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UW mask mandate to end March 12 By Jackson Mozena ASSOCIATES NEWS EDITOR
Chancellor Rebecca Blank announced Wednesday that the University of WisconsinMadison’s current on-campus mask mandate will be extended to March 11. The decision follows an announcement made earlier in the day by the UW system that all on-campus mask mandates will be allowed to expire in early March. The Office of the Chancellor stated that the decision to lift the mask mandate comes as a result of a declining number of COVID-19 cases. “A growing number of communities and academic institutions are lifting masking requirements as COVID19 cases and hospitalizations decline and as vaccinations and booster doses continue
to guard against serious illness,” the announcement said. “While this does not mean the pandemic is over, it is a sign that we can have confidence in the protection we receive from COVID-19 vaccination.” The university will continue to provide masks to the campus community and encourages those that want to continue masking to do so. University Health Services plans to host two online discussions in late February for students, staff and faculty about the change. UW-Madison’s decision echoes UW System President Tommy Tompson’s statement, which also pointed to declining rates of COVID-19 cases across Wisconsin as the reason for ending the mask mandate in facilities associated with the university system.
“Wisconsin has one of the fastest rates of coronavirus decline in the country,” Thompson said. “While we will continue to take prudent prevention measures when warranted, restrictions can be lifted as case counts drop. Further, vaccinations and boosters are readily available to combat the virus that is much less severe for people who take this individual responsibility to protect themselves and others.” Tompson additionally congratulated students on demonstrating restraint during the COVID-19 pandemic and stated that they should be allowed to return to normalcy as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to decrease. “Our students have been terrific for the last two years in demonstrating a culture of
responsibility,” Thompson added. “We have worked relentlessly to instill in them the need to protect themselves and those around them. Students should be able to cheer on sports teams, attend concerts and performances and go to classes without masks when the conditions are right.” In her statement, Blank encouraged individuals to get vaccinated and to take whatever measures they feel comfortable with to ensure their safety during the ongoing pandemic. “The research strongly suggests that individuals who are vaccinated, boosted and wearing a high-quality mask have a high degree of protection, regardless of what other individuals around them may
choose,” Blank said. The decision to end the oncampus mask mandate comes less than a week after Public Health Madison and Dane County announced that the county wide mask mandate will be allowed to expire on March 1.
COURTESY OF BRYCE RICHTER/UW-MADISON
Mask mandate to expire March 12.
Evers announces new budgets in State of the State address By Tyler Katzenberger STAFF WRITER
Gov. Tony Evers announced new education and mental health spending initiatives during his fourth annual “State of the State” address Tuesday night. During the address, Evers unveiled his “Get Kids Ahead” initiative to address mental health issues in Wisconsin’s public schools. His proposal allocates $15 million for direct mental health care, additional mental health staff and other student wellbeing programs in K-12 schools. Each public school district can opt-in to the proposed funds. “We know this pandemic has affected our kids in more ways than one, including their mental health,” Evers said in his address. “A kid who’s in crisis isn’t going to be able to pay attention at school, finish their homework or engage with their friends or teachers.” Evers also announced new funding for UW System institutions, citing a 55% increase in UW counseling service use and high rates of student psychological distress. The funding includes $5 million for additional virtual counseling and mental health support staff and $25 million to extend the UW System’s in-state student tuition freeze through June 2023. In a tweet shortly after the address, UW-Madison
Chancellor Rebecca Blank said she welcomed Evers’ investments in higher education. “UW is poised to be an engine for our recovery and maintain our commitment to provide affordable education to WI residents,” Blank said. Wisconsin’s budget surplus also took center stage in Tuesday’s address. Last month, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimated Wisconsin’s budget surplus would reach $3.8 billion by the end of the current budget cycle, an amount double the size of the state’s current $1.7 billion “rainy day” fund. Evers sees the surplus as a chance to invest in state
tax relief and public education. He reiterated his spending proposal Tuesday, which includes a $150 refund for each Wisconsinite, $130 million in child and caregiver tax credits, $180 million for property tax assistance and $750 million for public schools. His proposal leaves $2 million of the surplus untouched. The governor plans to sign an executive order on Wednesday calling for a special session of the Legislature to address the surplus. “There’s no reason we can’t do this, and the rising costs Wisconsinites are seeing every day are every reason that we should,” Evers said.
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Evers annouced new education and mental health spending initiatives.
“So, let’s find common ground, let’s pass this plan and let’s get this done.” However, Republicans indicated Tuesday they plan to immediately adjourn the session without discussing the budget surplus. A cold reception Evers’ proposals received a chilly reception from Republicans, who remained silent for most of the governor’s address. In the Republican response, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) accused Evers of “weak leadership” while taking credit for the state’s rosy financial situation. “Ultimately, Gov. Evers abandoned his own unrealistic budgets and followed our lead by signing our responsible budgets,” LeMahieu said. “We provided the strong leadership Wisconsin needed, and Gov. Evers followed.” Republicans criticized Evers for focusing on the wrong issues, claiming their “Parental Bill of Rights” for greater curriculum transparency and school choice was a top priority for Wisconsin and deserves more attention. “Parents are demanding better from their schools, but Gov. Evers has called our parental empowerment bills ‘radical’ and pledged to veto them,” LeMahieu said in response to
Evers’ speech. “The problems facing our state continue to fester because of Tony Evers’ veto pen.” LeMahieu’s response also addressed pandemic-era voting, a process he says was abused by “ballot harvesting, drop boxes, Zuckerbucks and the lawlessness of some at the Wisconsin Elections Commission.” However, Democrats believe GOP priorities are holding back their vision. In an interview with The Daily Cardinal, Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) said Republicans “must have heard something different” from Evers if they could not understand his investments in Wisconsin’s economy despite voting rights and COVID-19 challenges. Evers also commented on the pandemic throughout his speech, citing its effects on Wisconsin families as justification for his proposed tax relief and mental health resource expansion programs. He mourned the 11,637 Wisconsinites who lost their lives and expressed gratitude for the Wisconsin National Guard’s emergency health care assistance, but believes the state still emerged stronger from the pandemic than before. “I am proud to be able to report that the state of our state is stronger and better than it was a year ago, or two years ago or even three years ago.”
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”
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An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 131, Issue 17
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Opinion Editors Em-J Krigsman • Ethan Wollins Arts Editors Rebecca Perla • Seamus Rohrer Sports Editors Christian Voskuil • Justin Alpert Almanac Editor Mackenzie Moore Photo Editor Drake White-Bergey Graphics Editors Jennifer Schaler • Madi Sherman Science Editors Joyce Riphagen • Emily Rohloff Life & Style Editor Samantha Benish Copy Chief Olivia Everett Copy Editor Ella Gorodetzky Social Media Manager Clare McManamon Podcast Director Hope Karnopp
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Editorial Board Grace Hodgman • Em-J Krigsman • Addison Lathers • Anupras Mohapatra • Riley Sumner • Ethan Wollins
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UW student barred from COVID-19 board By Caitlyn Halfon STAFF WRITER
A neuroengineering doctorate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison was appointed to the university’s student COVID-19 advisory committee in January, only to find out days later that the committee had been restricted to undergraduates only. The COVID-19 student advisory board, created by Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Lori Reesor and established in December 2020 in conjunction with the Associated Students of Madison and Student Affairs, is intended to provide feedback on UW-Madison’s COVID-19 response. While the committee initially aimed to have a “mix of student experiences,” a modification allegedly made to the position description after the fact barred graduate students, like Jack Phillips, from participating. “Feedback from graduate students is addressed through a committee affiliated with the Graduate School,” the document reads. Phillips, who is an ASM representative, expressed their frustration on Twitter, describing the university’s COVID-19 protocol as “genocidal.” They noted that they were told by Argyle Wade, the Chief of Staff for the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, to go through ASM and get a seat on the student COVID19 advisory committee to voice their concerns. Phillips followed Wade’s instructions and was later appointed as the only nominee. As Phillips detailed, they were told by Wade to serve on the committee on Jan. 24. By Jan. 28, the position description had been changed. “Graduate workers make the
university run,” Phillips told The Daily Cardinal. “Classes, research, projects, even recruitment for our programs, all rely on our labor. Despite this, we have been entirely overlooked in the shared governance process surrounding the response to a
health decisions,” Phillips said, underscoring their concern with the guidance. The university has since clarified that the student COVID-19 advisory committee, made up of 12 students and led by the ASM Vice Chair, focuses on under-
BRYCE RICHTER/UW-MADISON
UW-Madison grad student was added, swifty removed from COVID-19 board. global catastrophe that’s been changing the way we live, work and relate to one another for nearly two years.” Wade said in response to an email from Phillips that there “may be a misunderstanding on the membership and scope of the two student groups that gather feedback from students on our campus covid efforts.” He apologized for any confusion. Phillips was ultimately encouraged to join the Graduate School Dean’s Advisory Board to voice their concerns about COVID-19 safety, but the committee is not a designated place for graduate students to specifically raise COVID-19 concerns and discuss university policies. “That advisory board is focused on general grad matters — it’s not specifically a place for graduate students to go to advocate for smarter, more scientifically informed public
graduate matters rather than the university as a whole. “The Student Covid Advisory Committee collects feedback mainly from undergraduate students,” UW-Madison spokesperson Meredith McGlone said Tuesday. “A graduate or professional student can be part of the group, but it does not address issues like teaching, research, assistantships and other matters that do not involve undergraduates.” The Graduate School Dean’s Advisory Board predates the pandemic but has served to field discussion about the university’s COVID-19 response as it relates to graduate and professional students McGlone explained. Phillips that this focus is narrow and the university is “treating the symptoms rather than the disease.” “[It] speaks to the way that
admin has treated the covid response — what should be an intricate and interdependent web of personal, community and administrative responsibilities and health measures, informed by evolving scientific understanding of an evolving virus — as a set of disparate, granular issues,” Phillips said. According to Phillips, graduate students are increasingly concerned about the lack of COVID-19 testing availability on campus. The university adjusted its testing measures this spring semester, consolidating testing sites across campus to one single location: University Club on Library Mall. “University Club has always been the test site least accessible by car, and many people do not bike in the winter, which makes PCR testing mostly inaccessible to anyone who isn’t regularly in the area,” said Phillips. To make matters more complicated, the UW System is moving to remove mask requirements “with the intent to withdraw them as soon as March 1 and no later than spring break.” UW-Madison also announced Wednesday that their masking order would end on March 12. Phillips ultimately encourages graduate students to speak to their coworkers and express their worries. “Your fellow TAs and RAs and PAs probably have similar concerns, and once you [identify] a common problem and have a group of people willing to speak out, your departmental, college or even the university administrators who are perfectly willing to ignore one or a few people are much more likely to take you seriously,” Phillips concluded.
Swim team supports UW student’s recovery tor and was sedated,” she said. His family was notified around The family of a University 2:15 a.m. of Wisconsin-Madison senior A segment of Connor’s skull has found support among the was removed to alleviate brain Madison area swim community pressure, according to a Jan. 31 after their son, a member of CaringBridge update. Swim Club UW and coach at “The swim community has the Madison Aquatic Club, sus- been overwhelmingly supporttained a serious head injury on ive,” Nancy said. “Teams that Jan. 30. he has been a swimmer on, Connor Keith fell approxi- and now teams that he coachmately 12 feet during a walk es — those families and staff home on the UW-Madison cam- people and kids have all come pus, according to his mother together wonderfully to supNancy Keith. The University port someone well beyond what of Wisconsin-Madison Police we expected.” Department police found Shane Ryan, owner and Connor unconscious; he program director of the was later brought to the UW Madison Aquatic Club, Hospital, “placed on a ventila- who has coached Connor since 2010, u n d e r scored that helping the Keith family cover unexpected expenses is the “best way to provide assistance.” “ Fr i e n d s NANCY KEITH and family Swimmer Connor Keith fell, incurred a major head injury. have [also]
By Jessica Sonkin NEWS MANAGER
been helping with meals and providing other services to assist the family through these days,” Ryan said. A GoFundMe page for Connor’s recovery raised over $30,000 within the first few days following the incident, according to Ryan. Leftover funding for recovery costs will be paid forward to those in need. The executive board of Swim Club UW cited the GoFundMe page and CaringBridge site as ways in which the community has begun to help Connor and his family. “As some of the SCUW board members are from the Madison area, we have seen the impact Connor’s injury has made on the swimming community firsthand,” the board wrote in a statement to the Daily Cardinal. “Madison’s swim community is made up of hundreds of athletes, coaches, parents, officials and more. Connor has been and currently is involved with multiple groups and clubs across Madison. (He) has brought many of these groups across the Madison area together in support of his recovery.” The club misses Connor’s positivity and cites his contri-
bution to “making our team less of a club and more of a family.” Connor hopes to work with kids — particularly children who have disabilities — after graduation, said Ryan. “Connor is such a great person,” Ryan stated. “We all miss him and his recovery has been on the minds of anyone that knows him and especially those close to him. We will continue to support him and his family for however long it takes. Connor would never give up on his friends, family and team and we will always be here for him as well, whatever it takes!” Connor is now extubated and breathing on his own as of Feb. 15. His progress promises hope, however, his mother urges students to practice safety when out with friends to prevent falls and otherwise avoidable injuries. “Our big takeaway from this is to remind all university students when they are out enjoying themselves on campus to make sure they stay together,” Nancy said. “Don’t leave their friends, and don’t let any of their friends leave them when you’re out having fun on campus.”
almanac UW-Madison average GPA, attendance skyrockets after fake IDs fail to scan dailycardinal.com
Thursday, February 17, 2022
By Mackenzie Moore ALMANAC EDITOR
Much of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s campus community was distraught last week when underage students learned that fakes created by notable enabler Old Ironsides no longer scan at many frequented student bars. While many of legal drinking age are overjoyed that freshmen are now forced to go back to the less desirable Regent Street bars, more experienced 20-year-old students have been permitted more mercy. The primarily junior victims are now preparing for Thirsty Thursdays consisting of snuggling up to an empty bottle of Burnett’s and quietly singing Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine’’ through humble tears while watching their ever-so-slightly older friends throw back vodka lemonades
at Plaza and Whiskey Jack’s on their Instagram Stories. It would be false to state that nothing positive has come from the semester-shattering event. In the week since the change took place, both GPA and attendance numbers have skyrocketed. While it’s true that the sample size is small, student reports indicate that the trend is likely to continue. “If I’m not drinking, what am I even supposed to do except bury my head in a textbook? When people have to stop drinking in movies, they start going to Alcoholics Anonymous, which leads them to turn to God,” said junior marketing major Isaac Schwalbe. “There’s no way I can do that — if I do, I’ll just be pressured to give up the rest of my vices. Eternal salvation sounds cool and all, but vaping is not up for negotiation. That’s
Courtesy of University of Kyiv-Mohyla via Creative Commons
the end of it.” The average GPA for the fall 2021 semester was just under 3.4, whereas the assignments turned in since last Thursday have bumped the school’s average up to 3.8. Further, atten-
dance of Friday classes has improved by 20%. Each of these data points could’ve been even more impressive, but students who are still able to go to bars have gone harder since having
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State Street establishments to themselves, resulting in slipping grades and skipping classes to nurse hangovers or get a head start on yet another night of debauchery. Additionally, more students than ever have met with their advisors about potentially going for their masters and doctorates. Unfortunately, the cause of this is that that is how long it will take for University Health Services to finally provide a therapy appointment for every student who now has to face their demons sober. Given the academic strides, UW-Madison can expect a large increase in donations. Despite the difficulty of the debacle, students can rest assured, as the increase in funding could mean that there’s a new concrete building rectangular enough to rival Van Vleck at the end of the tunnel.
Couple enters committed UW campus site of relationship after meeting in gruesome murder, Kwik Trip candy aisle authorities speculate By Aycia Tevris
By Mackenzie Moore
CONTRIBUTOR
ALMANAC EDITOR
Kwik Trip is a staple in just about every Wisconsinite’s life. Whether it be glazers, BBQ rib sandwiches or more gasoline to make it to the next Kwik Trip, one would be extremely hard-pressed to find a local who hasn’t stepped foot in a single location. Still, the gas station chain isn’t necessarily just a one stop shop for everything someone could want or need on a day-to-day basis. In the case of one couple, just one stop at Kwik Trip has resulted in the potential for a lifetime of happiness. Just before going home for Christmas, UW students Mark and Allison found themselves trying to find a little pick-me-up after a stressful finals week. Luckily for them, this led them both to the candy aisle at the Monroe St. Kwik Trip. “Whenever I go get candy, I tend to feel insecure because I’m so indecisive,” said Mark. “This person walked into the aisle and for a solid two minutes, I actively avoided looking at them. I was worried that we’d make eye contact and exchange a knowing look of ‘Yeah, you should be embarrassed. Go buy an apple, buddy.’” Mark continued, “Eventually, I peeked up and noticed that the person next to me was this really pretty girl, which only added to the
Courtesy of Michael Steeber via Creative Commons
pressure. But after a while, I realized that she was having the same struggle as me — I felt seen.” Allison recounts her own memory of the encounter as “a perfect symbiotic match.” “I walked into the aisle not knowing anyone else was there, so I didn’t have the chance to avoid looking at his eyes,” the 20 year-old education major began. “I noticed that he was looking back and forth between the Kit Kats and the Hershey bars. I couldn’t help but think ‘If I were this guy’s girlfriend, we could buy one of each and share.’” After eventually making accidental eye contact for the third time, Mark broke the ice by pointing out the new Reese’s Cups that have a potato chip in them. “At that point, I was certain that we both shared the same core morals. Neither of us are generally traditionalists — in fact, we both like both original and peanut butter Twix,” said Allison. “That being said, we both agreed that some things just shouldn’t be messed with.
Two of those things are a loving bond and, without question, the sanctity of Reese’s. For Allison, her now-boyfriend almost became the one that got away. “Both of us were afraid to make a move, so we just went our separate ways,” said Allison. “But then I went on Yik Yak and saw that someone posted ‘To the girl I met in the Kwik Trip candy aisle earlier today - you’re cute.’ I left my Snapchat in the comments and the rest is history.” However, the young relationship hasn’t been all roses. Both say that when visiting their families for Christmas, they were avoiding being on their phones to avoid appearing clingy. Still, they couldn’t help but wonder — were they opting for the red and green M&Ms or the Kisses? The early struggle was erased when they shared a kiss of their own. “There’s no telling where this will go. After all, it hasn’t even been two months since we met,” the couple agreed. “But that’s part of its beauty. In the words of Starburst, ‘Isn’t life beautiful?’”
**Warning: graphic imagery** A cucumber was found dead in front of the Service Annex building on the morning of Feb. 10. UW Police are investigating the incident and have relocated the cucumber to a secure holding facility. While they refused to release the body’s condition, an inside source informed The Daily Cardinal that the cucumber was found maimed, tortured and appeared to have died only a few hours before. The cucumber’s physical condition was described as “nauseating.” Half of it was missing, likely severed by a blunt kitchen knife — students, if you’re going to kill someone, at least do it with wellmaintained tools. Please. What was left of the body was half-frozen and bore a large bite mark. It had, however, been naturally preserved in the negative umpteen degree winds typical of the campus this time of year. DNA testing revealed the cucumber was of the everyday strain sold for $25.99 plus your virginity at places like Fresh Market. The kind of cucumber you see at community church dinners, in a weird room-
mate’s fridge and lying unnoticed in the dining hall salad bars. It was a dependable, everyday vegetable — just like you. Nothing about it seemed marked for death. We leave it to you what to make of this. However, we did have an expert pathologist reconstruct the cucumber’s likely demise. “A frat boy — we’ll call him Jayden — likely bought it in hopes of impressing his healthobsessed girlfriend, Kailee,” began the expert. “The presence of a cucumber in his fridge,” he reasoned, “might convince her that he was ‘not like other frat boys’ — i.e. he cared about things like health.” “The cucumber, however, looked pretty conspicuous between the
lite and moldy casserole his mom sent him at the beginning of the semester. Kailee didn’t buy the health pitch due to it not being organic and in the ensuing bickering, Jayden aggressively bit the cucumber. The sheer nutrition hitting his taste buds sent him into shock. He collapsed, unconscious. Amazed at its potency over nutritionally deprived males, Kailee cut off the nonbitten half with a kitchen knife — to save for emergencies — and left.” Jayden awoke the next morning to mild heartbreak. He chucked the cucumber out the window. Unfortunately, his feelings did not go with it and he will be carrying the rejection wound with him for years to come. Kailee never used the other half.
Courtesy of Creative Commons
We're always looking for more funny and insightful writers with fresh takes on topics ranging from the UW campus to international news. We accept and encourage creative submissions as well! Any and all submissions are more than welcome. You can send your submissions and any comments or questions to almanac@dailycardinal.com. All articles featured in Almanac are creative, satirical and/or entirely fictional pieces. They are fully intended as such and should not be taken seriously as news.
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Thursday, February 17, 2022
Get to know Badgers OC, Bobby Engram By Donnie Slusher SPORTS WRITER
On Jan. 31, Wisconsin officially announced the hire of Bobby Engram to be the team’s newest offensive coordinator. Engram had just come off of his fourth season as the tight ends coach for the Baltimore Ravens. The job officially opened up after the previous offensive line coach and offensive coordinator, Joe Rudolph, left to coach the OL for Virginia Tech at the beginning of January. Although Bobby Engram has a few connections at Wisconsin, he is mostly an unknown figure. He doesn’t have any coordinator experience, and he hasn’t coached in college since 2013. But there are also plenty of reasons why this hire could signify some much-needed improvements for Wisconsin’s offense as a whole. Playing, Coaching Career Bobby Engram initially made his name as a prolific receiver for Penn State. He played for Joe Paterno’s Nittany Lions from 1993-95, earning AP All American honors in all three seasons. During Penn State’s undefeated season in 1994, Engram became the firstever winner of the Biletnikoff Award, the honor annually given to the nation’s best receiver. His successful college career garnered enough appeal to earn a second-round draft selection in the 1996 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. Engram had a decently productive NFL career. He spent fifteen seasons as a pro receiver, with most of his years as a member of the Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks. The highlight of his career came during the 2007 season, in which he was the leading receiver on a Seahawk team that reached the Super Bowl. Immediately after retiring in 2011, he accepted a job to become an offensive assistant for the San Francisco 49ers. A year later, he was hired by Paul Chryst and the Pittsburgh Panthers of the ACC to coach the wide receivers. Engram only spent two years in Pittsburgh (2012-13), but it was an event-
ful two years. He recruited future NFL WR Tyler Boyd, in addition to helping him break the school’s freshman records in yards and receptions. In 2014, the Baltimore Ravens announced Engram as their new wide receivers coach. He spent four seasons coaching receivers before switching to tight ends in 2018. As the tight ends coach, he developed Mark Andrews from a third-round pick into a 2021 first-team AllPro during his stint. Wisconsin Connections Wisconsin is a program that historically fills major roles with familiar faces. Paul Chryst spent three years as a Badger quarterback in the 80s and served various positions on the coaching staff for eight full seasons before being promoted to head coach. Jim Leonhard was also an ex-player and spent a year as an assistant coach before becoming the defensive coordinator. Bobby Engram’s Wisconsin connections are all second-hand. Engram’s most notable, and perhaps only, connection on the coaching staff is with Coach Chryst. As I previously mentioned, he spent two years as Chryst’s wide receiver coach at Pitt. Nobody knows how their chemistry will translate, but their mutual respect is apparent. In his introductory press conference, Engram was explicit with his praise of Chryst: “I think Paul’s a great offensive mind and that part of working with him again is certainly exciting. But what really comes through with Paul is that he truly enjoys being around the players and making sure everything we do is about them. He loves to work hard, knowing that it’s going to produce results, and everyone feeds off that.” His other notable Wisconsin connection is his son, Dean. Dean Engram spent his first three seasons on the roster as a cornerback. However, prior to Bobby accepting the job as offensive coordinator, Dean announced that he would be switching positions to wide receiver, one of the signals that
SHAWN HUBBARD / BALTIMORE RAVENS
Bobby Engram takes over as the Badgers new offensive coordinator after spending the last seven seasons in Baltimore. initially prompted the chatter of Bobby as a potential OC candidate, speculation that turned out to be valid. Re s p o n s ib i l it i e s Expectations
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Even though Bobby Engram is a technical outsider, the fans should not expect a “different” offense in 2022 or ever. In fact, the new coordinator claims to have a philosophy that mirrors Wisconsin’s: “I believe in Wisconsin, and our philosophies are the same — I appreciate the way this program runs the ball, I love the way they play defense — and my focus will be on doing everything I can to elevate the offense and help our team win games.” The program has not revealed much about Engram’s specific responsibilities: the position groups he will coach, which regions he will recruit, potential play-calling duties, etc. These details usually take a while to sort out, but this also indicates the program’s general unfamiliarity with the new coordinator. Regardless of Bobby Engram’s specific role(s), I believe there should be pressure on the Wisconsin offense moving forward. In 2021, the Badger defense led the nation in yards per play (4.1) and yards per game (235.3). Compare that
to an offense that finished 81st in yards per play (5.6) and 88th in yards per game (371.1). Even in a year with some abnormal rough patches, these results should be unacceptable for a program like Wisconsin. Those statistics are grim, but Bobby Engram should still be optimistic. His closest connection on the staff, Chryst, filled his exact position for eight total seasons with the Badgers (2003-04, 06-11). The other Wisconsin Badger that Engram should be most thankful for is running back Braelon Allen. The Fond du Lac native accumulated eight 100 yard rushing performances during his freshman season, garnering praise from some fans as the potential next great Wisconsin back. Maximizing Allen’s potential should be near the top of Engram’s priorities, even if it’s not his position of expertise. Given his aforementioned success recruiting receivers like Tyler Boyd during his short stint at Pitt, Engram could fill a vital need by helping attract talent at the skill positions. The last Wisconsin wide receiver drafted in the first three rounds was Brandon Williams, who was drafted in the third round in 2006. His final season with the Badgers was also Barry Alvarez’s last season as head coach. Yes — 16 years ago. Fans should keep in mind the difficulty of attracting top skill-position talent to a program with an identity and climate such as Wisconsin. It
is not Engram’s sole job to fix Wisconsin’s concerns, but I’m optimistic this is a step in the right direction. Badger fans should be at least somewhat optimistic about this hire. The fans who are tired of the program’s conservative nature may appreciate that Engram is an outsider with expertise in one of our most glaring needs. Likewise, Wisconsin purists can appreciate how well Bobby’s vision and values seemingly align with the history that’s preceded him, a tradition that he now has the opportunity to contribute to. This hire is a step in the right direction for a team that’s been missing something for them to take that step to the next level and compete with the powerhouses around the country. It’s clear Wisconsin is committed to becoming a team that can start setting goals higher than they have in the past, considering Engram’s contract. The newest Badger coordinator’s contract runs through 2024 and will pay him $1 million in his first two seasons before bumping up to $1.1 million in 2023. With a defense that has consistently been near the top of every statistical category nationwide, a revamped offense under an offensive coordinator who’s proven his knowledge at the highest level should be exactly what the Wisconsin Badgers need to consistently be in the conversations with the Ohio State’s, Clemson’s and Alabama’s of the world.
If you want to write for the Sports Desk at The Daily Cardinal or have story ideas, email: sports@dailycardinal.com KENNETH K. LAM / BALTIMORE SUN
Engram will make $1 million in his first two seasons as the Badgers OC before jumping to $1.3 million in the next two.
opinion How the UC system needs to do better dailycardinal.com
By Em-J Krigsman OPINION EDITOR
Admired as the “public ivies,” the University of California school system remains worldrenowned, yet structurally unfair. In turning their back on tax-paying Californians, these flagship state universities have fortified their favoritism towards out-of-state applicants. In sync with all University of Wisconsin-Madison students, the Common Application was an extensive part of my high school senior year. However, being born and raised in Los Angeles, so was the UC application. Coming from a town where college is more of an expectation rather than a choice, I was continually preached on the merits of the UC schools. At a glance, these public institutions are among the highest ranking in the country, offered at affordable in-state tuition prices. These attributes alone were enough to rule out-of-state options as an irrational consideration for many of my classmates. Applying to the UC schools for myself and every California resident I knew was an unquestioned right of passage. Nonetheless, each year the number of applicants seeking a coveted UC spot increases, and each year the number of rejection letters far surpasses the number of acceptances. The pool is ridiculously flooded with qualified applicants to the point where over half
Thursday, February 17, 2022
of the UCs have average student GPAs above 4.0. With demand far exceeding supply, the UC system can only guarantee a spot to the top 9% of California students, leaving the remaining 91% in the dark. The kicker for Californians is that virtually each UC prefers outof-state applicants, whose higher tuition cost benefits the school. Schools like UC San Diego uphold a 51% out-of-state acceptance rate compared to the 26% admission rate for state residents. Given two students with identical applications, differing only in their residency, it can be logically reasoned that the out-of-state student will be admitted each time. At the top universities in every other state, the story is reversed. The highly ranked University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill maintains a hefty 52% admission rate for in-state students compared to the meager 19% rate for out-of-state students. Other top public institutions, like the University of Virginia, hold comparable divides, accepting in-state students at more than double the rate. Chancellor Rebecca Blank openly discussed UW-Madison’s commitment to in-state applicants in a 2019 statement from the Office of the Chancellor. According to Blank, UW-Madison was created for Wisconsin residents pursuing higher education, and in keeping with its founding, the universities’ top concern remains its
state residents. Ironically, the UCs were likewise founded to provide college education to state residents pursuing higher education, a priority that has been seemingly thrown out the window. As inscribed on the University of California website, the UCs were created “on a simple, but
Californians who suffer the country’s highest tax rates would at the very least benefit from the state’s public schools. In 2017, the University of California school system attempted to rectify the situation, creating an out-of-state enrollment cap at 18%. Still, numerous UC schools, including both UCLA and UC Berkeley,
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS RADCLIFF / CREATIVE COMMONS
revolutionary idea: That college should be available to everyone ... serv[ing] the needs of students and communities across a large and geographically diverse state.” The solution for thousands of California students has been to look at higher costing out-of-state options. The message does not resonate easily with dutiful California parents whose taxes have subsidized UC schools. One would like to think that
disregarded the quota during the rollout year. Rather than forcing the schools to recall out-of-state acceptances, the UC system decided to maintain the status quo, freezing out-of-state acceptance numbers at the current rates that favor out-ofstate applicants. Essentially, overriding the admission quotas went unpunished. If anything, the overly flexible policy seemed to represent a plea to appease California resi-
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dents without actually changing. Presently, the California State Legislature is pushing for a stricter out-of-state enrollment cap at 10%. UC administrators publicly oppose the new policy, arguing for increased funding to enroll more state residents without reducing out-of-state numbers. While the UCs need to cater more toward California students, it remains true that simply substituting state residents for out-of-state residents would lower school revenues. At present, the notorious UC system can either continue to drive bright California students out of the state or return to their roots and prioritize Californian higher education. In the meantime, we owe it to the next generation of California’s high school students to lower the UCs from their pedestal. The UCs no longer represent the “golden standard” of public education, for the age-old notion that each hardworking California student can gain entry into these schools is an outdated facade. To those high school seniors awaiting their soon-to-come admissions decisions, best of luck in the lottery pool. Em-J Krigsman is an Opinion Editor for The Daily Cardinal. She is a sophomore studying Political Science and Journalism. Do you think the University of California public schools should prioritize their state residents? Send all comments to opinion@ dailycardinal.com
How affirmative action is still an important privilege By NATALIE SURI STAFF WRITER
Most American universities do not have the privilege to use affirmative action because they do not need to reject many students to meet their target class size. These schools admit most of the students who apply so their student body diversity is reflective of their immediate geography. The University of WisconsinMadison is located in a majority white city within a majority white state. Without emphasis placed on race in admissions, our university class would contain even more high income, white individuals. Throughout much of our history, people of color were forced into low-paying jobs with low quality educational opportunities, allowing power to remain in the hands of white people. The prosperity gap in our country was, and in many ways still is, also a racial gap. A families’ financial capabilities determine the kind of school their children have the opportunity to attend and the resources they can devote to school work and college applications. For this reason, the “merit” based approach to college admissions is based on the false assumption that all students have the same opportunity to develop and display their talent in an admissions file. To open educational opportunities for less advantaged citizens, disadvantaged people of color need to be given equitable access to the quality higher education offered at top universities, like UW-Madison,
so they are more likely to succeed in higher paying jobs. For low-income Wisconsinites — many of whom are people of color — UW-Madison may be their only shot. The only elite school for which they submit an application. Milwaukee is the largest city in Wisconsin and is one of the most culturally diverse places in the United States. It is also the city in Wisconsin with the most poverty, ranking among America’s poorest. How can UW-Madison claim to serve the “Wisconsin Idea” and not have anything in place to change the reality that there still seems to be more people from small suburbs at our university than the city of Milwaukee? When asked for comment on how they handle race in admissions, the UW-Madison admissions office replied: “No student’s admission decision is based on any single factor, including race or ethnicity,” and that the process includes many other factors including “courses and grades, standardized test scores (when applicable), recommendations, extracurricular activities, leadership … written statements ... and first generation status.” Nevertheless, race is deeply embedded in the way students perform in the other categories on this list. Race needs to be taken into account because of what it says about the context surrounding many students’ applications. Ending affirmative action would jeopardize the quality of the education UW-Madison provides students. Like many on campus,
I came to college to try to increase my understanding of the complexities of the world. This would not be possible if I was only surrounded by people with similar backgrounds to myself. For example, the first student I met when I arrived on campus was from Kazakhstan. I had never met anyone from Kazakhstan nor did I really register that it was a country that existed before this encounter. In a similar regard, my Colombian Spanish teacher taught me about Colombian protests and governmental restrictions on free speech and education. These conversations were critical in exposing me to the world as it truly is beyond my American centric perspective. Without a diverse student population many students would leave college without a grasp of the many issues facing our world or the fascinating cultures within it. Regardless of major or desired profession, students are going to have to be able to work with people who have very different experiences than them in order to be successful. Students for Fair Admissions, an organization built by Edward Blum for the purpose of taking down affirmative action, is using the Supreme Court’s conservative majority as an opportunity. They appealed the cases Students for Fair Admissions Vs. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions Vs. University of North Carolina through the appellate courts and the Supreme Court has agreed to hear them both consecutively in 2023.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARK FISCHER / CREATIVE COMMONS
The resignation of Stephan Breyer, a Supreme Court justice who supported affirmative action, is likely not to change the anticipated vote against affirmative action. Even with the new judge, who will most likely support affirmative action as a Democrat chosen by the Biden administration, there will still be a six to three conservative majority on the supreme court. The fact that Mr. Blum is likely to pull this stunt off underscores the need for Supreme Court reform. No passionate crusader should be able to dictate how universities do their admissions in service of his conservative beliefs when he does not understand their applicant pools or educational objectives. In order to maintain public confidence that the court is hearing multiple sides of an issue instead of just pursuing a political aim, the Supreme Court needs reform that forces it to be more bipartisan. Affirmative action is often advertised in popular culture as if it is the solution to poverty. While affirmative action is better than nothing, this is far from reality and postulating it as such deflects attention from the issues that lead to the unfair
power distribution in our society. If we care about ending the cycle of poverty we should invest more in public education and make higher education more affordable. The Office of Admissions and Recruitment should do more to encourage kids in lower income, racially diverse cities such as Milwaukee to apply. Division I recruits have their travel expenses paid for when they come to tour our university. Why can’t we do this for other students who have a lot to contribute to the reputation of our university, but may not otherwise have the resources to attend? I hope that one day we will live in a society where we can afford to have a merit based system for college admissions. In order to achieve this we need to recognize the limits of the affirmative action debate. Unfortunately, right now, affirmative action is our only real option. Natalie (Nat) Suri is a freshman currently undecided about her major. Do you think affirmative action is at risk by the supreme court’s conservtive majority? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
arts The art of the hip-hop love song pt II l
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dailycardinal.com
By Seamus Rohrer Action
“Sittin’ In My Car” by Slick Rick, 1994
“Still Not a Player (feat. Joe)” by Big Punisher, 1998
“Love Letter” is a relatively littleknown song from the early days of Action Bronson. Most would probably mention “Baby Blue” when asked for a Bronson love song, his major-label smash hit with Chance the Rapper. But before Action was a big name commercially, he was in the lab with producer Statik Selektah in 2011. Part of the superb project Well Done, “Love Letter” is Bronson and Statik at the height of their powers. “Love Letter” is born out of an obscure soul song, “Let Me Be Your Man” by Tyrone Ashley. The song is slow and mournful, but Statik speeds it up and adds a funky drum track for Bronson to rhyme over. It’s sampled beautifully, with a chopped-up acapella vocal track almost serving as adlibs for Action. As for the rap itself, it’s nearly immaculate. Bronson recalls a tragic relationship with lines equally profound (“How does a love so strong just fall to pieces / I believe in science and she believe in Jesus”) and hilarious (“I’ll f*cking kill you, but I love you. I just wanna kiss you one more time”). Action lays his emotions surprisingly bare, and the result is a true Queens love story.
Another example of a hip-hop love song that tells a story, “Sittin’ In My Car” weaves a surprisingly intricate tale of love and dalliance with a heavy dose of beatboxing. Again, conventional wisdom might’ve picked “Teenage Love” by Slick Rick, a classic song that outlines the perils of teenage romance. But “Sittin’ In My Car” is a more in-depth song, with its narrative structure and allusions to psychological issues. Slick Rick’s British voice alone makes him one of the most entertaining figures in rap history, but his storytelling prowess is on display on this track. Throughout the song, he tells a complicated story about cheating on his girlfriend with her best friend, only to question whether any of this is actually happening at all. Within his verses, there’s dialogue between him and his mistress — which I’m pretty sure is just Rick’s voice pitched up — and mental battles about what’s real. The beat consists of a simple but dangerously catchy piano line and lots of beatboxing. In fact, most of the ‘drums’ in the song are just Slick Rick making drum sounds with his mouth. It’s a complex love song over a lighthearted beat, and it’s executed to perfection.
This is a classic song, but it may be forgotten from the hip-hop love song conversation due to its poppy feel and R&B undertones. It shouldn’t. It’s more commercial than basically all of Big Pun’s other material, and it’s heavily influenced by R&B. But this is a hip-hop love song through and through. “Still Not a Player” is more about Big Pun’s romantic lifestyle rather than a specific story, and it features two slick verses with help from Joe on the hook. Similar to “Sittin’ In My Car,” the beat is carried by a catchy piano melody. It gives the song that R&B energy, and adds melody that makes the track feel more emotional. Big Pun discusses his love life and insists “I’m not a player, I just crush a lot” on the chorus — Or, “I just f*ck a lot” depending on the version. Same message. He wants you to know that he’s lavish, rapping about Mercades and hot tubs. But at the end of the day, Punisher is a simple man: (“We could park the Jeep, pump Mobb Deep and just spark the leaf”).
ARTS EDITOR
“Love Letter” Bronson, 2011
by
“Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You) [feat. Outkast]” by UGK, 2007 “Int’l Players Anthem” is one
of the greatest hip-hop songs ever, love-related or not. Featuring the southern drawl of UGK and Outkast over Willie Hutch’s “I Choose You” and a drum machine, the song is a classic and remains so over a decade after its release. The beat is an all-timer, with the punchy drum machine perfectly accenting the sped-up soul sample. And for a song about choosing the right partner, for marriage or otherwise, the constant repetition of Hutch wailing “I choose you” in the background is perfect. André 3000 raps the first verse before the drums come in, and it almost feels like a spoken word poem. Without drums, there isn’t much rhythm to guide the lyrics, so the rhymes flow unpredictably, not always landing on their prescribed downbeat. In his verse, we hear André rationalizing throwing away his single life to commit to one woman, always with a hint of his trademark wit: (“Hate to see y’all frown, but I’d rather see her smiling / Wetness all around me, true, but I’m no island / Peninsula, maybe”). Pimp C, Bun B and Big Boi also deliver great verses, drawing on their experiences to explore the pros and cons of committing your life to one person. “Limos (feat. Teyana Taylor)” by Vince Staples, 2014
Vince Staples’ first EP, Hell Can Wait, is criminally underrated. One song stands out, however — the bouncy, painful “Limos.” The instrumentals are once again another seemingly simple template, as the melody in “Limos” is four ascending notes on a synth. But it’s the little things in the production of the song that make it a great beat. The fat sub bass adds another layer of melody and texture when it comes in. The way the snare drum sound changes in the second half of the song’s verses, with producers Jordan Lewis and Hagler manipulating the drum sound’s higher frequencies, is a subtle but important element of texture. Staples sounds deeply pained in “Limos.” It’s unclear if he’s talking about just one woman, but he is clearly lamenting the manipulative aspect of romance with lines like “Thought we rolled dice, but a seed ain’t what you want / Eighteen years with a check coming every month” and “Use they wombs as ways to move forward, fall with the rules to bask in the glory / Bastard child often lost in the story”. There’s nothing glamorous or pretty here — Staples focuses on the darker, personal gain-oriented side of romance on this track. Emotions always reign supreme, though, and the song ends with Teyana Taylor repeating her hook, imploring “I can love you better.”
‘And Just Like That’: It’s a Sex in the City hot mess By Rebecca Perla ARTS EDITOR
Nearly 18 years since the “Sex and the City” finale episode, the hit show is finally back! The 10-episode HBO Max sequel places our three out of four leading ladies, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Mirana (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis), in pandemic New York City navigating life in their 50s. The “Sex and the City” TV show was hugely successful, even ending with a neat, largely satisfactory finale in 2004. Sadly, instead of returning to the show’s signature bite and boldness, viewers were served with something far more unpalatable, especially since one of the most iconic protagonists of the show is missing — Ms. Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall). So, what has changed and what has remained? A major shift is the format of the show. Before, Carrie’s narration of her column connected all the plotlines together. But now that Carrie is no longer writing her column, the narration is absent from the show. Without Carrie’s narration, all the plotlines feel disconnected, with each character’s arc now a series-long affair as opposed to episodic. In the original show, Carrie was the main character. Therefore, the episode’s main plot always related to her, with the other three women holding narrative threads that linked back to this bigger plot. In a way, each episode was a perfect standalone, while all still connected to a bigger picture. “And Just Like That’s” structure is more drama than comedy, so the payoffs and resolutions only come at the end of the season, and now, the three women are all main characters. Carrie is still married to Big (Chris Noth), but is now hosting a podcast instead of writing her newspaper column from her luxury apartment. Miranda has left her threedecade career as a corporate lawyer to go back to school to do advocacy work; she also navigates her sexuality, marriage to Steve (David Eigenberg) and raising her teenage son Brady (Niall Cunningham). And Charlotte is still with Harry (Evan Handler), and pulling Upper East Side supermom duty to teenage daughters Lily (Cathy Ang) and Rose (Alexa Swinton). The three women lead very different lives, so it makes sense that their friendship isn’t the rock that it used to be, and that they have their own friends independent of the group. Although realistic, it dilutes one of the best parts of the show, which is the table conversations. Whenever Carrie and the gang met for brunch, lunch, dessert, dinner or drinks, it felt like real gal pals having real conversations. That same energy is not present in “And Just Like That.”
Now that’s not to say it’s all bad. Carrie, Miranda and their tracking of social and sexual happenings in New York Charlotte still have chemistry and some comic chops. City, are now tone-deaf and out of touch. And sadly, the show Watching them quipping around a restaurant table once seems to suggest that this is just what happens after you turn more is a delightful, if slightly disorienting, dip into pop cul- 50. In fact, most of the characters are subdued — overpowture history, and it feels both right and enjoyable to watch ered by the aging process. these venerable friends going through life’s ups and downs I also think people hoped for, and somewhat expected, a together again. Moments of fan service range from amusing sense of liberation that can come with getting older, or even a to ridiculous. For example, the soundtrack actually emits cursory look at the changing relationship with visibility and an angelic chord when Carrie first opens the doors to her societal expectation. But no, the show disappoints in that shoe closet. realm too. And no, a conversation about Miranda coloring Beyond that, Carrie’s storyline was compelling — grief her hair does not count. after a spouse’s death, adapting to life without them, the “Sex and the City” could always do gravity as well as any awkward dating phase and dealing with aging in a society drama, but it was also sharp, often satirifical and funny — obsessed with youth and beauty. Plus, her new friendship god, oh so funny. Perhaps, even more importantly, fun. Sadly, with Seema (Sarita Choudhury) is one of the better parts of the few attempts to recapture that fall flat, and the joy and the show, and while Seema does feel like a Samantha replace- verve we remember is but a faint echo lost to time. ment, Sarita Choudhury is so cool that it doesn’t matter. So as it turns out, there was something left to lose: Nonetheless, the new characterisation appears inconsis- the warming thought that out there, striding down the tent and somewhat unrecognizable to fans of the franchise. Manhattan streets, three fifty-something women were still Carrie is a squeamish, supremely uptight and tongue-tied living lives of love, friendship, glamor and fun. Lacking sharp podcaster and Instagrammer. Miranda is no longer steadfast, charactirsation, believablity and bite, this is a too-often cringsmart and logical but a flaky, bumbling, tangle of neurosis. ey attempt to drag the women of “Sex and the City” into 2021. She is also the focus of some of the show’s most excruciating attempts to navigate the modern world, specifically issues Grade: C+ of gender, race and sexuality. Charlotte is a self-centered Stepford Wife on steroids, without any of the self-awareness or humor she developed in later seasons. Frankly, you could not pick most of them out of a line-up. One of the original show’s biggest struggles was its allwhite, entirely-privileged point of view. Of course, “And Just Like That” couldn’t — and shouldn’t — replicate that world, but the attempts to paint a rich, real, diverse world are inauthentic and riddled with self-consciousness, awkwardness and moments of self-congratulation. Each trio member is paired with a character of color to teach them “lessons’’ and help them navigate the world. For carrie, it’s “queer non-binary Mexian-Irsh diva” podcast boss Che (Sara Ramirez); for Miranda, it’s professor Dr. Nya Wallace (Karen Pittman); and for Charlotte, a fellow Park Avenue mom, Lisa (Nicole Ari Parker) or as Gay-Best-Friend Anthony (Mario Cantone) calls her “The Black Charlotte.” And therein lies a major problem: they are positioned as non-white, non-straight mirror images of these women. Which aside from being reductive, seems like an easy ‘solution’ to the show’s previous flaws and one which relies on these characters doing the world of educatIMAGE COURTESY OF IMDB ing Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte. The 'Sex in the City' sequel misses the charm of the original. These women, who were in some respects progressive in