Controversial speaker’s anti-Islamic message sparks free-speech debate OPINION
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Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Speaker choice sparks debate across campus By Kelsey Gunderson The Daily Cardinal
isabel Álvarez/the daily cardinal
William Tracy, chair of the University Committee, said at the Faculty Senate meeting Monday that the Faculty Senate’s support for the bill may help it pass in the state Assembly.
Faculty Senate supports exempting non-state-funded staff from furloughs By Estephany Escobar The Daily Cardinal
The UW-Madison Faculty Senate voted Monday to support a state bill that would exempt non-statefunded university employees from state-imposed furloughs. The existing furlough system, created by an executive order from Gov. Jim Doyle, requires most state employees to take 16 days of unpaid leave in an effort to reduce budget deficits. The Smart Furlough Bill, which
was reintroduced into the state budget proposal last year by state Rep. Kelda Helen Roys, D-Madison, aims to increase the state’s savings from the furloughs by exempting university employees who are not paid with state funds, such as researchers funded by federal grants. According to the Faculty Senate resolution, proponents of the bill say it would allow UW-Madison to invest more money in research funding rather than pay for state furloughs. Jack O’Meara, legislative represen-
tative for the Public Representation Organization of the Faculty Senate, said the resolution could get the attention of state lawmakers who have opposed the bill in the past. “Hopefully it will ... bring some attention to it, to the fact that it is important to the faculty, it’s important to the university,” he said. According to O’Meara, some public employee unions in the state oppose the bill because they faculty senate page 3
Where’s Emilio Estevez?
UW-Madison will host a controversial speaker on Islam and feminism Tuesday who has stirred significant debate among students and faculty on campus. Tuesday’s speaker, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who has publicly rejected many aspects of Islamic culture, was chosen in December by a student committee to speak as part of the Wisconsin Union’s HIRSI ALI Distinguished Lecture Series. The committee’s decision to bring Hirsi Ali to campus, however, has caused some concern from the UW-Madison Muslim
Student Association. “We are disappointed that university funds are being used to fund such a speaker,” MSA President Rashid Dar said. Dar said although he acknowledges that Hirsi Ali is entitled to her own beliefs, he is afraid her lecture will leave students with the wrong message about Muslims in America. “That leaves a suspicion of Muslims, a hatred of Muslims, a prejudice against Muslims that in the end can become a slippery slope that can lead to many things,” he said. Reid Tice, director of the DLS committee, said UW-Madison does not take a stance on any of the DLS speakers and that the goal of bringing Hirsi Ali to campus was to spark discussion among hirsi ali page 3
Plan Commission discusses future proposals for downtown By Maggie DeGroot The Daily Cardinal
The city’s Plan Commission met Monday night to continue discussions about future renovations to the downtown area, including Broom Street and State Street. Bill Fruhling, principal planner of the Plan Commission, said the main concern facing the renovation process was maintaining a cohesive working and living atmosphere downtown while protecting the natural scenery of the Capitol and the lakes. The committee shared design
summaries and land-use plans that aim to conserve the character of West Washington Avenue as a “gateway to the Capitol.” The most significant suggestions involved altering building heights around West Mifflin Street, North Brooks Street and Hamilton Street. In the building plan, the structures on South Hamilton Street toward Lake Monona would be four to six stories high, allowing the taller buildings near the downtown page 3
Assembly speaker admits dating lobbyist By Ariel Shapiro The Daily Cardinal
danny marchewka/the daily cardinal
Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves and women’s hockey interim head coach Tracey DeKeyser get ready to test out the new ice at Camp Randall Stadium Monday afternoon.
After recently admitting to dating a payday loan lobbyist, state Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, said his relationship with the lobbyist will not influence the strength of SHERIDAN pending payday loan legislation. Rebekah Sweeney, Sheridan’s spokesperson, said Sheridan has been dating a payday loan lobbyist whom he declined to identify. Sheridan filed for divorce in October. According to Sweeney, three lawmakers—state Reps. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, Jason Fields, D-Milwaukee, and Donna Seidel, D-Wausau, are working with
Sheridan on legislation that addresses payday loan regulations. Despite questions about whether and in what way the legislation might be affected, Sweeney said Sheridan is working tirelessly to get a cohesive bill to the floor. “Earlier in the year he sat down with different members who had different positions on the bill,” she said. “He formed a work group to sort of meld those ideas and create a bill that could get 50 votes and pass out of the Assembly.” Sweeney said Sheridan’s personal relationships will not affect his commitment to his responsibilities in the Assembly. “He restated today that nothing in his personal life has or will impact his work as speaker or as representative to his district,” she said. sheridan page 3
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”