Fox Times A student–run publication
April 2016
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CONTENTS
Fox Times | APRIL 2016
3 The Wizards of the Fox Times 4 From the Editor 5 Ask Foxy 6 Cheers and Jeers 7 Recipes 8 Club Spotlight 15 Korean KPOP 16 International Professional Field Studies Ireland 18 Ulcerative Colitis 19 History of April Fools’ Day
20 21 22 24 28 24 30 32 38 44
My Fitness Journey Faces of FVTC April Foolin’ Spring Visits From the Archives Faces of FVTC Jim Beard Interview Water tainted with lead, copper at two Wisconsin state prisons Controversial debt buyers get a break under new Wisconsin law Comics by Phil Hands
Advisor
Fox Times Staff Members
Shannon Gerke Corrigan gerkecor@fvtc.edu
Rich Weber – Editor In Chief William Miller – Layout & Design Ezra Kizewski – Photography Brenda Winkler Christiana Coakley Joel Hovel
Contributors Rae Derks Amber Stanczak Josh Buckley
April Walker Dee J. Hall Bridgit Bowden
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Kim Bazan Sonia Moreno
The Wizards of the Fox Times
Shannon Gerke Corrigan
Rich Weber
William Miller
Ezra Kizewski
Joel Hovel
Brenda Winkler
Christiana Coakley
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F rom The Edit or Hello and happy April everyone!
This issue was a fun one to put together. I am really going to miss our brainstorming sessions coming up with new and interesting ways to impress students and staff. Yes, we had some fun with Photoshop and it turned out fantastic! As the train continues down the track to graduation town; I find myself more and more introspective, even more than usual. Thinking back upon the people I have met in my journey here; the experiences I have had, and the knowledge I have accumulated, it is darn humbling to realize that these fascinating people and this great college allowed me to be a part of it. People like Ivan Vue, Sarah Freimuth, Chad Cizek, Kate Lulloff, Patty Jacob, and oh so many others. Gosh, I could list the people starting today and might be done by graduation. The wisdom and fun these people imparted onto me is immeasurable, and hopefully I provided a tiny amount of the same in return. Experiences. Advocating on student’s behalf in Madison with our legislators, twice! Testifying on behalf of technical college’s and technical college students in front of the Joint Finance Committee in Brillion. Angie Cook and Liz Jeffers accompanied me to that event; good thing they did as I had a panic attack when I realized 15 legislators had stopped horsing around and were staring at me with their full attention. Their whispers of “wtf? Get it together!” helped me finish as I froze up. Good times. I’ve been to New Orleans for Student Government, New Mexico for Phi Theta Kappa, Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, Rhinelander, Stevens Point, Green Bay, Oshkosh, Chilton, Clintonville, Waupaca, and so many other places. Great times, great experiences, knowledge gained, and too many positives to list.
Memories that will last a lifetime, friends made, and paths shown to be correct and incorrect. Sigh.
Let’s end our jaunt down memory lane and get to what this issue is all about. In this issue we have Brenda discussing the history of pranks and April Fool’s Day, Christiana with her Fox Times story, Joel discussing Ulcerative Colitis, Bill describing his Spring Break excursion to Ireland with the Global Education department. SGA’s own Rae Derks writing about Appleton DECA, and a spotlight on the Spring Phi Theta Kappa Induction event. Oh, and of course the fun with photoshop. Wisconsin Watch delivers another fact filled expose on something shady in Wisconsin. Sadly, this has become all too commonplace. Speaking of Wisconsin Watch, I have had some people question why we include their articles. On Issuu, the online magazine rack that houses the Fox Times, I can see what pages and sections people read. Club Spotlights are number one, Editorials are usually second, and then Wisconsin Watch comes in third. People want to read it. People DO read it. That is why it is included. Plus a large bonus is that it is valid, factual information revealing corruption and improper practices in our state. What else is happening? Oh yes. Bill and I are planning to go out with a bang, so look for the May issue when it comes out. We have been working on some things all year that will make our final entry into the Fox Times lineage THE best ever. Bittersweet as it is, I am looking forward to this final issue. The perfect capper to a thrilling adventure. Have a great April!
F x Times Articles Wanted Do you like what you see within these pages? Then join us. Do you think you can do better? Then get up off your duff and do it. If you 4 | FVTC STUDENT PUBLICATION | APRIL 2016
need article suggestions, let me know. Email me at fvtcfoxtimes@gmail.com
Submit comments or questions for Foxy at fvtcfoxtimes@gmail.com. Dear Foxy, Are you into pranks? I love pranking everyone, and I end up getting better than I give. Do you have any favorite April’s Fools pranks that you play or played on you? Joker Hi Joker, Oh, do I! This one time at band camp… And then there was the time I shaved Sly’s tail while he was sleeping… Oh, and my absolute favorite, when I replaced Sly’s body wash with high quality hair dye. Sly sure was feeling blue then! Dear Foxy, I am closing in on graduation and haven’t found a job yet. I’m pretty sure everyone else already has a job lined up. I feel like I am the only one still looking. What should I do? Confused and Drifting Hey Confused! You are definitely not the only one looking! The first thing you or any student should do is to contact the Employment Connections office here on the Appleton campus. Their information is here:
interviews, locating a great opportunity, there are countless ways they can help a student lost within the job search process. Dear Foxy, So who will be your babysitter when Rich and Bill leave? Is everyone okay with you being unsupervised? Concerned Hi Concerned, Unsupervised? Heck, Foxy is unsupervised now. Foxy let’s Bill and Rich think they control Foxy. The man can’t keep Foxy down, let Foxy tell you. Foxy is worldwide baby! Foxy transcends this reality on so many levels that Foxy doesn’t even know them all. Foxy is also referring to Foxy in the Third-Foxy. That is like if Inception became meta in the Matrix or something like that. Anyhow, Foxy doesn’t need a babysitter. Why would you sit on a baby anyway? Just asking.
920-735-5627 EmploymentConnections@fvtc.edu Hours Monday-Thursday - 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Friday - 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Appleton Campus Room E135 Used with permission
Oshkosh Campus Main Office Speak with Chris, Cindy, Eric, Mary, Sarah, Ty, and any of them can help you with your job search! Resume assistance, cover letters, mock FACEBOOK.COM/FVTCFOXTIMES | 5
Cheers
Jeers
Cheers to the PAS (Post-Secondary Agricultural Students) Club for representing Fox Valley Technical College well at their national competition! Cheers to the students that will be competing in the Skills USA competition in April! Cheers to Wisconsin for turning out to vote! 47% of eligible voters is still a terrible number, but much better than the 20% that usually show up. Cheers to the Agriculture Department and Teresa Tueschl for throwing a great FFA (Future Farmers of America) event! Over 1,000 people attended the event. Cheers to HSU (Hmong Student Union) for having an amazing Open Mic Night! Jeers to Mother Nature for the umpteenth month in a row. Sun! Is that really so much to ask for? Jeers to the political season in general. Can we just be done now? Jeers to North Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi. They know why.
If you wish to submit a cheer or jeer, send an email to fvtcfoxtimes@gmail.com with cheers and jeers in the subject line. 6 | FVTC STUDENT PUBLICATION | APRIL 2016
Recipes Strawberry Basil Margaritas by Brenda Winkler
Makes 1 pitcher, or about 8 servings Ingredients: 1 can (12 ounces) frozen limeade concentrate 10-12 strawberries 8 basil leaves 2 to 2 1/2 cups tequila (gold or silver) Directions: 1. Empty the limeade concentrate into a pitcher. Add 2 1/2 cans of water 2. Add 1 1/2 (18 ounces, or 2 1/4 cups) of tequila (or a bit less, if you don’t want your drinks to be quite as strong). 3. Hull the strawberries, slice lengthwise, and add to the pitcher. 4. Crumple the basil a little in your hands (this will help the basil flavor release into the drink) and add it to the pitcher. 5. Place the pitcher, covered, in the fridge overnight, or for at least four hours before serving.
Strawberry Spinach Salad Serves 8
Ingredients: 2 spinach bunches, rinsed and torn in pieces 4 Cups sliced strawberries ½ Cup vegetable oil ¼ Cup white wine vinegar ½ Cup white sugar ¼ Tsp. paprika 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds Directions: 1. In a large bowl, toss together the spinach and strawberries. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, and sesame seeds. 3. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.
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Electronics & E-waste Recycling Thurs. April 21st 10am-5pm Bordini Center, Fox Valley Tech Electronics are banned from landfills FREE DISPOSAL OF:
Flat Screen Televisions & Computer Monitors
$15 DISPOSAL FEE:
CRT Televisions
CRT Computer Monitors
Other CRT-Screened Devises
Computer Towers
Keyboards & Mice
Cell Phones
VCRs, DVDs, DVRs, etc.
Microwaves
Cords, Wires, Cables, etc.
Refrigerators
Printers, Scanners, etc.
Anything with Freon
Circuit Boards
Anything with Oil/Gas/Fuel
Scrap Metal
Anything with Mercury
Batteries
Misc. Electronics (subject to approval)
UNACCEPTABLE:
Sponsored by:
FVTC ELECTRONICS AND AUTOMATION CLUB
&
SADOFF IRON AND METAL COMPANY
THE PREFERRED CHOICE IN RECYCLING www.sadoff.com
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Student Organization Spotlight: Collegiate DECA by Rae Derks
There are students who go to school to simply do what’s expected in class, so they can earn their degree and begin their job search in their desired field; and then there are the students who want to take their education outside of the classroom. Those students want to take their passion for what they do, and apply it in order to better themselves as students and as professionals. Those students are DECA students. DECA is an international organization that operates at both high school and college levels, statewide, and nationwide. Students from all over the country come together to compete in an event of their choice, which falls under one of five academic areas: Business Management and Administration, Finance and Accounting, Marketing and Communications, Entrepreneurship, and Hospitality and Tourism. Students compete either alone or with a partner, and get scored by judges (professionals with experience in the industry relevant to the event they are judging) on their presentation. This presentation is a response to either a business simulation role-play, or a case study in which the participants have only a limited amount of time to prepare. Now, I could rattle off from the website what DECA’s mission statement is, but I’d rather say what DECA means on a personal level. As mentioned before, DECA is truly for students that want to take learning outside of the classroom. Participating in this organization has given me real-world experience and relevant feedback from industry professionals that will help me be prepared for the workforce once I leave school. Aside from just the learning experience, I have been able to connect and network with so many amazing individuals that have their eye on the prize, and there is something to be learned from each of these people. I have truly grown as a person and as a professional having been a part of Collegiate DECA. Shawn Fordham came to the Appleton chapter as a new member this year, only a short time before our State
competition. He took a lot from his first competitive experience, including a third place trophy in his event, and has this to say about the organization: “The DECA trip to Madison was truly an AMAZING experience. The friendships that were forged along with the memories that were created here are moments in time that I will cherish forever. I was privileged to be part of a chapter full of unique, compassionate, supportive individuals who strived to help each other succeed. The love & kindness shown to me throughout the weekend made this one of the most incredible, exhilarating experiences I’ve ever had in my entire life. I appreciate & value all the hard work, sacrifices, and effort that DECA leaders Jamie, Samantha, & Rae put forth to make the experience every bit of awesome that it was. I also give my sincerest gratitude to my Chapter Advisor, Jeff Meverden for instilling in me the confidence to perform at a high level of excellence. He is truly a man of valor. I took a chance joining and competing in something I’d never done before. I was nervous but determined, riddled with anxiety but confident, and because I conquered cerebral palsy & challenged my fear of failing, I overcame in the face of adversity. I am truly proud of everything we’ve accomplished as individuals & as a team.” If you are a student looking to improve upon your critical thinking and public speaking skills, with the drive and motivation to be the best YOU that you can be, both as a student and as a professional, then DECA is for you. This is an organization that all of its members are truly passionate about, and we are eager to share our experiences with anyone that is looking to take that extra step in their education. Stop by B141 on Tuesdays at 11:30 to see what we are about, and start your DECA journey.
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Congratulations New Inductees! by Amber Stanczak
On March 4, 2016, we had the amazing honor of inducting close to one hundred new members into our honor society, Phi Theta Kappa. These inductees have shown great academic excellence by achieving a minimum of a 3.5 cumulative GPA as well as dedicating 12 credits to the college. We wanted to take a moment to congratulate and recognize these new inductees for their great achievement! Inductees, congratulations on your new membership to PTK! We know that each and every one of you will be a great asset to our chapter and we look forward to each of you being part of our team! Renae Adams Naima Aziz Jessica Bain Robert Beal Jeremiah Beattie Maria Bedolla Jennifer Beyer Melissa Beyer Taylor Bilodeau Collins Bocinsky Lori Bradish Jonathan Bruening Jeremiah Canfield Hedi Chaabane Michaela Chesnut Melissa Coats Zachary Colford James Couch Benjamin Crow Ezilly Rayanne da Silva Bezerra Khalil Dachraoui Estu Danang Marouen Daouthi Tabatha Davis Megan Dimech-Krueger Kayla Domaszek Crystal Ebert Ethan Edmondson Rory Edmondson Mariam Fariha Tiffanie Gard Mia Gauthier
Elizabeth Glowscheski Ana Maria Gomez Ahmet Gozneli Robert Greely Kaila Camille Guadarrama Cory Harvey Courtney Hawkins Laurie Heimann Leann Jacobson Jireh Faith Jandourek Veronica Jankowski Chris Juengel Azza Kacem David Keller Carolyn Kendall Gari Khan Chia Khang Katelyn Koehn Heidi Kornowski Rosalyn Kruse Laurie Kurth Will Lamberies-Mooney Adam Landen Ben Lee Taylor Lohff William McIntosh Laurie Meyer Tracy Meyer Memory Musilwa Maurisa Muthig Laura Navarete Sharon Nemecek
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Daniris Maria Niz Coba Becca Obright Lindsey Oestmann Preston Pierce Meredith Pingel-Gerrits Brooke Propson Anne Roblee Jenna Rosin Kayla Rumbuc Andrew Schopp Catherine Schraa Terrance Shaw Lisa Smith Matthew Spaeth Scott Spencer Adam Staszak Greg Strelow Megan Strutz Sadie Thebo Ariana Theys Michael Tourville Thomas Vander Gailen Maria Vander Heiden April Vander Velden Azhary Wali Jeremiah Ward Deborah Wastart Nick Weiss Angela Wendt Joseph Workman
FVTC Campus Events April 2016 April 1
Coffee, Juice and Donuts – 7:30 AM, AMTC and Spanbauer
April 4 Spring Into Motion Begins April 5 Bringing out the ROCK STAR in YOU w/Jason LeVassuer! 11:30 AM Oshkosh Riverside Room 135 6:00 PM Dinner & show with Jasson LeVasseur, Oshkosh Riverside Commons April 6 S.L.I.C.E – 11:30 AM, Appleton, E130 Student Government Association Meeting – 3:30 PM, E130 April 11 Ping Pong Tournament – 4 PM SLC April 13 Pizza Night – 5:30 PM, AMTC April 14 Pizzz Night – 5:30 PM, Spanbauer pril 19 Casino Night at Oshkosh Riverside – 5:30 PM A Speaker: Carissa Phelps – 11:30 AM, E130 April 22 Dirt Cake Day 11:30 AM Commons pril 27 Student Government Association Meeting – 3:30 PM, E130 A Speaker: Greg Feith – Aviation Safety, Spanbauer Campus, 11:30 AM
HMONG STUDENT UNION of Fox Valley Technical College In celebration of
National Hmong Day Men & Women Volleyball Registration Information $50 for early registration $70 for late registraion
MEN’s: min. of 8 teams ~ max. of 12 teams. WOMEN’s min. of 6 teams
Saturday May 14th, 2016 8:00 a.m. — 8:00 p.m.
Fox Valley Technical College Grounds 1825 N. Bluemound Drive
1 st P Trophi e 2 nd P la c e W s i 3 rd P la c e W nn e r s inn lac e W in e r s ne r s
Co-Ed Flag Football Registration Information $60 for early registration $80 for late registraion Min. of 2 of each gender per team Min. of 8 teams ~ max.of 12 teams
Registration Forms & Money for early registration is due APRIL 22nd ***Please note, if the minimum for each sport is not met, we will NOT run the sport. ADMISSIONS: $2.00 PER PERSON OVER 12|CHILDREN UNDER 12 ARE FREE NO CARRY-INS ALLOWED Contact Information: Kristanna Xiong(920) 277-4762 | Ger Lee: (920) 843-7812 | Chuefeng Moua (920) 650-3023
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More Than Just a Conference by Amber Stanczak
It was 6:30am on a cold Friday Morning. We were all up late the night before from an exciting night of inducting new members to our chapter. All nine of us climbed into the big white FVTC van and off we went to Madison College for one of the best weekends we have ever had as a club. Our club, Phi Theta Kappa, had the honor of attending the Wisconsin Regional Conference for the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society in Madison, Wisconsin on March 4th and 5th. This conference however, was way more than just a conference. This conference was a competition and a chance for us to be rewarded for all of the countless hours of hard work that we had put in throughout the semester. Our FVTC chapter ended up walking away from the conference with a total of nine awards. They were for the following: • Our advisor, Jennifer McIntosh won 1st Place for Distinguished Advisor • Jennifer McIntosh won the Horizon Award for her role in planning the Regional Conference • Our advisor, Wolfgang Wallschelager won 2nd Place for Paragon Advisor • Jason Lilly, our President won 1st Place for Distinguished Chapter Officer • The Beta Epsilon Omicron Chapter won 1st Place for Distinguished Chapter Officer Team • The Beta Epsilon Omicron Chapter was again awarded the Five Star Chapter level (for the second year) • Ben Zapolsky won 1st Place for Distinguished Chapter Member
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• The Beta Epsilon Omicron Chapter won 3rd Place for the Honor’s in Action Project • The Beta Epsilon Omicron Chapter won 1st Place for Theme Two for our Honor’s in Action Project Outside of the great honor of all of these awards, we also had the opportunity to learn what it is going to take to make our chapter the best that it can be. Two sessions that I personally attended were on Situational Leadership and Team Building and Empowerment. Situational Leadership focused on the fact that the leader must adjust their leadership style to fit the level of followers that they are trying to lead. They stressed that it is up to the leader to make changes to their leadership style, not for the followers to adapt. In order to be a great leader, you must also be fluid, meaning that you must always be changing and adapting your style to meet the needs of the group you are leading. They also made the point that there is no one best leadership style for all situations. During the Team Building and Empowerment session, I learned that, “Talent wins games, but teamwork and
important for you to allow for open discussion and make a safe place where everyone feels comfortable sharing. They also recommended working on teambuilding activities. The leader should take three steps when planning an activity. First, they need to identify the skill they want to work on. Then, they need to do some brainstorming and researching of activities that are in line with that skill. After the activity, the leader needs to end it with a discussion to make the activity concrete, because what did you learn if you don’t talk about it?
intelligence wins championships.” I also learned that, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Basically, if you want to do anything substantial, I learned that it is important to work as a team. You also need to know your team’s values so you have something to work towards and have a common goal that is in line with these values. That goal must also be bigger than any one person on the team. To have successful teamwork, it is also
I truly could go on all day about the great things that I learned at this Regional Conference and the awards we won and the memories we shared. It was a great honor to be able to attend my first Regional Conference and I look forward to attending many more. If you are a Phi Theta Kappa member, I encourage you to contact us and learn how you can get more involved in our chapter and get these great opportunities as well. They are really memories you will never forget or regret. Editors Note: To contact Phi Theta Kappa, check their Facebook Page.
Get Involved!!!
Secure your freedom from college debt
On April 19th from 9am—3pm the SNA will be collecting samples and registering volunteers for the National Bone Marrow Registry!!!
Serve part-time in the Guard, and you’ll be eligible for at least four financial benefits to help pay for school. (We’re talking thousands of dollars.)
What a great opportunity — Please consider being part of the event. You may assist in the collection of cheek swabs and paperwork and/or you may get on the registry yourself!!!
Plus, join the ROTC program, and you’re eligible for even more benefits, and you’ll graduate as an officer with officer-level pay ($$$).
You can sign up on bulletin boards around campus or in the Commons on April 19th
Full-time school. Part-time service. And a future without loads of debt.
NATIONALGUARD.com/Wisconsin • 1-800-GO-GUARD
Programs and Benefits Subject to Change
73173-3_WI_ARNG_College_Ad_3.75x5.indd 1
3/22/16 8:38 AM
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Korean POP (Kpop)! by Josh Buckley
Kpop is a genre of music which started in South Korea. Kpop (Which is an abbreviation for Korean Pop) doesn’t limit itself to pop music,most artist’s also take inspiration from genres like Hip Hop, R&B, Rock, etc… Kpop artist (usually referred to as “Idols” ) work hard to find a style that is different from other Idols. Some Idols start their contracts and training at the age of 9 to 10, in this training groups live together and train for long hours practicing and perfecting your music, dances, and fashion. The top three agencies that run the Kpop world are S.M. Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment, they are sometimes also referred to as the “Big Three”. Typically most fans fall in love with groups from one agency and show their loyalty to that specific agency and their artist. S.M. holds groups such as Girls Generation, f(x), Shinee, Exo, and Super Junior. YG Entertainment hold contracts for artists such as 2NE1(21), Big Bang, PSY, iKon, and Winner. JYP Entertainment hosts groups such as Wonder Girls, 2PM, J.Y. Park, and Got7. Kpop artists are known for their outrageous outfits, crazy dance moves, and the wide variety in the music. Some idols have broken the charts and expanded to working inside of the United States. After his record breaking song “Gangnam Style” Psy went on to work with american rapper Snoop Dog to create the song Hangover. This is not the first Idol that Snoop Dog has worked with, he also recoded and did a concert with YG’s group 2ne1. CL, the leader of 2ne1 has also gone to work with Skrillex, Diplo, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber, etc… Although you would have to get a feel for the music, I encourage everyone to take time out to try to listen to a Kpop song, Who knows, you might just like what you hear!
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International Professional Field Studies, Ireland by William Miller
A couple years ago I heard about an incredible class offered by FVTC. A young woman in one of my classes went to Ireland over spring break but it wasn’t just spring break, it was a class. She couldn’t stop raving about what a wonderful experience it was. About a year later I got an email from school that was about an International Studies class that would go to Ireland. I read it carefully and contacted the teacher, Steve Ebben. Last fall, the week before school started they offered an information session. I went and was convinced I had to do this. It cost some money but it was an opportunity which doesn’t come around too often. So, I spent this spring break in Ireland. Now I understand what the young woman was talking about. Not only is Ireland beautiful; the food is great, the atmosphere is great but the real treasure is the people. They are incredible, so friendly, helpful, funny and downright charming. This class was no vacation, it was a lot of work. At the beginning of the semester we had several assignments. We had to make a video about ourselves to share with the class and we had to write a couple papers about Ireland. Then the whole class met, Aaron Gorenc and Steve Ebben gave us all the details about what to expect. Everyday while we were in Ireland Steve put a question on BlackBoard for us to answer. When we got back we had to turn in a journal of our experience. I did more reading and writing for this class than I have done in years. We went to so many places and learned so much about the history of Ireland that when I first tried to write this article it would have taken up the entire Fox Times this month. I have had to cut it down to fit on only two pages and it almost hurts to do so. The papers we wrote were important preparation for our adventure but no amount of research can really prepare a person for the reality of Ireland.
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The first day we went on a walking tour of downtown Dublin and listened to a young man talk about Venture Capitalism. The next day we went to the Dublin Institute of Technology, DIT. Then to DropBox and Google’s International Headquarters. The third day we went to Kilmainham Gaol (a prison) and Trinity College (One of the inspirations for Hogwarts in Harry Potter) to hear Professor of Astrophysics, Joseph Roche, speak. Then to a restaurant for a traditional Irish meal and to experience Irish music and dance. The fourth day was St. Partick’s Day, the parade and then a tour of the Guinness Storehouse. Friday we went to MakeShop and Croke Park before heading north to Belfast. Saturday we went on a Black Taxi tour of Belfast and then to the Titanic Exhibition. Sunday we went to the Giants Causeway. We were very busy the whole time we were there but we still had enough free time to relax. The one thing I would warn future students of is to wear good walking shoes, you will walk 3 to 5 miles a day. The food was so good and filling I was sure I would gain weight but I didn’t, that’s how much exercise you get. I didn’t know any of the other students who went on this trip but I got to know every one of them over the course of the 10 days. It brought back memories of when I was in the military. I had not been much of a team player when I was young. The military changed that. By the time Basic Training was over I understood what teamwork and brotherhood were. This adventure wasn’t quite that intense but there was a sense of camaraderie that developed between us. We watched out for each other. I know I made several new friends. One of the best parts of our time in Ireland was when we went to DIT. We met with Marketing students who were developing new apps. It was nice to be able to interact with these students. They were very bright and enthusiastic. One or two of us met with their small groups and talked
YouTube because I wanted to hear more of what he has to say. He is a fascinating man. No book, or story can really convey how wonderful the Irish people are. Their humility and humor shines through in every interaction you have with them. I think I now understand why no one could conquer them. Instead, nearly all who came to Ireland became one of the Irish. The best way I explain them is to point out a few things we noticed along the way. A fellow student said he had seen a couple stores with signs which summed them up fairly well. One store had a sign that said, “Probably the best cup of coffee in Ireland.” Another was called, “The Decent Cigar Shop.” I wondered when we might see a place called “The Adequate Auto Repair Shop. – We can probably get your car going.” They are understated in everything. I only heard one Irish person brag but it turned out to be part of a joke. I would recommend this class for everyone, even if you aren’t Irish or in IT. You will make new friends, classmates and possibly more. You will learn about a new culture and their history which will expand your understanding of the world. You will be out of your comfort zone which will make you stronger and more confident. You may even be forced to face some of your fears, whether it is being away from home, or walking across a swaying rope bridge 100 feet above the crashing sea. I was pleased to see so many fellow students face and conquer their fears. I learned as much about myself as I did about my classmates, Ireland and technology. How often do you get an opportunity to travel to a foreign country and get school credit for it? It is also a great thing to have on your resume, it will set you apart from other students, and it proves to employers you are special and not afraid of new things. Of all the classes I have taken in my life this was easily the best. for about 15 or 20 minutes. We, mostly tekkies, had a little different perspective on their projects and I think we helped them think about what they were doing a little more critically. We all wished we had more time with them. Another very memorable activity was Joseph Roche’s talk about the future. He was quite humorous despite his somewhat negative outlook on the future of mankind. He explained a term we had never heard before, Joe-boating. It’s kinda the opposite of showboating. I looked him up on
I would like to thank everyone involved with this great adventure. Thanks to my fellow students who were kind and accepting, you represented our school well. Thanks to our faculty; Steve Ebben, Aaron Gorenc, and Joe Wetzel for all you did to make this happen. Thanks to EIL International Learning, especially to our guide Alan Ralph, plus all the wonderful people of Ireland, you make me very proud of my Irish heritage.
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Ulcerative Colitis by Joel Hovell
Though I have yet to meet someone in person who has Ulcerative Colitis whether at Fox Valley Technical College or out in public, I know firsthand how painful this digestive disorder can be. The similarities between this disease and Crohn’s Disease are numerous, especially the symptoms. According to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, an estimated 700,000 Americans have been diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. Unfortunately, this number continues to increase amongst the younger generations. The typical case of Ulcerative Colitis in patients is they are diagnosed before the age of 30 by a colonoscopy. They experience symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stools, and more frequent
urges to use the restroom. Their gastrointestinal doctor prescribes drugs such as Humira, Remicade, Prednisone, and azathioprine to manage the disease while some may require surgery on their colon to remove inflamed intestine or outright completely remove the colon. Unlike Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis only affects the colon and rectum and can be “cured” by complete surgical removal of this portion of the digestive system. However, patients who elect to have this procedure done must wear an exterior, artificial pouch or an internal pouch made from the ileum, the last section of the small intestine. The cause of Ulcerative Colitis despite recent advances in medical breakthroughs in the Irritable Bowel
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Disorder (IBD) community remains a mystery. The current belief is that the immune system abnormally reacts to food, bacteria both good and bad, etc. by launching an attack that also damages the colon lining in the process. This can be derived from genetic mutations that favor the development of Ulcerative Colitis and environmental factors. Most people with Ulcerative Colitis can manage their chronic illness through diet by eating foods that do not irritate the colon. In most cases, they must remain on prescription medication. When conventional treatments like Remicade, Prednisone, and Humira fail to stem Ulcerative Colitis, there are always clinical trials a patient can enroll in to achieve remission. A quick browse ClinicalTrials.gov revealed several Fecal Microbiota Transplantation trials are ongoing around the world, one of which is being conducted at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City. The process is where a patient with Ulcerative Colitis receives a massive infusion of poop from a healthy patient using the same method to conduct a colonoscopy. The idea is to introduce good bacteria that may populate the patient’s digestive in low numbers or missing altogether; think of approach as a huge does of Probiotics. Once this process has been completed, the good bacteria fortify the gut lining and allow the digestive system to heal itself. There are several other clinical trials that attempt to understand how other treatments will assist Ulcerative Colitis patients to achieve remission, but there are no other major groups of trials from personal research of the ClinicalTrials.gov website for the disease I can briefly describe. The best someone with this ailment can do if they have questions about experimental procedures and drugs is to consult their gastrointestinal doctor first for further information. Most importantly, just as with Crohn’s Disease someday soon, Ulcerative Colitis will be curable. Until then, those with IBD in general must stay positive that the medical communities around the Earth are working quickly to assist those such as myself to cope and prevent their disease(s).
Fox Times is looking for photographers willing to take random pictures, attend sports events, and attend school events. Email foxtimes@fvtc.edu if interested!
History of April Fools’ Day by Brenda Winkler
Puck speaking to King Oberon: “Captain of our fairy band, Helena is here at hand, And the youth, mistook by me, Pleading for a lover’s fee. Shall we their fond pageant see? Lord, what fools these mortals be!” A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act 3, scene 2 This passage written by William Shakespeare is about a somewhat unintentional mistake with a love potion on the wrong guy who goes after the wrong girl and how Puck mocks everyone for the mess he created. Sounds like every reality television show today. So, where does an unofficial holiday based on punking people originate? One theory suggests that calendar reform had much to do with this accidental fool fest. The year is circa 1563 and King Charles IX has just proclaimed that January 1st will be the official first day of the new year. France passed this law on December 22, 1564. Later, in 1582, Pope Gregory pushed for his version of the calendar to be recognized and he named it the Gregorian calendar. His take also marked January 1st as the new year, but included a leap year and omitted 10 days from October to “correct a drift” the other calendar lacked. Since the Pope had no legal authority to divert from the Julian calendar, he encouraged the people to accept his reform proposal and so they did. This was a widely publicized event yet there were some who clung to the old ways and were dubbed “April Fools” since they held fast to belief that the end of March still marked the new year.
Theory #2 suggests the British went through a similar calendar change in 1752, but by then April Fools’ Day had commenced. Some spotty earlier references date to 1508 when a French writer named Elroy d’Amerval published a poem “Le livre de la diablerie” which translates to The Devil’s book. A particular line in that poem “poisson d’Avril” (April Fish) is what the French referred to as an April Fool even though it’s hard to say if there was any correlation between that and April 1st. This writer found several other vague mentions as to where this widely recognized unofficial holiday originated. However, one thing is certain, there is no shortage of foolish deeds or foolish people out there. Jokes can hurt people and be illegal so use your head and treat each other with some respect.
Guitar History Month by Ezra Kizewski
The guitar is said to have dated back more than 4,000 years ago. People speculate that the guitar originated from the Lute or the ancient Greek Kithara. It is hard for people to make the connection between the guitar we see today and the Kithara due to it being box shaped and more of a lyre or harp style instrument. To better figure out when the guitar originated the biggest feat was defining what a guitar actually is. Dr. Kasha defines the guitar as “a long, fretted neck, flat wooden soundboard, ribs, and a flat back, most often with incurved sides”. If his definition is the most accurate then the guitar that we are familiar with may have originated in Turkey around 3,000 years ago. As the guitar evolved over time it would later gain more strings from being a four string instrument into a five string instrument and then the six string, seven string and twelve string instruments you see today. The standard tuning for the guitar had settled at A,D,G,B,E when it was a five string instrument long ago and that is still the case today with the tuning being E,A,D,G,B,E for the six string. When it comes to the electric guitar; the pickups were invented by Lloyd Lore in 1924 but they weren’t fool proof. In 1931 George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacker invented a pickup that would use the vibrations directly from the strings that produced much cleaner tones.
Instrument aside, let us take a look at how people have shaped music with the guitar. On July 25, 1965 Bob Dylan plugged his Fender Stratocaster into an amp and performed his hit song “Maggie’s Farm” and “Like a Rolling Stone” with the distortion effect. Some people to follow that are Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Ritchie Blackmore, and Jeff Beck all of which played the famous Fender Stratocaster. Jimmy Page, Bob Marley, Joe Perry, Peter Frampton, and Pete Townsend went the route of using Gibson guitars. I have been playing guitar for a couple of years and just purchased a new one. The sound is clean, and it is just an amazing instrument. In high school I was in a band, (I know, who wasn’t right?) and there really isn’t anything like being on stage with some friends making music.
FACEBOOK.COM/FVTCFOXTIMES | 19
My Fitness Journey by Rich Weber
Well, well, well. The Easter Bunny got me, how about you? In my opinion, I saved my family from the peanut butter egg invasion, who knows what kind of shenanigans those scrumptious eggs could have gotten up to? Sigh. So yes, I misbehaved over the holiday weekend. I am certain I am not the only one, however that isn’t the point. The point is that I placed a few moments of temporary pleasure (those eggs are gooooood) over the promise I made to my daughter to take better care of myself. Being perfectly honest, I did not think of it in this manner, nor have I up to this point. Call it a lapse in common sense or a willful overlooking of the facts. Now that it has been pointed out to me though, I cannot deny it. It is incredibly difficult to admit to myself and to all of you. I spoke with my daughter about this and she understands my difficulties in changing my habits and my lack of understanding something so simple and basic, mainly because she still thinks I am a super hero. Sigh. I am walking a lot more now since my back feels better, that can only do so much when I am not paying attention to proper nutrition. You get out what you put in, and if you put in junk, well, what can be expected to come out?
she feels SHE has to supervise my eating habits. She is 9. 9 years old, and already wiser than I in important issues, and because of my failures feels she needs to take “care” of me. This is not how it is supposed to work. This isn’t how it is going to continue. My 9 year old shouldn’t be or feel she has to be the adult on this subject. Next month will be my final entry of the journey in this forum, and I will be reporting positive results. The journey continues.
My daughter is assisting me in coming up with a proper meal plan, and sadly I have put her into this position where
The War by April Walker
The storm of anger and gentle love’s light must battle, and who will win? It is a war that they must fight with weapons of kindness and sin. Love wins out. For today at least, Anger’ been forced to yield. It sends out lightning as it retreats from the heart, their battlefield.
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Fox Times is looking for photographers willing to take random pictures, attend sports events, and attend school events. Email foxtimes@fvtc.edu if interested!
Faces of FVTC FACEBOOK.COM/FVTCFOXTIMES | 21
April foolin’ Rich as Deadpool.
Star Wars re-envisioned.
Bill in a china shop, what a klutz.
Danny the bounty hunter, and you thought he was just a brain.
Lukachu
Luke of the Ewoks.
Joel is a bad@$$.
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Jar Jar Luke.
It’s not just Pat, it’s just Ezra.
OMG Trooper?
I didn’t know he could fly? And what’s wrong with Toto?
Superstar!
The real munchkins.
Is that Chuckie or Brenda?
Christiana Lisa.
Now we’re all safe!
FACEBOOK.COM/FVTCFOXTIMES | 23
Spring pays FVTC a quick visit!
Spring is meta
Spring is just around the corner.
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VP Patti Jorgensen counseling Spring on proper behavior.
Riding in the ambulance.
Learning how to do a blood pressure.
FACEBOOK.COM/FVTCFOXTIMES | 25
? Giving a speech
Spring enrolling in classes. Global Education gives Spring a warm welcome!
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As of late, leadership has been playing a huge part in my life - through school, classes, and all my activities. What is a leader? What makes a leader? Who is a leader? How does one become a leader? These are only a few questions often asked and I would like to incorporate leadership in this issue and the next of Fox Times. Starting with Elizabeth Smart and my featured resource The Human Search Engine by Chris Czarnik and …. Hope everyone had a great Spring Break and remember that we are all leaders and are influencing someone every day, even if we are not aware of it. — Kim
smart LEADERSHIP S
he mentioned she used to watch kidnappings on television and had her own ideas of what happened to these children. I remember watching this as it was all over the news back then, also with similar feelings she had. Would she make it? Was she going to be the latest victim? That evening on campus she retold her story of her kidnappers and her ordeal, which I am sure she has told many times. This night, she recounted for everyone what she remembered before the night and all the way to the end of her ordeal that changed her life. How could you move on? How could you forgive such a thing? These were some questions that have been asked of her. We are never really sure why some make it and why some don’t, but the survivors seem to share something in common and I believe there is a strength that can be found in them. What is this strength? I believe it varies, but they all had something that willed them to survive and that willed them to be strong. Smart, like most teens, went to school, had homework, had chores, had lessons, had friends and of course wanting to be liked. Also, as much as she loved her family, she didn’t really want to spend every weekend with them. Remember when you couldn’t wait for that moment to turn 18 and move out so you could do whatever you wanted and live the way you wanted. Also, you were going to do this and you were going to do that. Smart was no different and like her we are taught many things growing up from others and our parents. Yet there are some things we just can’t be taught and they have to be learned on our own, sometimes not in an ideal manner or circumstance, but we hope to make the most of it. So, what did she have that willed her? How do you teach or train a child against such a circumstance? How do you even really talk about it? It may seem asvsimple as just telling them, but is it really that simple and does it have to be actual training? What if it could be really simple, would you do it to save your child or anyone’s life?
RECENTLy, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITy TO MEET WITH ELIzABETH SMART, WHO CAME TO SPEAK ON CAMPUS WEDNESDAy, FEBRUARy 27. MOST PEOPLE KNOW HER AS THE GIRL WHO WAS KIDNAPPED AND MISSING FOR 9 MONTHS IN 2002, BEFORE BEING RESCUED IN 2003.
and especially her mother, who told her many times no matter what, she would and God would always love her. Love, a simple word that can be taken for granted even if you believe it or not that love is all that you need or that love can conquer all, but let us agree that it “can” save lives. We are in a society that runs off of habit after a while - like saying hello and how are you? Do you really mean it? How can we really mean it when we say it walking by (I’m guilty.) Why do we say it? Simple phrases like “I love you” can turn into a routine of nonmeaning. As adults we may not think much of it at the time, but imagine what it can do for a child.
Why believe? Does one have to go through such a circumstance to have proof? No, I think if we truly look at all our challenging situations, we know that love can be powerful. Think about the actions that some individuals took for her to help, because they cared and because they loved. How it must have felt to Smart, who had no idea that all of this was going on. The meaning it had to her, even today and what these people did for her. Imagine if she had nothing to live for? Even if they would have ended her life in some way, would she have been forgotten like countless others? Would this man and woman go on without any justice being handed out? So many people know that there are many deaths, murders, and missing reports every day. The hope that this one incident gave to countless others crosses Smart’s way many times. She created leadership without even knowing.
PhotograPh by gErAldo lAtumAHinA
{
“Miracles Happen. Never Ever Give Up” —Elizabeth Smart
On her own, Smart used the love of her family. She was able to remember everything that her family was
}
Love, it “can” save a life. We don’t need to be a certain way to be a hero. The hero can be inside our own hearts. We are what we believe and we can do what we believe. You don’t have to be smart to know that - touché. Smart had all she needed - faith, love, memories, and belief. The strength of all of that and with her experience she is able to move on. An outcome of major strength not to give in and why - they already took nine months of her life, why let them take any more of it? This was some advice that
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continued on next page
was given to Smart by her mother, but love – what a simple and effective action. As Smart joked a little about her fair share of blonde jokes and jokes about her last name while growing up, I find her not only smart, but as a grown woman today, a strong leader. She is happily married and lives in a home with her husband and a new puppy. She even still has her harp in another room, which she still plays. She lives a normal life and why not? Why give anyone more
of the time taken from her by disappearing? Once a vulnerable young girl, Smart is now spreading her strengths to others through the Smart Foundation and speaking out for missing children and being ongoing support for other victims. She no longer reports for ABC, but it was a unique learning experience that she takes with her. No, she is definitely a smart woman who chooses not to be a victim and shows smart leadership through her actions.
tHe HuMan SEARCH ENGINE: A Fox Valley Student Publication
mainly Hispanics. I went to school and spoke only Lots of us have heard of the Working in Student Employment Services as an intern English. I eventually took a has many advantages and one Mexican holiday Cinco de Mayo, Spanish course when I was of them is having access to the many wonderful advisors in the office. One of them but not everyone knows what twelve. The neighborhood happens to be Chris Czarnik “the Czar of Career Search Technology.” (I loved that!) it celebrates. It is not, as some was always active. Texas is a Chris has been job search counseling and motivational speaking for 11 years and believe, Mexico’s Independence very warm state. People would be outside Day. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the I find him a great asset to the college. I find him a very passionate man, who truly washing their cars in their driveways, victory of Mexico over the French in the cares about helping. Everyone in the playing basketball, or just hanging out school and everyone outside of the school who Battle of Puebla that took place on 5 May are willing to just seek and ask for help, he is available. I don’t think he sits still for leaning against their cars. There was always 1862. It is not Mexico’s Independence Day someone grilling food. Kids would pass by a minute, or if he does it is because he is still helping someone and I find it hard to as most people assume. Mexico asserted walking or in bikes. People were very chatty its independence from Spain on September which is known in the Mexican culture. 16, 1810. Ladies would lean against each other’s Favo rite Q u ot e s: Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the fences and gossip about someone in the southwestern United States more than it is neighborhood. Gossip was usually about “Be hum ble, b e s in ce r e , a n d a s k f or h e l p …” in Mexico. someone who had a “sancho” (lover) and “t hose who be l ie v e t h a t m a k in g a l ot of m on e y e q u a t es t o h a v i n g t h e i d ea l j o b Throughout “Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the her husband did not will never be s a t is f ie d…” Mexico, as well southwestern United States more know, or someone “You m ust becom e in t e r e s t in g b e f or e y ou b e com e im p o r t a n t … ” as in many that was known to than inh ow Mexico.” cities across the “Whatever you g ive p it e opis l e is t h e y ’l l k n ow y ou … ” be the “wila” (tramp) United States around the block. and any other country where there are The only thing I remember celebrating in people of Mexican descent, the fifth of May was Mother’s Day. It was a Typical May means partying in traditional Mexican Mother’s Day as we celebrate here in s oMe tH ings you style; but its significance goes beyond Wisconsin. Mom’s received flowers and will lear n FroM mariachi bands and piñatas. gifts and maybe a dinner. By Sonia Moreno
Behind theTimes
http://elizabethsmartfoundation.org/
www.fvtc.edu/foxtimes
neighborhoods were usually Cinco de dominated by one nationality IT’S WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT A or another. We lived in Mayo the south side which was JOB SEARCH THAT KEEPS YOU UNEMPLOYED
Cinco de Mayo was never celebrated by my family. I am originally from San Antonio, TX. I am a 4th generation Mexican American. I was raised in San Antonio which was very American. The population was a mix of Caucasian, Hispanics, and other nationalities. As every city has,
Smart will be coming out with a book about her story later in October. Please find a link below for her foundation and thank you for the support against predatory crimes. KB
By A Book ik & rn AMay z C is r Ch Art ss2011 pher Jo Christo
as a shot or mixed in with something Bazan by Kim like margarita mix. Cheladas were also Review a favorite drink, which is vodka, beer, Clamato, lime, and pepper. The businesses around the area would use this day to attract people by celebrating Cinco de Mayo as they do today. believe that there was a time he was scared and I have celebrated Cinco de Mayo many beaten down. I guess that is one of the many reasons times now. My first Cinco de Mayo was a he is who he is today and what makes him relatable
toblast. I went to a bar with my friends, had others.
some fun and acted like we were Mexicans. We danced and yelled at the Mexican I have not known Chris Jossart for very long and only music the DJ would play once in a while. met him for a brief moment when Elizabeth Smart
Last year I had my first Cinco de Mayo was here, but I look forward to learning and talking
Party at my house. It involved Mexican food, pinatas, sombreros, margaritas, and this duo is the manager of media relations for Fox Mexican music blaring from the CD player. Valley Technical College and he is currently a college It was fun to see my Wisconsin friends communications instructor here at the college. Chris have fun with the pinata. I blindfolded has previous published items out, which include them, gave them a pinata stick, a couple of educational and community development type of spins, and let them loose. They swung at the pinata blindly missing it almost every publications. He has experience as a public relations time. The trick is to tie a rope to one end management professional for non-profits, for-profits, of something like a tree while a person on and the education areas. the other side of the rope pulls the rope up and down as hitters swing their stick. It was In The Human Search Engine, Czarnik and Jossart a hilarious moment since most of them had want to debunk the myths about the job search, such had some kind of drink by this time. We all as open jobs are always advertised and filled through enjoyed the candy and trinkets when the HR; job search is random and based on luck; and job pinata was finally broken. with him more at a later time. The other Chris to
tHis book :
search is out of one’s control. They believe that old
As I grew up I started to hear about Cinco de Mayo, but it was celebrated by • Th ere is n o magic c u re those that were 21 or older. They threw • W h at to do at 8:00 in th e big parties or went to the bars. They mo rn in g dressed in the old Mexican tradition of the • Step s to take th at will get revolutionary times. They wore pochos and yo u p rep ared big sombreros. The main drink was tequila,
job search methods are becoming out of date. The and celebrate there. It is a fun time, but
• Ho w to n etwo rk th e Hu man
Tracy Berray Layout
Searc h En gin e Way
This year, I will probably go downtown
book is an easy read with step by step type of instruclike I mentioned, it is a more common tions and has actual stories from Chris Czarnik to go celebration here than in Mexico. If you are
curious and daring, dress like a Mexican or along with the many tips and actions you can take a mariachi, go to your local hangout and today in your job search and life itself that Czarnik have some fun. has been helping people with every day. Also, the
book stresses on how important networking is and
the main power is in your hands through what you FACEBOOK.COM/FVTCFOXTIMES | 29 believe and what actions you take. There is no magic cure – only hard work from you.
Interview of James S Beard, Author of Growing People by Ezra Kizewski & Rich Weber
Last semester I was given the task of interviewing James Beard, Horticulture Instructor here at Fox Valley Tech for Earth Month. First I had to read his book, Growing People: How green landscapes and garden spaces can change lives. Then come up with questions to delve into the man further than the general public knows already. This past week, nervous as heck, I conducted my first interview with the man, the myth, and the legend, Jim Beard. Here is what we talked about. Growing People is a book that will take you through many of the experiences James has had and provides some project ideas to get started with agriculture. A few examples would be the development of the “Play Pockets” in the 1970s that brought communities together to build playgrounds. This wasn’t just beneficial for the children to have a place to play but it brought families together to have fun, have a voice in something, and to actually make something happen. Many of these “Play Pockets” have been completed in the past 40 years. James Beard was awarded the Wisconsin Jaycee’s Outstanding Young Man award in 1977 for this movement. Another project that he completed was the 9/11 Memorial in Greenville, Wisconsin. One of the projects that he explains is how to make a Raised Garden Bed. He will show you the dimensions and blue prints of how to go about the project and inspire you to get started. If you are looking for a book that will make you have different perspectives of the way you view things, help
you continue on your path of agriculture or start a new hobby, I recommend picking up a copy of his book. As for the interview I asked James a few questions and am highlighting some of his answers. One of the learning experiences for James while working on the “Play Pockets” was: “If we treat each other like human beings, care about each other, and we organize, we can get anything accomplished, even though they may not know how to do it, they know how to show up.” In the past it seems like it was easier to find volunteers, and now it appears to me that it has become a lost skill or a dying art. “I don’t think so, you know we still get up the same way, we put our pants on the same way. Our heart still beats the same way. We still love. We still dislike. We still want to be accepted. All of that is still the same it’s just that the conditions may be different and the projects may be different. We did a project for the Waupaca hospital and I was told that people in Waupaca don’t volunteer. You don’t develop the need to volunteer you develop the environment of excitement they want to be a part of, we had 80 volunteers that day. There are all kinds of ways you can reach out and touch people, be real, be compassionate, and love them.” James said every single project he worked on was his favorite because there is always an opportunity to meet new people and face new unique challenges. His most emotional project? The 9/11 memorial in Greenville. The memorial has two towers representing the World Trade Center. The pond of water is symbolic of the hole in the ground in Pennsylvania. The sidewalk turns and has you facing in the direction of New York. The overall shape of the memorial is a pentagon. Almost everything you see in this memorial has symbolism that is related to that day. Knowing this information when you visit the monument may help explain why this monument has such an impact upon all who visit it.
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What is amazing about this project is that it was built by residents and students on Saturdays. He recalls a young man around the age of ten that came over and said “You know I live over there, and I have been watching this for the last few weeks, and all these people are working on this. Is there anything I can do?” James told him yes, would you like to help me sod. The young man helped lay a couple hundred yards of sod that day. “That’s what it is all about; not only can you build a memorial that has meaning but you also build a sense of community that you can’t build any other way.” Lastly I asked James what advice he would give to students and he responded with this. “You’re only going to go around one time, Enjoy the ride. Don’t take life to serious and don’t brush it off. There is sort of a happy medium there. Don’t be afraid to follow your dream because I really think if you put enough energy into whatever you do, you can be anything on this planet that you want to be. Do not ever say I can’t do that.” Unfortunately for the students of Fox Valley Tech, James is retiring after this semester. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to speak with him and have a “kitchen table moment”, and I truly hope I was able to convey the power of this man’s words to all of you. Thank you James for taking the time to speak with me, and I will take these words with me for a very long time.
His book is available in the Fox Valley Technical College bookstore, and I also found it on Amazon at this link: http://www.amazon.com/Growing-People-landscapesgarden-spaces/dp/1495160947/ref=oosr From the Amazon Description: Life skills bloom for all ages from a little dabbling in green activities and by way of the latest in organic growing systems by renowned horticulturist and instructor, Jim Beard. Jim teamed up with award-winning author and writer, Christopher Jossart, on a read that is a first-of-its kind blend of a little tears with a lot landscape construction success stories--ones that anyone can do just about anywhere. The Jim Beard model of changing lives is so simple that it can be found on the stem of your next plant or in the detail behind your next backyard project. A bonus section of the book includes Jim’s new 4B organic growing systems: Beds, Bales, Buckets, and Brews. National garden expert, author, and TV/radio host, Melinda Myers, provides the Welcome message. This year Ms. Myers showcased one of Jim’s 4Bs at the Wisconsin State Fair during her series of garden lectures. One of the first in the nation to introduce the concept of organic playgrounds, Jim’s work has appeared nationally in USA TODAY, Lawn & Landscape, and on Garden Pro Radio. He is in elite company as a certified Organic Land Care Expert on behalf of the Northeast Organic Farming Association. From growing up with very little on a small farm in Illinois to serving our nation, Jim Beard’s humble ways supersede anything else. Enjoy!
Credit Transfer Fair
See where your FVTC credits will transfer
Wednesday, April 13 • 11 a.m.-1 p.m. FVTC Appleton Campus Commons • For students, staff and alumni
The following colleges and universities will be represented: Alverno College Bellevue University Chamberlain College of Nursing Concordia University Franklin University Herzing University Lakeland College
Marian University Minnesota State University Moorhead Northern Michigan University Northland College Rasmussen College Silver Lake College University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh University of Wisconsin-Platteville University of Wisconsin-Stout Upper Iowa University Viterbo University
moreinformation, information,callcall920-225-5992 920-735-4739ororvisit visitwww.fvtc.edu/4YearCreditTransfer www.fvtc.edu/4YearCreditTransfer ForFormore FACEBOOK.COM/FVTCFOXTIMES | 31
Lauren Furhmann/Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism Waupun Correctional Institution has struggled with high copper and lead levels for years. The 150-year-old prison is using water treatment to keep metals from aging lead and copper plumbing from leaching into the water.
FAILURE AT THE FAUCET
Water tainted with lead, copper at two Wisconsin state prisons
Corrections officials say they are complying with federal drinking water standards at Fox Lake and Waupun, but some inmates and staff question whether it is safe by Dee J. Hall
Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism Some inmates, staff and visitors at two Wisconsin state prisons say the water there is unsafe to use because of lead and copper contamination. At Fox Lake Correctional Institution, 55 miles northeast of Madison, about a dozen inmates told the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism that the water at the 56-year-old prison is routinely yellow or brown with dark sediment and an unpleasant flavor. At Waupun Correctional Institution, 70 miles northwest of Milwaukee, one longtime officer said he and other staff were not aware of high lead levels in the prison’s water in 2014, although officials insist legally required notifications were made that year when the facility violated the federal lead rule. Prisoner advocate Peg Swan told the Center she has been hearing from Waupun inmates for about a year about high lead levels in the water at the 150-year-old prison. Fox Lake has been working to meet terms of a 2014 consent order from the state Department of Natural Resources to lower levels of lead and copper in its water, which have been detected on and off for at least seven years. Lead and copper contamination is caused by corrosion from aging plumbing. Spokespeople for the state Department of Corrections said the agency has employed several strategies, including closing one well and fixing three others
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Linda Falkenstein Prisoner rights advocate Peg Swan, in her home office, with letters from inmates at Waupun Correctional Institution. She says she has been hearing for about a year about high lead levels in the water at the 150-year-old prison.
Kate Golden / Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism Prisoners at Fox Lake Correctional Institution say the water there is sometimes yellow or brown, contains sediment and has a bad taste. The prison is under a consent order from the state Department of Natural Resources to rectify high levels of lead and copper in the water.
at Fox Lake. Fox Lake will soon begin water treatment to prevent corrosion and regular monitoring for metals, said Jeff Grothman, the DOC’s legislative affairs director. At Waupun, water treatment also is being used. Compliance testing at Fox Lake Correctional is scheduled to begin this month. Fox Lake also has excessive levels of naturally occurring manganese, a metal that is not considered dangerous to adults except in high doses, but it can turn water brown and give it a bad taste and smell. Officials say both prison water systems now meet federal drinking water standards. They said the prisons have not supplied either staff or inmates with an alternative water source, although inmates are allowed to purchase bottled water and staff can bring it in.
is safe. The EPA rule is designed to detect system-wide problems, not specific hotspots. The level of lead and copper “certainly changes in each building as each building has its own plumbing configuration and water usage,” said Cantor, who is working with corrections officials to solve the lead and copper problem at Fox Lake. “Every building in a city could not be sampled, so the EPA found that there was no way to create a health-based regulation.” Water troubles at Fox Lake Since 2008, 18 water samples at Fox Lake have exceeded the maximum contaminant level of 1.3 milligrams per liter for copper, and six samples exceeded the maximum contaminant level of 15 parts per billion (ppb) for lead, according to the DNR database.
“The Fox Lake Correctional Institution water system is following all state and federal requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide safe water for staff, inmates and visitors to use for drinking, cooking and bathing,” Grothman said. The Center’s ongoing Failure at the Faucet investigation into risks facing Wisconsin’s drinking water reported, however, that those standards do not always protect public health when lead or copper is present in a water system. For example, Miguel Del Toral, a top U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official, found that concentrations of lead in water can vary widely even in samples taken from the same source on the same day. Del Toral’s study concluded that the existing federal Lead and Copper Rule, part of the Safe Drinking Water Act, “systematically misses high lead levels and potential human exposure.” Abigail Cantor, a Madison chemical engineer who helps water utilities comply with the Lead and Copper Rule, said compliance does not mean water coming from every tap
Gilman Halsted / Wisconsin Public Radio Beverly Walker, whose husband, Baron, is serving time at Fox Lake Correctional Institution, told a Madison gathering organized by the faith-based advocacy group Wisdom in February that she has heard “horror stories” from inmates about the water. She said her husband buys bottled water from the prison canteen at Fox Lake.
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Although they insist the water is now safe, Fox Lake officials have told inmates, staff and visitors about the high lead and copper levels and advised them to run the water for 15 to 30 seconds before using it for drinking or cooking, or when a faucet has been unused for more than six hours. (The state DNR recommends running the water for two to three minutes under those conditions.) Several Fox Lake inmates and the spouse of an inmate said the water remains yellow or brown even after prolonged flushing. Some inmates asked not to be named for fear of retribution. Beverly Walker, whose husband, Baron, is serving time at Fox Lake, told a Madison gathering organized by the faithbased advocacy group Wisdom in February that she has heard “horror stories” from inmates about the water. “Recently I was informed by my husband that the water was so dirty, they couldn’t wash dishes so they were giving the inmates paper plates to eat their food off of,” said Walker, of Milwaukee. One of the 13 inmates who wrote to the Center about water problems said he buys cases of 24 16-ounce bottles of water for $7.60 from the prison canteen — the only alternative water source. Similar cases of water can be purchased for roughly half that amount at Woodman’s Markets. The prisoner, who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation, said prisoners are limited to buying one “overpriced” case every two weeks. Inmates who cannot afford bottled water, Walker told the group, “would fill cups up and it would be dirty, dingy and metal pieces floating in the water. Now this is after they have let the water run for about an hour … and then they would let it sit until the pieces fell to the bottom.” DOC spokeswoman Joy Staab said she could not confirm the story about the paper plates. A DNR spokesman, George Althoff, could not identify the sediment but said whatever it is would show up in water tests. Inmate lawsuit alleges harm Inmate Ryan Rozak insists the water at Fox Lake Correctional is making him sick. He is suing corrections officials in federal court, claiming they are violating the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Rozak blames the drinking water at the prison for diarrhea and other health problems. The water, he said, “messes up my body, bones, mind.” Rozak recently got two court-appointed lawyers to represent him in his 2015
lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Madison, with Judge James D. Peterson noting that the case presented “complex scientific public health issues.” “We are treated like animals and forced to live in pain,” Rozak said in a handwritten amended complaint. High levels of copper in water have been linked in adults to nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Exposure to very high levels can cause kidney and liver damage. “Conditions of confinement” claims such as Rozak’s are based on the notion that “the state, when it puts people in prison, places them in potentially dangerous conditions while depriving them of the capacity to provide for their own care and protection,” then-Georgetown University visiting law professor Sharon Dolovich wrote in a 2009 New York University Law Review article. Another Fox Lake inmate told the Center in a letter that he is concerned about using the prison’s water for cooking. Heating water can concentrate the harmful effects of lead, which in adults can include lowered immunity, kidney failure, gout, high blood pressure and nerve damage. “Many times we need to let all the faucets run for hours trying to clear the water from brown to clear,” according to the inmate, who said he works in Fox Lake’s kitchen. “I worry about the pasta and rice we cook, as this must be cooked in our dirty water.” Other Fox Lake inmates reported skin rashes, which they blame on water from the prison. Residents of Flint, Michigan, also reported skin rashes after that city switched to a highly corrosive water source that sent spikes of lead from pipes and fixtures into residents’ drinking water. However, those rashes have not been scientifically tied to the increased lead levels. It is not known whether the rashes reported by Fox Lake inmates, including Joseph S. Cook, are similar to those afflicting Flint residents. In a letter to the Center, Cook wrote that the water “is rough to the skin, causing bumps after showers.” Lead, copper in water at Waupun Drinking water samples from Waupun Correctional have exceeded the federal standard 10 times for lead and four times for copper since 2008, according to the DNR drinking water quality database. Utilities — including the Fox Lake and Waupun prisons, which operate their own water systems — can have up to 10 percent of water samples test above maximum levels without violating the federal Lead and Copper Rule.
Wisconsin Department of Corrections Fox Lake Correctional Institution inmate Ryan Rozak has sued prison officials over the high lead and copper content in the water, claiming it has made him ill. The lawsuit is pending in U.S. District Court in Madison.
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Althoff said the “vast majority” of the 140 water samples taken since 2008 at Waupun have tested below the federal limits. The prison hit the 10 percent threshold in 2014, he said. That year, Waupun was required to notify water consumers of the high lead levels, and the DOC
provided a notice that it said was posted at the prison for inmates and emailed to staff in November 2014. The prison added phosphate to the water to prevent corrosion. Brian Cunningham, who has worked as a correctional officer at Waupun for 22 years, said he has no recollection of being notified of excessive lead levels in 2014. Cunningham said he has always mistrusted the water at the prison, opened in the mid-1800s, so he brings his own. The prison limits the amount staff can bring in to two bottles no larger than 16 ounces each, he said. In September, high concentrations were again detected at Waupun, including one sample that registered at 120 ppb — eight times the federal limit. Despite the high value, Althoff said the prison remains in compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule. Cunningham, president of the Wisconsin Association for Correctional Law Enforcement, said the prison did notify staff of the high lead level last fall. But, “Management did nothing else with it — no adjustments to ensuring that staff had water or could bring more water in — just a blank statement with nothing more after,” he said. Added Cunningham: “Inmates have complained about the taste and the color of Waupun water since I’ve started working there.”
Dee J. Hall / Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism Former Fox Lake inmate James Morgan says the water at the prison was discolored so he drank bottled water purchased from the canteen. “There were certain occasions when you would turn the water on and there was obviously something wrong because the whole entire system
Used with permission
would produce brown water.”
Wisconsin Public Radio reporter Gilman Halsted contributed to this report. Failure at the Faucet (http://wisconsinwatch.org/series/faucetfail/) is the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism’s ongoing investigation of risks to Wisconsin’s drinking water. The nonprofit Center (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, other news media and the University of WisconsinMadison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.
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Coburn Dukehart/Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
In the summer of 2015, Sandra Goodwin was sued by a debt buyer she had never heard of, Jefferson Capital Systems. The company had purchased her debt, which originated from an online school called The College Network. Goodwin, 56, is settling the case with the help of a pro bono lawyer. She says she was legally blind at the time she signed a promissory note agreeing to pay for an online class, which she thought she had canceled.
Controversial debt buyers get a break under new Wisconsin law
Backers say the law creates uniformity in lawsuits; critics charge it makes it easier for aggressive and sometimes unscrupulous companies to collect from consumers by Bridgit Bowden
Wisconsin Public Radio Last summer, Sandra Goodwin was sued by Jefferson Capital Systems for $5,562 in overdue debt. But Goodwin had never heard of or done business with the company. “The paperwork said I was being sued,” said Goodwin, a former Madison resident who now lives in Stoughton. “I mean, I panicked.” Goodwin sought free legal advice from Stacia Conneely, an attorney at the Madison branch of the nonprofit law firm Legal Action of Wisconsin. Conneely determined Jefferson Capital had purchased Goodwin’s debt — stemming from an online class she signed up for but never took — from LifeWay Credit Union. Goodwin’s debt is a small part of the multi-billion-dollar debt-buying industry that recently won a legislative victory in Wisconsin. Such companies buy and sell the right to collect debt, but consumer advocates say the result is
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Coburn Dukehart / Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism Wisconsin consumer attorney Mary Fons testified against a bill authored by state Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, that standardizes and in some cases lowers the burden of proof for debt-buying companies suing Wisconsin consumers.
sometimes a bill that the consumer may not recognize for an amount that cannot be verified from a company they have never heard of. Wisconsin consumers have filed more than 2,000 complaints over the past four years with the state Department of Financial Institutions against debt collectors, including such debt-buying companies, outstripping complaints against payday lenders and auto loan-title lenders combined, a Wisconsin Public Radio analysis found. Many of these complaints were about threats or other improper telephone behavior, and some were about attempts to collect debt from the wrong person. When a creditor such as a credit card company decides it cannot collect, the debt can be sold for pennies on the dollar to a third-party debt buyer. Then, debt buyers try to collect through traditional methods, such as phone calls, or they can sue for repayment.
A bill signed into law March 1 by Gov. Scott Walker sends Wisconsin the opposite way, consumer advocates say. The law standardizes but in some cases lowers how much proof debt collectors must present in court at the beginning of a lawsuit. “It moves in the exact wrong direction,” said Stoughton consumer attorney Mary Fons, who testified against the bill authored by state Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam. The law is based on a nearly identical bill from the last legislative session, also sponsored by Born. Representatives from the Wisconsin Creditors’ Rights Association, which pushed the bill, did not respond to requests for comment by Wisconsin Public Radio.
According to a 2013 Federal Trade Commission report, however, 90 percent or more of people sued never show up in court, even if they have a good defense, including that the debt is too old to legally collect. Unlike most states, some consumer debt in Wisconsin is erased after six years. Nationally, the FTC found that slightly over 12 percent of the debt purchased was more than six years old, which would put it beyond the statute of limitations in Wisconsin. If a defendant fails to show up for court, the judge often issues a default judgment, allowing the creditor to garnish wages and put liens on real estate or other property, which can tarnish a consumer’s credit rating for years. Organizations including the FTC, the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the National Consumer Law Center and Human Rights Watch have all called for stronger regulation of debt buyers, especially in court proceedings.
Coburn Dukehart / Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism Stacia Conneely, staff attorney at Legal Action of Wisconsin, offers free legal advice to clients who are fighting suits brought by debt collectors. Conneely said consumers can fight such actions if they can show it is for the wrong amount, charged to the wrong person or has already been settled through bankruptcy.
Born also declined comment. In testimony late last year, he said the bill would help “both merchants and debtors save time and money associated with litigation.” He added that the change would make “credit markets function more efficiently, which benefits us all.” Born’s 2013 proposal marked one of the few times the state Department of Financial Institutions has opposed a bill during Walker’s tenure, said Peter Bildsten, former secretary of the state Department of Financial Institutions. “I’m very concerned about the lack of protection here in Wisconsin for borrowers like that,” he said in an interview. “They don’t have voices.”
Michelle Stocker / Cap Times Rep. Mark Born, shown here in this September 2015 file photo, authored legislation that makes it easier for creditors and third-party debt buyers to pursue collections against Wisconsin consumers in court. Under the previous standard, such companies were required to show all documents “evidencing the transaction,” which could include the initial contract and a record of any charges. Now they must provide a single billing statement as proof at the beginning of a lawsuit.
Conneely said consumers can fight such actions if they can show it is the wrong amount, charged to the wrong person or already settled through bankruptcy. Many people in debt, though, cannot afford an attorney, and “unfortunately sometimes it takes a lawyer to figure it out,” Conneely said. The ‘telephone game’ Conneely said Goodwin’s situation is not uncommon. Debts can be bought and sold more than once. By the time someone is sued, how much is owed and to whom it is owed may be unrecognizable. continued on next page
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The FTC found that debt buyers often received very little information about the debts they purchased, usually packaged in one spreadsheet with many other debts. And the accuracy of the information is not guaranteed. The likelihood that the information is inaccurate grows as the debt ages. “It’s sort of like the telephone game,” Conneely said. “It starts here, and by the time it comes around … years later, who knows what you’re going to see and what information is available?” She said in Goodwin’s case, Jefferson Capital had purchased her debt, which originated from an online school called The College Network. Goodwin said she never took the online course she signed up for, and she tried unsuccessfully to cancel it. Although she did sign a promissory note in 2011, Goodwin said she was legally blind at the time because of a stroke and did not know what she was signing. The law firm representing Jefferson Capital did not return messages seeking comment. Conneely said she is working on an out-of-court settlement. A growing industry The debt buying industry took off during the savings and loan crisis of the late 80s and early 90s, growing significantly in the early 2000s. The industry took a hit during the recession that began in 2007 when desirable debt was in low supply and more expensive. The industry is thriving again: Third-party debt buyers recovered approximately $55.2 billion in 2013, earning close to $10.4 billion in commissions and fees, according to a 2014 Association of Credit and Collections Professionals report. By the FTC’s count, there are now “hundreds, if not thousands” of debt buyers. Although some are small, large players purchase most debt. In 2008, 76.1 percent of all debt sold in the United States was bought by nine large companies. Buyers in 2009 paid an average of 4 cents on the dollar, and older debt was generally cheaper than newer debt. Beth Steelman of Clinton was sued by one of those big debt buyers last summer. She asked that the company not be named because she is afraid of getting sued again. Steelman said she found out about the lawsuit when she was contacted by defense attorneys soliciting her business. She said she was never legally notified of the lawsuit. Online court records show the creditor attempted but failed to serve notice that she was being sued. Once she confirmed that, Steelman asked the company to provide details about the debt, which was between $1,000 and $1,500. It provided the last six numbers of one of her old credit cards. “If I had tried to fight it, I could tell I was really up against Goliath,” she said.
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Steelman paid the company two installments of about $289 each, and the lawsuit was dropped. She continues to get collection letters and is not sure if she still owes the company money. “I’m very paranoid now,” Steelman said, adding that she checks court records every week to ensure she is not being sued. She called the new law “terrifying” and “heartbreaking.” “And that means now I’ll probably be checking daily instead of weekly,” she said. ‘Sewer service’ In some cases, alleged debtors are never notified of the lawsuit, ensuring a noshow in court and a win for the creditor. In a practice sometimes called “sewer service,” a collector falsifies records saying a summons Jacob Berchem / Wisconsin Center for was served Investigative Journalism when it was In an illegal practice sometimes called “sewer not, figuratively service,” a debt collector does not serve notice of throwing the a lawsuit and then falsifies records saying it was papers in the served, figuratively throwing the papers in the sewer. In 2010, sewer. This ensures a no-show in court — and a New York’s win for the creditor. attorney general sued to throw out about 100,000 judgments that had been obtained this way. According to a new study by Human Rights Watch, the debt buying industry is “heavily reliant on litigation,” and judges often “rubber stamp” judgments that can be filled with errors and “enormous accumulations of interest.” “Many debt buyer lawsuits rest on a foundation of highly questionable information and evidence,” Human Rights Watch found. “Debt buyers do not always receive meaningful evidence in support of their claims when they purchase a debt, and in some cases the sellers explicitly refuse to warrant that any of the information they passed on is accurate or even that the debts are legally enforceable.” Wisconsin’s online circuit court database shows that between 2003 and March 22 of this year, Jefferson Capital, the company that sued Sandra Goodwin, had filed 2,630 cases against Wisconsin consumers. Nearly 3,000 cases were filed by debt buyer Portfolio Recovery Associates since 1998. Another major player, Absolute Resolutions, has filed 535 cases against Wisconsin debtors since 2014. Hundreds more cases have been filed by companies including Unifund, Transworld Systems and Midland Funding.
‘Zombie debt’ Once debts reach a certain age, they can be deemed no longer collectible. In Wisconsin, it is generally six years. Wisconsin and Mississippi are the only states where certain debts Jacob Berchem / Wisconsin Center for are completely Investigative Journalism extinguished Debt that is no longer legally collectible but once they are creditors continue to pursue has been referred past that statute to as “zombie debt.” In Wisconsin, some of limitations. consumer debt is extinguished after six years. Debt that is past that date but which creditors continue to pursue has been referred to as “zombie debt.”
Under the previous standard, they were required to show all documents “evidencing the transaction,” which could include the initial contract and a record of any charges and additional fees or interest. The law also was changed to make sure the new requirements apply to all creditors, including third-party debt buyers. Born said in a press release after the Assembly passed his bill in November that the legislation “closes a loophole that has been exploited by bad actors to avoid paying debts.” Streamlining litigation could hurt consumers, Fons said. “We don’t need it quicker,” she said. “We need more accountability, we need more accuracy.” University of Wisconsin-Madison finance professor Jim Johannes, who testified in favor of the bill, said it standardizes courts’ interpretation of what is required in order to sue.
In theory, the fact that a debt is no longer collectible should be a good defense in court. It is already a violation of the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to file an action in court to collect an expired debt. However, the National Consumer Law Center said most debtors do not know the laws exist and may not show up in court to contest it. The center recommends a federal ban on any efforts to collect zombie debt, including phone calls or letters. Fons confirmed that creditors sometimes do secure judgments on these so-called zombie debts “because they (companies) don’t get caught very often.” Consumer concerns From 2011 through 2015, the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions received 2,351 complaints about debt collectors, including third-party buyers, Wisconsin Public Radio found. At the federal level, Wisconsin consumers have filed more than 1,100 complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau since July 2013 about all kinds of debt collectors. Americollect, a Manitowoc-based collections agency that uses the slogan “ridiculously nice collections,” was the most complained-about company with 44 complaints. “Debt was paid” and “debt is not mine” were common reasons cited in the complaints. Even with so many complaints, the FTC has found consumers dispute only 3.2 percent of cases in which debt buyers attempted to collect. The commission noted that this figure “is likely to understate these problems.” Debate surrounds debt buyer law The new law signed by Walker standardizes but in some cases loosens the required proof at the beginning of a lawsuit for these kinds of legal actions under the Wisconsin Consumer Act. Creditors and third-party debt buyers now must provide a single billing statement as proof at the beginning of a lawsuit.
Coburn Dukehart / Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism University of Wisconsin-Madison finance professor Jim Johannes testified in favor of the bill that standardizes what proof debt buyers must present in court, saying it closes a “loophole” that allowed debtors to avoid paying their debts.
“It puts a fork in what you need as evidence when you approach the courts in the pleading stage of a case,” he said. “It provides clarity for the courts. Previously, before this the courts could interpret it any way they wanted to.” For Stacia Conneely, this was not a problem. “That’s what judges are for, is to review the law and decide what they think it means,” she said. Johannes said he believes the new law will protect consumers while preventing people from getting out of paying their debts. “I am all about consumers,” he said. “But I’m not going to sit there and allow somebody to get around paying a debt just because they found a loophole in the law that a judge can now define what they need at the pleading stage.” Conneely countered that the new law has created a different type of loophole — one that benefits creditors. Now, the required billing statement can be drawn up any time the creditor chooses. It may not include crucial information about the account’s history, she said. continued on next page
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“So it doesn’t provide the other information that people are going to need, such as how did it get to that amount, and that’s often the question people have,” Conneely said. At the heart of the disagreement is who is responsible to prove a debt is accurate and can be legally collected — the consumer or the creditor. In 2014, Georgia Maxwell, then-assistant deputy secretary of the Department of Financial Institutions, testified against Born’s bill. “DFI would not support legislation that unduly shifts onto consumers the burden of determining the accuracy of the debt they may — or may not — owe,” Maxwell told the Assembly Committee on Financial Institutions. In 2015, the CFPB took action against two of the nation’s largest debt buying companies, Encore Capital Group and Portfolio Recovery Associates. The agency charged that the companies often did not verify the debt, collected payments by “pressuring consumers with false statements” and were “churning out lawsuits using robo-signed court documents.” The companies were ordered to pay refunds and fines
totalling tens of millions of dollars and to halt collection efforts on another $128 million in debt. Other states have taken steps to fix the system. In 2013, Minnesota started requiring creditors to show evidence including the terms of the original contract and the chain of custody of the debt. New York also enacted stricter requirements in 2014 by changing court rules. Conneely is keeping an eye on the number of judgments obtained by debt buyers each month now that the law has changed. She expects to see more, adding, “We’re just waiting to see how many more.” Bridgit Bowden is Wisconsin Public Radio’s Mike Simonson Memorial Investigative Reporting Fellow who is embedded in the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism’s newsroom during her fellowship. The nonprofit Center (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with WPR, Wisconsin Public Television, other news media and the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.
SIDEBAR ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Wisconsin’s new law not in line with federal recommendations Third-party debt collection is a multi-billion dollar industry in which charged-off debts are sold for pennies on the dollar to companies commonly called debt buyers. Such companies can attempt to collect the debt, including suing for it. In Wisconsin, thousands of people have been sued by debt buyers in the past decade. Debts can be bought and sold more than once, making it difficult to trace the chain of ownership. In its 2010 report, the Federal Trade Commission concluded that “the system for resolving disputes about consumer debts is broken” because of a lack of adequate protection for consumers. To make it easier for debtors to verify the accuracy of debts, the FTC has recommended that states boost requirements for what documentation is needed at the very beginning of a lawsuit, also known as the pleading stage. It recommended that all states consider requiring the following: • Name of original creditor • Last 4 digits of original account number • Date of the default or charge-off and the amount due at that time • Name of the current owner of the debt • Total amount currently owed on the debt • Total amount owed broken down by principal, interest and fees • Relevant terms of the underlying contract, if the contract is not attached to the complaint
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Wisconsin’s new law, signed by Gov. Scott Walker on March 1, does not meet most of these recommendations. The law, which changed parts of the Wisconsin Consumer Act, requires that a single billing statement addressed to the customer be attached to the complaint. The billing statement must show: • The actual or estimated amount of money alleged to be due • A breakdown of all charges, interest and payments after a “date certain” However, the “date certain” can be a date chosen by the creditor — not necessarily one that is relevant to when the debt was defaulted on or incurred. The law goes on to state that “specific itemization” is not required, a provision that advocates say hurts consumers by sometimes making it difficult to know the origin and history of the debt. Unlike the FTC recommendations, the Wisconsin law also does not require creditors to provide the original account number, the default or charge-off dates, or the terms of the original contract. All of that, said Stoughton attorney Mary Fons, makes it hard for consumers to verify how much, if anything, they owe. — Bridgit Bowden, Wisconsin Public Radio
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