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Monday, February 8, 2010
Regents OK Eau Claire tuition hike Board also presents diversity awards to university faculty By Michelle Langer The Daily Cardinal
photos by danny marchewka/the daily cardinal
Anti-abortion advocates (right) rallied on Library Mall Saturday to show their opposition to the proposed abortion clinic at the Madison Surgery Center. The rally sparked abortion rights supporters (left) to organize a counterprotest in response.
Anti-abortion rally draws large crowd, triggers counterprotest By Kelsey Gunderson The Daily Cardinal
Groups of both anti-abortion and abortion rights advocates rallied Saturday to voice their opinions about the proposed abortion clinic at the Madison Surgery Center, a UW Hospital and Clinics affiliate. One rally was organized by ProLife Wisconsin and Vigil for Life of Madison and included several speakers from anti-abortion organi-
zations from across the state. Several groups in favor of abortion rights, including the International Socialist Organization and UW-Madison Advocates for Choice, organized a counter-rally and were also present at the event. According to Pro-Life Wisconsin spokesperson Virginia Zignego, members of the organization believe UW-Madison should not be affiliated with an institution that provides late-term abortions.
“[UW-Madison] is a publicly funded university, and our state taxpayer money shouldn’t be used to commit abortions,” she said. Amanda Detry, a member of UW-Madison Students for Life and a speaker at the event, said she believes most women get abortions because they are scared and feel they have no other options. Detry said she feels abortion is not the answer to those insecurities. “Abortion is not the end-all
The fur’s cut is the deepest
solution to a woman’s concerns, because women who walk out of abortion clinics are still poor, are still shaken by their experience and are still surrounded by those who pressured them into the situation,” she said. Ben Ratliffe, a member of the International Socialist Organization, said he helped organize the counterrally because he feels abortion is a rallies page 3
100,000 Wisconsin residents could lose unemployment benefits By Hannah Furfaro
Buckingham U. Badger cuts a cake at Gordon Commons Friday in honor of UW-Madison Founders’ Day. The day celebrates the first class taught at UW-Madison Feb. 5, 1849.
danny marchewka the daily cardinal
The Daily Cardinal
Up to 100,000 Wisconsin residents may see an end to their unemployment benefits by late April if Congress does not approve federal assistance extension legislation. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development sent out 8,000 letters last Tuesday notifying individuals who are within weeks of losing their eligibility for unemployment benefits. According to DWD spokesperson John Dipko, the DWD expects to send out approximately 1,500 letters per week, totaling 100,000 letters over a period of months. He said the letters inform recipients of the number of payments they have left and point them to various assistance resources. Unemployment recipients in Wisconsin can receive benefits for up to 93 weeks. Pending federal legislation could extend benefits for up to 100,000 residents, but Dipko said funds would be “exhausted over a period of weeks to several months” if an extension fails to pass. “We are hopeful that Congress will take action to extend the benefits. We know this is a critical lifeline for many individuals, and we want to continue to have unemployment page 3
The UW System Board of Regents voted Friday to raise UW-Eau Claire’s tuition by $1,200 over the next four years by expanding the university’s differential tuition program. The Blugold Commitment, which was approved on a 14-2 vote, will raise undergraduate resident tuition by $300 each year for the next four years. According to UW System spokesperson David Giroux, UW-Eau Claire will still be below the midpoint of its peer group in terms of undergraduate resident tuition. “It sounds like a big increase, and it is a significant change, but the bottom line is [UW-Eau Claire is] still a very affordable public university that offers a very high-quality educational experience,” he said. Two regents voted against increasing tuition, citing a lack of student consensus on the issue. According to a UW System statement, Regent Tom Loftus “urged the board” to push back the vote and give UW-Eau Claire the opportunity to build more student consensus on the initiative. Regent Aaron Wingad, a UW-Eau Claire student, said he supports the Blugold Commitment. “This issue strikes home with me. If this passes, it will affect the bill I get as a student and augment my student debt,” he said in a statement. “In the end, I feel that the student body’s elected leaders went through an extensive process that ultimately took into consideration the opinion of the student body and made a tough, close decision.” Giroux said multiple meetings with various student groups were held on the UW-Eau Claire campus to discuss the tuition increase. “There was a significant contingent of students who were in favor of this proposal and were working to get it passed,” he said. The regents also presented diversity awards to faculty across the UW System schools. Regent José Vásquez, chair of the selection committee, described the similar ways each of the honorees approaches diversity studies. “In their work, you will find a genuine respect for human differences, a deep attentiveness to the learning process and a keen responsiveness to students and their educational needs,” he said.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”