'Fostering Connections at Home and Abroad' - Volume 51, Issue 1

STUDENT MEDIA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 · VOL 51 Issue 1 · BADGERHERALD.COM

FOSTERING CONNECTIONS AT HOME & ABROAD

Six UW professors share the value found when involving students in their research. pg. 14 Designed by Lily Oberstein

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Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Madison mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway rose pride flags over various government building in Madison during the month of June.

STAYING SAFE ON CAMPUS 7 UWPD discusses ticketing practices, sexual assault and staying safe.

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THE SHOW MUST GO ON: SUMMERFEST EXPERIENCES HARDSHIPS 13

Take a look into the 51st year of the world’s largest music festival as it endured tough weather and amphitheater cancellations.

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Photo · While many students leave campus after spring semester, others enjoy the warmer weather and outdoor events that summer brings to UW and the city of Madison.

July 25, 2019 • badgerherald.com • 3

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New legislation to celebrate pride month and further LGBTQ rights Pride flag on public government properties, new legislation for LGBTQ community causes political divide, County Executive weighs in

by Courtney Erdman Reporter

For the LGBTQ community, the month of June commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn riots and celebrates the progress that has been made and the progress they hope to see.

In celebration of this month, the pride flag is flying above the City, County, Madison Municipal and Wisconsin State Capitol buildings during June.

To celebrate the pride flag is flying above the City County, Madison Municipal and the Wisconsin State Capitol buildings. County Executive Joe Parisi “we have a lot to celebrate, but we have to remain vigilant” in the LGBTQ community’s fight for equality.

New York City’s Stonewall Inn, a gay club, was raided by police officers in 1969 because samesex relations were illegal at the time. Six days of protest followed, where members of the LGBTQ community clashed with law enforcement. It sparked a movement to fight for LGBTQ rights.

In 1982, Wisconsin was the first state to pass a gay rights law, according to GSAFE Wisconsin.

Madison was the first city in Wisconsin to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in 1975, according to the Freedom for all Americans website.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway offered some words at the pride flag raising at the Madison Municipal Building.“It is so important to send a visible signal that Madison is a welcoming community and that the city is an inclusive employer,” Rhodes-Conway said.

According to the Freedom for All Americans site, Madison employers are legally barred from discriminating on prospective employees based on gender or sexual orientation.

Additionally, laws require Madison employers to hire and advertise to a diverse group, as well as have at least one person of color and one woman to review supplemental questions (if they appear on an application), according to the Equitable Hiring Tool created by the Racial Equity and Social Justice Initiative.

“The Bureau of Equity and Inclusion reaches out to people from different communities to build relationships through community-based organizations [and personal visits],” Parisi said.

There are consequences for employers who do not meet these protections. Employees and applicants can report to the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division, Madison Civil Rights Department, Bureau of Equity and Inclusion or Employee Relations at the county and state levels.

Dane County holds the number three rating among the top 10 places to live in Wisconsin, according to Niche, which is an online tool that community members use to rate their communities and schools. Parisi said this is 4 • badgerherald.com • July 25, 2019

because Dane County supports quality of life be welcome,” Spreitzer said. or a vocal minority is speaking out. regardless of individual backgrounds.

Recognizing June as Pride Month and Rodriguez and her boyfriend, UW junior Miles Wisconsin can help in the national LGBTQ commemorating the Stonewall Inn riots promotes Waech, said flying the pride flag is more of a movement by leading by example, Parisi said. learning about LGBTQ history and highlights performative act.

Parisi and State Representative Mark Spreitzer, the unfortunate fact that they are still being “I’m glad that it’s up there, but it means D-Beloit, support flying the pride flag. discriminated against, Parisi said. [lawmakers] gave in to public pressure,” “[It] advances a good cause that everyone Not everyone thinks the pride flag represents Rodriguez said. matters, everyone should be treated the same equality. A petition to take down the flag has Lawmakers should be finding ways to prevent under the law and discrimination will not be gained 10,000 signatures, according to Wisconsin and amend hate crimes and solve the systematic tolerated,” Parisi said.

Public Radio. The socially conservative Wisconsin issues in schools and healthcare, Waech said.

Spreitzer said flying the pride flag tells the Family Council President Julaine Appling said the Waech, who is a transgender male, said he would LGBTQ community their government sees them pride flag is divisive because it does not represent like to see better healthcare plans for transgender and they are welcome and supported here. all Wisconsinites, according to WPR. people and wants those in the medical field to be Legislators are introducing bills that further University of Wisconsin junior Rosie Rodriguez educated about transgender people.

LGBTQ protections as part of the Equality said she believes the Wisconsin flag doesn’t Waech added that the type of people who Agenda. Assembly Bill 111 bans conversion represent all Wisconsinites because not everyone oppose the pride flag flying will always be there therapy for minors, Assembly Joint Resolution who lives in Wisconsin was born in the state or the and they directly affect him, but he’s not going 47 recognizes June as LGBT Pride Month, AJR 67 United States. to fight against them because it’s not worth his recognizes June 28, 2019 as the 50th anniversary of “Any flag is going to be divisive and I don’t energy or time. the Stonewall Uprising and AB 312 establishes a think the pride flag is worse,” said Rodriguez, Rodriguez said we shouldn’t forget the Transgender Equality Task Force. who is openly bisexual. oppression LGBTQ people have endured in the It would be required to study the legal and Ten thousand is a significant number, but is still past and should keep fighting for LGBTQ rights. societal barriers to equality for transgender, a small number of Wisconsinites, Spreitzer said.

“Our whole lives it’s been like this, so I have intersex, non-binary and gender non-conforming He added that it’s hard to tell whether the majority nothing else to say to them,” Rodriguez said. individuals and provide recommendations to the legislature on how to ensure equality, according to the bill. All bill texts can be found on the Wisconsin State Legislature website.

Spreitzer proposed legislation that would update Wisconsin law to add gender identity and gender expression to current nondiscrimination laws but said work still needs to be done to allow people to change their gender on birth certificates and driver’s licenses.

Spreitzer added he can’t do something everyone will agree with, but he is working for what he believes is in the best interest of the state and his district. He is happy to listen to those who have differing opinions.

“I hope that as public opinion continues to evolve, and while we Photo · The pride flag flew above the Wisconsin State Capitol building during the month of June in celebration of pride month. Experts may disagree about say the American society has come a long way, but can’t forget the oppression the LGBTQ community still faces. particular legislative solutions, I would hope Bea Frank we can all agree that The Badger Herald LGBTQ people should

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ASM representative, press director discuss freshman involvement Press director discusses maintaining and increasing ASM diversity as a priority, ensure all students represented effectively

by Caroline Li Reporter

As the student government on campus, the Associated Students of Madison aims to represent students’ voice and extends a warm welcome to all incoming students at the University of Wisconsin.

According to the ASM website, the overarching mission of ASM is to provide avenues for students to make their student life on campus better.

Former ASM Vice Chair and current Wisconsin School of Business Representative Yogev BenYitschak further elaborated on the mission and said on top of representing students’ voices and providing ways for students to advocate for changes, ASM is also responsible for the allocation of resources to different organizations on campus.

“We get a portion of the [segregated] fee, not the whole [amount],” Ben-Yitschak said. “And the money goes into student organizations, bus pass, the Union and other [organizations and services].”

According to the ASM website, the branches of ASM include Student Council, Student Services Finance Committee, Student Judiciary and various committees and boards, with each responsible for its respective roles and duties.

Student Council is made up of 33 members and mainly in charge of carrying out the organization’s legislative duties, according to their website. All UW students are eligible to cast votes for Student Council representatives from their respective schools or colleges during the annual election in spring.

With Student Council taking charge of the legislative duties, SSFC is responsible for the financial issues. According to their website, SSFC determines the allocation of funds along with UW Chancellor Rebecca Blank. Student Council also needs to confirm decisions made by SSFC before these decisions are sent for Blank’s approval.

Student Judiciary is composed of seven student justices nominated and approved by the Nominations Board and Student Council respectively. Student Judiciary also supervises ASM elections and handles disputes ASM may have with other parties.

To get involved in the student government, students could run for seats at Student Council and SSFC during spring election, attend ASM meetings or apply to become an ASM intern.

Ben-Yitschak said there are many ways to get involved in ASM, and running for seats at Student Council and SSFC is by no means the only way to

do it.

“Most of our students are involved in other ways and don’t even interact with Student Council that much,” Ben-Yitschak said. “For example, we have open committees, like Sustainability, Equity & Inclusion [Committee]. Any student, any age, any group can come if they want to. That’s how most students are involved.”

ASM Press Office Director Matthew Mitnick made a special mention to the intern program within ASM that incoming students could apply for. According to Mitnick, participating in such program prepares students for their future career and helps them practice leadership.

Ben-Yitschak also emphasized that being a freshman should never be a hindrance for students to stay involved in their student government.

“I love when I see freshmen get involved [in ASM] because they are really the future of ASM,” Ben-Yitschak said.

According to the ASM website, the roles of the organization can be categorized as direct action, governance and service. Under direct action, as explained by the ASM website, the organization encourages and engages students to initiate changes for the betterment of their lives through

campaigns. Some examples from the past include the creation of 24-hour libraries and study days before major exams.

According to the ASM website, the organization also provides various services to the student body.

One such example is the distribution of free bus passes. Part of students’ segregated fees are allocated to fund this program, and all enrolled freshmen are eligible to pick up the pass. With such pass, students can ride on Madison Metro Transit without any cost, within the validity of the pass. Routes 80, 81, 82 and 84 are free for all students and campus visitors at any time, thus students can board these buses without the pass.

Time and locations for bus pass pick-up will be available on ASM website at a later date.

According to the ASM website, part of its funding also goes for services outside of ASM, such as the operations of the Wisconsin Union and recreational sports facilities.

Looking into the future, Mitnick reiterated the importance of maintaining the diversity of ASM. “I would like to see more students getting involved, making sure ASM stays as diverse as it is, continuing to become more diverse, so that all students are represented by the decisions we make,” Mitnick said.

Rheta’s Market to change dining style to all-you-care-to-eat Previous à la carte option no longer offered, UW University Housing spokesperson, UW student weigh in on changes

by Nuha Dolby Print News Editor

Rheta’s Market, a dining marketplace housed within Chadbourne Residence Hall, will be utilizing a new dining style this next school year.

The marketplace will be going from an à la carte system to an all-you-care-to-eat.

The former à la carte style featured payfor-what-you-eat, meaning students paid for individual food items. The all-you-care-to-eat style means students pay a flat fee and can eat however much and whatever they want from the market.

The buffet style prices vary by meal; according to the Rheta’s Market website, the resident prices are $3.50 for breakfast, $4.50 for lunch, and $5.50 for dinner. Non-resident prices can be more than double that, with $7.25 for breakfast, $10 for lunch, and $10.25 for dinner.

Brendon Dybdahl, Director of Marketing & Communications for University Housing, said the change stemmed from student requests. ”During the 2017-18 school year, students on our Dining Advisory Board requested that there be an all-you-care-to-eat location on each side of campus,” Dybdahl said. “The students thought

that this would be [a] great addition to our program, to offer some added variety to our à la carte style of dining. We took their proposal . . . and we decided to pilot it at one Dining market.”

Rheta’s Market is located at the intersection of Park Street and University Avenue. The location provides quick access to or from the George L. Mosse Humanities building, Bascom Hill and Library Mall.

Dybdahl said Rheta’s central location and the fact that it was easily accessible to a large number of students made it ideal to test out the new dining style.

Dybdahl added that for students who preferred the previous format, there would still be many options available. ”For those students who don’t want an allyou-care-to-eat experience, we plan to offer more grab-and-go and hot food options sold at the Flamingo Run convenience store inside Rheta’s, so that they can still buy some individual items there,” Dybdahl said. “The Gordon Dining & Event Center is also just a couple blocks away, for students who prefer our usual à la carte dining experience.”

Gordon Dining & Event Center is located by Witte, Sellery and Ogg residence halls, with a

longer walk from Chadbourne.

Dybdahl said, however, that he hoped students would like the new format at Rheta’s and would frequent it. ”We hope that students feel they’re getting a good value for what they will pay at the door, and that they are offered a different style of service [than] our other Dining facilities,” he said. “While our residents have the option to eat at any of our dining markets, we hope Rheta’s will become a destination location for some of these students who enjoy the new format.”

Dillon Moore, an incoming junior, lived at Sellery and Smith his first two years. He said that he went to Rheta’s Market four or five times a week, and added it was probably his favorite of the dining halls.

Moore added, however, that the buffet style might have had one negative impact on him, had it been offered to him. ”When I was eating on campus, I operated on a sort of cost-based system, where I didn’t want to spend that much money. I really looked for the most calories for the least amount of money,” Dillon said. “Now, if it’s the same price, I’m going to get whatever I want. I already gained weight last year. If I’m getting whatever I want,

it probably would’ve been even worse.”

Moore said, however, that he thought the “trial” at Rheta’s, with Gordon’s nearby for those who didn’t prefer the buffet style, was a good idea and he thought it “made a lot of sense.”

Moore said generally, Rheta’s had a good reputation amongst his friends.”I loved Rheta’s,” he said. “I heard people say they liked Rheta’s a lot. With the discount you get from housing, it was a decent price.”

Moore recommended going to grocery stores for certain items he found pricey at the dining halls, such as fresh produce. Overall, however, he said he found dining hall prices to be manageable.

Dybdahl said while the buffet format requires some changes, he hopes it will go over well with students. ”For staff working in Rheta’s, it changes the customer flow a bit, and there will be some retraining of both our employees and our customers,” Dybdahl said. “But overall we’ll be offering the same great service and delicious food as always, and we hope to get a positive response to the changes when students return in the fall.”

July 25, 2019 • badgerherald.com • 5

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UWPD highlights student resources in discussing campus crime Officers take personal safety of UW community members seriously regarding alcohol, marijuana and sexual assault resources UW offers, such as SAFEWalk, which provide a free, safe escorted walk between locations in the evenings and at night.

If the University of Wisconsin-Madison were “It comes down to taking your own personal a city, it would be the eighth-most populous safety seriously,” Lovicott said. “We all fall into in all of Wisconsin. With a combined total the trap of ‘this isn’t going to happen to me.’ of around 67,000 students, faculty and staff, We don’t want people to be fearful about their the sheer number of people can pose safety safety, because we truly believe that UW and challenges. the city of Madison is a safe place, but we want This is one reason UW has its very own people to be vigilant.” police department separate In the case of sexual assault, from the Madison Police Nora Burnham, a UW counselor Department, Marc Lovicott, the and advocate at the Dane County UW Police Department Public Rape Crisis Center said in an Information Officer, said. email to The Badger Herald that “We become a really big city, some preventative measures are one of the bigger cities in the state well-known. She cited personal of Wisconsin by sheer size and vigilance strategies, such as density, which is one of the big implementing a “buddy system,” reasons we have our own police watching one’s drinks and not department,” Lovicott said. “If going out alone at night. we didn’t, the city of Madison Burnham encouraged would be very busy with lots of individuals to speak up when additional calls.” another person makes them The UWPD certainly plays a uncomfortable, with some major role in law enforcement people often saying nothing and and campus safety in Madison. hesitating to leave uncomfortable In the department’s 2018 Annual situations out of a fear of Report, it reported a total of appearing rude.

2,696 offenses, including 549 Lovicott cited campus underage alcohol citations and resources as being particularly 94 possession of marijuana helpful when it comes to getting violations. these crimes reported.

The department uses what “There are some amazing they call a “behavior-based” resources on campus for approach to policing, and survivors of sexual assault and typically only gets involved when we are just one of those resources. individuals engaging in illegal Oftentimes an individual who activities like underage drinking has experienced a sexual assault bring attention to themselves. may not want to go to the police, In the residence halls, a typical or may feel afraid to tell their scenario for police involvement story,” he said. “We’ve heard might begin with a house fellow from many people who want Photo · UWPD Public Information Officer Marc Lovicott dispelled the notion that officers are looking to “bust” students for underage calling in a noise complaint from to find different ways to handle drinking. Instead, Lovicott said, UWPD typically only gets involved if an individual’s behavior is problematic and dangerous to themselves a dorm party, Lovicott said. it, and the university has an or others “The typical thought is that amazing job of offering a number we’re out there busting students of resources to help individuals.”

Marissa Haegele for underage drinking . . . when UWPD has a list of The Badger Herald we’re very much a behaviorconfidential resources on its based police organization,” website. These include University Lovicott said. “If something Health Services, End Violence on happens that brings attention to Campus, and UHS Counseling yourself — if you’re being loud, and Consultation on-campus. rather than a crime. jail,” Malloy said. “If somebody is cooperative, if you’re in a fight — and you happen to be Off-campus, some listed resources include Malloy, whose patrol areas include State realizes that their behavior was out of line and drinking, that’s when we get involved. We’re the UnityPoint Health Meriter Forensic Nurse Street and Langdon Street, said the vast we have a belief this person is going to head not just out there looking for people who are majority of calls he responds to involve alcohol back to their apartment without causing further Examiner, which provides a medical and keeping to themselves; we’re looking for people consumption. If individuals are drunk to issues, they’re going to be released with just a forensic examination for victims of sexual who are causing problems and acting in a way assault, domestic violence and dating violence, the point where they are incapacitated and citation.” that brings a danger to themselves or others.” unable to take care of themselves, they may be When it comes to personal safety, Lovicott and the Rape Crisis Center, where Burnham is The UWPD adopts a similar behavioran advocate. taken into protective custody and transported said individuals should take advantage of the

by Azul Kothari Reporter

based approach when it comes to marijuana possession violations.

Mike Malloy, a police officer with the Madison Police Department, said the district attorney’s office in Madison does not prosecute low levels of marijuana possession on a regular basis. Typically, marijuana possession is addressed through city ordinance violations, which means it is treated as a civil forfeiture

to a hospital or detox clinic, where they are monitored as they recover.

When an individual finds themselves in trouble with police for a city ordinance violation, they should realize that officers have a certain amount of discretion in the outcome, Malloy said.

“Officers have discretion on whether or not a person is issued a ticket, or if they’re taken to

July 25, 2019 • badgerherald.com • 7

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Sustainability leaders weigh in on UW efforts to combat climate change Professor Gregory Nemet discusses topics from his book, acknowledges University endeavors but expects more to be done

by Kate Nerone Reporter

In the wake of increased solar-powered infrastructure at the University of Wisconsin, leaders in sustainability on campus weighed in on UW efforts to combat the effects of climate change, as well as how the projects are started, funded and inhibited.

In the last decade, UW has started implementing solar energy systems in several campus facilities, including Dejope and Leopold Residence Halls, and most recently Gordon Dining & Event Center. These changes for more sustainable energy systems have been implemented by collaborations between many different parts of the University systems, including University Housing, professors, researchers and UW students.

La Follette School of Public Affairs Professor Gregory Nemet delved into the topic in his new book, How Solar Energy Became Cheap, explaining to readers the international systems that have led to the reduced cost of solar energy systems in recent years.

Nemet said cheap solar power was a long-won product of approximately 60 years of research, international exchange and consumer-market focused entrepreneurship.

The U.S. was initially leading in investment and research into solar power until Japan took the lead once the Reagan administration cut research budgets in the 1980s, Nemet said. The Green

Party in Germany then developed a solar subsidy program, which enabled further production efforts there while Chinese entrepreneurs simultaneously began to create solar products as well. As of 2016, China is the largest producer of solar panels, according to the World Energy Council.

“Solar is really cheap now compared to where it used to be,” Nemet said. “And it’s also cheap compared to competing technologies like natural gas or coal . . . It’s come a really long way.”

Many of the recent changes toward a more sustainable campus have been the product of student-led sustainability efforts. Helios, a registered student organization on campus, was funded by Green Fund grants, a program that, according to the Office of Sustainability website, “supports student-initiated projects that reduce the environmental footprint and operating costs of oncampus facilities.”

This funding helped make the solar energy project at Gordon Dining & Event Center more financially feasible and ultimately successful.

Sustainability Coordinator for University Housing Breana Nehls emphasized the importance of making sustainability efforts both tangible and visible in order to effectively demonstrate impact.

“We like to promote renewable energy across campus,” Nehls said. “Having these three different systems in place [at Leopold, Dejope and Gordon] helps make solar energy more visible to students and staff.”

Both Nemet and Nehls pointed to data collection and digital platforms which more concretely reflect the benefits of solar energy compared to other energy alternatives. According to the Office of Sustainability website, one of the innovations made to the Gordon Dining & Event Center was an online dashboard that provides comparative metrics on solar energy.

Seeing these comparisons in real time helps demonstrate what Nehls calls “tangible changes” that students and staff can see for themselves and can help inform people about why sustainable energy is important.

Though there have been efforts toward a more sustainable campus, Nemet argued that there is not enough momentum from the university system as a whole towards becoming a model and leader in sustainability efforts.

“On the campus, I’m actually shocked by how little [solar energy] there is,” Nemet said. “If you look at other college campuses across the country, not just in sunny places, they’re going way forward on this.”

UW, home to the oldest solar laboratory in the country, currently has only three buildings with solar powered energy, and the university did not make it on Princeton Review’s 2018 list of 399 greenest colleges. “[Solar energy] is economically advantageous and another part of this is that a university is trying to be a model for the rest of society,” Nemet said.

Both Nehls, who represents the faculty side of the university’s sustainability efforts, and Nemet, who represents the academic perspective, shared reasons that hindered the implementation of a solar energy system at UW. Nehls said certain organizational factors may be inhibiting the growth of solar energy on campus.

“These decisions involve many different parties,” Nehls said. “Getting everyone involved and supportive of our goals is one of the largest hurdles that we experience.”

Nemet suspects that high upfront costs to solar power may be partly to blame for this lag, though he does not see a reason UW should be hindered from accessing capital for systems that would save the university more money in the long run.

Recent research Nemet conducted with a student-produced no evidence that any state legislation or university administrative regulation would prohibit the implementation of more solar energy at UW. Though both were supportive of the changes happening to some UW infrastructure, Nemet pointed out that the process of making innovative, sustainable energy technologies cheaper and more accessible would need to be expedited in order to be effective in battling climate change. “[Solar Energy’s reduced cost] took too long if we wanted to apply that to other technologies that we might need,” Nemet said. “Another 60 years is too late for climate change.”

Morgridge Rural Summer Science Camp extended for additional week Funding has allowed the program, which teaches research skills and science knowledge to rural youth, to do so for longer

by Lauren Henning State News Editor

For thirteen years, students and teachers from rural Wisconsin high schools travel to Madison for one thing: science.

Beginning in 2007, the Morgridge Institute for Research has hosted the Morgridge Rural Summer Science Camp, two weeks in July of scientific exploration and experimentation. With additional support from the National Science Foundation, the Morgridge Rural Summer Science Camp was able to be extended to three weeks of adventure.

According to the Outreach Coordinator of Morgridge Institute for Research Dan Murphy, the camp was founded in the spirit of the Wisconsin Idea. It seeks to immerse rural high school students into research and allow them to experience a larger, urban research campus.

“The additional week allows for more attendees, as well as a bolstered experience with more opportunities for scientists to share their latest work with the community, including new activities that follow current trends in the research fields,” Murphy said.

Murphy also described the thrill of taking part 8 • badgerherald.com • July 25, 2019

in coordinating the experience for the students and teachers, and then watching it unfold.

Not only do students experience something they never have before, but Murphy described teachers being left in awe as they saw their students thrive. The teachers were also able to collaborate and network with teachers from other rural districts, an additional benefit of the program.

The Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance provides support for rural schools and their communities through informing and providing resources to school boards, lobbying and supporting programs such as the Morgridge Rural Summer Science Camp.

Director of the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance Kim Kaukl said the camp offers an opportunity for students they may have never been able to experience otherwise, all the while allowing teachers to refresh their own skills and knowledge.

Kaukl also said the impact of the program stretched well beyond the students and teachers in attendance and into entire communities.

“They go back and present to their school boards and it gets out to their communities,” Kaukl said. “It creates a sense of pride that their

kids are doing well and can compete at this level.”

Graduate researchers Tiffany Heaster and Amani Gillette both work in Melissa Skala’s lab at the Morgridge Institute — a lab that participates in the camp by presenting research and activities. Heaster and Gillette aid in presenting a lab that allows students to perform treatments on cancer cells and how they react to the different treatments as well as different ways of analyzing the results.

“I think having them able to come in and actually do real-world research gives them context for how research works and helps these students realize that science is a lot more approachable than it seems sometimes,” said Gillette.

Along similar lines, Heaster said these types of experiments allow students to realize that the skills they might be learning in the classroom which seem out of touch with the real world could actually allow them to do something impactful in the future, such as cancer research.

Heaster added that the experience can reach well beyond the week of the science camp and that it connects students with professionals in a career they might be interested in.

“The outreach staff does a really good job of collecting that data and connecting students even after they finish the science camp,” Heaster said.

“So, it really goes beyond the week or the couple of weeks that they’re here, which is amazing.”

What might not be considered is that the researchers themselves feel an impact. Gillette said not only does it feel very rewarding to watch the students’ presentations on the final day, but also that having young, inquisitive minds involved in her research has brought new light to how she approaches some of the challenges she faces in her work.

Heaster shares a very personal connection to the camp, as she herself came from a rural background. Heaster said she was not able to have an opportunity that showed the career opportunities until she was halfway through her undergraduate career.

Heaster said she would always be an advocate for programs such as this and how blown away she was by it.

“I really appreciate the fact that the outreach team has targeted those populations that typically wouldn’t have access to something like this otherwise, and I think it is absolutely incredible,” Heaster said.

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UW Extension looks to pay forward UW privileges to community

Putting expertise to practical use, Extension extends benefits beyond just UW students through 4-H youth program and other initiatives Each year, By Youth For Youth directs $30,000 in funding toward projects that benefit Dane County. In the 2016-2017 The flow of educational resources school year, according to the website, some throughout Wisconsin does not stop at of BYFY’s main funding priorities were the halls of its university campuses. For racial equity, education and opportunities over 100 years, Wisconsin’s universities for economically disadvantaged youth. have done outreach that connects farmers, Leadership-minded high school students families, youth and businesses to university of Dane County can also participate in 4-H’s research. The branch that facilitates this is Youth Governance Program, which was known as the Division of Extension. modeled after a similar program in Kenosha Originally tied to the initial land grant County in 2012. mission of the University of WisconsinRepresentatives of the program attend Madison, UW Extension was designed meetings for a specific Dane County Board to share information with the wider Committee for one year and are able to community. cast advisory votes that are recorded in the UW Extension has offices in each of minutes but are non-binding.

Wisconsin’s 72 counties and in three of its In Wisconsin, there is a large focus on tribal nations, according to its website. A agricultural and horticultural education. wide variety of educational programming is Dane County Extension facilitates gardening organized by Extension offices all over the education for local youth in school and country. after school as well as the community at Carrie Edgar, the director of the Dane large. UW-Madison students can sign up County Extension office, says the Extension for Master Gardener Volunteer Training through Extension and develop horticultural projects that serve the community.

Extension’s biggest role in Wisconsin agriculture is to apply university research to real farms.

Farmers throughout the state have implemented agricultural research that was developed by specialists and researchers housed on campus at UWMadison.

“Here in Dane County, we work with a lot of vegetable farms and we try to figure out which cover crops work best,” Edgar said. “All of the programming that we provide is evidence-based Photo · The 4-H Program is the biggest youth development program nationwide. It provides children from five years old and up with the chance and researchto work with animals, garden and engage in creative writing. driven, so we Marissa Haegele work closely The Badger Herald with faculty on campus. The tie is

by Lena Simon Reporter

program that most people are probably familiar with is the 4-H Program.

“It’s the largest youth development program in the country and is in all 50 states,” Edgar said.

Children as young as five years old can begin participating in youth development programs through 4-H. For middle and high schoolers, 4-H provides many outlets to work with animals, like showing cattle and horses at fairs, training dogs, raising chickens and selling pigs.

For teens inclined toward the arts, 4-H provides opportunities for writing and performing poetry, prose and speeches.

Dane County’s youth have the opportunity to influence 4-H funding priorities in a program called By Youth For Youth. According to the website, high school students who participate in BYFY are able to exercise leadership skills by identifying needs in their peer communities and recommending funding allocation to specific programs.

very close.”

Another focal point in Dane County programming is nutrition education.

Nutrition programming is funded by a federal grant, Edgar said. Educators work in schools, community centers, and senior centers, working with individuals and families to develop healthy eating habits and food budgets, per the website. Financial education programming is also widespread in Dane County.

UW-Madison students can get involved in community development with Extension by volunteering as well as by applying for internships. Edgar said this year ’s summer interns are working on projects involving community health, financial education, youth development and community-based nonprofits.

“Sometimes we have a project and we will put out a call, and sometimes we get approached by an intern who says they have an idea and they’d like to partner with Extension,” Edgar said. “We really enjoy working with interns.”

Summer internships are typically paid, though in the past there have been unpaid internships through Extension that compensate in credit hours. UW students can also volunteer in the 4-H program and a wide variety of gardening programs.

Extension also hosts a number of events that are open to the public, which UWMadison students can attend.

“There are things like the Wisconsin Science Festival, events at county fairs — all are open to the public,” Edgar said.

The Wisconsin Science Festival takes place for four days in locations throughout the state.

Exhibitions, workshops, performances, and more with a focus on science and discovery are free to attend, with many taking place at Madison’s own Discovery Building.

In 2018, there were 33,000 attendees at the statewide festival that consisted of more than 250 individual events. The festival is a popular field trip destination, as all ages are welcome to attend. The 2019 festival will be taking place October 17-20.

Extension’s role in the festival is behindthe-scenes.

“UW Extension is often used as a resource for finding scientists from around the state for various events,” Courtni Kopietz, a multimedia specialist at the Morgridge Institute, said.

Extension also has a role in seeking out scientists for UW-Madison’s Weekly Science Talks.

Edgar said some UW Extension events cost money and may require preregistration, but for the majority of them, “you can just show up.”

July 25, 2019 • badgerherald.com • 9

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UW students heralded by companies providing students internships

UW students called “hardworking,” “passionate,” praised for superior work ethic, academic expertise in the workplace

by Jackie Miller Reporter

Thousands of companies work with students from the University of Wisconsin every year through opportunities such as internships, resume workshops and career fairs.

Many of these companies work hard throughout the year to gain visibility by UW students. Megan O’Rourke, a business engagement director at UW, said that UW students have many talents that make businesses eager to work with them.

“Companies like working with UW Madison students because of their work ethic,” O’Rourke said. “It’s not an easy university to get into, a lot of the students here are hard-working and have academic expertise.

[They also] have a really interesting global perspective. It’s a relatively diverse student body because of the large international student population and students who study abroad.”

Recently, a few of these companies such as Morningstar Inc., Pharmaceutical Product Development and GE Healthcare have personally shared why they love working with students from UW. Susan Harrington, a senior university recruitment specialist at PPD and a UW alumna, said the company has worked with UW students for many years and have sought after them because of their unique skill sets.

“I think that we love working with Madison students because their interests and passions align very well with PPDs mission to improve health,” Harrington said. “So many of them just want to be able to make a difference in somebody else’s life.”

Harrington made it clear that one of the most important qualities for an internship or job candidate to have is the ability to broaden their knowledge base. While UW students have a lot to offer, they also have a lot to learn when partnering with these companies.

Harrington said that PPD focuses on teaching students technical skills such as learning the ins and outs of lab instrumentation and the big picture, interpersonal skills.

“To help grow their interpersonal skills, we have lunch-n-learns including presentation skills, networking skills and others that will help once they enter the professional world,” Harrington said.

O’Rourke also said the primary thing hiring companies look for in an applicant is academic success, followed by previous work experience and active involvement in student organizations.

According to O’Rourke, these companies are looking for a student who has worked to build a good resume and has proved their ability to juggle several commitments at once. But students 10 • badgerherald.com • July 25, 2019

Photo · Companies around the country hire UW student interns for their unique skill set and passions, according to UW faculty.

Daniel Yun The Badger Herald

are never taught the components of a good resume or the skills needed for an interview in school. O’Rourke said some companies have begun to take on that role for students.

“Instead of companies coming to campus to tell students information about what they do, they are taking it a step farther through mock interview sessions and resume workshops,” O’Rourke said. “Students tend to take it more to heart when they hear it from companies and organizations that they want to work with rather than from university employees.”

While educational workshops have started to become more common amongst recruiting companies, lots of businesses still rely on career fairs to bring attention to themselves.

There are many mixed feelings amongst UW

students about the practicality and success of career fairs. Students often get nervous and overwhelmed by the amount of companies and students in attendance.

“There are always critiques about career fairs, but they still remain the number one way that organizations... recruit students and are still the most effective,” O’Rourke said. “Although it’s nerve-wracking, students still like to meet with those employers face to face.”

Despite the anxiety career fairs bring to students, O’Rourke mentioned it’s been proven to still be the most effective way for students to get into contact with potential employers.

O’Rourke also said career fairs are just one touchpoint for companies. They are generally just the first step in raising brand awareness, followed

by methods that were previously mentioned such as mock interviews or internship programs.

“Career fairs are only one touch point, not the only touch point that employers use,” O’Rourke said. “They use a variety of different ways to interact with students, but career fairs are still very useful for companies.”

Many companies are willing to go above and beyond in the process of recruiting UW students.

Harrington explained that UW students have not only the hard skills needed to perform well at their company, but the soft skills as well.

“Madison is a really big school, but I think that that really helps prepare students to be proactive,” Harrington said. “They always want to learn more and are eager to expand their skill sets.”

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New UW sculpture brings inclusive thinking to campus, City of Madison

Library Mall area “is a confluence of people in the space going in different directions to work, class and elsewhere,” artist says

by Zach Lutz ArtsEtc. Editor

This past June, the city of Madison welcomed artist team David Dahlquist and Matt Niebuhr and their newest piece of public artwork, the “Both/And – Tolerance/Innovation” sculpture in the 700/800 block of State Street with a dedication ceremony. The installation is located at the intersection of State Street, East Campus Mall and Library Mall, which is essentially where the city of Madison meets the University of Wisconsin campus.

But the sculpture’s story does not begin in June with the installation and physical representation of the artists’ work, it begins nearly three years ago.

Where the new sculpture now stands is once where another artist had his project footing planted. After years of nothing erected in that space, Madison Arts Program Administrator Karin Wolf and the Madison Arts Commission offered up the space through an application and competitive selection process. The biggest requirement was that the piece and its concept would need to be site specific.

“We did not want the piece to detract from the surrounding area but rather add to the beauty of the site,” Wolf said.

Nearly three years ago Niebuhr and Dahlquist, of RDG Dahlquist Art Studio (located in Des Moines, Iowa), applied for their space. According to Wolf, approximately 70 artists applied to create a piece for the space.

From beating out other artists to win the commission to meeting with and gaining approval with engineers about their drawings, to developing the concept for the piece after visiting the site, to having Karin Wolf, Madison Arts Program Administrator, jumping through hoops to make sure this piece gets finalized and dedicated, the process was nothing short of rigorous.

“The whole thing was an act of faith,” Dahlquist said. “You go in with an idea, and you want to achieve the spirit from A to Z.” One of the most important aspects of the process for Niebuhr and Dahlquist was understanding the site. They developed their concept for the piece after observing and photographing from different vantage points at the site.

Niebuhr and Dahlquist observed a constant flow of people in this space with the backdrop of the alumni center, a library, a church, a mall and a lot of history. They described the space as a confluence.

“A confluence is where two rivers come together, and there is always going to be turbulence when water comes together, and it always ripples before it smooths out,” Dahlquist said. “In this case, it is a confluence of people in the space going in different

directions to work, class and elsewhere.”

By extension, there is a confluence of ideas in this space.

“The space is naturally diverse, the people walking the space at given moment may have something in common in that moment,”

Photo · Artists David Dahlquist and Matt Niebuhr beat out about 70 other applicants for the chance to create a piece for the space where Library Mall meets State Street.

Molly Liebergall The Badger Herald

Niebuhr and Dahlquist said.

This is a metaphor for tolerance, innovation and thought — to take the mental leap of conjoining those things in that space.

This explains the “Tolerance/Innovation” part of the sculpture’s title.

The artist team explained that the “Both/ And” aspect of the title comes from this type of logic, a logic that stands opposite to either/or logic.

“If you accept this both/and logic you accept abstract thinking, and this is where a lot of knowledge is born,” Dahlquist said.

Dahlquist is a UW alum and he recalled the famous documentary “The War at Home” which detailed the famous protests at UW’s campus during the Vietnam War. He explained how this spot and the campus, in general, has always been one of differing ideas and subject matter.

Like a lot of artists, Niebuhr and Dahlquist look for ways to welcome people into the story of their piece with different layers of interpretation. They want this piece to have a sense of mystery, for people to dig deeper into it and have a sense of wonder to connect their own dots.

Dahlquist has always welcomed diversity on campus since he was a student playing chess with kids from Somalia and Mississippi, and he and Niebuhr hope this piece serves to welcome people from all sorts of different backgrounds.

“We have potential to unite people on campus — if we want to explore diversity here, we can,” Dahlquist said.

Part of the sculpture is even made with a large indigenous stone that the artist team found in northern Wisconsin. The team thought it perfect as the stone hails from the Ho-Chunk natives, who did more for these Madison grounds than many people care to notice. “[The Ho-Chunk] have an interesting sense of touch that grounds the spirit of the land,” Niebuhr and Dahlquist said.

Wolf explained how going beyond site-specific requirements, Niebuhr and Dahlquist appealed to the diverse Madison Arts Commission and the Downtown Coordinating Committee, in part, because of their thoughtful and inclusive concept.

“With a campus and community that is disproportionately non-Hispanic White it is not just a matter of recruiting people who are not White, but of having a campus environment that helps people succeed and want to stay,” Pam Oliver, UW sociology professor said.

Among other things, Niebuhr and Dahlquist hope this piece helps achieve that kind of environment.

July 25, 2019 • badgerherald.com • 11

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Summerfest endures weather, amphitheater cancellations in 51st year

Though attendance was down in comparison to most years, performances from artists old and new ensured fun was not lost in Milwaukee

by Ben Sefarbi, Quinn Beaupré Reporters

Summerfest, the world’s largest music festival, persevered through bad weather and canceled performances this year.

The city of Milwaukee hosted the big gig for the 51st year at Henry Maier Festival Park, featuring notable acts on both the ground stages and the American Family Insurance Amphitheatre. Music could be heard from the likes of classic groups like The Spinners to the superstars of today such as Billie Eilish from June 26 to July 7, aside from a break July 1.

While country acts like Thomas Rhett, Jason Aldean and the Zac Brown Band dominated the amphitheater to begin, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony reminded the Summerfest crowd you can’t put a price on nostalgia. The Cleveland natives proved they haven’t lost a step when members Wish Bone, Layzie Bone and Flesh-N-Bone opened with “Thuggish Ruggish Bone.”

Gryffin, a.k.a. Dan Griffith, brought a high energy set during his time at the festival.

A trained pianist and guitarist, Gryffin displayed his abilities throughout his set as he transitioned between the electronic drums and guitar. Additionally, smoke and confetti were fired off throughout the performance, to the crowds’ delight.

T-Pain and The Lonely Island made for infectiously fun hip-hop performances. The late 2000’s singer had just finished at the Roadhouse stage when the Oasis stage crowd began chanting and calling for T-Pain from the Roadhouse venue. The “Saturday Night Live” alums led by Andy Samberg then performed their collaborative SNL digital short “I’m On A Boat.” As the other three performed the classic parody, Samberg and T-Pain gave each other high-fives and exchanged smiles during the epic collaboration.

While electropop performances from CHVRCHES and FRENSHIP took on the biggest ground stages, West Coast rockstars Young the Giant made their return to the Summerfest grounds at Henry Maier Festival Park. To start, the all caps acts put their abilities as dynamic musicians on display as they switched between guitar, bass, drums and vocals. Frequent dance breaks kept the crowd engaged as the duo performed a setlist filled with catchy melodies and pulsating rhythms.

When Los Angeles based Young the Giant took on the Uline Warehouse Stage, the beautiful venue appeared a little cramped for the crowd supporting the band. This is ironic, as despite the fact there were only 10 amphitheater concerts, and four days of severe thunderstorm warnings, attendance was reported at 718,144.

The Fourth of July show at the amphitheater was initially supposed to host Ozzy Osbourne.

He canceled his entire tour after contracting pneumonia. His replacement at the same stage, Megadeth, also cancelled their tour for health reasons. In a press release, lead vocalist Dave Mustaine announced he had been diagnosed with cancer, per megadeth.com.

Had there been the typical 11 amphitheater openings, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. says festival attendance would be projected at 733,144. With a 6 percent decline in attendance, Summerfest organizers have blamed the statistic on four days of poor weather and the Fourth of July missing a headlining act at the amphitheater, according to WITI. EDM enthusiasts were treated to a spectacular show as duo Two Friends opened for Matoma at the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse stage. Across the festival grounds, the dramatic fog that settled in Milwaukee proved no match for legendary hip-hop group The Roots at the BMO Harris Bank Pavilion.

While percussionist Jeremy Ellis went nothing short of ballistic on his electronic soundboard, the crescendo caused by the rapid movement of his fingers triggering animated sounds matched the fireworks behind him.

With the venue at the right angle, the holiday display in the sky cut through what fans described as being inside of a nimbus cloud.

The Philadelphia gods were led by microphone controller Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter through a medley of classics including “The Next Movement” before the other 10 band members on stage took the crowd through a hurricane of hiphop.

High profile rappers and a wholesome rock performance capped the last weekdays of Summerfest. Longtime Vic Mensa fans were treated to a medley combination of “Cocoa Butter Kisses,” a track the rapper is featured on with superstar artist Chance The Rapper and “I Feel That,” arguably Mensa’s most well-known solo record.

One of the many staples of the rap genre to come out of Atlanta, the artist formerly known as T.I.P. strived to prove he wasn’t just Ludacris’ time slot replacement. Fans waited through several rap performances to hear the “King of the South.”

Strolling out in a maroon sweatsuit, T.I. was backed by his DJ and hype man to “Top Back,” “Rubberband Man” and “24’s.” The theme of medleys showcased the number of hits the southern rapper had under his belt but left some fans unsatisfied by the jumping around of songs before completion.

The Head and the Heart played a diverse set, drawing from each of their four albums throughout their 75-minute show. The

blend of slower tracks, such as “Down in the Valley” had the audience quietly singing along, whereas high-energy songs like “Missed Connection” had the whole crowd moving.

With that said, easily the most compelling part of their show was the finale — “Rivers and Roads.”

To conclude Summerfest, a young superstar and some old-time rappers received love from music fans in Milwaukee. Billie Eilish and her older brother Finneas O’Connell may not be rock or country performers, yet they packed Summerfest’s American Family Insurance Amphitheater to capacity.

The eldest sibling may play a role in Eilish’s music, but he was far from the main attraction.

Following visuals projected onto the curtains that mimicked “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” Eilish finally came out, smiling at screaming fans before jumping into “bad guy.”

The single off her second and latest album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? After Eilish concluded early, music lovers swung by as Rhymesayers Entertainment Group group took over the Miller Lite Oasis stage Saturday night, featuring seven of their artists.

Opening acts from Niki Jean, DJ Abilities

and Sa-Roc, deM atlaS took the stage with an American flag draped over his head. As the crowd began to fill in, the Minnesota native brought a high-energy set, jumping around the stage as he performed.

Following deM atlaS was Evidence. Onethird of the highly regarded underground hiphop group, Dilated Peoples, Evidence proved his experience in the rap game with a polished set. Following Evidence was Madison-born rapper, Brother Ali. Born with albinism, Ali’s music often encourages self-love and accepting oneself. The crowd was treated to some of Ali’s biggest hits, such as “Forest Whitaker” and “Self Taught.”

To close the night out at the Miller Lite Oasis was two of the founders of Rhymesayers, Slug and Ant of Atmosphere. Atmosphere drew from their extensive discography, which dates back to 1997.

Throughout their performance, each song was met with a roar from the crowd, proof of devotion from the fans that this group has accumulated over the years. For fans of hip-hop, one would be hard-pressed to leave wanting more after witnessing the party that Rhymesayer Entertainment brought to Summerfest.

Photo · Finneas O’Connell, Billie Eilish’s older brother, helps create many of his sister’s songs. At Summerfest’s American Family Insurance Amphitheater, he performed alongside Eilish to a packed crowd.

Ben Sefarbi The Badger Herald

July 25, 2019 • badgerherald.com • 13

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Fostering Connections : The Importance of Relationships at an R1 University Six UW professors share how collaboration with students benefits cutting-edge research

by Gretchen Gerlach Features Editor

Angela Serrano began her research in Colombia with a preconceived idea of the palm oil industry. She thought her dissertation findings would solidify her belief that the booming oil-seed production had serious social and ecological impacts. But to her surprise, the story she discovered was far more nuanced.

Serrano, a PhD candidate studying sociology at the University of Wisconsin, is a native Colombian. Growing up in the countryside, she was privy to the inequalities experienced by local farmers. The palm oil industry, she explained, is synonymous with the maltreatment of workers, modern forms of slavery and economic disparities plague the industry’s reputation.

Part of her research, Serrano said, is interviewing local farmers. Serrano said some small scale farmers described only having enough money to eat plantains and yuca. The roads, they said, were in terrible condition and armed conflict regularly broke out. Palm oil farmers for large suppliers shared similarly disheartening stories — some lost their crop to pests and went into debt, losing their pensions and the ability to provide for their families. Serrano believes sociology is the tool necessary to understand and dissolve these disparities.

Serrano’s research has not been completed without the guidance and feedback of UW faculty. With a similar research focus in palm oil, UW Assistant Professor of History and Environmental Studies Elizabeth Hennessy serves on Serrano’s dissertation committee.

“I have had the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with many amazing colleagues and professors,” Serrano said in an email to The Badger Herald. “In particular, I’ve enjoyed having the opportunity to be surrounded by people that share my interests in tackling social inequality through building fairer food systems. In that sense, it’s been crucial to be part of communities that go beyond disciplinary boundaries and care about other people’s quality of life and work.”

While her interest is in the palm oil industry in Ecuador, Serrano said Hennessy has been incredibly helpful in her academic and professional development. And the same can be said about the many research professors at UW who value the growth of the students they teach as much as they do their own research. According to the UW research website, UW ranks sixth in the nation among universities for volume of research, spending $1.2 billion annually on research initiatives alone.

Furthermore, seventeen cross-campus research and service centers house faculty, staff and students from areas spanning the natural and social sciences, arts and humanities. But the relationships built and discoveries made with students and the UW community is what gives meaning to the work.

Though the 2018-2019 school year has ended, countless UW professors still continue their research into the warmer months. Many of them often open their doors to students who are interested in topics such as northern muriqui monkeys, palm oil production in Ecuador or the urbanization of red 14 • badgerherald.com • July 25, 2019

foxes in the Madison area, to name a few.

While the research conducted by UW professors varies greatly, the value of relationships with students and the community is recognized by all. Six professors with different areas of expertise and levels of engagement with student researchers stress the importance of excellent teaching and research as well as building meaningful relationships with UW students.

Case Study: The Environment Elizabeth Hennessy Motivated by the troubling environmental news of today, Elizabeth Hennessy is currently devoting her time to researching the palm oil industry in the world’s sixth largest palm oil producing country: Ecuador.

According to her website and research proposal, the production of palm oil has grown exponentially over the past 40 years, but at a serious cost: modern forms of slavery and deforestation have tainted the industry. To better understand this dynamic the assistant professor of history and environmental studies is concentrated on two palm-oilproducing regions.

Though she does not employ large groups of students to aid in her research, Hennessy is still committed to the professional growth and development of the students, like Serrano, whom she teaches.

Hennessy’s research is interdisciplinary in nature as it covers a breadth of research area: social, environmental, economic, etc.

This freedom to explore the various subjects pertaining to her research is encouraged of not only her but all UW researchers, Hennessy explained. “[UW] is a really collaborative university. Interdisciplinary studies are really important, and people really do that here,” Hennessy said.

Leah Horowitz As an assistant professor in the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and Department of Civil Society and Community Studies, Leah Horowitz tries to instill the importance of protecting the environment in all of her students.

“The environment is something I feel very passionately about,” Horowitz said. “I hope to provide my students with a background to allow them to make informed decisions in their lives and careers that favor the environment and factor it into their decision-making processes.”

Such passion is what fuels her current project. An examination of indigenous communities in North and South Dakota, Horowitz is focused on the tribes’ concerns about drinking water supplies and sacred places due to oil pipelines that pass beneath traditional lands. This research, in conjunction with excellent teaching, earned her the 2019 Vilas Early Career Investigator Award.

Horowitz said she is specifically interested in governmental processes and ways the Army Corps of Engineers failed to consult tribes on the pipeline project. Her data collection is qualitative — she conducts interviews and observes participants, Horowitz explained.

Horowitz often works corroboratively with graduate students from UW. Currently, she has graduate students researching two pipelines in Minnesota with the hopes of doing a comparative analysis when they complete their findings.

“It’s great being a part of the Nelson Institute,” Horowitz said. “There is a strong commitment to the Wisconsin Idea and to communities.”

Case Study: Animals Karen Strier Professor of anthropology, Karen Strier turned what was her graduate school dissertation into what is now her life’s work.

She began studying wild monkeys, specifically the northern muriqui monkey at Harvard University before coming to UW in 1989.

“I thought it would last a year, but I fell in love,” Strier explained.

After more than 36 years of research on the “behavioral ecology, life history and population dynamics” of what is deemed one of the most peaceful species of primates, Strier is confident that what’s been learned about muriqui monkeys and the work done in the Strier Lab is not only important theoretically, but also highly beneficial at an applied level.

Everything learned by studying these monkeys in the least invasive way possible can be used to conserve these highly endangered primates and their habitats, Strier said.

Strier directs the Muriqui Project of Caratinga, which is one of the longest running field studies on any wild primate.

Since its inception, the muriqui population has significantly increased in size.

The project, Strier explained, has a long-standing tradition of training Brazilian students. According to the website, more than 60 students and postdocs have participated in the project since 1983.

“I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to study these animals,” Strier said. “Part of my paying it back is helping train Brazilian students.”

But Strier ’s focus on teaching and giving back is not only geared towards her Brazilian students. She provides as many volunteer opportunities in her lab as possible to students at UW. To Strier, who has taught anthropology and zoology to UW undergraduates for years, even students who have no experience in those subject areas can stimulate the work environment and help create a synergy in the classroom, Strier said.

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“I wanted to be at a major research university that also values teaching,” Strier said. “UW fits my vision as a professor.

It’s a university that recognizes people like myself who are at the forefront of their fields but also recognizes the importance of teaching.”

David Drake Forest and Wildlife Ecology Professor David Drake seeks help from between one and four students during the school year and into the summer. He even goes as far as engaging members of the community in his research.

Drake’s Urban Canid Project began as a pilot study in 2014 after coyotes and red foxes were seen making their home on the UW campus. With the help of a graduate student he trapped and radio-collared two foxes and two coyotes to better understand how urbanization impacts the animals and their relationships with humans, according to the website.

“We want to see how [coyotes and red foxes] interact in urban landscapes and with each other,” Drake said. “We found that here in the city that the red fox and coyote can coexist, which is really a unique relationship.”

Drake involves students in his research as much as possible.

Undergraduate involvement, specifically, can take many forms, Drake said. Individual research projects, volunteer work, working as a field technician or as an intern are some of the opportunities Drake offers students.

One of those students is Sepp Swanson, an environmental studies major going into his junior year. After no luck applying to lab positions as a freshman, Swanson decided to email Drake when a biology course he was in required he do research with a UW professor.

Soon enough Swanson was sitting down with Drake for what he thought would be a formal interview, but instead Drake simply explained his research and told Swanson there was room for him in the lab if he was interested. Swanson spent the past spring semester in Drake’s lab doing geospatial analysis with ArcGIS, a mapping technology, to determine species diversity of animals at different locations around Madison — a project unrelated to the Urban Canid Project — and has since continued his work into this summer.

Drake also engages members of the Madison community in his research. In fact, it’s the continued interest of the community that allows the Urban Canid Project to continue and be as successful as it is today.

This balance between research, teaching and outreach is what excited Drake about UW, where he has been for 14 years.

As an assistant professor at Rutgers University, the reputation of the UW Department of Wildlife and Forest Ecology was appealing, as well as the opportunity to “work among the best.”

During the fall Drake said he and his team invite the public to join them trapping. By doing so, he said, the public develops a completely different perspective on the wild animals.

“They get to experience a pretty intimate setting, and a unique, personal view of the animals,” Drake said. “We’ve had people as young as five and as old as 82 come trapping. It’s been a pretty rewarding interaction.”

Case Study: Humanities Susan Ridgely “My interest has always been in why people choose what

they do … why they make different choices than I would,” Susan Ridgely said of her inspiration to study and teach religious studies.

Beginning her fourth year at UW, Ridgely is researching the ethnographic oral history of the first Catholic church to be desegregated. Her focus, she explained, is on tracing the history of the rural parish post-civil war to this current moment in time.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Newton, North Carolina did not always have a predominantly Latino congregation. In fact, the church has a rather unique history, Ridgely said. Since its consecration in 1874, the church has seen its share of interracial struggles and changes in governing structure, but is using its history as a way to inform integration, Ridgely said.

“We don’t look at rural religion very often like we do suburban and inner city religions,” Ridgely said. “What’s interesting is this church is really getting a do-over. Though it took a couple tries, you can see it has changed … it’s a rare opportunity to see almost 75 years of wrestling with desegregation.”

This project had been in the back of Ridgely’s mind for awhile — she wanted to start on it in 1998 but was turned away because of the church’s leadership at the time. Since then, Ridgely said, attitudes in the church have changed. The people she’s interviewed no longer fear an exposé, instead they want the history of their church to be recorded and heard.

“What they may have been embarrassed by before are just facts,” Ridgely said. “With age and time, people aren’t worried about repercussions at age 92. Some of the tension in the community has dissipated, and the church is desperately looking to reconnect with people from the past.”

Currently, Ridgely does not have many students working with her on the project, but the caliber of student researchers at UW and the enthusiasm to build student relationships does not escape her, Ridgely said.

And neither does the significance of being a UW faculty member.

“It carries a lot of weight saying I’m from UW-Madison,” Ridgely said.

Anatoly Detwyler Of these six professors, Anatoly Detwyler is the newest faculty member with only one year under his belt at UW. But so far, Detwyler said, he’s not been disappointed.

“I had the opportunity to join a dynamic department doing cutting edge research and I have enormously benefited from my first year at UW,” Detwyler said.

Detwyler is an assistant professor of modern Chinese literature. Though originally from Wisconsin, he attended the University of Minnesota where he worked hands-on with world-class scholars whom inspired him to pay his experience forward at UW. His current project is a book detailing the early information age in China during the first half of the 20th century that he hopes will explain how humans got to where they are today.

The book will explore how authors, writers and critics respond to new information technology and data.

“The book is not just a cabinet of curiosities,” Detwyler said. “Earlier experiences of information resemble ours in

interesting ways.”

Detwyler said he is also pursuing work in digital humanities that uses qualitative techniques to study Chinese cultures. To do so, Detwyler said, he is working with colleagues at UW to facilitate new collaborations with partner institutions in China, specifically Tsinghua University and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The goal of such collaborations is for UW faculty to be able to work with counterparts and share data and methods that will further new projects.

Much of the research materials he uses are located in mainland Chinese, Taiwanese, Hong Kong and Japanese libraries and archives, Detwyler said. The nature of such research doesn’t contribute to a lab culture, but within the next couple of years he hopes to engage some undergraduate collaborators.

“I am so impressed by the quality of our students,” Detwyler said. “They all bring really key perspectives. This is really a place where there are really exciting conversations happening in every hallway.”

The Importance of Human Relationships The research done at UW does more than help build relationships between students and faculty — it creates better relationships between the worldwide community and the university.

While in Colombia Serrano interviewed a farmer. He had 15 acres of land but could not grow enough palm oil to support his family. He did all kinds of work — even harvesting coca, the plant from which cocaine is made. He knew it was dangerous, but he wanted to provide for his family and eventually return to his palms, Serrano explained.

This kind of story was not uncommon of workers in the industry. But what he told her next came as a surprise.

A non-governmental organization looking to help struggling farmers came to his area. By providing him and other farmers with the resources they needed, viable economic activity was created. The farmers, Serrano said, have appropriated the palm oil production and changed the histories of their families.

“I came into it very cynical, but the story of oil palm is not a single entity,” Serrano said. “This has shown me that there are different contexts and lots of contrasting stories.”

Her UW experience, Serrano said in her email, has challenged and rewarded her. She’s had the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with colleagues and professors, and to fund her research through help from organizations including the Latin American, Caribbean & Iberian Studies Program, Include, Respect, I Self-Direct, the Holz Center and many others.

Serrano is grateful to be part of the Department of Community and Environmental Sociology, the Department of Sociology, the Center for Culture, History and the Environment and the Teaching Assistant’s Association, as well as the connections she has developed because of these departments.

“Through the connections that these departments and centers forge, I’ve been able to build strong relationships with people across campus,” Serrano said in her email. “Overall, being at UW-Madison has prepared me to conduct research on the issues I care about and find the support I need whenever I’m confronting a new challenge.”

July 25, 2019 • badgerherald.com • 15

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Progress and the relentless pursuit of victory in the LGBTQ community After the Pride flag flew at the Capitol, a reminder that fight for equality is a constant struggle emboldened by small steps

by Ethan Carpenter Columnist

This June, three flags flew above Wisconsin State Capitol — the American flag, the flag of Wisconsin and, for the first time in the state’s history, the rainbow-colored pride flag.

The pride flag was joined by rainbow banners above municipal buildings, thanks to order from Satya RhodesConway, Madison’s first openly gay mayor.

While the raising of the flag was met with broad support, with residents gathering to watch and applaud the event, it wasn’t entirely without controversy.

Rep. Scott Allen, R-Racine, decried the flag-raising as “divisive,” comparing it to raising a religious symbol over the state’s capitol.

The bulk Allen’s statement clarifying his opposition is tooth-gnashing over the state’s executive being “offensive to those who hold beliefs contrary to what that banner symbolizes,” and an empty to appeal to impossible unanimity which could be used to oppose any expression of conviction or belief from government in any form. But there is a passage in the statement that provokes productive thought. ”Flags are symbols,” Allen writes. “When raised over military fortifications and sometimes over government buildings, they symbolize victory.”

The state which, in the 1950s-elected Sen. Joe McCarthy, an architect of the “Lavender Scare” campaign to force gay civil servants out of the government, elected Sen. Tammy Baldwin in 2012, the nation’s first openly gay senator.

In living memory, the LGBTQ community has endured entrapment and abuse by police around the country. Now the community debates responses to police officers seeking to join pride parades.

Compared to the nation’s recent past, and to countries around the world where homosexuality is a criminal and sometimes capital offense, the American LGBTQ community enjoys unprecedented power and acceptance. Is this a declaration of victory? When your flag flies over the state’s capitol, and when four years ago the nation’s seat of power was lit up in rainbow colors, which way is forward?

To the Scott Allens of the world, LGBTQ activists have become bullying hecklers who, having secured their legal rights, now seek to stamp out every florist and 16 • badgerherald.com • July 25, 2018

Photo · Flags of the United States, Wisconsin, and Pride flag hung in downtown Madison during pride month.

Matt O’Connor The Badger Herald cake shop owner who reads the Bible differently than them. This is rooted in misunderstanding — a willful refusal to see how a court that sides with a discriminatory cake-froster today would side with discrimination in the far more essential sectors of employment, housing and healthcare tomorrow.

The truth is, we have a long road ahead of us in the pursuit of equality. Currently, 17 states have no employment protections whatsoever for LGBTQ people. While gay and lesbian Americans can serve in the military, transgender Americans are being barred from serving their country.

Recognition of transgender rights, broadening access to the healthcare of transition for all who might need it, and providing a place in the public square for the recognition and respect of nonbinary identities, are all worthy struggles deserving the same passion that activists showed when crusading for marriage equality.

Likewise, when a man who compared legalizing homosexuality to legalizing beastiality sits on Wisconsin’s Supreme

Court with the majority, it is entirely appropriate for the LGBTQ community to fear for the progress it has made. History and hate have momentum, and present gains do not erase past crimes. What the LGBTQ community has today was bought with pain and effort, and it would disrespect the work of those who came before to take what they won for granted.

This does not mean that the raising of the Pride Flag above Wisconsin was an empty gesture in the face of the bitter work ahead. The American flag that flew above it also does not symbolize a finished fight. Two and a half centuries after American Revolution, the banner represents not only the Republic’s victory against monarchy, but the pain and strife of a nation that endured civil war to end the buying and selling of human beings, that bled in Europe and the Pacific when fascism threatened to snuff out the fire of democracy, that only after the bravery and brutalization of activists recognized the votes of women and people of color.

The flag of America represents the ongoing struggle to, as put in the

Constitution’s Preamble, “secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity.”

The raising of the pride flag alongside that historic banner is a recognition of the LGBTQ community’s own struggle. There will be no final end in the battle for every person to live their truth in dignity, to light the world by loving freely and openly.

There will be no perfect security for liberty’s blessings. Our victory is each child who lives with, as Franklin Delano Roosevelt put in his vision for global rights, “freedom from fear,” who can come to terms with themselves at peace and in safety. Our victory is not utopia, it is simply leaving the world more loving than we found it.

If it can be said that we have, even in part, achieved that, then it was right to raise the flag and let it fly. Each person who sees it, and remembers that they are stronger than they know, too, is a victory.

Ethan Carpenter (emcarpenter2@wisc.edu) is a junior majoring in political science.

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Freshman survival guide: Tips and tricks for incoming Badgers Your first year at UW can be overwhelming — following this advice might make the transition a little more manageable

by Courtney Degen Columnist

Freshman year of college is different for everyone, but, especially at a school as large as the University of Wisconsin, adjusting to all of the new experiences can be extremely challenging.

From missing the bus to sharing a bathroom with 30 people to an overwhelming course load, there’s a lot to be learned during the first year of college. Here are some of the main takeaways that I learned from my freshman year at UW. Don’t overload your schedule One of the first mistakes I made as a freshman was deciding to take 17 credits during my first semester. I came into college completely unaware of what a “credit” actually meant, as the term can be confusing for new students. One credit is equivalent to about 15 hours of lecture for the semester, 15-30 hours of discussion, or 30-45 hours of laboratory.

Most classes at UW are three to four credits, so if a student takes four classes, they likely end up between 12 and 16 credits. For the first semester, it’s best to aim for around 14-15 credits.

College is difficult and, especially when starting out, it may take a while to adjust to the fast-paced, independent style of learning.

It takes time to learn how to study for exams, keep up with readings and deal with all of the non-academic aspects of college. There is no need to rush into taking your required classes, so don’t overbook your schedule.

Get the most out of your dorm experience Nearly 90 percent of freshmen live in the dorms their first year at UW, and many people find their first friends at college in their dorm. The dorms at UW each carry different characteristics and students in the same dorms can even have varying experiences. It’s all about figuring out how to make the experience work for you.

UW dorms are located in two neighborhoods: Lakeshore and Southeast. Lakeshore dorms tend to have larger rooms, are quieter, and have great views of Lake Mendota. Unfortunately, they are far from central campus and State Street, so you may have to rely on the bus or a bike to get around campus — unless you don’t mind a longer walk each day.

Southeast dorms, such as Sellery and Witte, are more traditional high-rise buildings where an entire floor shares two bathrooms — one men’s and one women’s. These dorms can be loud and bustling on the weekends, but the convenience of Gordon Dining Center, East Campus Mall and State Street is a huge plus.

Dorm selections are typically competitive, but thankfully the University offers the option to change dorms in case you don’t get your top choice. This is a very common thing for freshmen, especially at the turn of the semester.

Living in a dorm freshman year can be an important part of the college experience, but that doesn’t mean you should have to live in a place where you are unhappy. Don’t be afraid to change rooms or dorms. A negative living situation can really impact your college experience, and it’s better to leave a situation when you know it isn’t right for you.

Make use of public transportation Thanks to segregated fees, all UW students have the option to get a free bus pass, which gives students free bus fare on all Madison buses. Even if you don’t get the bus card, there are several bus

routes — the 80, 81, 82 and 84 — which circulate around campus and are free to everyone.

Unfortunately, in a city with weather as unpredictable as Madison, the 80 can get very crowded on chilly, rainy or snowy days — which take up most of the year in Wisconsin. Weather can also cause the bus to be delayed, making the schedule unpredictable at times.

I want to give a quick shout-out to the random guy who sat next to me on the 80 one day and introduced me to the beauty of Google Maps.

You can type in any location on campus and it will give you all of the available routes there— campus buses and city buses — as well as a schedule that reflects if the bus is running late or early.

Overall, freshman year can be overwhelming, but it’s also one of the most exciting times in your life. I hope these tips can help incoming Badgers make their first year at UW a little easier. Just remember to enjoy all the highs and lows of the year, and learn something from everything.

Courtney Degen (cdegen@wisc.edu) is a junior majoring in political science and journalism.

The Wisconsin Idea in a digital age, addressing the technology gap

As technology and digital literacy becomes increasingly important, education must take on an innovative role in preparing students

by Cait Gibbons Opinion Editor

I didn’t learn how to use Excel at my internship.

I didn’t learn how to navigate the HTML code of my office’s website from my intern handbook, and it wasn’t my boss who taught me about the ins and outs of social media.

I learned those skills either on my own, or — as with many career-applicable skills — in my classes.

Employers expect young applicants to have a certain level of digital literacy — it’s listed in the job requirements of most internship and job applications, and as employees and interns, that expectation is made clear to us on the first day of work.

Research supports these experiences, too. A 2017 study found that 82 percent of middle-skilled jobs require digital skills. This is a 4 percent increase since 2015, and it’s safe to say we probably haven’t reversed that progression in the past two years.

What’s more, baseline digital skills alone have been shown to yield a 17 percent premium in pay over non-digital roles.

The study concluded that digital skills “[serve] as a door opener to the middle-skill market” and “[provide] career advancement in lieu of advanced education.”

So digital skills are important. These aren’t shocking results for those of us who haven’t been

living under a rock.

What is shocking (though at this point, maybe it’s not anymore), is the inequity with which students have access to gain these skills so essential in today’s job market.

A 2015 study found that of 27,450 Madison public school students surveyed, 12 percent did not have reliable internet access — a reality which makes it difficult to complete the homework assigned to them. That’s well over 3,000 students falling behind in school because of circumstances out of their control.

This issue of access disproportionately affects low-income students. The same study found that 21 percent of low-income students did not have internet access, while just 4 percent of non-lowincome students lacked access.

“School-age children in lower-income households are especially likely to lack broadband access. This aspect of the digital divide – often referred to as the “homework gap” – can be an academic burden for teens,” the Center reported.

Though this research was conducted with a focus on elementary-age children, these problems don’t just disappear when students arrive at college.

The University of Wisconsin recommends that students bring a laptop to campus — an expense which can run up a bill in the thousands of dollars. Many classrooms require purchase of subscriptions to online learning tools, such as

TopHat or Cengage, which can cost more than $100 for just one semester.

And while there are ways around these expectations, like buying a used laptop or applying for financial assistance with educational programs, the presumption that all students can just contribute these expenses in addition to tuition costs is a discriminatory practice.

With that in mind, some have suggested that the solution is to do away with technology in the classroom. But that solution is neither clever nor innovative — it simply pushes the problem down the line to when students are trying to apply to jobs for which they will inevitably lack the necessary digital literacy.

The solution is to account for these disparities in education and work to equalize the use of technology in school.

It is the charge of a university to prepare its students for the world with life skills, career skills and academic skills. Here at UW, the Wisconsin Idea signifies the principle that “education should influence people’s lives beyond the boundaries of the classroom.”

That includes career preparation that is representative of the job market students will be entering.

Last summer, the University of Pittsburgh announced that TopHat would be available to all students free of charge.

Earlier this July, the University of Virginia’s

College at Wise announced they would be providing all full-time students with iPads and smart keyboards in an effort to “bridge the technology gap.”

Handing out free laptops isn’t the only way to address unequal access to educational technology, either. A number of universities have launched initiatives teaming up with tech companies to provide students with digital training, specifically in skills applicable to the workforce.

Technology can be exciting, and it has the potential to do great things for students and education, but we have to choose to use it in a conscious and innovative way.

In 1894, the UW Board of Regents asserted, “We believe that the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”

Though nearly 150 years old, this assertive defense of academic and intellectual freedom continues to guide Badgers’ educational philosophy — and therein lies the genius of the authors of that statement. What exactly “sifting and winnowing” means will change — today that seems to mean technological and digital literacy — but regardless of the logistical definition, the goal remains ever important.

Cait Gibbons (cgibbons@badgerherald.com) is a senior studying math and Chinese. badgerherald.com • July 25, 2018 • 17

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‘How did we get here?’: On media violence and the truths we don’t tell

by Matt O’Connor Contributor

“How did we get here?” is a thoroughly stupid question that gets asked often in President Donald Trump’s America.

It’s been asked with particular frequency these past few weeks, what with Trump’s latest racist outlash and the failure of Congressional Republicans to condemn it.

But what does “here” refer to, exactly?

An obvious answer is the presidency of Trump, who is so utterly unqualified and unfit for the office he holds that it requires no explanation here. Another is the spineless way in which Congressional Republicans have cowed to Trump’s worst impulses and indulged his most evil policies.

Another still is the bald-faced racism and violent bigotry displayed prominently at Charlottesville and at Trump rallies and everywhere else in America, where hate crimes are on the rise.

But it’s a dumb question, because it implies all of this is new or surprising — as if what is happening today has not been happening since the beginning, with America’s original sin of slavery and its persistent stain of racism.

Regardless, whatever the question refers to, its answer is multi-faceted and complex.

In getting us here, there are many actors at fault, all with diverse methods and varied intentions.

But an uncomfortable pillar propping up this moment — a perhaps inadvertent but undeniable vehicle getting us “here” — is the news media. And this past week, it proved once again that it learned little from 2016, just in time for 2020.

As with all things, apparently, this most recent saga in American political theater starts with Trump, who just told four Congresswomen of color to go back where they “originally came from” in a series of racist tweets last week.[ ”Rather than describing his comments as racist ... many publications decided it would be easier to bend over backwards and trip over their own inadequate descriptors to avoid doing so.”

Next, the news media rushed to cover the story as it unfolded — and it is indeed a story (as not all of Trump’s tweets are), for his words were reminiscent of America’s protracted history with violent intolerance.

But what made it a story worth reporting was that this time, such racist attacks were delivered from the White House, accompanied by all the normalizing and legitimizing power that comes with such a bully pulpit.

18 • badgerherald.com • July 25, 2018

Unfortunately, however, coverage of this incident has been lacking in context and conviction.

For starters, rather than describing his comments as racist — which the Associated Press stylebook demands that journalists do when the situation warrants it — many publications decided it would be easier to bend over backwards and trip over their own inadequate descriptors to avoid doing so.

The New York Times described Trump’s comments as “racially infused” and as fanning the “flames of a racial fire.” In a Tweet, NBC News said the comments were just “denounced as racist” by others, rather than being inherently so. And Axios called them merely “nativist,” suggesting the battle was waged between immigrants and nonimmigrants — failing to explicitly call out their racist motivations and implications.

But it didn’t stop there. In the days following the incident, CNN invited Richard Spencer, the face of modern white supremacy and the alt-right movement, onto their widely watched airwaves to discuss the incident, thus furthering the legitimization of the bigotry he espouses in national politics and discourse. ”All of these are old mistakes...Mistakes which have played a major role in normalizing and legitimizing bigotry, and which helped elect a president who embodies those vices.”

And just last week, before Trump left for a campaign rally in North Carolina — where the news media allowed chants of “send her back” (in reference to Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-MN) to play without challenge or interruption — he revived a disgusting conspiracy theory that the Minnesota representative was married to her brother.

As if on cue, the media rushed to report on those remarks without proper context, thus breathing life and legitimacy into a story that deserves neither. As a glaring example, the following is a full tweet from AP White House reporter Zeke Williams: “Trump on Rep. Omar before leaving White House: ‘There’s a lot of talk about the fact that she was married to her brother. I know nothing about it.’”

That’s it. That’s the Tweet.

There is no mention of the claim’s falsity, no challenge of Trump’s statement that he doesn’t know “anything about it” mere seconds after saying it, no due consideration of the power the tweet holds coming from a reporter at a trusted source. If there was a verbal follow-up, it matters less now — this written record is what will enter the mainstream and live on past this news cycle’s inevitable expiration.

This, ultimately, is how narratives develop — how, as author Rebecca Solnit put it, “internet insinuation becomes campaign fact.” And the mainstream media is complicit in it. This saga has even impacted local media, namely at the Wisconsin State Journal, which published a story about this racist president’s attacks on four duly elected Congresswomen of color with this headline in their print product: “President wants apologies.”

That headline makes this story about Trump and his demands for apologies from the women he attacked — not the women themselves, or the president’s racism, or anything worth the paper it’s printed on.

The ultimate context provided later in the article itself is rendered less important, as the headline carries more agenda-setting power than the story it failed to encapsulate.

In a viral Facebook post, David Maraniss, a renowned author with roots in Madison, took issue with the “unwittingly ridiculous” headline, saying it played into Trump’s hands. The Journal responded, but the best they could muster was that deadlines and spacial limits exist, all while doubling down on their both sides-ism approach — even in covering issues of racism, where there really can’t exist two legitimate sides. ”Our national narratives dictate, perhaps without our full knowledge or awareness, how we think about quite literally everything. It seeps into our collective consciousness, writing this chapter of American history before it even concludes.”

All of these are old mistakes — mistakes made in 2016, and in every year before that.

Mistakes which have played a major role in normalizing and legitimizing bigotry, and which helped elect a president who embodies those vices.

A healthy and broadly participatory democracy requires that the news media lend credence where credence is due, apply context where it is lacking and keep its feet firmly planted on the necks of those who would seek to use its normalizing power for their own malicious purposes.

That includes describing displays of racism as racist. Refusing to simply recite the lies of a proven liar without calling them lies or adding the necessary layer of contextual truth. Inviting only those worthy of such a powerful platform to shape it. Recognizing that both sides are not always deserving of equal time, equal consideration and equal respect — and rejecting the reductive notion that there exists just two sides to every story.

All of this is necessary to avoid a repeat of the 2016 election. But it ultimately expands beyond even that.

Our national narratives dictate, perhaps without our full knowledge or awareness, how we think about quite literally everything. It seeps into our collective consciousness, writing this chapter of American history before it even concludes.

And when we consider that this power influences how we approach those different from us, and who we vote for, and the way we define electability, and how we delineate “American values” and who we believe to embody them — namely, how our history has been, is being and will be written — we should demand better from those who hold it.

I understand that it can be hard to approach this seemingly closed industry.

But as someone who studies journalism, who cut my teeth as a student journalist and who now works in the wider world of mass communications, I also understand this to be desperately important and meaningful work.

So, I encourage everyone who wants to take some role in forming our cultural paradigms to do so. The avenues for engagement are many, and most journalists eagerly seek feedback and wider participation from their readers.

A good place to start is by sending a letter to the editor or writing an opinion column on a topic you’re passionate about. If you’re a student, joining your college paper is likely much easier than you think (and, I can say with confidence, an incredibly rewarding experience). Share your thoughts of news coverage on social media and in the comments section of a publication’s website. Demand better from and widen the perspective of those who have the awesome responsibility that accompanies agendasetting powers.

And for newsrooms, this simply must include hiring more journalists of color and consulting a more diverse array of sources. To put it simply — the industry needs to show a responsive commitment and openness to change if any popular initiative is to have meaningful and lasting effect.

That, ultimately, is how the journalistic enterprise is made better — when we involve ourselves in the process, and when those with authority respond appropriately.

So let us begin the work of writing a new chapter, one filled with diverse stories and responsible reporting and culturally competent narratives.

That is what this moment, and all the ones that follow it, require.

Matt O’Connor (moconnor@badgerherald. com) is a senior studying political science and journalism.

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Don’t leave us a loan: Wisconsin’s efforts to end student debt crisis

Though refinancing student loans may be solution to student debt crisis, Wisconsin must still have holistic approach

by Abigail Steinberg Columnist

College is full of necessary evils — walking to class in the rain, subsisting solely on cup noodles, actually buying your textbooks. But perhaps the most pervasive, most potentially devastating and least funny of these evils is student loans, and subsequently, student debt .The student debt crisis is reaching an all-time high. Roughly 43 million American adults — around one-sixth of the U.S. population older than age 18 — owe $1.5 trillion in student loan debt. That statistic does not count the estimated $119 billion in student loans from private, nongovernmental sources.

Wisconsin is not immune to the student debt crisis either. Our state ranks 21st for average student loan debt at $29,569.

Sixty-four percent of Wisconsin students have some sort of debt, ranking us sixth in the nation, according to the Institute for College Access and Success.

As long as this crisis has been stewing, so has the quest for a solution — namely, a statewide student loan refinancing authority. Ideally, this state-run agency would help students refinance their federal or private loans at a lower interest rate, similar to loans taken out on a house or a car. The Higher Education, Lower Debt bill, backed by several Wisconsin Democrats, tried to establish such an institution, but the bill was struck down in 2015, reintroduced and blocked repeatedly ever since.

However, a refinancing authority may not be as far away as we think. In his recently-passed 2019-2020 budget proposal, Gov. Tony Evers created an advisory group tasked with studying the development and effects of a state-run student loan refinancing authority. The Student Loan Refinancing Task Force, comprised of Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, Department of Financial Institutions Secretary-designee Kathy Blumenfeld and Executive Secretary of the Higher Educational Aids Board Connie Hutchison, held its first round table event last month.

Three similar events will take place throughout the summer and the task force is set to make a recommendation to the governor and legislature by Oct. 1, 2020.

The biggest conclusion Godlewski gathered from this first meeting was that people take out student loans for a variety of reasons and people struggle to pay those loans back for a variety of reasons.

The Student Loan Refinancing Task Force is the first step of Wisconsin’s search for a holistic solution for the student debt crisis, in which state-run student loan refinancing may or may not be a part. Just as the reasons for the student loan crisis are variate, so should the remedies.

Besides student loan refinancing, there are still quite a few ways the state can lighten the burden of student loans. Similar to bills S.460 and H.R.1043, which were introduced in the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively, Wisconsin legislators could create tax incentives for employers to help pay back student loans.

Such a measure would encourage people to stay in Wisconsin after graduation or even attract graduates from other states.

Similarly, part of the student debt crisis may be due to a lack of financial literacy.

Discussion from the first task force meeting illustrated this point perfectly.

“We heard from people who came early

on and said, ‘I wish I would have had better counseling to let me know that 9 percent interest was high or I would have lost my federal benefits if I were to refinance,’” Godlewski said.

Greater outreach and financial literacy education may help close the gap.

University of Wisconsin students have access to this help through the Office of Student Financial Aid, which offers inperson financial advising and online programs to create a college education financing plan.

The solution to the student debt crisis might be ambiguous at the moment, but easing one’s student loan debt benefits the borrower, and to an extent, the rest of Wisconsin, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said.”

If students know or people just graduating from college know they can come to Wisconsin to further their career and have an opportunity to lessen their burden of student loan debt so that they

can make other decisions like purchase a home, purchase a car, start a family, move out of their parents’ house that will be very substantial for the entire state,” Barnes said.

Though not every student borrower is in crisis, student debt is an issue that can have severe effects on borrowers’ lives and raises greater concerns over the health of the general economy. Evers’ budget and the work of the Student Loan Refinancing Task Force show great commitment to Wisconsin’s students and graduates. But the solution to the student debt crisis is not cookie-cutter to everyone and it is not an immediate fix — alternative approaches to tackling the student debt crisis on a state and individual level must be looked at as well.

Abigail Steinberg (asteinberg@badgerherald. com) is a junior majoring in political science and journalism.

Photo Wisconsin is not immune to the student debt crisis either. Our state ranks 21st for average student loan debt at $29,569. Sixty-four percent of Wisconsin students have some sort of debt, ranking us sixth in the nation, according to the Institute for College Access and Success. ·

Kirby Wright The Badger Herald

badgerherald.com • July 25, 2018 • 19

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QBs Coan, Mertz both train for upcoming season, aim for first string With Hornibrook gone and two viable quarterbacks in Madison, the duel for the starting spot is sure to rage on into the fall

by John Spengler Sports Editor

A new year and a renewed football season mark a great influx of talent to the Badger Football team. From five-star offensive tackle recruit Logan Brown to the promising fourstar quarterback Graham Mertz, things are looking up for a team that underperformed in stunning fashion last year.

Deservedly or not, now-transferred QB Alex Hornibrook took much of the blame for the early-season woes of the Badgers that — combined with an injured secondary — set the stage for the rest of the reason to come. Once the hero of the 2017 Orange Bowl, Hornibrook and the Badger offense increasingly relied on their running game to supplement his poor performances.

In fact, throughout the nine games that Hornibrook participated in last season, there existed only one — their season opener against New Mexico State — during which the Badgers’ total number of pass yards surpassed their total rushing yards.

Jack Coan, a relatively unknown name at the time, took the reins of the Badger offense as an untested freshman following

Hornibrook’s poor play and unfortunate head injury. He completed predictably average performances in the limited number of games he had to prove himself.

Coan averaged a measly 103 yards passing per game. Yet total yards do not paint the full picture of what Coan was able to accomplish in relatively few games with little preparation.

After his admittedly limited participation, Coan accumulated a completion percentage greater than that of Hornibrook and achieved a lower interception to touchdown ratio. Coan got a bad rap because the Badgers lost many of the games that he participated in, including losses to Northwestern and Penn State, both of which the Badgers undoubtedly expected to win at the beginning of the season.

This image of two QBs that equally failed to guide the Badgers away from their one-dimensional run offense is one of the main reasons that Mertz created so much noise upon his arrival to Madison. But the question remains — will he actually play?

There is little doubt that Mertz is coming in with a base level of talent that is extremely promising for the years to come. After

committing to Wisconsin in 2017 prior to his senior season, he later received offers from Michigan, The Ohio State University and other Big Ten teams, as well as other Power Five teams like Clemson and Alabama.

Wisconsin saw that Mertz was the real deal before their contemporaries and they now get to reap the benefits. There is, however, no guarantee that this investment in Mertz is going to pay off right away. As a developing QB, it can take time to adjust to a new offense that operates at the highest levels of college football competition.

What the Badgers have brewing is an intense battle for the position of starting QB. On one side is the raw talent of Mertz that warranted offers from the upper echelon of college football dynasties. On the other is the now-tested Coan, who has demonstrated himself to be a viable option during high-pressure situations. Perhaps the best example of this is when he went 16 of 24 for 160 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions in last year ’s triple-overtime win against Purdue.

If Mertz wants the starting job, he’ll have to prove that he can come out of the gate performing at or above Coan’s level even

after Coan has a half-season head start on him. This QB battle is one that will most likely be resolved quickly by the Badger coaching staff, as some of their toughest tests come early in the season with home games against Michigan, Northwestern and Michigan State all in their first five weeks.

One sign does point to Coan taking the initial starting spot at the beginning of the 2019 season. Throughout spring practices observed by Herald staff, he received the majority of reps during QB drills. Mertz seemed to have been relegated to a more observational role as he takes the time to learn the Badger ’s offensive system. This does not mean this situation maintained itself throughout the summer, and it is distinctly possible that Mertz successfully demonstrated his value during summer practices.

It is impossible to know who will get the start at this point. One potential scenario is Mertz and Coan split time on the field in order to fill different roles within the offensive system. Either way, the Badgers are sure to produce an exciting season with both a bolstered home schedule and a plethora of new weapons at their disposal.

Former UW football players excel to professional level in 2019 draft Four high profile players join fellow Badger alums in NFL, receive draft picks from NY Giants, Miami Dolphins, LA Rams

by Harrison Freuck Sports Editor

The University of Wisconsin’s football program has been one of the best in the country for about two decades now. Since Barry Alvarez took over as head coach in 1990, the team has excelled on the field, posting a 248-117-4 record over the last 29 seasons.

While the team as a whole has a strong record of success, many individual Badgers went on to have careers in the NFL themselves. Popular players among this group include J. J. Watt, Russell Wilson and Melvin Gordon. In the 2019 NFL draft, the Badgers again celebrated the selection of several players over the course of the three-night event. NFL teams selected the players as follows: Michael Deiter, Miami Dolphins (Round 3, Pick 14): Deiter was the first Wisconsin alumni taken off the board, as he was selected with the 78th overall pick to the Miami Dolphins. Deiter — a four-year starter at Wisconsin — excelled as a blocking offensive lineman, allowing running back Jonathan Taylor to get into open space. He will compete for a starting job with the Dolphins in training camp.

Ryan Connelly, New York Giants (Round 5, 20 • July 25, 2019 • badgerherald.com

Pick 5): Connelly was able to raise his draft stock during the draft combine, allowing him to be taken 143rd overall and making him the second Badger taken in the draft. Connelly is a shiny linebacker with speed and tackling skills, so look for him to fight for an impact role on a young Giants defense this season.

Andrew Van Ginkel, Miami Dolphins (Round 5, Pick 13): Taken just 8 picks after Connelly, Van Ginkel will join Deiter in Miami this season as he looks to carve out a spot on their defense. Van Ginkel has a great eye on defense and is a plus-side tackler, finishing with 59 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles his senior season.

David Edwards, Los Angeles Rams (Round 5, Pick 31): After fellow offensive lineman Deiter was taken earlier in the draft, Edwards was selected late in the fifth round by the Rams. Edwards is unlikely to start this season with there being several talented linemen on the Rams roster, but he will be looking to solidify himself as an option for the future.

No other Badgers were selected in the draft, but several players did sign as undrafted free agents. These players included Beau Benzschawel (Detroit Lions), Alec Ingold (Oakland Raiders)

and T. J. Edwards (Philadelphia Eagles).

Benzschawel and Edwards were both projected to be drafted, but after poor performances at the combine, neither heard their name called.

Now, let’s take a look at players on this year’s squad who we could potentially see taken in the 2020 NFL draft, including Jonathan Taylor, Chris Orr, Zack Baun, Tyler Biadasz, Bradrick Shaw and A. J. Taylor.

Jonathan Taylor has starred as Wisconsin’s starting running back for the past two seasons.

After an impressive year where he set the all-time freshman season rushing record with 1,977 yards, Taylor performed even better his sophomore year, totaling 2,194 yards and averaging 7.2 yards per carry. Taylor will likely try to match or exceed those numbers this season and hopefully hear his name called in one of the next two NFL drafts.

Chris Orr and Zack Baun, both senior linebackers for the Badgers, will each look to continue successful college careers for the 2019 Wisconsin football team and earn some attention before the draft. Baun finished last season with 63 tackles while Orr added 27 of his own and with several players from the defense having graduated or moved on to the next level, don’t be surprised to hear either of their names at Camp Randall this year.

Bradrick Shaw and A. J. Taylor have both

been solid supporting players on the Wisconsin offense during their college years, so don’t expect this season to be any different. Shaw, a running back, has played in 22 games and gained 822 yards over his career, despite missing all of last season due to injury.

Taylor has played in several roles, including wide receiver, running back and kick returner, collecting 1,423 all-purpose yards during his career. Even though neither player is likely to get drafted, they could be signed as undrafted free agents as they would provide valuable depth to any team.

Lastly, Tyler Biadasz has performed as perhaps the best center in college football over the last two years with Wisconsin. Even though he will only be a junior this year, don’t be surprised if he gets drafted next spring. Biadasz has started all 27 games in his first two seasons at Madison while protecting the backfield — namely Jonathan Taylor — that has put up ridiculous numbers in both seasons.

Considering so many Wisconsin players have gone on to have successful NFL careers over the past few decades, it’s no wonder that players like those named above and potentially more will hear their names called in the next few NFL drafts as they hope to follow in the footsteps of so many before them.

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Examining intramurals at UW

Intramural sports provide social connections, stress-relief

by Harrison Freuck Sports Editor

As a Big 10 school, the University of Wisconsin offers its students the chance to watch some of the country’s best collegiate athletes compete on the field, on the court and on the ice. For Badgers who want to take their love of sports beyond just viewership, intramurals may be the answer.

The University offers numerous intramural sports leagues, meaning no matter who you are, you’re sure to find something right for you on campus. Students who haven’t played a sport in a while or want to try something new are also welcome, considering the leagues have different levels depending upon how competitive or skilled you are in a certain sport.

Intramural sports at Madison run year-round, and there are many options during each season.

Students can pick sports like soccer, softball, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, golf, spikeball or just about anything else. The program also offers nonsports leagues such as video games and different pick ‘em leagues for sporting events like the World Cup and March Madness.

While the intramural sports program is sure to provide at least one league you’ll love, they also provide the chance to participate in multiple

leagues without spending too much money.

There are three different options for the Intramural Sports Pass. The best value is the year pass which costs $45 and gives students unlimited access to all intramural sports for the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

If you only want to participate in a specific semester, the semester pass might be a better fit for you. This pass allows students unlimited access to all sports for either the spring or fall semester at the cost of $25. Lastly, the summer pass costs just $5 and gives you access to any sports during the summer semester.

You may have to shell out a few dollars to participate in intramural sports, but they offer the priceless opportunity to meet new people, which is something that is especially important during the first semester at the University. Whether you choose to join blindly and meet people along the way or join up with existing friends, intramural sports facilitate bonding between members of the student community in a way that is not easily found in other places around campus.

Madison is a great place for all sports fans.

Whether that means participating, spectating, or both, UW gives students an outlet to get a fulfilling athletic experience throughout their academic careers.

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Red Card allows students access to select varsity sports for flat fee

Not to be confused with Red Card Meal Plan, The Red Card provides value and flexibility for any sports fan on campus

by Harrison Freuck Sports Editor

There’s a lot to do in Madison on a budget, especially on the University of Wisconsin campus. You can get Babcock ice cream, explore the art museum or go relax at either of the lakefronts. Another option for those of you who love sports is to purchase a Student Red Card.

The Red Card (not to be confused with the Red Card Meal Plan) costs just $25 and grants students unlimited access to varsity sports, including women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s softball and men’s wrestling, among many others. Also included is women’s volleyball, who made it to the NCAA Elite Eight last season, and women’s hockey, who won the NCAA Division I National Championship.

While men’s football, basketball and hockey are all amazing atmospheres on their own, tickets can be extremely costly and are usually hard to come by unless you were one of the lucky few who got season tickets in early June. The Red Card is a great deal for students who are fans of sports that don’t get as much attention on campus. They also give you a lot of flexibility when it comes to choosing the competitions you go to see, as there is no commitment to attend individual games.

In all, the Red Card provides access to nearly 80 home dates over the course of the academic year, a great deal considering how much a single ticket for any sport can cost. Wisconsin’s sports programs make the Red Card worthwhile, as they are high-profile in their competitiveness relative to the Big Ten and Division I sports as a whole.

The women’s hockey team, for example, has made the NCAA Tournament’s Frozen Four 11 of the last 13 seasons, including five championship victories. Mark Johnson — the team’s head coach — also played for the U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey Team and has the second most wins of all time by a women’s college hockey head coach.

Last season, the Badgers were able to earn the WCHA Championship after a few years of falling just short. Several former players have also gone on to play for the Women’s Olympic team.

The women’s volleyball team has also seen success in recent years under head coach Kelly Sheffield. This stretch consists of six straight NCAA 22 • July 25, 2019 • badgerherald.com

Tournament appearances, including a finish as NCAA Runners-Up in 2013 and an Elite Eight appearance last year.

The women’s basketball team has struggled to achieve the same level of success as the men’s basketball team, but they have taken strides in recent years under head coach Jonathan Tsipis. This effort culminated in last season’s 15-18 record, including an upset of Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament.

The men’s soccer team has been successful in recent years with a young roster, and they’ll look to take the next step this season behind leaders Noah Leibold and Noah Melick. The team plays at Dan McClimon Memorial Track/Soccer

Complex, which will have a new field entering this season.

Women’s soccer ended last season with a loss in the Round of 16 against No. 1 Stanford in the NCAA Tournament. They will look to move a step further this year with a squad that sees the majority of its starters returning for another season.

The men’s wrestling team, under new head coach Chris Bono, finished seventh in the Big Ten and 21st in the NCAA last season, an impressive showing by a team with a rookie head coach. Bono and the team will hope to improve on last season’s success this year in both the Big Ten and the NCAA as a whole.

Last but not least, softball went 43-14

last season en route to a fifth place finish in the Big Ten and a spot in the NCAA Regional Tournament for the third straight season. Under coach Yvette Healy, the Badgers have attained an impressive .625 winning percentage over the course of nine years.

As you can see, there’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to UW’s sports teams and the Red Card is perhaps the easiest and most affordable way to experience the Badger sports culture as a student.

For students who don’t know much about some of the sports at UW, the Red Card also provides the opportunity to learn something new and even become a fan of another sport.

Photo · For $25, students who purchase The Red Card will gain unlimited access to all home games for select varsity sports, including women’s basketball.

Marissa Haegele The Badger Herald

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July 25, 2019 • badgerherald.com • 23

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Campus rec centers allow sports enthusiasts space for fitness The soon-to-be-completed ‘Nick’ and existing recreation centers provide abundant opportunities for interested students

by John Spengler Sports Editor

There is no doubt that one of the biggest benefits for a sports fan attending the University of Wisconsin is the level of competition at which the school’s varsity teams compete. It is, with little question, a true joy to go and watch athletes compete at nearly the highest level. Once more, these sports programs facilitate a communal atmosphere that undoubtedly bonds all of the student observers through a shared experience.

Yet there is much more to every sports enthusiast than just an interest in observing sports. There also exists the element of participation that is necessary for someone to really immerse themselves in the culture of sports — and fitness as a whole — while on campus.

Sellery residence halls. Scheduled to be finished in early 2020, the incoming residents of Southeast dorms will soon be greeted with the opportunity to utilize the Nick for the first time.

Boasting a grand total of five floors of active space, eight full-size basketball courts, five dedicated fitness studios, 29 swimming lanes and over 30,000 square feet of cardio and strength training space, the Nick will surely be an irreplaceable asset for all those who wish to participate in the many offered student sports programs or who simply want to get fit.

For anyone who does not find themselves in Southeast residence halls during the year, there is nothing to fear. The largest current rec center, the Natatorium, is located on Observatory drive. It’s in close proximity to Lakeshore residence halls.

It too contains multiple basketball courts, swimming lanes, weight and cardio areas as well as its own dedicated training studios.

Though staying in shape is one of the most important things to focus on while dealing with the challenges of college, perhaps even more important is finding a place within the campus community.

For those who function well in a competitive environment, rec centers in Photo · The new Nicholas Recreation Center, also known as “the Nick” is projected to be completed in early 2020 and will be located where the Madison are the SERF used to be — in the Southeast neighborhood behind Gordon Dining & Event Center. home of building this competitive Daniel Yun bond with fellow The Badger Herald students.

24 • July 25, 2019 • badgerherald.com

Whether it’s club sports, intramural competition or just staying in shape, the best spots on campus for achieving this immersion is at recreation centers. A staple of colleges around the country, rec centers offer all students the opportunity to compete, socialize and stay in shape all throughout the year. Even when the sub-zero temperatures set in, which they surely will, Madison’s easily accessible rec centers offer a sanctuary for those who crave the physical exertion that only competition through sport or exercise brings.

Currently awaiting completion is the brand new Nicholas Recreation Center — “the Nick” — that will be located in the Southeast portion of campus right in-between Ogg, Witte and

During an examination of basketball culture at the Shell, the famed rec center located under the imposing shadow of Camp Randall, this idea of forging close bonds through sport clearly revealed itself.

UW student Nick Johnston said no matter where the competition comes from, athletes welcome those who wish to join them in their endeavor to forge friendships through sport.

“It’s natural for humans to have

a drive to compete. We come to the Shell to compete and get all that bound up energy out.”

Nick Johnston

“No matter who you play against or with it is still a tight community, what is on the court is different than what is off the court.”

For those who wish to continue their competitive habits or strike up new ones, there exists no place better than the rec centers to reap the benefits of sports.

Despite one’s time management skills or academic drive, there come times when each and every student will be stressed during the course of the school year. What better way exists to relieve that stress than through the very resources offered by UW’s rec centers?

On this very topic, Johnston elaborated on his experience with basketball at the Shell.

“It’s natural for humans to have a drive to compete. We come to the Shell to compete and get all that bound up energy out,” he said.

This experience is not limited to the basketball community, as any student that wishes to find friendly yet stiff competition amongst their peers will certainly have the opportunity to do so at one of the rec centers in Madison.

As a Big Ten school, UW has the resources at its disposable necessary to provide a rewarding athletic experience for all those who are interested in sports and participating in them. All it takes is a short walk to the nearest rec center to discover a world of competition and fitness that is only available within a community of thousands of likeminded students.

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Your official guide to UW dining halls Mmmmm ... stir fry.

by Angela Peterson Banter Editor

Ever since the University of Wisconsin made meal plans mandatory, students have been more active in trying to sample the finest things Wiscard can buy. Excluding Badger Markets, Union Dining spots and those odd cafes found in the nice buildings I wish I had my classes in, the six dining halls are the best places to spend all of this required money.

No journalist has tried to rank these fine dining establishments. That is, of course, until now.

From my experience as a food connoisseur with cash to burn on my Wiscard, here’s my definitive ranking of the dining halls, from worst to best.

1. Four Lakes Market

I’m honestly half-convinced every time I walk into the mystical confines of Four Lakes Market, I’m dreaming. The joint feels like a nice hotel food court, one that is certain to not lead to food poisoning. A stop by the luxurious Bean and Creamery not only feels like a real coffee bar, but like home. Seriously, the cashier gave me like five stamps on my loyalty card the last time I purchased a cup here.

Though definitely off the beaten path for many students, its location in Dejope Hall is a scenic retreat for any Badger who just wants to get away from it all and enjoy some ribs. Yep, that’s right, Four Lakes Market can actually smoke ribs. Four Lakes Market can truly go toe-to-toe with the top collegiate dining halls in the country and — dare I say it? — win. I might have to snack at a University of Michigan dining hall again to confirm, but Four Lakes forever reigns supreme in my heart.

2. Rheta’s Market

Nestled inside Chadbourne, Rheta’s Market reminds students to not judge a book by its cover. Rheta’s is easily the least aesthetically pleasing dining hall and its signage is terribly outdated, but this makes the delicious food experiences unexpected. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, check out the Mongolian barbecue station for the best food offered in UW dining halls, period. The pasta bar here also has surprising variety, and its proximity to Humanities is perfect for a quick breakfast between an 8:00 a.m. power lecture and a 9:55 discussion.

The subpar Bean and Creamery, easily the worst of the three locations, prevents Rheta’s from obtaining the top spot in my ranking. The coffee bar is crammed into the location’s Flamingo Run, leaving no space for any line to form. Despite this, Rheta’s is my go-to dining hall for convenience.

4. Carson’s Market

I’m going to admit, I’ve never dined here. I can’t even tell you where this place is. All I know is prior to googling the proper name of this dining hall, I thought it was called “Carson’s Gulley” and therefore wondered why it wasn’t featured in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. This really is a shame as its namesake Carson Gulley, head chef at the university for 27 years in the mid-1900s, was an inspirational figure who led the Madison branch of the NAACP and was the head chef at the university for 27 years in the mid-1900s.

Yeah, I can’t find where it is, but the real problem with Carson’s Market is a lack of variety. When “Global Kitchen” starts serving turkey breast and mashed potatoes, the problem becomes apparent. Still, it has more on the menu than Liz’s or Newell’s, so it gets a little boost here on the list. Plus, Carson’s has the beauty of Lakeshore architecture unparalleled by anything Southeast has to offer.

3. Gordon Avenue Market

Gordon’s is the quintessential UW dining hall. There’s every station possible available at most times of the day, and plenty of seating lines the space so everyone can sit with their closest floormates. Better yet, there’s a Bean and Creamery for when you just can’t justify paying a slight premium for seriously superior coffee from Peet’s.

The ambiance of Gordon’s just isn’t right, though. There are way too many people in line for stir fry talking about whatever party is going on that Wednesday night — I swear, it’s always a Wednesday. Overall congestion and lack of privacy move this hub down the list.

5. Newell’s Deli

Newell’s is the only dining hall that isn’t a “market.”

While I’m disappointed I apparently can’t barter here, this does make Newell’s different from all the rest. For the most part, though, the reason it isn’t a market is due to its incredibly tiny size. There isn’t a ton of food as a result, with options even more limited here than at Liz’s.

What saves Newell’s from the bottom of the rankings is its commitment to something different. It is refreshing to have nachos away from a “¡Que Rico!” Newell’s wings are proven to be better than any other wings and that is a straight fact. Keep your eyes peeled to spot football players dining at Newell’s — with many freshmen players living in Smith, they’ve been known to congregate here.

Photo · Gordon Avenue Market features every station you can imagine and more from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. with more limited options until midnight.

Herald Archives The Badger Herald

6.

Liz’s Market

The real tragedy about Liz’s Market, beyond its sparse options, is its proximity to superior cuisine. You’re already in the center of campus, why not just walk to Memorial Union and get some chicken tendies at the Rath? It’s like, right there.

Liz’s Market doesn’t have a terribly large selection and often finds itself closed during crucial spring break munching periods. Sure, it is convenient to any Liz Waters dwellers, but that’s only 504 people on this large campus. I don’t have much to say besides “meh.”

25 badgerherald.com • July 25, 2019

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July 25, 2019 • badgerherald.com • 27