'Freshmen Year 2.0' - Volume 53, Issue 1

STUDENT MEDIA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

TUESDAY, July 27, 2021 · VOL 53, Issue 1 · BADGERHERALD.COM

Design by Corey Holl

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID MADISON, WI PERMIT NO. 1723

Incoming sophomores were robbed of their freshmen year due to COVID-19 but will try their luck again this fall for second chance at a normal UW experience pg. 12

Find us online at

http://badgerherald.com

152 W. Johnson Suite 202 Madison WI, 53703

Follow us on Twitter @badgerherald

Follow us on Instagram

3,600 copies Published since Sept. 10, 1969

@badgerherald

Like us on Facebook

http://facebook.com/badgerherald

Herald Business

Herald Editorial Editor-in-Chief Managing Editors Print News Editors Digital News Editors

Science News Editors

Science Associate Editors Print Features Editors Digital Features Editors Campus Editors City Editors State Editors Opinion Editors Sports Editors

Sports Associate ArtsEtc. Editor Copy Chief Photo Editor Graphics Director Design Director

4

15

NEWS

OPINION

2 • badgerherald.com • July 27, 2021

Erin Gretzinger Arushi Gupta Savannah Kind Aashna Sheth Lila Szyryj Abriela Thiel Audrey Thibert Michaela Kihntopf Scott McInerney Anusha Ray Dey Azul Kothari Anne Isman Ben Baker Janani Sundar Emma Conway Abigail Leavin Elise Wiegele Sally Reed Phoenix Pham Jeffrey Deiss Maggie Degnan Hayden Kolowrat Will Romano Charlie Dern Gavin Derkatch Ian Patton Sam Harrigan Jackson Walker Rachael Lee Olivia Evans Sam Huss Abby Cima Katie Hardie Corey Holl

Publisher

Shayde Erbrecht

JULIA LESTER, LARRY SAPERSTEIN 14

COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in many UW students’ studies, leaving some to resort to gap years and major changes

“High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” stars talk about behind-the-scenes action for the show’s second season

Herald Public Relations Public Relations Directors Public Relations Associate

Keagan Schlosser Ken Wang Matthew van Bastelaer

Herald Advertising Advertising Director

John Spengler

Board of Directors Chair Members

Philomena Lindquist Erin Gretzinger Arushi Gupta Savannah Kind Anne Isman Harrison Freuck Shayde Erbrecht Katie Hardie Ken Wang Keagan Schlosser John Spengler Mary Magnuson Nuha Dolby

ARTSETC

12

18

SPORTS

21 LAB REPORT

22

BANTER

11

STUDENTS ANXIOUS ABOUT FUTURE 7

OUT-OF-STATE STUDENTS PAY PRICE FOR TUITION FREEZE

17

With the tuition freeze saved for another two years, UW System universities are left without another option but to hike out-of-state tuition as the GOP-led legislature refuses to increase funding for higher education

FEATURE

TOYKO OLYMPICS: 16 BADGERS HEAD TO THE GAMES THIS SUMMER

18

Alongside Women’s Soccer star Rose Lavelle, Badgers are lined up to compete in eight events for countries across the globe

PHOTOS

facebook.com/badgerherald

At long last, Madison reopens Since Public Health Madison & Dane County lifted COVID-19 restrictions in June, Madison is slowly returning to famililar scenes of fun at the Terrace and crowds at the Farmer’s Market

Photos by Abby Cima

July, 27 2021 • badgerherald.com • 3

NEWS

@badgerherald

Wisconsin GOP cuts needed homelessness relief from proposed budget ‘That’s always the date that we dread — when the eviction moratorium is over,’ Madison homeless shelter worker says

by Jeffrey Deiss State News Editor

Sentinel, Rep. Amy Loudenbeck, R-Clinton, said due to the millions of dollars of federal aid that housing programs in Wisconsin acquired, committee members chose to reject Evers’ plans.

“As a matter of fact, the Joint Finance Committee tripled funding for the Housing Assistance Program which provides grants

Wisconsin Republicans voted to reject homelessness relief initiatives in Gov. Tony Evers’ proposed budget May 20. According to Associated Press News, Evers planned to spend about $73 million on affordable housing and other programs.

The Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee voted 12–4 to increase housing assistance funding by $1.2 million instead.

At the end of June, the complete budget made its way through the Wisconsin Legislature, but it no longer includes many of Evers’ major initiatives, including legalizing marijuana and raising the minimum wage, according to a Wisconsin Public Radio article.

WPR reported Republican lawmakers urged Evers to sign off on the new version.

Evers said, however, he isn’t certain he will approve of the entire revised budget.

According to WisContext, Wisconsin’s governors have veto powers other governors don’t have — namely, partial vetoes which enable a governor to remove single sentences or words from bills.

According to the Wisconsin Budget Project, Wisconsin operates on a biennial budget. Once the governor proposes the budget, it goes to the Joint Finance Committee.

The committee holds hearings and public comments about bills to gather more information before they go to the Legislature. After Photo - Riley Steinbrenner the hearings, the committee The Badger Herald proposes its own version of the budget, which can vary greatly from the governor ’s plan. to local governments as well as nonThe Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said profits and for-profits to operate housing Evers planned to provide $5 million a year and supporting services for homeless to homeless shelters in his May plan. The individuals,” Loudenbeck said in an email Joint Finance Committee voted to increase to The Badger Herald, adding the goal of funding for shelters by only $600,000 these programs is to move homeless people and rejected Evers’ proposal to grant towards independent living. local municipalities $50 million to fund The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated moderate-income and low-income housing. the already-existing issue of homelessness.

According to the Milwaukee Journal According to United Way, Milwaukee 4 • badgerherald.com • July 27, 2021

had the eighth most evictions due to COVID-19 out of all American cities.

In Kenosha, Tiara Harell and her 8-yearold daughter decided to hand out supplies and gifts to homeless people in their community.

Harell’s daughter came up with the idea of “blessing bags” during the

COVID-19 pandemic. The bags contain hand warmers, socks, snacks and other necessities for the homeless.

Harell said Kenosha lacks the affordable housing present in Milwaukee and Racine. She added that many people were displaced when buildings burned down during riots in Kenosha last year.

Madison has also been struggling with how COVID-19 has affected homelessness.

Nicolas Lemus works at the Beacon, a service center and shelter for homeless people in Madison.

He said the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult for the Beacon to house as many people as they used to because of possible

transmission of the virus, but the federal eviction moratorium kept the homeless population from spiking too much in the midst of the pandemic.

The government established an eviction moratorium to make it illegal for landlords to kick out renters in most cases.

But, the WPR reported a federal judge recently threw out the moratorium. The U.S. Department of Justice appealed this ruling and added an emergency stay on the order, which will stay in place until a higher court makes a decision, according to WPR. “This means the moratorium remains in place for now,” DOJ Director of the Office of Public Affairs Anthony Coley said.

Executive Director of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Homelessness Joe Volk said evictions ended under the federal moratorium, but tenants are still legally obligated to pay rent.

Therefore, people will owe multiple months of rent once the moratorium ends.

“That’s always the date that we dread — when the eviction moratorium is over — because we know we’re going to see a huge influx of people,” Lemus said.

The Dane County government has taken certain steps to help the local homeless population. The Wisconsin State Journal reported Dane County initiated a new federally-funded program to house people who were previously living in hotels.

During the height of the pandemic, Dane County housed people displaced from their homes in local hotels, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. The hotel rooms were funded through fe deral COVID-19 relief money and are expected to have cost $23 million by the end of August.

Dane County’s $13 million program aims to move these people into affordable housing units.

Volk said people can fight for better homelessness assistance programs by calling their local representatives and volunteering.

“Call 211 or your local United Way to access volunteer opportunities,” Volk said.

NEWS

facebook.com/badgerherald

Student reps in campus, city positions prepare for future partnerships

Alder Juliana Bennett, Chair Adrian Lampron plan collaborations on mental health reform, affordable housing for students

by Lauryn Azu Reporter

The University of Wisconsin’s recently announced fall reopening plan has student and local leaders gearing up for more partnerships this fall as campus returns to pre-pandemic operations.

This year brings expectations of more collaboration between the Associated Students of Madison and the city of Madison, with several students occupying local government positions. District 8 Alder Juliana Bennett, an incoming junior, and ASM Chair Adrian Lampron, an incoming senior, said the two bodies are collaborating on various measures including the development of a Crisis Response Team to respond to mental health-related emergency calls and building developments that will impact students.

“Even before being elected, I’ve worked closely with Adrian, so I’m really glad that we have already established that relationship, and we’re gonna just continue the work that we’ve been working on,” Bennett said.

Lampron said they are looking toward the crisis response model Madison introduced

this summer, the Community Alternative Response for Emergency Services, which was modeled after the Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets program of Eugene, Oregon for their own inspiration.

ASM will take a wait-and-see approach to its crisis response team based on whether the City of Madison will expand its own to include the UW campus or not, according to Lampron.

“CAHOOTS is among other ways that we’re working to basically just make sure that the city and university’s public safety models best address the needs of students,” Lampron said.

Bennett said ASM and District 8’s goal is to make sure all students are eligible to have a crisis response team respond to their call. But, she said right now the Madison Common Council is still developing their own response team.

The action on mental health response teams for campus stems from the June 2020 account of a student who was transported to the hospital in a police vehicle after reporting a mental health emergency. In response, UHS started researching alternatives to the current police hospital transportation policy.

Additionally, both Lampron and Bennett said they are looking forward to collaboration on affordable housing in Madison for UW students.

A recently announced downtown high-rise will be built on the 300 Block of State Street and will involve the demolition of many State Street businesses, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

The developer, Core Spaces, is also responsible for both The Hub and The James, two high-rise apartments marketed toward students near the UW campus and downtown. Lampron added that Core Spaces intends to work with the UW financial aid office to provide affordable housing to students.

Bennett said she wants student’s voices to be included in each part of the development process, and this fall she plans to work with ASM to get more students involved in Common Council boards, commissions and committees.

“At the end of the day, they’re supposed to be catered to students, so they want us to live in their buildings, we should have a say on what type of places we want to live in, ‘’ Bennett said.

New to student housing this fall on campus is a Gender Inclusive Housing community that will be one floor of southeast campus’ Merit Hall. Unlike Open House, a learning community in Phillips Hall, Gender Inclusive Housing requires no extra application or fee.

The dorms will not be segregated by assigned sex and restrooms will be gender inclusive.

Lampron said their goal with University Housing was to make sure transgender and gender non-conforming students get housing that is safe and comfortable, without putting the extra burden on incoming students to reach out to Housing for accommodations and “outing” themselves in the process.

“I’m hopeful that incoming students and returning students in housing will feel safe and comfortable,” Lampron said.

Lampron, like other campus officials, anticipates that the vast majority of students will return to campus fully vaccinated and are anticipating the return of dorm life.

Bennett said she hopes Gender Inclusive Housing can expand to more dorms.

“I would hope that everyone can feel welcome and included and part of that is being able to feel safe where you live,” Bennett said.

UW experts discuss critical race theory’s place in K-12

The core meaning of critical race theory is the element most up for debate among politicians, professor John Witte says

by Aashna Sheth Print News Editor

Controversy over how race should be taught in schools has sprouted up across the United States, with many states, including Wisconsin, putting forth bills to limit discussions of critical race theory in the K-12 classrooms and on college campuses.

School boards from all corners of the nation are facing the question of how to talk about race in K-12 schools and what role the government has to play in the education of these nuanced concepts.

Opponents of the critical race theory believe its lessons can be divisive, while supporters argue the curriculum is essential to highlighting the continuing plights and barriers people of color face due to institutionalized racism in the U.S. The specific meaning of critical race theory is perhaps the element most up for debate, though some characteristics stay the same across various definitions, said John Witte, a University of Wisconsin Professor Emeritus of Public Affairs and Political Science John Witte.

“There are two fundamental aspects … First of all, that the racial problems that exist today have their origins in slavery and the problems of slavery persist over time and create some

inequalities, or at least are partially connected to inequalities that exist,” Witte said. “The second aspect of it is that race problems go across institutions … they affect the education system, the corporate system, healthcare, etc.”

UW Professor and critical race theory scholar Gloria Ladson-Billings agreed with Witte, noting the framework was originally developed at the UW Law School through workshops in the 1970’s as a way to explain people of color’s continuing struggles and despair about systemic change.

Following the successes leading to the Voting Rights Act, Civil Rights Act and programs like affirmative action designed to help achieve equal opportunities for marginalized groups, social scientists questioned why disparities and inequalities still persisted after these efforts.

Critical race theorists turned to the argument the problem must be systemic, Ladson-Billings explained.

The conversation around critical race theory begs the question of what race discussions can be had at the K-12 level, according to both professors.

Ladson-Billings added in her definition of critical race theory that it is a theoretical framework created to help explain the inequalities that come with racism. Because

the theory is complex, she would not teach the theory to students at a level lower than higher education.

“Why wouldn’t you teach mechanical engineering in third grade or discourse analysis in fifth grade? There’s no point,” Ladson-Billings said. “They don’t have enough information or any use.”

Witte agreed, adding conversations about race at young ages are rarely useful and tend to result in misunderstandings and hurt feelings.

Ladson-Billings said she believes the controversy around critical race theory in schools is a “red herring,” as the conversation is not really about the academic framework at all but rather the 2022 and 2024 elections.

Ladson-Billings said she feels the revival of conversations about the theory is merely political parties resorting to inflammatory language to gain support when their policy initiatives fail.

She called it a version of McCarthyism, or the use of unsubstantiated claims to publicly defame someone’s character, especially because the definition of critical race theory has been skewed in political discourse.

Despite this, both professors agreed they believe the removal of race from K-12 school curricula entirely could lead to other problems,

as students will be going to secondary education institutions without the background knowledge of race that is necessary for effective discussions.

Witte stated he is still unsure about the use of the term “critical race theory” in schools, because while it does open up an important conversation on racism and its origins, it is a term that also often receives a harsh response from white people who feel they are being blamed for the actions of their ancestors.

Ladson-Billings said the study of critical race theory and race-related analyses at the collegiate level and above will be difficult to censor, as academics are free to study anything they want at the higher level, regardless of if it is popular or not. She also stated the importance of “sifting and winnowing” — a metaphor coined at UW to refer to the pursuit of knowledge and truth.

Ladson-Billings cited recent articles she had seen about people not wanting students to learn about Ruby Bridges, who was the first Black student to integrate Southern schools in 1960, according to the National Women’s History Museum.

The discussion in Wisconsin continues, with a GOP-led series of bills on the table that would ban public schools, universities and technical colleges from teaching about concepts like systemic racism and implicit bias.

July 27, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 5

NEWS

@badgerherald

UW apologies for scheduling first day of class on Rosh Hashanah

Blank says first day of school cannot be moved, but reschedules convocation, other first day events to better accommodate the holiday

by Audrey Thibert Digital News Editor

The University of Wisconsin apologized for scheduling the first day of classes on Rosh Hashanah and rescheduled some events following criticism from Jewish leaders on campus.

UW, along with five other UW System universities, unintentionally scheduled their start date to fall on the Jewish holiday, which is the holiest of the religion’s observances.

The first day of classes for the 2021 fall semester were scheduled to begin on the second day of Rosh Hashanah by the Faculty Senate Committee in 2019.

But the decision has since drawn backlash and criticism from Jewish leaders, students and faculty on campus, all calling on UWMadison to move the start date, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

Chancellor Blank released a statement via a campus-wide email on July 20 apologizing for the scheduling error. Rosh Hashanah starts Sept. 6 and ends Sept. 8 this year, and classes

are scheduled to begin Sept. 8.

UW is home to a large Jewish population of at least 4,000, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. In a statement, UW Hillel President Greg Steinberger said the Jewish campus organization notified the administration about the beginning of the school year’s overlap with Rosh Hashanah seven months ago.

“Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Days: the yamim nora’im, or in English, the “Days of Awe,” Steinberger said. “These are the holiest days in the Jewish year.”

According to UW’s statement, changing the start date is not possible. Instead, the university will take measures to minimize the impacts of the scheduling error.

This includes rescheduling all departmental welcome events to Sept. 3, rescheduling Convocation for first-year students from Sept.

7 to Sept. 3 and ensuring signature events for Wisconsin Welcome do not conflict with other events planned for the holiday.

“I very much regret this and I have worked to ensure we are taking every action we can to

Photo - Veronica Kuffel The Badger Herald

6 • badgerherald.com • July 27, 2021

reduce the impact of the conflict,” Blank said.

Professors are asked to post a notification in Canvas or email students before the start of the semester about their plans. They also encouraged professors to offer an asynchronous option for classes meeting Sept.

8 with digital copies of any in-class materials needed posted online.

Additionally, faculty are asked to offer opportunities to meet with students who are not able to attend, avoid scheduling meetings or events with student groups on the first day of classes and include information about the religious observances policy on syllabi.

“In accordance with the Chancellor ’s guidance, we ask faculty who are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion to offer the first day of class asynchronously and ask that Deans and Department Chairs allow faculty to cancel classes if they are so inclined,” Steinberger said.

In her statement, Blank said she recognizes that many Jewish students, their families, faculty and staff feel distressed by the scheduling mishap, “particularly at a time of

increased anti-Semitic violence and harassment across the U.S.” “This is a moment when it’s critical to show, through our words and actions, that we are committed to the safety and well-being of Jewish members of our community,” Blank said.

Anti-Semitic violence has increased in the wake of multiple clashes in Israel and Gaza, according to the New York Times.

Ultimately, Blank said the process which usually helps prevent conflicts such as this did not work and is currently being reshaped through a working group on campus to ensure a situation like this does not occur in the future.

Additionally, Blank said that “no student should be penalized for their absence from class on September 8.”

“We are most grateful to Chancellor Blank for this communication and for creating a structure to change the calendering process in the future,” Steinberger said. “We appreciate the Chancellor ’s support of the campus as it works to create change for the many faith communities found on campus.”

NEWS

facebook.com/badgerherald

2020 school year leaves students anxious about their future ‘I’m not going to get that year back in terms of learning,’ UW student says about his decision to take a gap year due to COVID-19

by Audrey Thibert Ditigal News Editor

University students throughout the past year and a half have experienced additional pressures and stresses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically in regards to choosing a major, graduate programs and research.

Students at the University of Wisconsin are required to declare a major no later than the end of the semester in which the student accumulates 86 credits, according to the Undergraduate Major Declaration policy.

UW offers 125 majors in eight undergraduate schools and colleges, according to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. The course prerequisites, GPA requirements and application procedures and deadlines vary depending on the school.

For example, according to the College of Letters & Science website, undergraduate students admitted to UW are able, without further application, to claim the College of Letters & Science as their college. Students interested in business must apply separately to the School of Business with risk of not getting in.

UW Sophomore Simon Bushmaker, who was undecided on his major until recently, said he believes students lack proper guidance on how to decide on a major.

Bushmaker said he resorted to doing his own research.

“I contacted department advisors, made a spreadsheet of interesting majors, then I went through the classes for each individual major to figure out how much I’d like the classes,” Bushmaker said. “I narrowed it down to five or six majors, then individually contacted the department advisor for each one of those majors and had a 45-minute conversation with each advisor.”

Deadlines differ depending on the semester and school. For example, the spring application for the journalism school was due in mid-May while the business school’s application closed in mid-March.

In Bushmaker ’s view, the different requirements and deadlines are difficult to keep track of.

“It’s a combination of poor advertising and me just being an ignorant student and not really paying attention to the deadlines,” Bushmaker said.

Many buildings on campus were closed to the public as well, hindering students from exploring classrooms, libraries, museums and many other campus spaces. This year, though, buildings will be open and many classes will be held in person.

Sophomore Charles Shors said online learning did the opposite of encouraging students to learn.

“Professors give these lectures that clearly are years old, and they don’t really put the same amount of time into teaching as they did preCOVID,” Shors said.

Most professors had little to no experience with online learning when the pandemic began, and there was a technology gap between older and younger professors, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

Nevertheless, it was hard to feel the professors’ passion for their subjects through the computer screen, Bushmaker said.

“While there were opportunities for me to go to online office hours or maybe coax a professor into an in-person meeting, it was just tough reaching out to people,” Bushmaker said. “I set up meetings through services the university offers – they offer a lot of helpful resources – but they were really scaled Photo - Marissa Haegele back and difficult to The Badger Herald reach out to with all the restrictions.”

Many students were as online classes and COVID-19 conditions inclined to take gap years as well. Shors, affected students’ decisions. who took a gap year, said he felt like he was Shors said that though he lost a year of wasting a year of college if he decided to go learning, he had more time to figure out last fall. what he really wanted.

“I made a lot of friends and good “I’m not going to get that year back in connections freshman year and I felt like if terms of learning and I’m gonna enter the I took a year online, it was going to be a lot workforce a year later. But it also gave me harder to connect with people in that same more time to figure out what I wanted to way,” Shors said. “Given that I only have do,” Shors said. “I’m still undeclared but four years of college, I wanted to preserve given that COVID happened, I had more those years.” time to see what really sounded good to me, According to The Daily Pennsylvanian, without the pressures of also needing to do the percent of students who took a gap year homework for those classes.” increased by approximately 300% because Additionally, grad programs and research of COVID-19. UW’s amount of deferrals for at the university were both delayed due to admitted students jumped from 70 in 2019 to the pandemic.

150 last fall, according to the Wisconsin State Funding for research was an obstacle for Journal. students, as some grants required research In the fall of 2020, UW also admitted funding to be spent despite the pandemic, the largest amount of prospective students according to a UW News article. The since the Great Depression, which helped to Pandemic-Affected Research Continuation combat a lower yield rate — the amount of Initiative was created to help combat these accepted students who actually enrolled —

conditions, though not until September 2020.

Students conducting research at the university faced complications with leaving and coming to campus and had to get approval from an associate dean or department chair, according to the UW research website.

Research during the 2021-2022 school year will follow guidelines released by Chancellor Blank in June, in an effort to return to normalcy.

Despite all the hardships, Bushmaker said the struggles he experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic helped him learn a valuable lesson.

“It’s not embarrassing to not know what you want to do. Only your family and peers are paying attention to your choices,” Bushmaker said. “At the end of the day, if you’re honest with yourself and with your advisors, it will be so much easier to find something that you really enjoy.”

July 27, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 7

@badgerherald

SCIENCE NEWS

UW wins green award, still needs to work towards sustainability

UW reduces waste, emissions but more action needs to be taken to combat climate change on campus, student says

by Anusha Ray Dey Science News Associate

The University of Wisconsin won the 2021 Green Ribbon Schools Postsecondary Sustainability Award. Between 2007 and 2018, UW reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 38% — with a reduction in building energy by 19%, a reduction of portable water by 20%, a 13% reduction in total waste per campus user and diversion from the landfill of 43% of waste.

Project and Communication Specialist at UW Office of Sustainability Jake McCullough said UW prides itself on taking a holistic approach to sustainability. While the main focus of sustainability is the environmental side, UW has taken the opportunity to redefine the ideas around sustainability in higher education.

“It’s balancing economic interests, social interests and environmental interests,” McCullough said.

This benefited UW’s application to Green Ribbon Schools. Green Ribbon Schools is a program managed by the U.S. Department of Education, and it recognizes K-12 and post secondary institutions for sustainability.

Specifically, there are three pillars that they ask their applicants to address — to reduce environmental impacts and costs, improve health and wellness of students, faculty and staff as well as to provide effective environmental and sustainability education.

UW addressed all three pillars in their holistic approach, according to a UW press release. For pillar one, UW has reduced greenhouse gas emission by about 38% since 2007 though UW’s campus space on campus as well as student and staff population have grown. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, UW also invests in local energy projects such as the O’Brian Solar Fields in Fitchburg, McCullough said.

For pillar two — improving health and wellness — UW addressed physical health and nutritional resources and mental health — which encompasses ideas like diversity and equity inclusion, McCullough said. This is an area where students believe UW needs to improve.

Hersh Pareek, an undergraduate student double majoring in Global Health and Health Promotion & Health Equity said UW can do a better job promoting nutrition, diversity and equity. UW could do a better job incentivizing vegetarian diets and providing vegetarian food options on campus, Pareek said. An example is Babcock ice cream — UW’s very own brand — where nearly all flavors are made from beef gelatin. Livestock production is one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gas, and excluding gelatin from Babcock ice cream can work to the reduce greenhouse emissions, Pareek said.

8 • badgerherald.com • July 27, 2021

Pareek also said UW can improve upon diversity, equity and inclusion.

“UW is really performative in that aspect because they just post something on social media or say we care about our students, but I haven’t genuinely seen action,” Pareek said.

Pareek mentioned UW is on stolen Indigenous land, yet it does not properly address the Native American community.

While Pareek said UW is taking steps in the right direction, they are nowhere near enough. McCullough said there are aspects of sustainability UW can improve upon regarding the second pillar.

“I think we could still improve on something that we’ve been trying to address in the past couple of years, but always room for improvement, is trying to engage our students’

voices,” McCullough said.

There is a critical mass of a larger student body UW wants to hear from. The Office of Sustainability wants to know what their priorities are when it comes to campus sustainability as it’s easy sometimes to forget, McCullough said.

But there are ways UW encourages students to raise their voices and get involved on campus. Becoming a part of a student group or organization like the many sustainable living learning communities as a freshman, or even applying to the year-long internship program at the Office of Sustainability, McCullough said.

McCullough also suggested getting involved in the vast amount of research UW funds when it comes to climate change — an aspect UW highlighted in their Green Ribbons

application for pillar three. UW gained more than $459 million in sustainability-related grant funding, and is the university that conducts the most climate change research in the Midwest.

UW’s application goes into more detail on the specifics of what UW has to offer when it comes to going green.

While students criticize some of the efforts at UW, there is no denying UW has made significant strides to make them deserving of the award, Pareek said.

“I think an almost 40% reduction in emissions is really good,” Pareek said. “That’s a really big deal, especially for our university. I think they’re definitely trying, and that is respectable.”

The Office of Sustainability is encouraging students to get involved and continue to fight against topics like climate change.

Photo - GreenHouse Learning Community shares harvest with campus dining hall.

Bryce Richter University Communications

SCIENCE NEWS

facebook.com/badgerherald

UW affiliates create Navajo words to spark science communication

Dictionary will allow native speakers to understand biology terms and participate in scientific conversations, UW graduate student says

by Michaela Kihntopf Science News Editor

In a time where many Indigenous languages are endangered, two University of Wisconsin affiliates are working to bring new life to the Navajo language by developing science terms that previously did not exist.

Graduate student and Navajo nation member Sterling Martin is the co-founder of Project ENABLE — Enriching Navajo As a Biology Language for Education — which aims to create Navajo words for modern biology terms. Martin said the idea for the project arose from his experiences struggling to communicate scientific concepts to his family members who spoke Navajo.

Photo · Sterling Martin, co-founder of ENABLE, is a graduate student at UW who aspires to make scientific communication more accessible to the Navajo community Courtesy of Martin Project ENABLE “It’s really hard to explain to my mom and grandma and dad who speak Navajo exactly what I’m doing in school,” Martin said. “Like the nucleus or proteins, those are big words that for a non-English first language speaker are really hard to visualize.”

Allowing students to speak to their elders in Navajo about what they’re learning is one goal of the project.

For elders, however, Martin said the implications could be even greater.

“I think coming and learning more about this would allow elders to actually take control of their health when they go to the doctors rather than relying on translators,” Martin said.

UW Post-doctoral Fellow Joanna Bundus is

the other co-founder of Project ENABLE. Bundus said the project could allow conversations in Navajo to have an entirely different context.

“These conversations that were completely inaccessible before and sort of forced people to speak English, it is now possible for them to have those conversations in their own language” Bundus said.

The first step of the project was to identify which words would be most useful to develop, Martin said. By working with teachers in the Navajo nation, Martin and Bundus identified about 250 words that would make scientific conversations in Navajo possible.

The descriptive nature of the Navajo language allows new words to reflect their meanings, Martin said. For example, the Navajo word for airplane is translated as “car with wings.” This means the Navajo linguist working on the project can create science words that will inherently convey their definitions.

“So how he approaches it is, we gave him the definitions of the word,” Martin said. “And then looking at the definitions he starts to think ‘how would I describe this in a way that’s easy to understand?’”

Martin said this approach was chosen over direct translations because the Greek and Latin origins of many scientific terms in English make them difficult to relate to Navajo. So far, the linguist has translated all 250 definitions Photo · The ENABLE Project logo into Navajo, and has created the words Courtesy of Martin for terms starting with A through F. Project ENABLE As the words are completed, they are added onto a website dictionary, so they can Navajo. Another possible idea was having be openly used by the Navajo community. illustrations to help visualize the words, Bundus said limited internet access in the Martin said.

Navajo nation made developing an effective “One of the big things that we’re working website challenging. The website had to be on that has been impacted by COVID is accessible by phone and able to load quickly, getting the Navajo pronunciations,” Martin Bundus said. said. “That way, people can hear how it’s said “The whole dictionary is small enough that and learn how to say them.” it’s in the cache of a phone,” Bundus said.

For young students who may not be “So once you’ve opened the website once you pronouncing the words correctly, this would don’t have to keep redownloading it. And allow them to play an audio file, so their it’s designed to load each word. The whole elders could hear and understand what is dictionary doesn’t load at the same time, the words load independently so it’s a very These conversations that were completetiny amount of data.”

Martin said test runs with ly inaccessible before and sort of forced friends and family in the people to speak English, it is now possible Navajo nation have so far for them to have those conversations in worked perfectly. Outside of the words and definitions, their own language.

Martin and Bundus plan to include example sentences of how to use each word that would be in both English and Joanna Bundus

“

being described, Martin said.

Martin said the importance of the project lies in people being able to better communicate with their community.

“Getting people to speak Navajo is a big plus,” Martin said. “I think my favorite thing is when I practice some of these words with my mom and my grandma, just seeing that joy light up in their eyes like ‘oh that’s what this is, I never understood that until now.’”

Linguistics professor Monica Macaulay has worked with Indigenous communities and languages throughout her entire career.

Macaulay said Project ENABLE reinforces the idea Indigenous languages are not languages of the past and can be used in a modern context to talk about novel concepts.

“These are live, vibrant languages, and just like any language they can change and adapt,” Macaulay said. “And if you want people to keep using them in the modern era, it would be pretty ridiculous to pretend that computers don’t exist and airplanes don’t exist.”

July 27, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 9

@badgerherald

Your ultimate college hack Start your 6-month trial

amazon.com/UofWisconsin

10 • badgerherald.com • July 27, 2021

ARTSETC.

facebook.com/badgerherald

Drag March captures story of LGBTQ+ victories, ongoing battles ‘Activism is not something I just randomly decided to do. Activism started for me the day I was born,’ march organizer and activist says

by Rachael Lee ArtsEtc Editor

This June, with an array of vibrant Pride flags and booming, upbeat music, the Stonewall Memorial Drag March in Madison was a dramatically different look from what transpired outside of The Stonewall Inn over 50 years ago.

The 1969 Stonewall Riots were pivotal events in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms in the United States, spearheaded by queer activists of color. Since then, Pride marches have celebrated the

Photo · Two friends march in protest of anti-Trans legislation March 12.

Katie Hardie The Badger Herald

freedom to spread love, both for yourself and for others.

The Stonewall Memorial Drag March in Madison this year aimed to do just that on June 28.

Organized by local activist Sunshine Raynebow and her team, the march was dedicated to the work of activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, two key figures in the Stonewall Riots in New York.

The event began with a march that stretched from the Social Justice Center to the Wisconsin State Capitol, and was a march for Pride and Black Lives Matter. At the Capitol Square, there were speakers sharing their stories and calling for action. Among them was Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison. This was followed by a line up of drag performances inspired by the Stonewall Riots and the themes of spreading love, kindness and self acceptance.

Raynebow, the host of the march, started activism when she was 17 and has been working ever since. As a Black queer trans woman, Raynebow said she’s been fighting for her life since she was born.

“I’m tired of the system not benefiting me. I’m tired of this system thinking it can kill us and erase us and think that it’s okay,” Raynebow said. “Activism is not something I just randomly decided to do. Activism for me started the day that I was born.”

For her, activism is a way to build a world for everyone. “I continue to fight for change so that young queer people, young Black people, young women and young men … young nonbinary people

… can walk out of their houses and feel like they can just be free … not worry about anything,” Raynebow said.

It is of paramount importance to discuss that the Stonewall Memorial Drag March was not only about Pride, but about Black Lives Matter and Black Queer Lives Matter.

The lack of institutional protections for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC individuals in the United States results in the deaths of thousands of people every year.

An important element of social justice and activism is in both solidarity and intersectionality.

“The reason I emphasized that Black Queer Lives Matter is because I wanted people to know that Black lives always mattered, and Black lives continue to matter,” Raynebow said. “The system needs to wake the f*** up and realize that Photo · Protestors stand together in an organized protest March 12. Activists planned the march in opposition to legislation trying they can’t keep killing us.”

Raynebow also had advice for youth to exclude transgender youth from girls’ sports. and allies who want to get involved. She Katie Hardie suggested the first step would be to step The Badger Herald out of your comfort zone, or spaces you benefit everyone that lives in it.” Raynebow are accustomed to. There are many educational said, stressing the importance of fostering an resources from activists of color and queer activists environment that allows kindness and healing to available online. thrive. “When I started loving myself and being Social media is a vital tool for communication who I am, I felt like I needed to spread that love and organization. Information on protests are that I had for myself around to others so other often posted on platforms such as Facebook and people can know it’s okay to love themselves, it’s Instagram. Her final advice was to continue to okay for them to be who they are and not be afraid protest and do whatever you can to inspire change of it.” in society.

“The world is made for all of us, it needs to

Classic list of 3 top reads for freshmen who feel far from home From settings in mystical, mysterious worlds to foreign planets in the galaxy, these books show that being on your own is nothing to fear

by Jackson Walker ArtsEtc Editor

For most incoming college students, arriving on campus for the first time can sometimes prove to be an overwhelming experience. Being in a strange, new place far from home can often feel daunting and scary, and the thought of taking on challenging academics while balancing a social life, physical wellbeing and other hobbies can quickly seem like an insurmountable task.

Thankfully, those who experience these feelings are not alone. The uncomfortable feeling of being far from home is one that has been widely experienced throughout human history, and is a theme that has inspired many great books throughout time.

These books serve as a way for authors to communicate with their readers about how they approached feeling these same fears and the

successes and failures they experienced along the way.

If you can relate to feeling anxious as you prepare to take the first step in your Badger journey, these entertaining books might have the encouragement you need.

“The Martian” by Andy Weir If being new to the University of Wisconsin makes you homesick, you can count yourself lucky that you at least get to stay on Earth.

The same can not be said for Mark Watney, a fictional astronaut who becomes stranded on Mars in “The Martian.” With little food or supplies, Watney has to use his ingenuity and will to survive to make it off of Mars alive.

Watney tries to make contact with those he loves as he finds new ways to survive in the alien environment. So if UW ever makes you feel like an astronaut surviving in outer space, maybe calling

home — or reading “The Martian” — can be a step in the right direction.

“The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien The lesser known prequel to the Lord of The Rings series, “The Hobbit” tells the story of Bilbo Baggins, a peaceful creature who suddenly finds himself roped into a far away adventure with a group of dwarves. While at first Baggins is timid and afraid of the dangerous world outside his front door, he quickly finds he is braver than he ever thought.

Baggins’ story in “The Hobbit” goes to show that, while the world beyond your comfort zone may seem scary, the hardest part in any great adventure is taking the first step out your front door.

“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams

“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” follows the story of Arthur Dent, a man who is rescued by an alien moments before the destruction of the Earth.

Though Arthur is originally dismayed by this occurrence, he quickly becomes accustomed to the wider universe — a place full of strange but hilarious inhabitants.

In this lighthearted story, Adams makes a joke of life, the universe and everything, showing a wayward space traveler has nothing to fear as long as they are in possession of a towel. Similarly, it’s important not to take your arrival at college too seriously. You’ll soon come to find, like the expanses of space, college is not so bad once you get there, as long as you know where your towel is.

While these three books may help you through whatever nerves you have about coming to campus, know that exciting adventures lie ahead with the simple prospect of turning the page.

July 27, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 11

FEATURES

Freshmen Year 2.0

@badgerherald

Incoming sophomores faced a first year plagued with COVID-19 challenges but approach fall 2021 with a fresh outllook

by Emma Conway Digital Features Editor

High school seniors often dream of a perfect college freshman starter pack consisting of a social dorm life, spirited football games and wild college parties.

But plans change.

Last year, dorm life was there, but different — complete with mandatory mask mandates and COVID-19 testing.

Camp Randall football games, normally characterized by herds of fans in red and white going crazy to House of Pain’s “Jump Around,” were nonexistent. College parties were few and far between, sometimes with serious repercussions.

Despite the challenges COVID-19 brought to campus and the country, the uniqueness of the freshmen experience persevered and took shape in different ways.

Now, as administrators and students anticipate fall 2021 will resemble fall 2019, the class of 2024 can likely relate more to incoming first-years than their older junior and senior counterparts.

With much of their freshmen year altered due to the pandemic, the University of Wisconsin rising sophomores are in for an exciting but rude awakening this fall — a freshman year 2.0.

Rising sophomore Daniel Otchere harbors mixed feelings about returning to campus this fall because of that exact reason — and he is surely not alone.

“I’m honestly nervous because it’s really just like freshman year all over again,” Otchere said.

“I don’t know where anything is because I didn’t really leave my room that much, but I’m pretty excited about what it will be like to have a ‘normal’ year of college.”

12 • badgerherald.com • July 27, 2021

UNEXPECTED ADJUSMENTS

Despite the isolation challenges brought on by COVID-19, Mallory Louis, Leah Rietz and Maggie Siepmann managed to become friends through Greek life in the pandemic year. Louis and Seipmann are members of Delta Gamma and Rietz is a member of Alpha Xi Delta.

While going Greek brought all three girls together, their

living situations set them apart — which became the case for many freshmen in the dorms.

After getting off the waitlist at UW, Louis was placed in Chadbourne Residence Hall. She expected to have a roommate. Yet, when move-in day arrived, she realized

only her name was on her door.

The university told Louis the roommate she was assigned decided to drop out because of the pandemic.

“In the beginning, it was actually super hard,” Louis said. “I didn’t have a roommate to do things with or go outside of my comfort zone with.”

Louis was not the only resident flying solo. Thanks to a lack of vaccines, dorms had plenty of rooms available.

While a typical year brings about 8,000 undergrads to the university’s 21 residence halls, UW started the fall 2020 semester with 6,500 undergrads in 19 resident halls. And that number only declined as the year progressed.

As COVID-19 cases increased, so did the number of students staying in oncampus housing. Certain factors also accelerated the move-out rate, such as the Sellery and Witte lockdown in September.

The two biggest dorms on campus were quarantined for two weeks after UW experienced a 20% positivity rate and over 1,000 positive COVID-19 cases in the weeks prior to the shutdown.

The announcement came late in the evening on Sept. 9, sending freshmen scrambling for food and supplies before the lockdown began at 10 p.m.

The spike also halted all in-person instruction for two weeks and caused tensions to boil between local government officials and university administrators over rivaling COVID-19 policies.

Dane County Executive Joe Parisi sent a letter to the university asking UW to send students in the dorms home after 74% of the county’s cases were linked to the campus.

Rietz, one of many students who lived through part of the lockdown, said those two weeks altered her entire year.

“I was in Witte and we had that two-week lockdown,” Rietz said. “It was during my birthday. We couldn’t go outside. It was overall horrible. But probably 70 to 80% of my floor decided to move out during that time.”

facebook.com/badgerherald FEATURES Rietz’s observations probably were not far off, as UW Zoom-filled schedule as Otchere’s roommate, Patrick As the incoming freshmen prepare for this overflow, spokesperson Meredith McGlone reported 5% of all Gosenheimer, tells a different story.

Gosenheimer ’s words still apply. The first-year experience students canceled their housing contracts within the first In the fall, Gosenheimer had two in-person discussions. is what one makes of it — though that doesn’t mean few weeks of the academic year as the university-imposed In the spring, he attended one class entirely in person — adjusting will be easy. quarantine on Sellery and Witte dimmed the campus’ which freshmen who dreamed of a normal first year might prospects of a normal year. consider lucky.

Rietz and her roommate were among the hundreds Despite what he considered good fortune with inOut of the five students interviewed, three recovered of students who vacated the dorms, moving into an person classes, Gosenheimer and other students still faced from COVID-19 after they were infected while the others apartment a few blocks away from Witte after the a litany of additional difficulties as COVID-19 infiltrated experienced a stay in the campus isolation dorms or were lockdown. the dorms. lucky enough to avoid infection entirely. All five students The change forced Rietz to grow up quite quickly, she Gosenheimer and Otchere took the random roommate are either fully vaccinated or plan to be by the fall. said. Though she admits route, another normal No high school senior dreams of having nasal swabs, apartment living was learning curve that lockdowns and vaccinations in their freshman year starter luxurious at the time, she I was in Witte and we had that two-week was complicated by the pack. But rather than pout, these five students believe the has some regrets about pandemic. But the pair class of 2024 made the most of the experience. lockdown. It was during my birthday. moving out. grew close and managed “Whenever people tell me they feel bad for me that I “A dorm experience is to find little things had a horrible freshman year, I’m like, ‘You know what?

We couldn’t go outside. It was overall something I just missed out to enjoy despite the I also don’t know anything different,’” Rietz said. “I don’t horrible. But probably 70 to 80% of my on.” Rietz said. “And I wish I difficulties of day-toknow what it’s supposed to be like.” floor decided to move out during that would’ve gotten it.” day dorm life in a global This year will be different — some could call it a return Rietz is not alone in feeling epidemic. to normalcy. For portions of the class of 2024, the thought time. left out of this crucial part of “Sometimes it was of something completely new is exciting, while for others the freshman experience. a bit difficult trying to it is terrifying.

Following the departure of actually socialize and No matter one’s stance, Louis thinks the lessons learned Leah Rietz more than 300 students from enjoy that part of the from the past year still apply.

University Housing amid the year, while obviously the “Even when we were given the shutdowns and dorm quarantine, the few vacancies in popular off-campus pandemic and everything else happened,” Otchere said. everything else, we could find a light in it,” Louis said. residences such as Statesider quickly filled up. Students “But I feel like they [UW] still tried their best to make it as “We could find something, find ways to make it fun and clamoring to move out of the dorms were soon met with accessible and reasonable as they could so that we could make it really our own unique experience of freshman growing waitlists of other freshmen trying to avoid still enjoy the year as much as possible.” year.” university-imposed activity limits and precautions.

There were easily bright spots sprinkled in throughout Beyond the rising sophomores, all Badgers should But, once lockdowns were lifted and freshmen were able the year, if students chose to see them. buckle up. As the more-contagious COVID-19 delta to socialize — with prior dorm precautions still in place Living in Lakeshore during the pandemic was an added variant takes up a stronghold in Wisconsin and the United — those who moved out abruptly missed their chance to bonus, Otchere and Gosenheimer said. Smaller dorms States, some uncertainty still looms over the fall semester. bond with those in their halls. and the ability to gather outside gave the duo some This is an uncertainty the class of 2024 is used to — and Siepmann said she sees why Reitz and others feel as wiggle room to get a glimpse of normalcy. Both formed one Otchere said they should be prepared for come fall. though they missed out. During the Witte lockdown, unexpected friendships and made unexpected memories “At any moment anything can happen, so it’s important Siepmann, her roommate and other friends made — and the unexpected made everything worth it. to be grateful for the life that you have and the people arrangements to stay at her family’s lake house. When the “Who you’re friends with and how you get involved is around you,” he said. “No matter what happens, it’s two weeks were over, the future was still uncertain. Many seriously everything,” Gosenheimer said. “It’s all about important to be able to adjust and make a way to enjoy the students feared the two dorms would go into lockdown making the most of wherever you are with whatever you moment you’re in, whatever it may be.” for a second time. have.”

But even in the Still, Siepmann and her friends decided to roll the dice.

Both returning unknown, there is hope Even when we were given the shutdowns Looking back, she said the risk was worth it. sophomores and incoming for a normal year.

“I’m so glad that me and my friends stuck it out and first-year students UW predicts that 96% of and everything else, we could find a light stayed in Witte because some of my friends moved out,” recognize the value of dorm incoming dorm residents in it. We could find something, find ways Siepmann said. “Overall, I had a super great experience life in facilitating these will be vaccinated by and I would not trade living in the dorms during COVID relationships, evident in an the time the academic to make it fun and make it really our own for the world because I met super, super great friends on anticipated dorm overflow year starts — a positive unique experience of freshman year. my floor.” this fall. indication for the start of Quarantines aside, living in the dorms was still not UW has about 8,500 the semester. Chancellor easy — and the sorely missed experience has come back to students planning to live Rebecca Blank also haunt UW as the residence halls see record-high demands. in the dorms this semester, released a statement in compared to 8,000 in Fall June preparing students Mallory Louis 2019. The rise in demand for a year which seems In the dormitories, masks were required, four-person was driven in part by “high interest” from returning to resemble pre-pandemic room limits were enforced and weekly COVID-19 testing students, according to a UW news release. times. was mandatory.

To increase capacity, the university has also devoted Beyond the concrete, students can envision and dream A lack of in-person classes also kept students cooped parts of The Lowell Center — formerly a campus hotel about what a post-pandemic college year will look like. up in the small spaces, adding extra hurdles to an already — for freshmen housing, along with converting some Camp Randall’s student sections will be packed with red challenging endeavor for first-years. residence hall spaces into triples and quads. and white once again. College parties and UW’s workOtchere is one of countless students who entered the The changes have added more than 680 beds to campus hard play-hard mentality will be back and hopefully better dorms lacking an in-person college course schedule housing. The overwhelming interest has also prompted than before. because all of his courses were online last year. the university to offer students the chance to be released But no matter what is thrown at UW and the world In the fall, 64% of classes were delivered virtually. The from their housing contract with no financial penalty as this year, all students can always focus on what they can number of classes online jumped to 82% in the spring administrators continue to prepare for “space challenges” always control — their personal outlook. as case numbers soared. But not all students suffered a this fall.

A POSITIVE PERSPEECTIVE

“

“

DORM DRAMA

Design by Corey Holl

July 27, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 13

ARTSETC.

@badgerherald

Breaking down ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’ season 2

Actors Julia Lester, Larry Saperstein give an inside look at cast’s bond, exciting moments of the show’s second season

by Tamia Fowlkes Reporter

Breaking past the boundaries of its wildly popular predecessor, “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” returned to television screens this summer with new stories to tell and innovative takes on all of our favorite throwback Disney classics.

Season two follows up on the story of the energetic bunch of theatre kids at East High, exploring the lives of the characters we’ve come to know and love and following their musical hijinks.

Tackling heavy subjects like sexuality, divorce, imposter syndrome and the fear of growing up, season two intertwines the high stakes challenges of the students facing off against their theatre rivals North High in The National Menken Award theatre competition with relatable and heart-wrenching elements of the high school experience — bringing new life and energy to the popular Disney+ program.

This season picks up on New Year ’s Eve, just weeks after the successful production of “High School Musical” which landed Nini (Olivia Rodrigo) an offer to the Youth Actors Conservatory — a performing arts school in Denver. Ricky’s (Joshua Bassett) in a blissful, yet unaware daze about his showmance and the presumed spring production of High School Musical 2, with the rest of the talented East High bunch prepped and ready to make their mark.

In an interview with The Badger Herald, cast members Julia Lester (Ashlyn) and Larry Saperstein (Big Red) shared their favorite parts about the show’s second season return.

In Conversation With The Cast Since its first season in 2019, “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” has paid careful attention to its representation of characters from a wide range of backgrounds and personal experiences and has found ways ingrain diversity and difference. The refreshing series breaks stereotypes in each and every episode through subtle and explicit actions in conversations between characters.

The show, which won a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Kids and Family Programming for its first season, continues this representation by combining real-life issues with music and engaging storylines.

“It’s really cool, getting to portray this sort of new generation of high school students who are living freely and outspoken and without any boundaries,’’ Lester said. “When I was in high school, our generation was still coming into this 14 • badgerherald.com • July 27, 2021

kind of new age of speaking boldly and freely, expressing opinions and living life out loud, so, it’s been extremely rewarding, getting to play a character and be a part of a show that highlights that.”

Though Lester and Saperstein play love interests on the show and the more central LGBTQ+ couple consists of the widely-adored Carlos and Seb (Seblos to fans), both actors identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community.

They both expressed their excitement for sharing these stories with audiences who missed out on these narratives in their childhood.

“It’s really important for this generation to see that portrayed on Photo - “High School screen because I think even we lacked some of Erin Gretzinger that in the shows that The Badger Herald we grew up watching,” Lester said.

“It’s extremely rewarding and I’m just really touched that we have the opportunity to do that.”

When speaking about what would surprise fans most about this season, the actors said their greatest excitement was the further exploration of new characters and characters who audiences did not know as well.

“Something that I think about all the time is how I’m always so excited whenever we get to do scenes with people who we didn’t get to in season one,” Saperstein said. “If there’s ever a quick scene with Big Red and Kourtney or something fun like that, getting to those new pairings was always so cool.”

Pairings like Kourtney (Dara Renee) and Big Red (Saperstein) bring new experiences for characters to explore in season two, in addition to lots of unexpected drama.

Big Red’s family pizza shop is also a spot of excitement, serving as one of the

Musical: The Musical: The Series” season 2 premiered May 14 on Disney+

most popular hangout spots for the East High crew and sets the scene for several breakups, ballads and parties thrown.

“Getting to have more people come into our world and including our rivals from North High and become just as we are was so exciting,” Saperstein said. “In our second year, it really is like home for us, especially like the school and the people.

All that stuff made the second season such a big moment.”

Saperstein and Lester boasted more excitement to come for the end of an exciting season back at East High, including incredible songs like “The Rose Song” written by breakout star Olivia Rodrigo whose first song “All I Want,” which was featured on the show’s first season, debuted at number 90 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and whose album “Sour” has topped the charts since its release.

“We were really looking forward to season two because we were making it

so much bigger and better, because of the success of season one and because of the family,” Saperstein said.

With love triangles and squares, dance numbers and songs and shining stars galore, “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” season two promises audiences a fulfilling and exciting ride through the lives of our favorite East High kids and real life pop icons — we’re looking at you, Olivia Rodrigo.

The last episode of season two premiered on Disney+ July 30 and with the insight of Saperstein and Lester, we have no choice but to watch (and stan).

“I think the show gained more heart than it had before, just for everything that was going on off camera and how much we all grew to appreciate each other in a new way and love each other,” Lester said. “I think our love for each other just resonates more on screen this season.”

OPINION

facebook.com/badgerherald

New campus renovations will help UW stay world-class university UW campus renovations have the opportunity to enhance student experience, provide infrastructure for sustainability

by Will Romano Opinion Editor

The University of Wisconsin campus recently saw a rise in building renovations as the school looks to accommodate new student, research and technological needs.

The 2021-23 Wisconsin state budget includes money to continue this trend. It provides funding for a new College of Letters and Science building which would replace the outdated Mosse Humanities Building, among other infrastructure projects.

Improving campus infrastructure is critical to keeping UW’s status as a world-class university.

New facilities give students a valuable social and academic experience while also making the school more environmentally sustainable.

Projects in progress largely focus on enriching student life on campus — particularly for underclassmen. Dorms, workout facilities, dining halls are the first indications of UW’s plan to renovate many of the buildings constructed in the 1960s.

UW opened its new Nicholas Recreation Center — “The Nick” — workout facility in September 2020. The four-level building boasts 30,000 square feet of fitness space, 8 courts, 5 studios and an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

The Nick marks the first major step in the school’s 2012 “Master Plan” to modernize fitness facilities that once faced overcrowding issues.

The school said the plan will “help extend our university’s world-class reputation from the classroom to the overall campus experience.”

Dorms are also getting a much-needed revamp. The 11-floor Southeastern Witte dorm renovation project was finished in 2019, which added new study spaces and central air conditioning to the building. Its sibling, Sellery Hall, will complete a similar remodel in 2023.

According to Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Rep. Evan Goyke said during 202123 state budget debates funding for UW System infrastructure was critical to keeping talented students in-state. Goyke added a student’s campus experience is more important than most think.

“Investing in the capital needs of our University of Wisconsin System statewide touches every corner of our state,” Goyke said.

“Building projects are more than brick and steel and concrete, they are an identity for the campus, they change the feel ...”

Beyond recreational and lifestyle facilities, UW also seeks to update its academic buildings where 45,540 students attend class and conduct research each semester. Recent breakthroughs have mainly been in STEM department buildings where facility demands are greater than their social science or humanities counterparts.

In June, UW broke ground on a building expansion for its School of Veterinary Medicine.

The $107.5 million project will increase the size

of animal hospitals and student labs while also modernizing infectious disease research space.

A new chemistry building project will also add a new nine-story tower to house lecture halls and renovate existing laboratories in the lower levels of the building. Moreover, the project will add proper ventilation to the facility and is set to be completed in 2022.

Students rely on engaging academic experiences to not only succeed in their majors but to also discover new career paths. But structural problems and aging prevent students from getting proper learning experiences in some campus buildings.

A concrete slab fell off of 54-year-old Van Hise Hall in April, causing concern over student safety on campus. In 2019, water pipes burst and caused flooding problems in 28 UW buildings, like Vilas Hall, which houses the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Student learning is more difficult in a classroom environment with infrastructure problems or loud repair construction. UW should follow through on its widespread academic building renovation plans to ensure students can receive the same valuable education

UW alumni have for years.

Campus renovations also offer an opportunity to tackle sustainability — another problem for Madison and the world as climate change implications worsen.

Associated Students of Madison Sustainability Chair Ashley Cheung said new buildings can be designed to use less energy and thus decrease the school’s reliance on fossil fuels.

“Newer buildings are often designed to retain heat more efficiently,” Cheung said. “There is potential for green roofs and walls, community gardens, native plants and buildings that integrate with nature.”

Multiple campus buildings have fulfilled that potential. UW’s Gordon Dining Hall — completed in 2012 — installed solar panels on its roof.

The solar array produces the annual energy equivalent to what five Wisconsin homes use and directly powers the building.

Other buildings like Dejope Residence Hall, the Education Building or School of Human Ecology recently added green roofs to provide insulation and to better control stormwater runoff.

For Cheung, these initiatives show progress but are only a start for the school’s sustainability goals.

“Every step of the renovation and building process on campus can be made more sustainable — from sourcing low-impact materials to designing buildings that maximize energy usage,” Cheung said. “UW has the funds and the resources necessary to strive to have every new building it creates to be energy efficient.”

UW’s renovation efforts are starting to shine through on campus with impressive new recreational facilities, dorms and dining halls.

But their attention needs to shift to older academic buildings — particularly those for liberal arts and humanities — where learning can be limited by outdated facilities.

Additionally, new construction projects are the starting point for UW’s push towards carbon neutrality. Sustainable practices should be standard protocol and the school should accommodate all costs as climate change becomes an existential crisis.

Construction — as simple as it sounds — is the way for UW to continue being a top public university in the U.S. and the world.

Photo - Mosse Humanities building, which will be replaced by a new College of Letters & Science building Joey Reuteman The Badger Herald July 27, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 15

OPINION

@badgerherald

Critical Race Theory discussions belong in classrooms, not political arena

Classrooms ideal places for discussions about race, offer students chances to share perspectives outside social media

by Jack Hansen Columnist

Last month, Wisconsin Republicans introduced a series of bills threatening to cut state funding of any public Wisconsin school by 10% if caught teaching critical race theory.

Though the bills do not mention critical race theory by name, their language and timing make it clear this move is part of a recent campaign which has inspired 25 other states to propose similar laws blocking the discussion of race in classrooms.

Critical race theory is an academic discipline that began in law schools in the late 70s.

Kimberlé Crenshaw, the first to use the term “critical race theory,” recently defined the curriculum as “a way of looking at law’s role platforming, facilitating, producing and even insulating racial inequality in our country, ranging

from health to wealth to segregation to policing.”

Simply put, critical race theory is not a noun but a verb. It enables people to talk about how American history has shaped our current society.

While the exact definition of the theory is often contested by those who study it, its critics have created their own definition of the discipline.

Republicans are now using critical race theory as a shorthand for any subject that addresses systemic racism, equity or anti-racism.

Many people blame Christopher Rufo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, for the recent hysteria on the right. Last summer, Rufo appeared on Fox News to warn about the indoctrination of our youth under the name “critical race theory.”

Three weeks later, then-President Trump signed an executive order to ban teaching diversity training in the federal government. President Biden overturned the order on his first day in

office, but 26 states have since either proposed bills or passed laws with similar language.

This sudden outrage over a decades-old academic discipline has left critical race theory scholars scratching their heads. One of the many problems with this movement is like most academic theories, the theory isn’t even being taught in anything except graduate and law schools.

Gloria Ladson-Billings, professor emerita at the University of Wisconsin and one of the first to apply critical race theory in her studies on education policy, thinks its sudden rise in popularity is just a political smokeshow.

In an interview with NPR, Ladson-Billings said politicians are incorrectly using critical race theory for political gain.

“I think the critical race theory is the red herring.

I think what people are really going after at this

Photo - Critical Race Theory opponents twist meaning for political gain, discussions on race, diversity belong in classrooms Bryce Richter University Communications 16 • badgerherald.com • July 27, 2021

point is the 2022 and the 2024 elections,” LadsonBilling said in the interview. “… Well, then what you have to do is gin up a culture war. And that’s what I think is happening.”

As Director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research Ibram X. Kendi puts it, Republicans are fighting a one-sided battle. By carefully twisting the language of the theory to fit their own definition, they’re able to create a strawman they can tear down in front of an audience.

The critical race theory that Wisconsin lawmakers claim is threatening our schools isn’t the critical race theory, but instead a series of initiatives brought on by school districts that include measures like racial justice workshops and anti-bias training for staff.

School districts found these initiatives even more necessary after a historic summer of racial protests that followed the killing of George Floyd. Many administrators and teachers began to re-examine previously held beliefs about race.

In contrast, the right claims the theory is revolutionary and challenges the foundation of American democracy. Rufo even says it would undermine the “Declaration of Independence and destroy the remaining structure of the Constitution.”

It’s clear the theory’s critics are not as concerned with the spread of critical race theory as they are with the preservation of teaching an idealized version of America — one in which structural racism was abolished with the Emancipation Proclamation and then again with the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Omitting details about American history from schools in the name of patriotism is nothing new, but it’s irresponsible to continue this tradition.

Racism plays an important role in American history. Vaguely worded bills like those proposed in Wisconsin will only make it more difficult for teachers to teach about certain subjects and events Critics also say race is “inappropriate” for children, arguing this topic should be left out because it makes people uncomfortable. But a classroom is the most appropriate place to discuss these issues, especially when they are so frequently the topic of current events.

A sanctioned discussion with people who might offer a different perspective than your immediate circle seems like a reasonable antidote to learning about race through a Facebook feed or network television.

Evers is expected to veto these bills, but they have started an important conversation about systemic racism in the classroom. While it’s unlikely the critical race theorycr will ever be formally taught in K-12 classrooms, issues like race, diversity and equity should have a place in primary American education.

facebook.com/badgerherald

OPINION

Wisconsin tuition freeze set, out-of-state students may pay the price

UW System schools left without another option as GOP-led legislature refuses to increase funding for higher education

by Hayden Kolowrat Opinion Editor

A part of the recently passed Wisconsin 2021-23 budget, Gov. Tony Evers and Wisconsin legislators decided to return power to the University of Wisconsin System’s Board of Regents to end the tuition freeze. For the past eight years, the tuition freeze prevented UW schools from increasing the price of tuition for in-state students.

But, the UW Board of Regents voted not to raise tuition for the upcoming academic year July 8 despite having the power returned to them. A surprising move, to say the least.

The UW System has long opposed the tuition freeze since its implementation in 2013. UW System President Tommy Thompson and UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank both explained within the past year that lifting the tuition freeze is necessary to give universities more flexibility over their own finances. Or more likely, the flexibility to dramatically increase tuition in the near future.

The UW System continues to struggle in finding ways to cover its finances. Between the tuition freeze and budget cuts over the past several years, the UW System has a smaller budget despite increased expenses.

But, the new state budget did set aside about $8 million in new funding this year.

The UW System, however, shouldered about $41 million worth of cuts over the past year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Wisconsin legislature continues to ignore calls to dramatically increase higher education funding, so schools like UWMadison respond to the funding shortages by increasing tuition for out-of-state and international students.

During the 2019-20 academic year, UWMadison’s tuition costs for out-of-state students were the third highest among Big Ten schools. Because of the tuition freeze, in-state tuition remained the fifth lowest.

Even after the tuition freeze was abolished, the UW Board of Regents decided not to raise in-state tuition.

While Republican legislators promoted abolishing the tuition freeze, they continued to put on the political pressure

to kept costs affordable for Wisconsin students.

Wisconsin lawmakers originally enacted the tuition freeze to prevent dramatic increases in costs for students. Now, lawmakers continue their commitment to protecting the cost of public education for in-state students.

UW administrators are now being careful when considering a tuition increase so they don’t lose political support for other important policies. Thompson said in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel a tuition increase could affect the budget.

Lucky for in-state UW students, they continue to enjoy tuition costs far lower than their out-of-state peers. For the whole academic year, Wisconsin in-state tuition is about $10,700, whereas out-of-state students pay around $37,700 for the exact same education.

While this disparity is extreme, its reasoning has merit. As a public university, Wisconsin taxpayers fund UW universities, and many Wisconsin families hope their child will be admitted to one of the universities they helped pay

for. Increasing the cost of tuition makes higher education less attainable for many Wisconsin families.

Due to little in-person learning because of COVID-19 and fewer available amenities, many students complained the value of their education had diminished despite the same cost of tuition. Thousands of students chose not to enroll over the past year because of concerns about the quality of their education.

So for in-state students, stable tuition rates this upcoming year are definitely a win. Wisconsin students and families continue to benefit most from this system as they pay a discounted price for their education. Out-of-state students, however, will likely continue to suffer as UW System institutions choose to increase their tuition costs over those of in-state students for political reasons.

The UW System will have to find funds somewhere in the near future at this rate.

But until Wisconsin lawmakers can agree to allocate more state funding to higher education, changing tuition costs will be their only option.

Politicized Wisconsin state budget provides tax breaks for the wealthy

2021-23 Budget uses recent $4.4 billion surplus for tax relief, leaves out crucial investments in healthcare, education

by Leah Terry Columnist

In order to secure additional federal education funding for Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers signed a heavily Republican-influenced 2021-23 state budget late last week, committing two billion dollars to income tax cuts over the next two years.

The tax cut proposed by the GOP passed along partisan lines in the Assembly and Senate. It will reduce the tax rate for individuals in Wisconsin making between $23,930 and $263,480 from 6.27% to 5.3%.

According to calculations from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, under the new tax cut, the second-lowest income bracket — or 20% of Wisconsinites — will see their taxes cut $12 per year. The state’s top one percent of earners have the potential to save up to $2,912 per year.

Tax cuts that reduce taxes by the same percentage across vastly different income brackets only damage progress towards income equality and disproportionately benefit the rich. The GOP’s plan, which Evers had little choice but to sign, provides tax cuts to people in high wealth brackets, who do not need them.

In a veto message, Evers framed the

legislature’s budget — which he signed July 8 — quite simply as a series of “false choices between the priorities the people of this state care about and deserve.” An in-depth look at the passed tax cut reveals Wisconsinites should agree.

Wisconsin will see a surplus of $4.4 billion dollars in tax revenue from the past three years — an unprecedented amount for the state.

Legislative Republicans originally responded to the surplus by proposing a $3.3 billion dollar tax cut which Evers later reduced to two billion dollars. They claimed this tax cut would save Wisconsin families an average of $1,200. Democrats who opposed the cut argued people making over $100,000 per year would receive three-fourths of the income tax cuts, therefore providing more help to people who don’t need it.

Evers proposed his original 2021-2023 biennium state budget back in February. This “Badger Bounceback” plan, originally set to cost $91 billion, was stripped of approximately 400 of its progressive provisions by the Republican-led Joint Finance Committee. This included provisions that would have legalized marijuana, expanded Medicaid and reinstated collective bargaining rights, among other things.

Evers wasn’t able to provide more in this budget because of the carelessness of Republican legislators and the specific language they used to write the bill. The GOP tax cut highlights the party’s lack of understanding of the urgency required to invest in Wisconsin’s economic recovery.

When surpluses make tax cuts possible, it’s essential they focus on lower-income individuals and families. Taxing higher incomes allows for investments in underfunded areas and can dismantle the systemic economic oppression lower-income communities face.

This surplus presented a rare opportunity for investments in infrastructure and areas like education, broadband internet access, renewable energy and healthcare. Making these investments now would benefit lower-income Wisconsinites by helping them utilize resources that are disproportionately inaccessible.

If legislature Republicans truly cared about Wisconsin families having an extra $1,200 in their bank accounts, they would’ve helped pass stimulus checks and the American Rescue Plan Act. They would be advocating for universal basic income or for increasing the minimum wage. This isn’t about helping Wisconsin families for legislative Republicans. This is partisan politics for political gain.

If Evers didn’t sign the budget, Wisconsin would’ve lost out on $2.3 billion in federal coronavirus relief funding for schools. This made Evers unable to veto the entire budget, forcing him to use his veto powers in small, precise ways.

A continuation of Evers’ commitment to prioritize education is found in the investment the budget makes in higher education infrastructure. The $6.564 billion annual University of Wisconsin System operating budget includes plans for a new buildings.

Evers signed the Republican-written budget with 50 partial vetoes. The Wisconsin governor has one of the most powerful line-item veto powers in the country.

The final 2021-2023 state budget will still be largely beneficial and make historic positive investments in tax relief, but after changes made by legislative Republicans, the budget doesn’t meet Wisconsinites’ needs during a pandemic and economic recession.

Going forward, Democrats must prove they are the party fighting for the working class and ensure tax cuts benefit the people who need them most. Taking the tax burden off lower-income families by making wealthy Wisconsinites pay their fair share is a vital step in this process.

July 27, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 17

SPORTS

BADGERS IN TOKYO

@badgerherald

16 University of Wisconsin athletes across 8 different events will be competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olypmic Games

by Charlie Dern Sports Editor

MADDIE WANAMAKER Get loud and proud, Badgers, because 16 University of Wisconsin athletes across eight different events will be competing in the Summer Tokyo Olympic Games.

Here is a closer look at Toyko-bound Badger Maddie Wanamaker — a second generation UW rower excited to make her Olympic debut.

Competing in the Women’s Four Rowing event alongside members of the Stanford University, University of Michigan and University of California-Berkeley crew teams, Wanamaker is a part of the U.S. team for the Summer Tokyo Games the last week of July.

A three-time academic all Big Ten winner, Wanamaker started her rowing career as a freshman in Madison, following in her parents’ footsteps — both rowed for UW in their college days. Wanamaker competed in Track and Field, Cross Country and Soccer at Neenah High School before ultimately giving rowing a try the summer before her freshman year of college.

While she never rowed before coming to the university, Wanamaker quickly fell in love with the sport her parents participated in at a high level.

“Knowing that they rowed, it always was in the back of my mind as an option,” Wanamaker said. “The summer going into my freshman year, they told me there was a rowing camp ... after having the Wisconsin experience for a week I was like, ‘This is what I want to do.’”

After her first two years, Wanamaker worked her way up to the first Varsity eight boat where she was eventually selected to compete in the 2017 World Rowing U23 Championships, coming away from the

Photo · Wanamaker’s first race for the Women’s Four Rowing was July 24 where she raced with the U.S. team Jason Chan The Badger Herald competition a silver medal.

Four years later, Wanamaker hopes to make a mark at the Olympics.

“I hope that I will be able to go back and tell [Current Badger Rowers], ‘You can do it. It won’t always be fun, but Badgers can

do it,’” Wanamaker said.

Fighting an injury for most of this season, Wanamaker felt as though her Olympic dream was up in the air. “I don’t think it’s going to feel real until I’m on the starting line in Japan,” she said.

OTHER UW OLYMPIANS Rugby:

• Alicia Monson • Zack Ziemek

Women’s Rowing: • Megan Kalmoe • Jessica Thoennes

Volleyball:

• Alev Kelter

Track and Field: • Mohammed Ahmed • Kelsey Card • Georgia Ellenwood • Ollie Hoare • Morgan McDonald 18 • badgerherald.com • July 27, 2021

• Lauren Carlini 3X3 Basketball:

• Rae Lin D’Alie Swimming:

• Yigit Aslan • Phoebe Bacon

Soccer:

• Rose Lavelle Softball:

• Kelsey Harshman Photo · Rose Lavelle, a UW Women’s Soccer player from 2013-16, is set to make her Olympic debut after showstopping outing in 2019 World Cup Jason Chan The Badger Herald

Wanamaker said she and her teammates are grateful that the games are happening at all, given the state of Tokyo and the Covid-19 pandemic.

The United States Women’s Four took part in their first race on Saturday, July 24.

facebook.com/badgerherald

SPORTS

Rae Lin D’Alie: Former UW basketball player aims to score big in Tokyo

‘I’m proud to be a Badger! On, Wisconsin forever!’ D’Alie, a 3x3 player for Italy, fondly recounts her time in Madison

by Charlie Dern Sports Editor

Chasing her Olympic dream, Rae Lin D’Alie will compete for Italy in the Tokyo Olympic games starting in late July.

D’Alie, a former University of Wisconsin basketball standout guard, punched Italy’s ticket to the Olympic games after hitting the game winning shot in the FIBA 3×3 Universality Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

After struggling for much of the final Olympic qualifier, D’Alie waited as the clock slowly ticked away, for a screen to free her up for an open shot.

D’Alie took matters into her own hands, dribbling in on her opponent before hoisting up the game winning shot and finding nothing but net.

D’Alie and her squad are the first Italian basketball team to qualify for the Olympics in 17 years.

“I was 0–9 in the first eight minutes and then closed the game differently than I started,” D’Alie said. “To hit the shot like that was really special.”

In 2017, the International Olympic Committee announced the inclusion of 3×3 in the Tokyo Olympics. The sport took only

seven years to grow into an Olympic event.

Representing Italy in the games, D’Alie spoke on how much it means to the country to find success in the sport after a very hard year dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Italy is really proud right now and I’m really grateful because they gave me a chance to be able to play a sport I love in a country that Dad’s side derives from and for me it’s just a dream come true,” D’Alie said.

Earning the MVP award for her heroics, D’Alie’s Olympic dream found new life after the games were postponed a year due to the pandemic.

The Waterford High School graduate committed to UW shortly after her high school career ended. Playing in Madison was a childhood dream turned into a reality, and she quickly found a new home on the team.

Playing with the Badgers from 2006 to 2010, D’Alie set the record for most games started and most consecutive games started in a Badger uniform after starting in 131 of her 132 game career. She ranks second in career assists with 483.

D’Alie is one of the smallest professional or collegiate players in the world, standing

at five feet and three inches, but never has let her height make a difference in her work ethic.

As a freshman, D’Alie helped earn the Badgers’ first Women’s National Invitation Tournament bid since 2000. In her next two seasons she led the team to two more WNIT bids and made it as far as the Sweet 16 her junior year.

D’Alie made sure to bring her Badger pride overseas with her. “I’m proud to be a Badger! On, Wisconsin forever!” D’Alie said.

After finishing her storied Badger career, D’Alie moved to Italy, where she started playing professional basketball.

Upon arriving in Italy, D’Alie dreamed of making Italian national team and representing her country in the Olympics.

Crediting her success to family, God and self determination, D’Alie found 3×3 basketball in the summer of 2016, writing down in her journal her new goal of competing for Olympic gold in the 3×3 games.

After leading Italy to a 3×3 World Cup victory in 2018, where she was also given the MVP honors, D’Alie and the Italian National team joined seven other countries in competing for Olympic gold.

D’Alie will get a chance to compete against the United States of America at least once during the games — a challenge that excites the dual citizen.

“I think it would just be really cool,” D’Alie said. “A really great memory to have that in the storybook of my life.”

A woman of many talents, D’Alie created the FIBA 3×3 anthem song. As a leader on and off the court, she spoke and performed at the Racine County Fairgrounds Fireworks Fest June 25, which was also a send off event for D’Alie.

Using her parents property as grounds for some of her Olympic training, D’Alie conditions by running laps around their property, swimming in the body of water in front of their house and practicing her shot with the help of her many nephews and nieces.

“They’ll pass me the ball, they’ll play me on defense,” D’Alie said. “There’s no other better Olympic prep ground.”

After making a month-long stop at home to train and see her family, who will be unable to make the trip overseas to Tokyo, D’Alie returned to Italy for training July 1.

The two-week training camp ended July 16, when the team flew to Tokyo. The Olympic games began July 23.

SPORTS

@badgerherald

Football: UW’s star players bring Badgers hope for 2021 season

But this year’s offense needs to step up in order for Badgers to make Big Ten Football Championship run

by Gavin Derkatch Sports News Editor

The 2020 campaign was not one to remember for those around the University of Wisconsin football program, as the team finished 4–3 in their shortened season.

During the season, the Badgers never got into their true form as cancellations due to COVID-19 and an injury-riddled depth chart dragged down the season.

But, Badger fans have a reason for optimism as the 2021 season approaches.

While there are improvements to be made from last season, the key starters on both sides of the ball will be returning, helping to get UW football getting back on track.

Offense

Major producers for the Badgers offense like senior receivers Danny Davis III and Kendric Pryor are back to make life easier for Graham Mertz, as well as sophomore Chimere Dike, who showed promise in the 2020 season. Jake Ferguson also opted to return for another season in Madison — a safe target who should be one of the top tight ends in the Big Ten in 2021.

Last season’s rushing attack did not look like that of the vintage Badgers like Ron Dayne, Montee Ball, Melvin Gordon III and Jonathan Taylor. Redshirt freshman Jalen Berger will look to add his name onto that list of Badgers greats and he certainly has the potential to do so. Berger led the team in rushing last season, with 301 yards in just four appearances.

The Badgers return three of the five offensive lineman from last season, and are expecting to fill in the remaining holes without much worry. Getting a strong running game is vital if the Badgers want to improve on last season’s lackadaisical offense. Berger will anchor this year ’s with help from Isaac Guerendo and others.

With the offense’s arsenal of weapons all set to return in 2021, the production will come down to the most important position of all — the quarterback. Graham Mertz showed the potential that has been long talked about with the highly-touted recruit, but did not do so consistently. But, there was nothing easy about being a firstyear starter in the 2020 season because of cancellations and a constant lack of weapons due to injuries.

With another offseason under his belt, it is fair to expect more consistent quarterback play. If the players around him stay healthy, Graham Mertz has the ability to elevate the Badgers’ offense in 2021.

Defense

On the other side of the ball, the Badgers return much of what was a top-ranked defensive unit last season. That defense led the Big Ten in total defense, allowing just under 300 yards a game and ranked No. 9 nationally in scoring defense at 17.4 points per game allowed.

20 • badgerherald.com • July 27, 2021

The big win for this unit was retaining defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, who drew interest from the Green Bay Packers for the same role.

Leonhard has made a name for himself as one of the top defensive coordinators in the nation and is back to lead the Badgers’ defense.

The strongest group of Badger defense set to return is the linebacking core.

Tackling machine Jack Sanborn is back along with Leo Chenal, two experienced linebackers who make things very difficult for opposing offenses.

Nick Herbig will return after showing great playmaking ability in his freshman year — a young piece on the defense who is expected to continue improving with time.

The secondary also returns a wealth of experience with senior cornerbacks Caesar Williams and Faion Hicks, along with senior safety Scott Nelson. They will miss graduating senior Eric Burrell, but overall should have a sturdy safety net for the back end of the defense.

Wisconsin’s defensive line is the one level of the defense that will see some fresh faces in 2021, with Isaiahh Loudermilk and Garrett Rand both moving on. Keeanu Benton is a name to watch in the upcoming season with elevated snaps and production expected.

Schedule and Expectations

The 2021 season will get off to a hot start, with the Badgers opening up the season at home against Penn State. It doesn’t get much easier after week one, with two of the next three games against Michigan and Notre Dame at Soldier Field. If the team can get through that tough stretch to start the season, things could be looking bright for this Wisconsin team.

The Badgers only have four true road games which fall into place with some of the weaker Big Ten opponents. The team plays on the road against Illinois, Purdue, Rutgers and Minnesota.

Pairing the road schedule with the key fact that the Badgers do not face Ohio State in the regular season makes this a relatively favorable schedule for Wisconsin.

With the Jim Leonhard-led defense expected to be among the top in the nation again in 2021, Badgers fans are aware that success will be reliant on the offense improving from their sluggish performance last season.

The rushing attack will be pivotal to improving the Badgers offense, as we have seen with successful Wisconsin teams in the past.

A strong running game would open up the offense and make things easier for young quarterback Graham Mertz.

A healthy group of playmakers along with improved decision making from Mertz should lead to a return to the Big Ten Football Championship game for the Badgers in 2021.

Photo · UW-Madison vs. Purdue, Dec. 2019 Ahmad Hamid The Badger Herald

facebook.com/badgerherald

COLUMN

The Lab Report: UW researchers explore health, air quality issues Bertram Research Group studies atmospheric chemistry at UW’s Department of Chemistry to mitigate climate change

by Scott McInerney Science News Editor

Editor ’s note: The Lab Report is a weekly series in The Badger Herald’s print edition where we take a deep dive into the research lives of students and professors outside the classroom.

Despite being smaller than the eye can see, tiny particles in the air we breathe can have a big impact on our health and the environment.

The Bertram Research Group in the University of Wisconsin’s Department of Chemistry studies how these compounds cause air quality issues with important health and climate implications.

UW Professor Tim Bertram and his group study applications of atmospheric chemistry in both local and remote locations — including on the raging ocean.

UW graduate student Delaney Kilgour chose the Bertram Group for her research due to its applications to society. Everything the group works on feels relevant to her — a trait she felt other areas of chemistry seemed to lack.

Kilgour conducts experiments in collaboration with the National Science Foundation Center for Aerosol Impacts on Chemistry of the Environment and the University of California, San Diego.

Currently, she is focusing on gas phase emissions of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, over the ocean, where not a lot is known about their climate impacts.

“We know a lot about a few gases, but if you just take those gases that we know about, it’s not enough to be able to explain things like cloud formation over the ocean, so it points to a missing source of VOC,” Kilgour said.

These VOCs can form from biological systems in the ocean like phytoplankton or bacteria, or from gas-liquid reactions occurring at the ocean’s surface. Kilgour said VOCs are important because once emitted into the atmosphere they can react further, condense into a particle, uptake water and form a cloud.

Kilgour compares the VOC production of blank seawater samples to samples with a reactive component to see what VOCs are produced from the natural ecosystem of the sea water.

“This work should enable us to get a more complete suite of VOC production over the ocean,” Kilgour said. “It’s just not known right now. We know [VOC production] could happen, but we don’t know the magnitude and we don’t know the molecules that are actually being produced.”

Kilgour ’s studies contribute to the broader atmospheric chemistry goals of the group as a whole.

Bertram said VOCs can react in the atmosphere to form ozone, a harmful chemical in the atmosphere.

Ozone is a strong oxidant, Bertram said, so it’s a lung irritant that could impact the respiratory health of young people, the elderly or those with respiratory issues. Similarly, small particulate matter in the air, called aerosols, can also affect respiratory health and even smaller aerosols may have even more health impacts that are currently unknown.

The Bertram group takes this Photo · By testing the chemistry of the air over the water, the Bertram Research Group hopes to learn more about volatile organic compounds understanding to the and how they affect the quality of the air broader context of air Ahmad Hamid quality while working The Badger Herald locally to study the air quality along the said. “That’s the ultimate tool because you part of atmospheric chemistry and it’s coast of Lake Michigan, where there is an can change emissions in those models to really now in the hands of the engineers of ozone exceedance in the summer. Bertram see what you would do to mitigate the whether or not this is a marketable enough said other areas with air quality issues in problem.” product that folks might want to invest in,” Wisconsin include Sheboygan, Manitowoc Most of the work involved in the Bertram Bertram said. and Door County.

Group pertains to outdoor air quality, but Keeping the air we breathe clean and “Every one cares about the air that they they opened their scope of research to study getting to the bottom of what affects it is an breathe in their own state or in their own how outdoor and indoor air quality are area of science that will continue to affect city,” Bertram said. intertwined. the daily lives of people locally and globally, Seeking answers to questions regarding Bertram said that most indoor air systems Kilgour said. these air quality issues, the Bertram Group operate under the assumption that the air Kilgour is passionate about environmental takes to the field to measure compounds in quality is worse indoors than it is outdoors, chemistry and plans on continuing to spend the air that are precursors to ozone as well so rapid ventilation is important to maintain her time at UW learning about atmospheric as oxidation products of ozone. good indoor air. But, some regional air chemistry and its important applications to In a project called the Lake Michigan quality events, forest fires, dramatically society.

Ozone Study, the group collaborated with impact outdoor air quality, making it worse “Everything we do in this group, it regional scale atmospheric modelers and the than the air inside. just feels relevant. Even though I don’t Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

When these events occur, an HVAC specifically work on air quality, just being “Our role in this is to make direct these system that can respond to them would a part of this group and being in the measurements that can be used to constrain help maintain indoor air quality and keep atmospheric chemistry community, I’ve a regional model that tries to predict when pollutants out of buildings. learned so much it’s so impactful to your you would have these events,” Bertram “I think we’ve demonstrated the hard daily life,” Kilgour said.

July 27, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 21

BANTER

@badgerherald

Baby Badgers: Gear up for Wando’s wars with the incoming sophomores

They’re back, and they’re hungry for all the darties they never got to experience in full ... it’s the big bad sophomores!

by Hallie Humbert Banter Editor

Freshman year. It’s finally here. You’ve posted your commitment photos. You’ve made your obligatory “I love to go out but I also enjoy a quiet night in” Facebook post hoping to simultaneously seem effortlessly chill and social to your fellow incoming Badgers.

You’ve bought those 89-cent plastic bowls from Target for your dorm. And that futon that doubles as a bed … ;) You’re 18. You’re unstoppable. It’s time to spread your wings, step on campus and finally enjoy the freedom — not just from the past year and a half of online school, masks and social distancing, but freedom from your childhood.

Freshman year is the time in a young Badger ’s life where you get to enjoy freedom with none of the responsibility.

You got a 2.6 in the first semester? You’re just AdJusTinG tO tHe ColLegE LiFeStyle.

Chlamydia in the first week? The same excuse is applicable.

In all seriousness, freshman year is a wonderful, exciting, unprecedented time in your life where everyone is on the same

page — nervous, excited, unsure of themselves, wanting to make new friends and fit in but not totally sure of how to yet.

All of the doubt and the uncertainty that comes with being on your own for the first time is 100% natural. Even if someone seems like they know what they’re doing, they don’t — they’re just better at hiding that they’re using Google Maps to get to Gordon than you are.

There is nothing to be afraid of freshman year.

Not. One. Single.

Ahmad Hamid The Badger Herald

Thing.

Well … I take that back.

So there’s one teeny, tiny, insignificant, unimportant detail no University of Wisconsin freshman year class has had to handle in almost a century. What is this looming threat, you may wonder? Well, it’s the barely-biggerthan-you Badgers.

Sophomores who never got to fully experience their own freshman year.

It’s like when an immovable object meets an unstoppable force — incoming UW freshman versus the sophomores

who never got to experience college in full due to Mrs. (Mr.? Mx.?) Rona.

This is how I predict the year is about to go.

What’s this? Sophomores??? At YOUR bars? Stealing all the brunettes at Riley’s?

Clogging the line at Wando’s. Taking the cup night THEY never got to experience back by storm.

They’re back. And they’re hungry.

Hungry for all the darties they never got to experience in full. Ravaged for those Saturday afternoons at Camp Randall singing “Build me up Buttercup” and “Jump Around” at the top of their lungs.

Hell, I’m a junior writing this while listening to Build Me Up Buttercup right now and I’m tearing up a little.

They’re envious of the renovated — and no longer shitty — Witte and Sellery dorms sans a two-week-long lockdown. It’s a showdown between the class of 2024 and 2025 at UW in its full, packed, rowdy glory!

Not that I’m picking sides, but … best of luck, baby Badgers. Keep in mind that I’m no psychic or anything, so this is just a hunch, but don’t worry, you’ll see.

Anyway, never forget class of 2025, this is YOUR year. Welcome and as always, On, Wisconsin!

CONTACT:

EDITOR@BADGERHERALD.COM

BANTER

facebook.com/badgerherald

Vaccinated? Here are 3 ways to avoid looking like an anti-masker

Some quick fixes that will help you go from ‘mah freedum bruther’ to ‘I’m fully vaccinated YEEHAW!’ in tight spots

by Lorenzo Reyes Banter Editor

Okay, so we all know why you’re reading this article. You probably had the same feeling that I had when I walked into a Costco for the first time without a mask.

Yeah … it’s not a good feeling when you walk into a store and find yourself among a crowd including Harley-Davidson tank tops, reflective Oakley sunglasses and unkempt beards.

In the back of your mind — even though you’re fully vaccinated — you’re thinking, “How are you going to let the others know you’re not some smooth-brained chud who’s about to start talking about the deficit?”

Don’t worry, though. Today, I’m going to teach you self-conscious, maskless beauties how to properly behave in a store so your vibe is more “I’m fully vaccinated” and less “mah freedum bruther.”

The first option is a move right out of the middle-aged mom playbook. I’m sure many of you have seen this move in action — you know, when you accidentally got too close to a white mom in Target during the pandemic? And they took a huge dramatic step backward and shot you a passive aggressive “fuck you” look? Of course you do — we’ve all seen it!

My advice to you is to adopt this move.

It’s a great way of saying “I swear I’ve gotten the vaccine … Now let me show you that I take this thing seriously by taking a big ass step away from you” without saying anything at all!

Okay, time for option two. This approach involves you not being able to shut the fuck up about how “weird” it is that you don’t have to wear a mask anymore. What I am recommending you do is talking to ANYONE around you.

It doesn’t matter if they’re listening or not because others around you can hear you, and your awkward rambling will spread to every corner of the store!

It is also vital to speak to every single underpaid employee about how weird you feel — trust me, they’ll love it for SURE! This last tip is a little more specific — it’s for all of the smartasses out there who bought a Cuomo/Fauci 2020 shirt early last year.

I know right now it’s right behind your Harry Potter box set and on top of your signed copy of “A Promised Land,” but this could be the perfect opportunity to put that thing to good use.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first, we gotta get Cuomo’s name the fuck off that shirt (who knew that a shitty mayor who cut public medical funding over the years was ALSO an asshole behind the scenes?).

Photo - But in all seriousness ... wearing masks ain’t so bad!

Lorenzo Reyes The Badger Herald

All you have to do is place some thick duct tape right over “Cuomo’’ and “2020” so your shirt just says “Fauci.” Now — with your brand new “Fauci” shirt — you’ll be sure to make people feel safe and secure and confuse the fuck out of them at the same time!

At the end of the day, isn’t that the dream?

So there you have it, three rock solid ways to ensure everyone around you knows you’re no anti-masker, but you’re someone who cares about public health.

I mean, I can’t stand people who don’t even give a second thought about how their selfish actions can destroy lives.

I just can’t believe that the slightest inconvenience can make people act in such a way ... oh what? The World Health Organization is now recommending to wear masks again because of the Delta variant?

Lol fuck that shit, I already threw all mine away — you’re out of your damn mind if you think I’m doing THAT again. Anyways, from one science believer to another, have a great rest of your COVID-free summer!

Photo - The Badger Herald at the annual softball game vs. the Daily Cardinal. We are so excited to be back and in person this fall!

Ahmad Hamid The Badger Herald

July 27, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 23