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dailycardinal.com
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Race factor in college admissions could end By Alex DiTullio The Daily Cardinal
A Supreme Court decision in October could forbid or significantly alter race as a consideration in college admissions when the court hears an appeal from a white student in Texas who hopes to end “racial preferences” in admissions. While the Supreme Court has been split over the issue for more than three decades, UW-Madison political science Professor Robert Downs said given the slight conservative majority among the court’s justices, it is likely they will strike down affirmative action as it currently exists. He said while four of the nine justices will almost certainly strike down any racial consideration in college admissions, the court’s four liberal judges will uphold it. The decision, Downs said, ultimately rests with the vote of the tra-
ditionally more unpredictable justice, Anthony Kennedy. “In 2007, Kennedy went with the four conservatives,” Downs pointed out. “So it is likely the Supreme Court will go that way.” Still, even if history repeats itself, Downs said the ruling might not have as big of an effect on UW-Madison as it may seem. “The court is going to have two choices here,” he said. “One, they can say you shouldn’t consider race at all. Or they can say in this situation it’s okay to have race be one of these other factors so long as it doesn’t end up playing too big of a factor on its own.” The latter, called “classbased” affirmative action, gives preference in college admissions to all students of lower socioeconomic status regard-
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Stephanie Daher/the daily cardinal
After a decade on the air, UW-Madison’s WSUM student radio station will celebrate its 10th anniversary Wednesday.
WSUM student radio celebrates, commemorates a decade on the air WSUM, UW-Madison’s student radio station, will celebrate a decade on the airwaves Wednesday with an anniversary celebration at Union South. Following five failed radio stations and a fight to build its own radio tower, the station aired its first show from Vilas Hall on February 2, 2002 at 2:22 p.m. “The station manager at the time knew they were going to start around February and had this crazy idea—‘why don’t we just make it all twos?’” station manager Mike Voloshin said. Since its start, WSUM has
quadrupled in size, making it one of the most successful college stations in America, according to Voloshin. “We’re not just a studio and a little production room—we’ve got things that people at other colleges are jealous of,” he said. Today, programming runs nearly 24 hours a day and includes sports, talk and a variety of music. No two programs are similar, according to Voloshin. “We have live bands every Friday,” he said. “I don’t think
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Stephanie Daher/the daily cardinal
Dems postponed a vote on an abortion bill introduced by Sen. Lazich, R-New Berlin, Tuesday.
Dems delay Senate vote on abortion bill By Sarah Olson The Daily Cardinal
The State Senate discussed a bill Tuesday that would redefine informed consent for abortion and apply restrictions to the administration of abortioninducing drugs. The bill would require a physician to speak privately with a woman who intends to have an abortion and confirm that her consent is in fact voluntary and not coerced. If coercion is suspected, the physician must direct the woman to appropriate support services. “[Senate Bill 306] will ensure women undergoing this lifechanging procedure do so at their own will and with their eyes open,” Sen. Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, said in a statement. Currently, informed consent only requires that a woman is supplied with certain information and materials provided by the Department of Health Services. This bill would require the physician to inform the woman that she has the right to refuse or consent to an abortion and that it is illegal
to perform the abortion if she has been coerced or has not given voluntary consent. The administration of an abortion-inducing drug would only be permitted if a doctor is present and performs a physical exam. Failure to comply would result in a felony charge for the physician. Groups like NARAL ProChoice Wisconsin and Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin have criticized the bill for politicizing women’s health care to further a
social agenda rather than making women’s care more accessible. “This attack on women’s health care is nothing more than an unnecessary and overreaching attempt by anti-choice legislators to chip away at access to abortion,” NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin Executive Director Lisa Subeck said in a statement. Senate Democrats blocked a third reading of the bill Tuesday, effectively denying a vote in the day’s session.
No damages for discrimination The state Assembly passed a bill Wednesday preventing those who sue employers for workplace discrimination from seeking damages in Wisconsin court. Current state law allows judges to order employers sued for workplace discrimination to pay plaintiffs up to $300,000 in damages, depending on the business size. Although the bill prevents judges from awarding punitive or compensatory damages, the
state Department of Workforce Development can still award plaintiffs certain monetary compensation, including attorney fees if they file a lawsuit. Compensatory damages reimburse plaintiffs for money lost, while punitive damages fine employers for discrimination. The bill, which now goes to the governor, passed the Assembly along party lines, with Republicans in favor. By Alison Bauter
Redistricting ruling still to be decided By Alison Bauter The Daily Cardinal
Federal judges may take up a redistricting lawsuit Wednesday after Republican lawmakers said Tuesday they could not fulfill the judges’ request to redraw the latest state redistricting maps. Lawyers for state Democrats and Milwaukee-based Latino rights group Voces de la Frontera, who filed the initial
suit, contend Republicans could still redraw the maps because the legislative session has not yet expired. The three-person panel of federal judges echoed the groups’ complaints Tuesday, asking that Republicans assess potential issues of discrimination and disenfranchisement, particularly those impacting Latino voters in Milwaukee.
Democrats contend the new lines discriminate against minorities by dividing the majority—Latino district in Milwaukee, potentially violating the federal Voting Rights Act. The new lines also impact some voters shifted out of districts, putting six years between them and the next time they can
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“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”