Weekend, March 30-April 2, 2017 - The Daily Cardinal

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University of Wisconsin-Madison

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Weekend, March 30-April 2, 2017

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Reader’s Choice Awards 2017 We asked. You voted. Here’s the results! +pages 6 & 7

Updates on Cook, Shiva expulsions By Peter Coutu THE DAILY CARDINAL

KATIE SCHEIDT/THE DAILY CARDINAL

UW-Madison junior Ella Strei stopped going to UHS for mental health care because of the university’s cap on counseling sessions.

Disparities in mental health care Most students face cap on sessions and longer wait times, but two schools don’t By Peter Coutu THE DAILY CARDINAL

Because she was nearing the university’s limit on counseling sessions, Ella Strei chose to stop using University Health Services for mental health care. Out of therapy for more than five months, Strei said this gap in care

led to what she called “nightmare” withdrawals after her prescription ended. She wouldn’t have had to make that decision if she was studying medicine or engineering instead of wildlife ecology. UW-Madison students have different access to UHS mental

health care depending on major or school. Students in the College of Engineering or the School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) have no limit on appointments and a shorter wait time. SMPH’s Director of Student Services Chris Stillwell described this as “enhanced access.”

Man identified in downtown homicide case A victim found dead in his downtown Madison apartment earlier this week was identified Wednesday by Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office as 46-year-old Andrew G. Nesbitt. Preliminary results of a forensic autopsy determined Nesbitt’s death was the result of “homicidal sharp force injuries,” Medical Examiner Office Director of Operations Barry E. Irmen said in a statement. Additional examination and testing are still underway. The victim’s body was found by his roommate Monday in an apartment building located at 27 N. Butler Street. A man was taken into custody Tuesday as a person of interest in the case, according to Madison Police Department Public Information Officer Joel DeSpain. The suspect is currently in Dane County Jail on charges unrelated to the homicide. There were no signs of forced entry into the victim’s apartment, according to an incident report. The investigation is ongoing.

CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Hundreds of students packed into an ASM meeting to debate a bill that demands UW-Madison divest from its Israeli ties.

ASM divestment bill draws prolonged debate, backlash By Noah Habenstreit THE DAILY CARDINAL

Controversial Associated Students of Madison legislation that harshly criticizes Israel drew impassioned backlash from Jewish students and other members of the UW-Madison community at a tense and packed ASM open forum Wednesday. The contentious provision is part of a bill that demands UW-Madison divest from businesses that are

“complicit in the violations of Black, Brown, and Indigenous lives.” The legislation, introduced by Shared Governance Chair Omer Arain and ASM Reps. Denzel Bibbs, Beau Burdett and Tyriek Mack, details human rights abuses in Israel, including “unlawful killings of Palestinian civilians,” operation of “an apartheid legal system” and incarceration of Palestinian children. It calls on UW-Madison to cut ties with companies such as

Andrea Lawson, interim codirector of UHS’ Mental Health Services, agreed with Stillwell, saying it’s accurate for students to note that there is different access. This means most students can see counselors less often, and

Alec Cook’s lawyers appeal UW-Madison expulsion The lawyers of Alec Cook—who currently faces 21 criminal charges after 10 women came forward to report sexual assault or harassment—filed an appeal Friday against his recommended expulsion from UW-Madison. A non-academic misconduct hearing committee found Cook responsible for a crime of violence March 10 and upheld the expulsion recommendation. Chris Van Wagner and Jessica Nicholas, Cook’s lawyers, said the decision was 2-1, and they contested that their client did not receive a fair hearing from the committee. “Alec contends that the University failed to provide a fair and impartial hearing as required by law,” they wrote. “In particular, Cook was prohibited from insuring that the panel members were free from the influences of the many erroneous media reports.” The attorneys are calling for UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank to reject the recommended expulsion and to order a new hearing. Blank has 30 days from the date of filing to make a decision on the appeal.

health care page 2 Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Northrop Grumman, which have ties with the Israeli government. It also demands university administration block future contracts with any company complicit in human rights abuses worldwide. Over 200 students packed into the meeting room—which was over capacity—to hear speakers and voice their opinions on the legislation. During the heated open forum that lasted about four hours, some students took the microphone to support the legislation. One student, who did not wish to be quoted by name, said she supports the bill because “human lives are more important than money.” “This divestment resolution is not a means of terminating dialogue. It is not a means to dismantle unity on this campus,” the student said. “Voting no to this resolution means voting no to human rights.” But most speakers, including Israeli citizens and children of refugees from Middle Eastern countries, condemned the bill, saying it is unnecessary, divisive and objectionable. “My father grew up in South Africa during apartheid … I know

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COOK

SHIVA

Committee recommends expulsion for Alec Shiva Alec Shiva—who is currently facing criminal felony counts of false imprisonment, strangulation and second-degree sexual assault—has been found responsible of a crime of violence by a disciplinary hearing that recommended his expulsion from UW-Madison. In the same situation as Alec Cook, another student charged with sexual assault who was recently found responsible for a crime of violence, Shiva has 14 days after the decision to file an appeal to Chancellor Rebecca Blank. Shiva’s lawyer, Robert Hurley, said they plan to appeal the decision. The UW-Madison Police Department arrested Shiva, 18, of Verona, Wis., Nov. 10 after he reportedly sexually assaulted another UW-Madison student in Sellery Residence Hall. The date of Shiva’s criminal trial will be set at an April 24 courtordered meeting with a judge.

“…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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