing parties is a beacon of hope for not just gun control advocates, but for the overall welfare and safety of the American public. Each side may deeply desire a partisan overhaul, but as we have seen for years, it will never happen. Compromise is the first step to action. As constituents, we may not have direct
influence in whether or not this legislation is passed, but there are more effective ways to get involved than posting on Facebook. Contact your senator by phone or email and show support for the bill. Washington needs to utilize this momentum to make historical change for the American people. It is up to politicians in Washington to make sure our friends and family are safer on the streets, at music festivals, at school or at church. To make sure that the congregants of First Baptist Church, or the attendees of the Route 91 Music festival, did not lose their lives in vain. The 14,157 people who have perished due to gun violence this year are more than just numbers. They were human beings like you and I, with families, hopes and long lives to live. They deserve compromise. They deserve justice. Abby Steinberg (abigailsteinberg@outlook. com) is a freshman majoring in political science and intending to major in journalism.
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Heartbreak fills campus as Badgers fall short in Big Ten Championship Wisconsin looks forward to Orange Bowl after just narrowly missing CFP Kristen Larson Sports Editor
The University of Wisconsin football team has been through it all this season, but the Big Ten Championship game against Ohio State would be the defining moment of their 2017 campaign. Wisconsin and Ohio State entered the field with the same mentality: Win and you’re in. Both teams were hunting for a bid to the College Football Playoffs, and they know the Big Ten Champion was likely to make the bracket. The game would start off relatively even, with both teams scoring during the first quarter of the game. For once, however, it would be the Wisconsin defense that would struggle the most throughout the first half of the game. Wisconsin’s defense has been stellar this season, only allowing 266 yards per game. It seemed as though Ohio State was going to have to fight tooth and nail to get any sort of yardage this game. With College Football Playoffs bracket looming, Badgers fate remains uncertain It seems strange that someone would have to argue giving a spot in the College Football Playoffs to an undefeated Read... There would be large gaps in the Badger defense, and the Buckeyes know how to make the most of any situation. It would be these gaps that would allow for Ohio State to gain two touchdowns, both of which would go unanswered by the Badgers. Wisconsin would rally during the second half like they always do. A team that found themselves down by 11 points at the end of the first half would begin running the ball more effectively. Quarterback Alex Hornibrook would also begin to show off his arm as he managed to gain first down after first down. Thanks to a couple of great runs from the Wisconsin offense, along with an impressive 47-yard field-goal from kicker Rafael Gaglianone, would bring the Badgers back in the game, with only six points separating them from Ohio State.
Of course, this would also mean that Ohio State’s quarterback J.T. Barrett would need to start making mistakes as well. While Barrett did give Wisconsin a touchdown from an interception he threw earlier in the first, he has remained relatively flawless after that point. This would be the moment that UW’s defense would truly shine or fall flat, because they needed to keep the Buckeyes on their own side. Although they might have been exhausted from their earlier play, now would be the time for this defense to dig deep and do what they do best. Football: Wisconsin ends 2017 regular season undefeated, brings axe home to Madison Paul Bunyan’s axe is returning to Madison after the University of Wisconsin football team trounced the Minnesota Golden Gophers during Read... After managing to hold back the Buckeye offense, Hornibrook and his team would assemble on the field, with everything riding on their shoulders. The Wisconsin offense would start off well, but it would be an untimely call from the referees against Wisconsin that would solidify an Ohio State win. Wisconsin now finds themselves out of the CFP running, with their former fourth place spot being taken by Alabama during the Selection show. The Badgers now find themselves heading to the Orange Bowl in Miami against the Miami Hurricanes. While this season might have ended in a rather upsetting manner, there is still so much for this Wisconsin team to be proud of. They remain undefeated throughout 12 weeks of great play. Despite what anyone says, this team deserves all of the success that they have achieved this season, and the fact that they almost managed an upset against a team like Ohio State says a lot about the program that head coach Paul Chryst is building here at Wisconsin. There is still so much more to see from the Badgers, a team that will forever remain one of the best teams in the nation.
Sarah Godfrey The Badger Herald
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Wisconsin’s NFL prospects high after undefeated regular season UW has sent players off to successful careers in NFL, here are some Badgers who could make an impact at the next level by Stephanie Brown Associate Sports Editor
The University of Wisconsin has a history of sending players off to successful careers in the NFL. Let’s take a look at those most likely to take the next step into the pros.
Troy Fumagalli
The 6-foot-6 tight end seems to be the top Wisconsin 2018 NFL Draft prospect. In the Badgers undefweated regular season, Fumagalli’s name has been at the top of the major watch lists. CBS Sports places weight in the Wisconsin walk-on, ranking him as the top senior tight end in the NFL Draft. The All-American’s recognition was echoed when Fumagalli was named Tight End of the Week in September after earning Most Valuable Player honors at last years’ Cotton Bowl. If the odds are in the favor of anyone from Wisconsin is making it to the NFL in the 2018 Draft Fumagalli would be the best bet.
Michael Deiter
The offensive tackle is a powerhouse who could contribute to any NFL program.
Deiter proved himself as a game changer for Wisconsin and has started 36 consecutive games for the Badgers. The 6-foot-6 Badger was given an All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2015 and 2016, has been named to numerous trophy watch lists for 2017.
T.J. Edwards
Leading the Badgers in tackles for two consecutive seasons, the inside linebacker was named consensus First-Team All-Big Ten by media and coaches. This only adds to the honorable mention status he’s attained over his years as a Badger. The MVP of last years Cotton Bowl, Edwards brings a special skill-set as a defensive lineman that will make him valuable once he moves on to the next level.
Jack Cichy
Inside linebacker Jack Cichy was a likely choice for the 2017 Draft, but an untimely tear of his pectoral muscle put an end to the captain’s season. While his redshirt season is coming to an end, “three-sack-Jack” from the 2015
Holiday Bowl is not forgotten. He was honored with the defensive Most Valuable Player title at the 2015 bowl game, granted an AllBig Ten honorable mention in 2016 and in 2017 the walk-on was placed on the Bednarik Award watch list, the Nagurski Trophy watch list and for the second time on the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list. Even with the injury that put a hiccup in his journey, football star Jack Cichy remains a solid prospect for the 2018 NFL Draft.
D’Cota Dixon
The safety from Florida is a strong candidate for the NFL draft as he has led Wisconsin’s pass defense all season. D’Cota
Riley Steinbrenner The Badger Herald Dixon has made big plays for Wisconsin on the field and has been a class act off of it all season long. The senior has recently earned the Wilma Rudolph Student-Achievement Award, honored to the Nagurski Trophy watch list, named First-Team All-Big Ten and Academic All-Big Ten. Dixon is versatile and plays his best under pressure something NFL scouts will certainly take note of.
Former Badger finds success playing for teams outside of United States
Former Wisconsin All-American Jordan Taylor makes his presence felt across the pond in Germany, Israel, Turkey Matt Ernst Men’s basketball beat writer
There are countless athletes that have come through the University of Wisconsin over the years to play for the Badgers. We have seen many of them grow to be stars in Madison. They have become celebrities on campus and in the state of Wisconsin (and sometimes beyond), yet their time here always comes to an end. Life beyond the NCAA will sometimes mean the NBA, NFL or the NHL for some of these athletes, but for the vast majority of them, that is not the case. Being a professional athlete does not always entail playing for one of North America’s top leagues. In fact, many players from the NCAA and Wisconsin in particular end up playing overseas in Europe and Asia. This can be a very rewarding experience in terms of both playing time and financial 22 • badgerherald.com • December 5 2017
incentives. It can be a great opportunity for players who are willing to step out of their comfort zones and take their talents abroad. One of these former Badgers abroad is Jordan Taylor, a point guard for Wisconsin from 2008-12 who helped them reach at least the second round in all four of his years and the Sweet Sixteen in his final two seasons. He was named a consensus 2nd team All-American during the 2011 season and received 1st team All-Big Ten as well that year. He was widely recognized as one of the top guards in college basketball during his time at Wisconsin, especially on the defensive end of the floor. Despite his success in college, making it to the NBA proved to be too big of a step up for Taylor, as he went undrafted and ended up signing with Virus Roma of the Italian League in August 2012, where he teamed up with former Big Ten rival Trevor
Mbakwe of the Minnesota Gophers. Despite being rivals in the Big Ten, Mbakwe and Taylor became friends while playing abroad and ended up playing very well with each other. Taylor played for them until 2014, when he came back to the United States in an attempt to try out for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA. Having played in Wisconsin for four years in college, Taylor thought this would be a good fit for him and that he might be ready for the task after having played two years of pro basketball overseas. Taylor played for their Summer League team in Las Vegas that summer, but was unable to make the team and he ended up signing with Hapoel Holon in Israel. He averaged more than 11 points, four assists, and one steal in each of his two seasons there as the starting point guard. Hapoel Holon made it to the round of 16 in the playoffs in each of his seasons there.
The following August, Taylor signed with Alba Berlin in Germany and had his most successful season as a pro basketball player. He averaged 12 points per game and won the German Cup. He played there for one season before returning to Hapoel Holon for a third stint. After the conclusion of the 2016-17 season, he signed with the Turkish club Galatasaray, where he currently plays. This has been quite a ride for Taylor and likely not what he had expected, but he has proven himself to be a versatile player that can thrive in a variety of different basketball and cultural situations. This goes to show how tough he is, something that his head coach Bo Ryan would be proud of. Taylor is a great example of all of the unique possibilities that lie ahead for former Badger athletes. He made his own path and is having an exciting journey in both basketball and life.
SPORTS
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Wisconsin headed to Orange Bowl to take on Miami Hurricanes Badgers are set to take on the ACC runner up in their own backyard after disappointing loss to Ohio State by Slater Dvoor Staff writer
A pair of disappointed teams will meet in Miami to face off in the 2017 Orange Bowl when the University of Wisconsin travels to Hard Rock stadium to face off with the Miami Hurricanes. The Badgers saw their undefeated season and playoff hopes come to an end Saturday night at the hands of Ohio State. The Hurricanes suffered a similar fate when they got shellacked 38-3 by Clemson in the ACC championship game. With this game not only being played in Miami but in Hard Rock Stadium, the Hurricanes home field, Miami certainly has the advantage. The Hurricanes went 7-0 at home this season most notably their dominating 41-8 win against then No. 3 Notre Dame. Miami, however, is sputtering coming into this game. Not only did they lose conference championship but they lost the week before
against a five-win Pittsburgh team. Wisconsin enters the game on a similarly sour note. The Badgers playoff hopes were shattered with their 27-21 loss to Ohio State. Their inability to be effective through the air was costly as the Badgers fell behind early and couldn’t make up the deficit. One of the key battles in this one will be the Wisconsin offensive line against the Miami defensive line. Wisconsin runs for almost 230 yards a game, which ranks 9th among Power Five teams. The run game has been the Badgers bread and butter for years and is key not only in their running attack but for setting up the play action pass. This was evident during the Big Ten championship as star running back Jonathan Taylor ran for a season low 41 yards, creating issues for a struggling Wisconsin offense. If the running attack is not on for the Badgers, it causes serious issues in the passing game. Although the Miami passing defense
ranks in the middle of the pack, yards-wise, the Hurricanes defensive front wreaks havoc on opposing quarterbacks. The Canes ranked second in the nation with 43 sacks and had eleven different players recording two sacks. Hornibrook ranked tied for third in interceptions thrown with 15 this season, and has been prone to struggles against the better pass rushes in the Big Ten. If Miami is able to turn the Badgers over, expect a long game for Wisconsin. Wisconsin can counter this pass rush with their impressive offensive line. The Badger ’s have three offensive linemen on all big-ten teams including two first-team members: Guard Beau Benzschawel and tackle Michael Dieter. For Wisconsin to be able to win this game, some sort of running attack must be established and the offensive line must be able to protect Hornibrook. Alex Hornibrook, however, is the key to this game. Expect Miami to stack the box just
as Ohio State did and make Hornibrook beat them. Ohio State had a lot of success in doing this holding Hornibrook to 19 of 40 passing with 220 yards and two interceptions. If Hornibrook can just play game manager, not turn the ball over, and trust our top-ranked defense the Badgers will have a good shot to win this one. The Badgers must also prevent big plays. Ohio State scored two touchdowns of 50 yards or more which is not including a 77 yard run by J.K. Dobbins that set up another touchdown. If you take those three plays out of the game, Wisconsin outplayed Ohio State. The difference was the Buckeyes speed on the edge. This is something Miami will look to take advantage of. If the Badgers can control the trenches, limit big plays, and win the turnover battle they will win this game. But, whether they can do that remains to be seen.
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Fergusons, Benzschawels find unique experience in playing with their siblings
Both families currently have two siblings on UW football roster, long family history of playing at Camp Randall
by Kristen Larson Sports Editor
A lot of the atmosphere in football centers around the mentality that there is a brotherhood to the sport, and that each player should treat their fellow teammates as if they were family. This is exceptionally easy for four people on the University of Wisconsin football team, with brothers Jake and Joe Ferguson, and Beau and Luke Benzschawel. The pairs of brothers are trying to make the most out of their time together at Wisconsin, enjoying their unique experience while they can. For the Benzschawels, being around each other is essentially a given, since Beau would consider his brother to be his best friend. This kind of mentality is only heightened by their football connection, and their close bond helps them as much on-the-field as it does offthe-field. It also helps that both Luke Benzschawel and Beau Benschawel have a family history at Wisconsin. Their father Scott played for Wisconsin from 1983-87 and their uncle Eric played for the Cardinal and White from 19881992. For this family, being a Badger literally runs through their blood. “My dad played here, my uncle played here, and now Luke and I play here,” Beau Benzschawel said. “We’re just keeping up that tradition, and you can’t really ask for more.” Although Luke Benzschawel finds himself injured right now, he has a constant support system in his brother to help him cope with his injury. Beau Benzschawel knows that there is nothing his little brother can do but continue to work hard and prepare himself for next season. “Injuries happen,” Beau Benzschawel said, “You can’t really escape them, but it’s just about how you come back. I told him to hit the weight room hard, and just to make gains where he can right now. Just to improve in different ways, because obviously, he can’t be on the field.” For now, Beau Benzchawel and Luke Benzschawel are both going to make the most of their time here at UW, enjoying every moment they get to play together. The offensive lineman and the tight end are enjoying the special experience they get to have here at Wisconsin. While the Benzschawel brothers might play with each other on the offensive line, the Ferguson brothers have a slightly different dynamic. With older brother Joe Ferguson playing safety and younger brother Jake Ferguson playing tight end, these two forces often time find themselves across the line from
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one another. It was an extraordinary circumstance that allowed for these two brothers to play together during their time at UW. Joe Ferguson was originally slated to play for Wisconsin from 2013-16, but his decision to red-shirt would allow him to gain an extra year of eligibility. This year would allow for Joe Ferguson and his younger brother Jake Ferguson to play one year of football together. Although these two played against each other in the backyard when they were growing up, Jake Ferguson admits it’s interesting being related to the guy that he is facing off against in practice. “It’s a big change,” Jake Ferguson said. “I usually don’t know the guy, or I’m not really close with the guy who is playing defense against me. This is the first time ever playing against him besides, like, in the backyard or something. I get to see what he’s about and he gets to see what I’m about.” This camaraderie between brothers allows for them to strengthen their relationship while they are here at Wisconsin. With their grandfather Barry Alvarez currently serving as Athletic Director for the Badgers, UW football has quickly become a Ferguson family affair. Joe Ferguson and Jake Ferguson also try to use their brotherly bond to connect the rest of the team. With Joe Ferguson being a senior and Jake Ferguson being a freshman, the two brothers are working together to help the rest of their teammates bond with one another. “It really helps because Joe knows a lot of the older guys and I am tight with a lot of the younger guys, and it helps everybody comes together,” Jake Ferguson said. “It’s not like we’re two different age groups, since we’re a whole family and we have brothers on both sides. It keeps everybody close.” Joe Ferguson and Jake Ferguson not only help their teammates bond on-the-field, but they also entertain their teammates whenever they’re forced to go against each other in practice. Joe Ferguson said some of his teammates have termed these meetings between the two brothers as “Ferg on Ferg crime.” Even the coaching staff is getting a kick out of the “Ferg on Ferg crime” that happens on the field. Jake Ferguson revealed that Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard even got in on the fun when Jake Ferguson managed to run a route past Joe Ferguson, scoring a touchdown during practice. “[Joe Ferguson] turned around to Coach Leonard and asked ‘What do I do about that?’ and Leonard replied with ‘Nothing. You got the
Photo · Joe Ferguson celebrates a Badger w Riley Steinbrenner The Badger Herald
Photo · Luke Benzschawel and Jazzy Peavy walk away from another Badger win. Benzschawel’s family has had a long history of playing at Camp Randall. Jason Chan The Badger Herald bad genes in the family.’” It seems that the brotherhood aspect of football lends itself to being rather family friendly, and there are long lines of Wisconsin football running through the Ferguson and the
Benzschawel family. Although they might not get a long period of time to play against each other, both sets of brothers are making the most of their unique experience at UW.
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