Since 1916
Volume 99, Number 33
Thursday, February 12 , 2015
www.marquettewire.org
Equality in the tech field Grant to create program aimed at increasing female, minority presence
Editorial
First-Year Reading Program vital to student experience PAGE 8
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2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 SPJ Award-Winning Newspaper
MU heads to Creighton Men’s basketball will look for some more magic against the botttom-dwelling Bluejays
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UW students picket budget cuts
Milwaukee campus continues protests over Walker’s proposal By Allison Dikanovic
allison.dikanovic@marquette.edu
Protesters at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee took up banners Wednesday afternoon, chanting “no ifs, no buts, no education cuts,” and continuing demonstrations from last week against Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to cut $300 million from the UW System. Walker revealed the cuts, to be administered over the next two years, in his budget proposal last week. The plan would make the largest cut ever to Wisconsin’s university system, but it also is geared to make the system more autonomous as state laws governing the UW System would be eliminated. The plan also extended the system’s tuition freeze by two years. This translates to an estimated loss of $20 million a year to the Milwaukee campus according to a memo issued by UWM chancellor Mark Mone. He said the loss is roughly equivalent to the annual operating costs of the school’s Lubar School of Business. The UW System would see a 13 percent cut in state funding, which is a 2.5 percent cut overall. Student protestrs hung a banner between two trees in UWM’s Spaights Plaza that read, “They say cut back, we say fight back. No cuts to UW.” A small cluster of police officers waited inside the campus union to watch the event. “Walker’s proposed budget is in the interest of the most well off and the most powerful in our state and it’s against the interest of UW System students and UW System employees,” said Andrew Urban, a UWM graduate student who organized the event with the Progressive Students of Milwaukee. “And so we’re out here making our voice heard, showing Scott Walker and showing the state that here at UWM, we do not support this INDEX
CALENDAR...........................................2 DPS REPORTS.....................................2 CLASSIFIEDS......................................5 MARQUEE............................................6 OPINIONS........................................8 SPORTS...........................................10
DPS powers to include jaywalking citations By Kathleen Baert
kathleen.baert@marquette.edu
Photo by Dan Barrett/ Special to the Tribune
Students protest Walker’s cut, which will remove approximately $20 million per year from the UW school system.
proposed budget and these proposed cuts to the UW System.” The rally turned into a march as roughly 80 students, staff and faculty made their way around the campus. “It’s also going to damage the quality of education here,” said Chase Erwin, a UWM graduate student. “Students are going to suffer, while seeing their tuition go through the roof after the tuition freeze is up.” Students in attendance at the rally voiced concerns about the governor not being in touch with UW students and understanding the full implications of his proposed cuts. They raised issues with an expected limit on educational resources that will be available to them, a predicted loss of valued tenure track faculty, and general threats to quality public education
and the broader public sector of Wisconsin. Several students expressed their disapproval of the protest and support of the proposed cuts. “I don’t think they’re necessarily a bad thing because they increase operating flexibility for the schools in the system, so in the long term they can save money by having that greater flexibility,” said Jacob Westphal, a student in UWM’s Lubar School of Business. Students at Marquette reiterated both sides of the argument about the proposed cuts. Nathan Kraft, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences and political director for Wisconsin College Republicans, said he “stands with Gov. Walker, and believes his bold reforms will benefit the UW
System as they have benefited Wisconsin taxpayers.” Seth Haines, chair of Marquette’s College Democrats and a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences, echoed protesters’ concerns. “Taking money out of education of any kind is always a poor decision,” he said. “An educated society is a productive society.” The budget proposal has gained national recognition as demonstrative of Walker’s principles that could present themselves in a speculated 2016 presidential run. The issue has gained national attention, with Walker speculated to contend for a 2016 Republican presidential nomination. The Wisconsin Legislature will debate Walker’s budget in the coming weeks.
NEWS
MARQUEE
OPINIONS Contributors write with limited perspective, yet claim expertise.
Posters hung for values
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MLax battles No. 19 Pride
Hofstra will be looking for revenge against familiar Golden Eagles.
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Lovell announces campaign to promote guiding values for campus.
See Police, Page 2 SPORTS
Paul: Thought Catalog
MUSG goes to high school
Student representatives partner with MPS to create student government.
Now that the Department of Public Safety will be commissioned as its own police force, it will have the power to independently issue traffic citations to students for violating Wisconsin statutes — including jaywalking. DPS Chief Paul Mascari said there is no policy set in place just yet. “I think writing a citation is a last resort,” Mascari said. “I think we’d look at things on a case-by-case basis.” Luckily for students who don’t like waiting at stoplights during winter months, Milwaukee has seen a marked decline in jaywalking citations, according to data from Milwaukee Municipal Court. In 2007, 103 jaywalking charges were filed with the court. That number dropped to 37 last year. According to the Wisconsin statutes, pedestrians crossing without the right-of-way can be subject to between a $2 and $20 citation for the first offense, and between $10 and $50 for offenses after that. The law specifies pedestrians have right-ofway at a crosswalk if they begin crossing while a “walk” sign is shown, and may proceed across the crosswalk with right-ofway, even if the “don’t walk” signal is showing. “I know that it’s dangerous,” said Renee Pratt, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences. “I drive a lot around campus, so it’s frustrating when people are ignoring the street signs.” Mascari said the ability to issue citations was one of the benefits discussed while making this decision. “We would look at enforcing those types of laws to keep everyone safe,” Mascari said. Mascari also said they see
MU alumni: A love story
Alums who married after graduation tell stories of how they fell in love. PAGE 6
Fransen: “Fifty Shades”
Viewers should not settle for stories portraying unhealthy relationships. PAGE 9
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