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Weekend, April 6-9, 2017

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‘sneaky pete’

Athletes leap from DIII to DI

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Overview of spring election outcomes

Faculty aides seek ‘fair and equitable pay’

By Nina Bertelsen THE DAILY CARDINAL

For Alyssa Franze, a former student of UW-Madison, earning more degrees meant taking a pay cut post-graduation.

Franze earned two graduate degrees while working as a teaching assistant at UW-Madison.

After graduating, she decided to stay on as a faculty assistant until her husband finished school.

However, Franze didn’t realize she would be taking a pay cut when her student status and ability to be classified as a TA changed. Even with multiple advanced degrees and years of experience, she must keep a second job waiting tables in order to keep up with daily expenses.

FAs across the university have campaigned throughout the semester for “fair and equitable pay.” Although FAs teach the exact same classes, they are paid a lower rate than TAs.

“They shouldn’t be punished for moving laterally,” said FA Rene Lajack.

Teaching at 100 percent capacity, an experienced FA would earn $31,292 annually. But a senior TA working at only 75 percent capacity would make $36,133. An inexperienced FA earns even less, at $29,945 in a nine-month pay period.

Franze and her colleagues stressed that they don’t think their TA counterparts should be paid less, they just want to be paid at a comparable rate for the comparable work that they do.

Earlier this year, the Teaching Assistant Association, Associated Students of Madison and the Academic Staff endorsed the resolution. Monday, the Faculty Senate approved it unanimously.

Before the meeting, Dean of Letters & Science Karl Scholz sent

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By Lawrence Andrea, Gina Heeb and Claire Lancaster THE DAILY CARDINAL

Community members heading to the ballots with campus and downtown addresses voted on several contested races in Tuesday’s election, including for various judicial, education and city posts.

KATIE SCHEIDT/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

UW-Madison and city police officers are permitted to wear hijabs while on duty, spokespeople for the departments say.

Hijab allowed for officers employed by MPD, UWPD

By Noah Habenstreit THE DAILY CARDINAL

Both UW-Madison and city police say they would permit their officers to wear hijabs while on duty, a move that sets them apart from other departments around the country that either do not allow officers to wear religious head coverings or do not have a clear policy on the matter.

UW-Madison Police Department spokesperson Marc Lovicott said the department’s policy does not “directly address the

wearing of hijabs,” but allows for “uniform modifications” with the approval of the chief. UWPD Chief of Police Kristen Roman said she would permit an officer to wear the hijab for religious reasons, according to Lovicott.

Madison Police Department’s standard operating guidelines say that “scarves are allowed, as are head covers that are required for religious or medical purposes, with a Commander’s approval.”

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UW-Madison pilot program will provide free menstrual products for students

By Nina Bertelsen THE DAILY CARDINAL

CAMERON LANE-FLEHIGNER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Professor Chad Goldberg introduced and supported the plan during a Faculty Senate meeting in Bascom Hall Monday.

UW-Madison will begin a pilot program to provide free menstrual products to students starting this month.

Associated Students of Madison representatives said the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration and Facilities Planning and Managment have agreed to implement a pilot program through the end of 2017.

Products will be available in wom-

en’s bathrooms in Helen C. White and Sterling Hall and additionally in men’s and gender-neutral bathrooms in the Red Gym, according to representatives.

After the pilot, leaders must provide student feedback and a breakdown of costs for evaluation.

Rep. Katrina Morrison said that she hopes the program will yield an official initiative for all buildings within five years.

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Student reports strong armed robbery outside of Elizabeth Waters Residence Hall A strong armed robbery was reported outside a Lakeshore residence hall Monday night, according to a UW-Madison Police Department Crime Warning.

A single victim was tackled to the ground by two reported assail-

ants. He did not receive significant injuries and refused medical treatment, according to UWPD spokesperson Marc Lovicott.

The incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. near Elizabeth Waters Residence Hall.

The victim—a UW-Madison student—told UWPD his backpack was stolen by the two individuals. They then fled the area, according to the crime warning.

The victim knew both suspects, according to Lovicott.

UWPD does not believe either suspect is affiliated with UW-Madison.

Lovicott said there is no further information available at this time, as this is a “very active police investigation.”

City Council, District 8 A UW-Madison alum currently representing the campus area on Madison’s city government is set to serve another two-year term.

Incumbent Ald. Zach Wood, District 8, earned 74.2 percent of votes, defeating John Terry Jr. Wood has said during his campaign that he will spend his next term working to improve several aspects of the campus area, including student access to affordable housing and street safety. Environmental sustainability will also be a focal point, according to the alder.

A year into Wood’s first term, he was appointed to the city’s finance committee—the first time in 10 years that an alder from the student-dominated district had been asked to fill a position on the Board of Estimates.

State Superintendent Incumbent State Superintendent Tony Evers will spend a third term leading Wisconsin’s public education system, after easily beating former School District Superintendent Lowell Holtz.

“I’m grateful for tonight’s results,” Evers said in a statement. “I believe in public education and I am proud of where we are today. We have high graduation rates, suspensions are down, attendance is up, and the number of kids earning college credit in high school is at an all-time high.”

Evers led Holtz by a landslide, echoing results of the spring primary, earning 86.7 percent of votes. The incumbent secured 88.7 percent of votes in February, and his opponent just over 7 percent.

Evers said during his campaign that his first priority in the new term will be to secure adequate education funding throughout the state, specifically in the area of mental health care. Another top priority, he has said, will be narrowing the state’s achievement and graduation gaps— which have been rated by the Center on Wisconsin Strategy this year as being among the worst in the nation

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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.”

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Weekend, April 6-9, 2017

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Student research on racism in language aims to erase stigma

By Sammy Gibbons THE DAILY CARDINAL

In classrooms across the country, students might be scolded for using “ain’t” instead of “isn’t.” But a UW-Madison student is working to erase the stigma against Ebonics, also known as African-American Vernacular English.

UW-Madison junior Erika Gallagher conducted research about code switching, also known as code meshing, in which people change their regular speech tendencies to fit into the mold of what is commonly accepted as appropriate.

Ebonics is a variety of English that is commonly found in the center of large cities that have been historically populated primarily by black people. It is commonly found in slam poetry, as well as hip-hop and rap music.

Gallagher, a Posse scholar, began her research during her time as an undergraduate Writing Fellow this semester. She said she realized, as she sat in her seminar class of predominantly white students, that she wanted to focus on standard written English and how it excludes marginalized groups.

“I want to center the voices of the people who need to be centered,” Gallagher said. “As a Writing Fellow, as a white-passing person, I have a lot of power and privilege that should be shared.”

Gallagher conducted much of her research through three interviews. She talked to UW-Madison student leaders from marginalized groups and asked how they felt about code switching. She said all three “overwhelmingly” said it felt oppressive—one said “it is the biggest form of cognitive dissonance that exists.”

She presented her research at the Conference on College Composition and Communication in Portland, Ore., earlier this semester. She was selected as one of roughly two dozen undergraduates from across the U.S. to participate in the conference, which is typically attended by graduate students and professors.

Gallagher said she hopes to develop her research into a nonprofit organization that “teaches teachers to teach,” with the goal that educators will eventually express disclaimers at the start of each semester that state they will accept any form of English that students are comfortable with.

She also hopes increased acceptance of different rhetoric will encourage the formation of a campus-wide diversity statement.

“Just because you speak a different way doesn’t mean you’re not smart, but there’s a huge stigma around it,” Gallagher said. “I want to teach [educators] a different rhetoric, teach them to be more accepting.”

Wisconsin lawmakers want to milk UW System for more dairy research

By Lilly Price THE DAILY CARDINAL

Rather than crying over spilled milk, state legislators decided to take action to address the steady price decline of Wisconsin’s dairy industry by writing UW System President Ray Cross urging university researchers to find alternative uses for the dairy product.

Wisconsin, championed as the dairy state, is one of the largest producers of milk in the country.

With 10,000 dairy farms producing 30 billion pounds of milk annually, the dairy industry accounts for over half of the state’s $88 billion agriculture industry.

The dairy industry is responsible for 350,000 Wisconsin jobs ranging from machinery sales, equipment dealers, veterinarians, nutritionists and processors, among others.

Those jobs are starting to disappear, however, due to declining prices since 2014.

“We believe it is time to get creative in trying to solve this problem,” 23 legislators wrote in a bipartisan letter to Cross. “We are asking for you to consider directing some of the vast research opportunities that exist within the University of Wisconsin System to start exploring alternative uses for milk.”

Grassland Dairy Products Inc. notified 75 of its southern Wisconsin dairy producers this week they will no longer be purchasing any of their milk beginning May 1, according to the letter. Many farmers will be left without a market to sell their milk after this date.

Prices in the dairy industry start-

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In a bipartisan letter to UW System President Ray Cross, 23 legislators requested research for new uses for dairy milk.

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BEN GOLDEN/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Associated Students of Madison Rep. Katrina Morrison announced the plan during Coordinating Council Wednesday.

“Its definitely a deficit. And it’s an unnecessary burden for ... students to have to go and purchase menstrual products,” said Morrision. “So having them free and readily available in campus buildings is definitely a necessity.”

This initiative started more than a year ago with the creation of a student organization, Accessible Reproductive Healthcare Initiative. Following that, ASM Vice Chair Mariam Coker, representatives and an ASM intern joined forces and began meeting with administrators.

While many other Big Ten institutions have similar proposals, Morrison said that the most costeffective way for our university to implement this is by renovating or replacing the dispensers already in existence.

Shared Governance Director Mara Matovich said the proposal grew stronger after attending a Big Ten conference and hearing many of our peer institutions had similar programs.

Representatives will meet with the VCFA this Friday to finalize the proposal and announcement.

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departments in American cities such as New York, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and San Francisco allow officers to wear religious head coverings as well.

But a 2016 report from Fusion, a subdivision of Univision, concluded that officers employed by six of the 25 largest police departments—Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Houston, Columbus, Las Vegas and San Antonio—are not permitted to wear hijabs while on duty.

The same report said that 12 of the 25 departments do not have policies in place on the matter.

Milwaukee’s police department, the largest in Wisconsin, does not have a clear policy on religious head coverings. A spokesperson for the department said if an issue is not addressed in its standard operating procedure, it is likely dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

MPD spokesperson Joel DeSpain confirmed that the department is “tolerant of officers and their religious beliefs.”

Both Lovicott and DeSpain were not aware of a time the issue has come up within their departments.

Najeeha Khan, president of UW-Madison’s Muslim Students Association, called the departments’ policies “heartening.”

“Hijab is not meant to be restricting, and women who observe hijab can do so in such a large variety of ways and styles,” Khan said. “It’ll be exciting to see the departments continue to broaden their embrace of different lifestyle practices as we progress into the future.”

Last year, both Canadian and Scottish authorities adopted new policies allowing officers to wear hijabs while on duty. Police

faculty from page 1 a memo in opposition the proposal that stated his department, the largest university employer of FAs, had “little to no use” for the position.

Among other points, he pressed that TA compensation should be higher due to the different job markets they are hired from; FAs are hired from local labor and while TAs are chosen from among other graduate institutions.

He added that his department has taken steps to improve this, including “minor” raises to minimum pay standards and moving some FAs to the title of “lecturer” to fill a growing need for more instructors.

But supporters of the fair and equitable pay campaign say this is not enough. The raise to have FAs paid the same minimum rate as TAs would cost the university $150,000, or 0.026 percent of the

instructional budget. Franze characterized this as a “drop in the bucket” for the university.

After the academic staff brought this issue to the university’s attention, they conducted a study and concluded that FAs are different from TAs and while there is a pay gap, it is smaller than at other Big Ten institutions, according to university spokesperson Meredith McGlone.

However, Franze said unless FAs are paid more, many will move on in search of a better job, costing the university experienced instructors.

“I like what I do, I like being in Madison and I like being able to teach here. But it’s almost like we have to work in order to afford begin able to teach here,” said another anonymous FA. “The quality of teaching will go down and ultimately the students will be affected.”

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Constitution change may give victims more rights

By Claire Grummon THE DAILY CARDINAL

Crime victims could receive greater protections in the courtroom under a proposal announced Tuesday by state Republicans.

The proposal is part of an amendment that would also allow victims to speak out at a greater number of court hearings and to refuse interviews with attorneys for suspects.

The legislation, dubbed as “Marsy’s Law,” is part of an effort to increase victims’ rights nationwide.

The law is named after Marsalee Nicholas, a California college student who was killed in 1983 by her exboyfriend. Her brother now advocates for victims’ rights laws across the country.

Wisconsin was the first state to establish a “crime victim bill of rights” in 1980. Another amendment was later adopted in 1999 to afford victims more privacy. The new amendment, created by state Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, and state Rep. Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville, would expand on these rights.

To become part of the state con-

BETSY OSTERBERGER/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Two GOP legislators proposed amending the state constitution to give crime victims more rights. stitution, the amendment needs to pass in two legislative sessions and confirmed in a statewide referendum. At the earliest, this could happen in 2019.

“This constitutional amendment will update our Constitution to ensure equal rights for crime victims that are clear, enforceable, and permanent. It’s time we get to work,”

Attorney General Brad Schimel said in a Tuesday press release.

The rights suggested in the amendment do not reinvent the wheel. Rather, the amendment would change court proceedings, Schimel said.

“We’re really not talking about giving new rights to crime victims,” Schimel said in a press con-

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MORGAN WINSTON/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Included in the $181.3 million proposal is $162.8 million that will be used for a new high school and other building renovations.

$181.3 millionVerona School District referendum approved

By Sarah Schoenfeldt THE DAILY CARDINAL

One of the largest referendums in state history passed in the Verona School District Tuesday in large part due to tech corporation Epic. The $181.3 million referendum is made possible by the increase of money flowing into the district where the company is based.

Epic Systems Corp. employs roughly 10,000 people and is expected to bring $140 million in increased tax revenue to the city over the next 20 years.

Out of the $181.3 million supported by Epic revenue and a tax increase, $162.8 million will fund a new high school that will open in 2020. The remaining $18.5 million will go toward a swimming pool, an athletic field and school building improvements.

Julie Mead, a UW-Madison educational leadership and policy analysis professor with expertise in legal aspects of K-12 education, offered an explanation of the referendum process in Wisconsin.

“The way school funding occurs in Wisconsin is that there are limitations on what a school can do without voter approval,” Mead said. “The school has to ask taxpayers to increase the tax rate

for the referendum.”

The referendum will increase the tax rate by 42 cents, raising annual taxes on a $250,000 home by $105, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. Verona’s population has more than doubled in the past 30 years, boosting the student population to 5,000. The new high school is expected to house 2,200 students.

State Rep. Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton, expressed appreciation for the strong community support for the referendum.

“I am thrilled that Verona residents stood up and voted and are supporting this referendum,” Hesselbein said. “Those kids that are going to be educated in that facility and the opportunities that are going to be unfolding for them is just amazing.”

Hesselbein added that through this referendum the community is expressing their respect for teachers.

State Rep. Sondy Pope, D-Mt. Horeb, is hopeful about the benefits the referendum will bring to the community.

“They’re going to be able to offer their students state-of-the-art facilities. Teachers are going to be attracted to a school district that values education,” Pope said.

for racial disparity.

The two candidates ran on nearly opposite policy platforms.

Holtz had demonstrated support for expanding private school voucher programs, repealing Common Core standards and allowing licensed weapons in schools—all ideas Evers has said he opposes.

Holtz was heavily scrutinized after admitting just a week before the primary to the Wisconsin State Journal that he had planned to collaborate with former candidate John Humphries. The two had made a deal that Humphries would drop out of the race if the two advanced, in exchange for a position with benefits including a chauffeur at the Department of Public Instruction.

Dane County Judge, Branch 12 Attorney Jill Karofsky was elected to the only contested Dane County judicial seat, filling the vacancy of 17-year incumbent Judge David Flanagan.

Karofsky earned 57.6 percent of votes to represent Branch 12 of Dane County Circuit Court, leaving her opponent Marilyn Townsend with

ference Tuesday. “We’re talking about the stature they’re given in the courtroom.”

The proposed amendment raises some concerns for defense attorneys.

Defense attorney Stephen Meyer told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the amendment could create difficulties if the defendant is wrongly accused and alleged victims refuse to turn just over 40 percent.

Karofsky said during her campaign that addressing racial disparity in the county is one of her top priorities. She plans to do that by considering bias in setting bail, seeking alternatives to incarceration and working with communities to develop solutions to their problems.

Running on her knowledge of criminal law, Karofsky frequently highlighted her experience dealing with more than 10,000 criminal cases in Dane County and 25 years of experience in the criminal justice system.

Hundreds of attorneys, judges and community leaders endorsed Karofsky, including Dane County Judge Everett Mitchell and Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney. Both candidates were backed by several labor activists.

Madison School Board Seat 6 Kate Toews defeated Ali Muldrow by a 11.5 percent margin in the race to fill Seat 6, winning 55.6 percent of the votes. In the February primary, Toews secured 30.2 percent of votes while Muldrow led the race, polling at 40.2 percent.

certain types of evidence, such as emails or text messages.

North Dakota lawmakers, where a similar amendment has passed, have experienced confusion with the vagueness of the law and have expressed concern that the amendment will slow down the justice system.

UW-Madison political science professor David Canon noted that this amendment is incredibly complicated and multifaceted.

“It is a difficult balancing act. You need to respect the rights of victims, but you also can’t violate the defendant’s rights to a fair trial. It’s going to be really hard to get this balance right,” Canon said.

Despite the complexity, Brian Reisinger, a spokesman for Marsy’s Law, told the Associated Press that he is confident that Wisconsin will not struggle like other states, since Wisconsin is a leader in advocating for victims rights.

“Our focus needs to be on caring for and protecting ... victims, not coddling criminals,” Wanggaard said in a statement.

Toews, who has a background in business and is a mother of students in MMSD, has emphasized the need to attract and keep high-quality teachers throughout her campaign—a move she said will narrow the achievement gap between white students and students of color.

Muldrow, a former student at MMSD, has said she planned to bring her ideas of equal opportunity to the school board. Throughout her campaign, Muldrow had stressed that race should not be a factor in a child’s success.

Seat 7 Juvenile attorney Nicki Vander Meulen, who ran unopposed after incumbent Ed Hughes dropped out of the race last month due to family health issues, won the Madison School Board’s Seat 7 post. Vander Meulen had trailed closely behind Hughes in the February primary.

The new board member has said she plans to implement a new behavior plan to narrow the achievement gap. The plan, she said, would aim to keep students in the classroom by reducing the number of suspensions and expulsions, and would be based on community standards.

MORGAN WINSTON/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Students who voted in Tuesday’s election picked who will serve on several posts near campus.

milk from page 2 ed to decline for a variety of reasons, namely an expanding global supply of high quality milk while fewer people are consuming fluid milk.

Lawmakers hope that university scientists and researchers can find another productive use for milk, like Iowa corn farmers found an economically beneficial use in ethanol.

“I hope you encourage research-

ers and scientists to be creative and think outside the box,” the letter said. “We believe the same potential [seen in Iowa] exists for a new product or market to change the dairy industry in Wisconsin and beyond.”

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Weekend, April 6-9, 2017

Gallery: Local Natives performs at the Majestic Photos by Katie Scheidt

PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS - IHDWALLPAPERS.COM

“Sneaky Pete” brings a breathtaking narrative to Amazon Prime’s lineup.

‘Sneaky Pete’ fills up TV void

By Eli Radtke THE DAILY CARDINAL

It’s that horrible time of the season—or seasons, I guess is more accurate. Yes, all the shows we love and adore are gearing up for their finales, leaving that horrible, dark place in your schedule that used to be filled with familiar characters and drama. While it could be filled with that homework that’s piling up behind the laptop screen (Nah), I went in search of a new series to fill the void.

I stumbled across an interesting Amazon Prime original that I had overlooked and, frankly, not heard a lot about:“Sneaky Pete.”

It sounded interesting enough, so I pushed aside my textbook and pressed play. A beautiful scene, describing the joys of summer and spending time outside unfolded before my eyes—but only for the first minute. Viewers were then brought back sharply to a reality depicting two inmates in prison, one wistfully describing the scene to which viewers were just being treated. Welcome to the show.

“Sneaky Pete” is possibly the best piece of television I have had the privilege of watching in the past year, and that includes a year with giants like “Westworld” premiering. Marius Josipovic (Giovanni Ribisi) has spent three years in jail listening to his cellmate Pete (Ethan Embry) describe the good ol’ days. Marius is on his last day in prison and shows it, giving Pete a piece of his mind before going to call his brother, Eddie (Michael Drayer), to arrange a ride. He learns that New York isn’t safe for him, and he needs a hideout. Swallowing his own words, Marius goes back and asks Pete to tell him more about his childhood, feigning interest while collecting information.

Marius assumes the identity of Pete, using the three years of ramblings to show up and surprise Grandpa Otto (Peter Gerety) and Grandma Audrey (Margo Martindale) who haven’t seen Pete in a decade. Cue the intro.

I was already breathless from the events of the show, but the intro is something else. Where “Game of Thrones” wows viewers with grandiose music and “Westworld” uses subtle piano, “Sneaky Pete” features the imme-

diate clang of blues guitar, making me want to to get up and groove with the riffs. The black and white headshots of the main characters slowly pan across, artfully lined down the middle to represent the show’s message.

Of course, Marius (now “Pete”) finds himself in a situation where he has bitten off more than he can chew. On top of running from his old life in New York, he finds out his new “family” has strong ties to the law as bail bondsmen and police officers. The show expertly brings you to the edge of your seat and keeps you there as Marius navigates new waters, dodging questions that I thought were absolutely impossible to get around.

This show draws its amazing flair from stellar performances and stunningly constructed characters. Everyone seems to have a secret that is simmering just below the surface, and Ribisi and company do each dramatic turn justice, making my knuckles white as I watched. A group of my friends and I were invested in the show together, and thank goodness, because it’s one of those that I would have gladly stayed up all night watching, either until it was over or I passed out.

For me, “Sneaky Pete” fills a void that has truly been around since the film, “Ocean’s Eleven”—the heist, the hustle and the silver-tongued rogue.

Yes, the film “Now You See Me” was a pretty near hit, but nothing on television has ever quite captured that genre of badassery for me until now. “Sneaky Pete” walks the tightrope of morality, somehow making everyone both a hero and a villain at once.

Viewers need to look only as far as the writing credits to discover why this show hits hard and never lets go. Bryan Cranston (who also plays a character) created the show along with David Shore. The expertly crafted writing and intricate plot is a hallmark of Cranston, who has vaulted himself to new heights with this latest creation.

So, while the world holds its breath for “Game of Thrones,” I suggest you let “Sneaky Pete” take yours away. With an explosive first season featuring excellent characters and plotlines, this is not a show you want to miss.

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Study finds correlation between IQ, use of Snapchat and injuries

By Patrick Hoeppner THE DAILY CARDINAL

A study released by UW-Madison’s Psychology Research Division has outlined a network of patterns linking the popular social media application Snapchat to a nationwide surge of unexplained injuries, most of which involve either hyperextension of the arms or traumatic impacts with bystanders, furniture and inanimate objects in the street.

“Snapchat is meant to connect people, but not like this.”

Evan Spiegel Snapchat CEO

According to experts, the application promotes the extension of outstretched arms into high-traffic areas such as hallways, elevators, escalators and particle accelerators.

Experts cite telescopic “selfie sticks” as only adding to the mayhem, as the three-foot aluminum rods exacerbate the potential for catastrophic, albeit hysterical, injuries.

“I can’t say the best crash I’ve seen,” a security guard at

Disney’s Animal Kingdom said.

“This one jogger went full-speed into this mom’s arm as she was snapchatting her eight-year-old trying to climb the Tree of Life.

The mom was fine. The jogger got a concussion. The kid thought it was hilarious.”

Reports of Snapchat injuries have extended into medical school curricula, where students and postdocs are being taught proper procedure for hyperextended arms as a result of Snapchat selfies.

Epic’s cutting-edge medical software system has even added a new category for collision injuries of this type, known confidentially as MORON_2.

“There is some interesting data backing up the assertion that low IQ scores are correlated with excessive, public use of Snapchat,” Snapchat researcher Holden McGroin said. “These accidents, along with the several close calls we’ve seen in public spaces and near roadways, are obvious signs that Snapchat is a driving factor in the dangerization of mobile applications.”

Reports of bystanders being stiff-armed by unwary snapchatters have been in circulation since the application’s advent on Stanford University’s

Students unsure how to react to statue of Saddam Hussein erected outside dining hall

By Jared Holloway THE DAILY CARDINAL

Late last night—somewhere between 2 and 5 a.m.—an interesting monument was discovered outside Gordon Dining Hall: a statue of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Needless to say, this statue has been troubling to some and really confusing to others.

“Yeah, it’s like ... I dunno, man, like, it’s probably super deep and shit, and not gonna lie bro, he’s got a super dope moustache.”

Kevin Shank juinior

“I mean, it’s nice and all, I just ... don’t get it,” said freshman Sarah Shaw. “Like, are we celebrating him? Is it an artistic statement? I’d really like some context here, you know?”

Shaw’s reaction is similar to that of most students on campus, as people struggle to link the statue to the values of the university.

“I think…,” said student Will Whisler, who was struggling to find the right words,

“that it is a statement on imperialism? But then is it supposed to criticize the U.S. invasion, or criticize Saddam himself ? This is weird, man.”

Other students’ questions are more practical in nature, as senior David Lang suggests.

“I’m just as clueless to the ‘why’ as everyone, but isn’t anyone else wondering how a 60-foot statue just appeared here overnight? I mean, how the hell did it get here?”

Despite questions and reactions buzzing throughout campus, the university refrained from commenting on the statue. It is still unclear if the university itself, another group or individuals constructed the monument. No identifying marks can be seen on it, and no one has taken responsibility.

While most reactions have been anger or confusion, some have come out in support of Hussein, such as junior Kevin Shank.

“Yeah, it’s like … I dunno, man, like, it’s probably super deep and shit, and not gonna lie bro, he’s got a pretty dope mustache.”

Further updates are still being waited upon, however the story now seems to be deepening as reports of a bust of Josef Stalin in Agriculture Hall are surfacing.

campus in 2011, but the explosion in complaints has led researchers to investigate whether other issues have contributed to the surge in Snapchat-related injuries.

“There’s a clear correlation,” an associate professor at UW-Madison said. “You have an application which requires an outstretched arm to take a good picture at a distance.

Combine that with the constant need to take these pictures, the location where the pictures might be taken and the traffic patterns around the person taking these pictures, the chances for a collision just go … well … skywards.”

“There is some interesting data ... that low IQ scores are correlated with excessive, public use of Snapchat.”

Holden McGroin Snapchat researcher

When asked for an interview via phone, 26-year-old Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel took few questions.

“Snapchat is meant to connect people,” Spiegel said. “But not like this.”

IMAGE COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS - DAWK SUICE

Hologram Tupac was asked to put on a shirt for his courtroom appearance. He declined to do so, saying to the bailiff, “Nah.”

Hologram Tupac to testify during Suge Knight’s next trial

By Ayomide Awosika THE DAILY CARDINAL

Earlier this week Suge Knight came forward with breaking news concerning the murder of hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur in 1996. He alleges that his ex-wife, Sharitha, and the Death Row security chief, Reggie White, are the culprits in the murder of Shakur. Knight has also stated that he believes he was the target of the murder attempt and Tupac was simply in the way.

Following the release of these allegations, Hologram Tupac, first revealed in 2012, has come forward to testify at Knight’s upcoming trial concerning murder and attempted murder charges. When Cardinal staffers asked this digitally fabricated Tupac about his sudden decision, he simply replied, “I didn’t choose the court life, the court life chose me.”

When we followed up by asking how a hologram like himself planned on entering the courtroom, he described a technique using reflective glass that would make him appear 3-D. As he described this technique, referred to as “Pepper’s Ghost,” he emphasized that he was not a hologram.

Upon further questioning, Hologram Tupac refused to comment on whether the real Tupac Shakur was alive or not, but continued to say that he would not tell us the content of his future testimony because “Snitches get stitches.” When we brought up that his testimony in court would be considered snitching by the laws of the playground, he disintegrated into little bits of light signifying the end of the interview.

Suge Knight and his lawyers declined to comment.

“I’m happy because MATC sets the stage for a smooth

transfer.”

— Marquise, future actor

Apply today! madisoncollege.edu/summer-classes

Madison College. Find your Happy Place.

Madison College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs or activities. Inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies are handled by the Affirmative Action Officer, 1701 Wright Street, Madison, WI 53704, phone (608) 243-4137.

opinion 6

•

Weekend, April 6-9, 2017

dailycardinal.com

We need to do more to stop use of derogatory words for diverse ability MADISON SCHULTZ opinion columnist

I

CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

The athletics of schools across the UW System could be jeopardized by opting out of allocable fees.

Seg fee opt-out could hurt system athletics AMANDA VAN DUYN, LAUREN PFEIFER, MICHAEL SALM AND RORY CALABRIA letter to the editor

D

ear Governor Walker and State Legislators, The student-athletes of the University of WisconsinWhitewater would like to voice their concern about the recent state budget proposal.

Specifically, our concern is with the section that would allow students to voluntarily opt out of paying the allocable fee portion of their student bill.

It is our belief that this would not only be detrimental to every student organization in the UW System, but would also irreversibly damage every NCAA Division III athletic program in the state of Wisconsin.

Through our student-athletes’ campus and community leadership responsibilities, we have been educated on the funding structure of our University.

Currently, UW-Whitewater Athletics receives approximately $480,000 (50 percent of its operating budget) from the allocable portion of the Segregated Undergraduate Fees (SUF).

Hundreds of athletes choose to attend other institutions where they can be assured of a chance to compete.

Even with this exceptional institutional support, our student-athletes are expected to go above and beyond the time commitments of their studies and athletic pursuits to fundraise the other 50 percent of our athletic

department’s operating budget.

Granting the opt-out feature would assuredly result in a marked decline from existing funding levels leaving us with an even more immense shortfall to cover.

The resulting uncertainties surrounding the funding of athletics would undoubtedly lead to enrollment reductions as hundreds of athletes choose to attend other institutions where they can be assured of a chance to compete.

Retaining high quality coaches to lead our programs will be close to impossible.

In a study done by our campus’ Fiscal and Economic Research Center in 2015, it was concluded that UW-Whitewater Athletics, and its related events, contribute over $7 million to the regional economy annually.

UW-Whitewater Athletics increases regional traffic by an average of 54,910 people per year.

Additionally, UW-Whitewater Athletics is home to the Warhawk Leadership Academy (WLA), a program that focuses on the intentional engagement and development of our student-athletes.

WLA has been recognized as the 2016 N4A Model StudentAthlete Development Program of the Year, the 2016 Wisconsin Colleges Personnel Association Innovative Program of the Year, and a 2017 Gold Winner of the NASPA Excellence Awards. If the proposal to opt out of allocable fees is accepted, the ability of the UW-Whitewater Athletic Department to continue to be a national leader in all aspects of intercollegiate athletics would be irreversibly compromised.

Expanding beyond our campus, the detrimental effects of this proposal would be felt throughout the NCAA Division III’s most successful conference.

The Wisconsin Intercollegiate

Athletic Conference (WIAC), composed entirely of UW System schools, is the 9th oldest conference of the NCAA and has earned more NCAA National Championships than any other Division III conference in history, winning over 50 titles since 2005 alone.

The detrimental effects of this proposal would be felt throughout the NCAA Division III’s more successful conference.

If the allocable fee opt-out proposal came to fruition, it is foreseeable that the WIAC would dissolve because of massive declines in sport sponsorship by WIAC schools.

This immense disbandment of allocable fee funded programming would extend far beyond varsity athletics—minority associations, professional development organizations, club sports, student government and other integral student and campus life services would experience similar catastrophic loss in opportunity and culture within the UW System.

This letter to the editor was written by Warhawk Leadership Academy President Amanda Van Duyn, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President Lauren Pfeifer, Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Intern Michael Salm and Warhawk Leadership Academy Intern Rory Calabria.

What are your thoughts on how opting out of segregated fees could affect athletics aross the UW System? Send any and all questions, comments or concerns to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

grew up with a family member with special needs and from a young age I was taught that the word “retarded” was never OK to say.

I knew that this word was insulting to my family member, and I understood that I should never use it because I did not want to hurt him or others with special needs. However, as I started elementary school and grew older, I was shocked by how frequently the R-word was being used.

All the time I would hear my classmates saying to each other “Wow, that was so retarded,” or “Don’t be a retard,” when someone had done something that was stupid. If I voiced my concerns for my classmates to stop saying this word, many times I would be ridiculed, made to believe that I was too sensitive or that it was weird I wouldn’t say a word which had become such common slang.

I truly did not understand how people could so carelessly throw around this word that was so inherently derogatory.

My classmates, who were using the R-word, had no idea that I had a family member with special needs. Every time they would say this word it was like a punch to the gut.

Most people who say the R-word have never interacted with a person who has special needs.

Because of this, they do not understand the pain this word causes.

If they had, they would be able to comprehend that people with intellectual disabilities are individuals, leaders, friends, athletes, scholars and everything else that non-special needs individuals can be.

The word is used out of ignorance, which can be reduced if people would only take the time to try and educate themselves about others who may have different abilities from them. Just because someone is differently abled does not mean they are stupid or have less value than those without intellectual disabilities.

There is absolutely never an OK reason to say the word “retarded.” Simply put, the R-word is hate speech and insinuates that people who have dis-

abilities are stupid or worthless.

It is not acceptable to call people other slurs and the R-word is no different. When people say the R-word they are doing it to insult someone or make fun of something. This is incredibly offensive, dehumanizing and humiliating to people who have intellectual disabilities or handicaps and their loved ones.

While I’m so happy that because of campaigns like “Spread the Word to End the Word” the R-word is being used less and less frequently as common slang, it can be disheartening when I hear this outdated word still being used.

Even musical artists use the word in their songs. For example, in Iggy Azalea’s 2014 hit song “Fancy” she raps, “and my flow retarded, they speak it depart it.”

This is a mainstream song that played on the radio countless times and is listened to by millions of people. Azalea could have used dozens of other words to rhyme with, but instead she chose to use offensive hate speech.

Instances like this only further encourage others that it’s OK to say this word even though it absolutely is not. It encourages bullying of people with intellectual disabilities and demeans an entire group of people.

Besides celebrities, I was shocked last year when one of my TAs made a joke that made use of the R-word. What was even more disheartening is that some of my classmates laughed along with her.

Clearly, there is still a lot of progress that needs to be made in stopping the use of the R-word.

I implore you: Next time you think about saying the R-word or hear someone else saying it, consider the individuals whose lives you are disrespecting and stand up for what is right.

Madison is a sophomore majoring in English and communication arts. What are your thoughts on the R-word? Have you noticed a difference in its use thanks to recent campaigns? Have you personally changed the way you use it? Please send any questions, comments and concerns to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

KATIE SCHEIDT/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

We need to end the use of the R-word in the classroom.

sports

Weekend, April 6-9, 2017 • 7

dailycardinal.com

Avocados are poisonous to birds.

Today’s Sudoku

© Puzzles by Pappocom

Nisse: Don’t prioritize athletes over journalists in broadcasting JAKE NISSE jake’s take

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

Tony Romo recently announced his retirement from football, trading a career on the gridiron for one in the broadcast booth at CBS. The move came as a slight surprise given the free agency interest surrounding the former Dallas Cowboy who was undoubtedly talented despite his ugly injury record in the NFL. Nonetheless, Romo called it quits, and he’ll be shot straight to the top of CBS’ football coverage, serving as the analyst for its No. 1 broadcast team and replacing Phil Simms in his long-term role.

While Romo developed a reputation for thriving in production meetings as a player, he still carries no experience as a broadcaster. This inexperience represents the possibility of a steep learning curve in some aspects of his new job, where any growing pains will be abundantly visible to a massive audience of football fans.

But despite the potential problems, quick transitions from football to broadcasting like Romo’s are far from uncommon—Troy Aikman did the same thing after his retirement—and represent the priorities that studio executives now have when piecing together programs and broadcasts.

The hiring of athletes with little broadcasting experience, for better or worse, sends a message to journalists that their voices are not as important as athletes’.

ACROSS 1 Beer varieties 5 Diagonal nautical pole

51 Distinction between multiple things

22 Carrying or holding 25 .45 half

57 Seed cover

26 Worshiped object

10 Places to be pampered

58 Stirring utensil

27 Cry like a baby

14 Tora ___ (Afghanistan battle

59 Really involved with

28 Rectangular paver

60 Equine female

29 St. kin

15 A real bloodsucker

61 Captain Nemo’s creator

31 Amigos

16 St. John’s herb

62 Norse war god

32 Yore’s “before”

17 Tanlike color

63 Inuit’s glider

33 Smallish salamander

18 Full metal jacket?

64 Pumpkin-eater of rhyme

34 On the briny

19 “Wait, there’s more ...”

65 Pinocchio feature

35 Head-turning “over here”

site)

20 Interruption, as of a subscription

sound DOWN

37 Card game expert Edmond

23 Black billiard ball

1 In a safe place, at night

38 Milk-producing animal

24 Major French river

2 Coil anagram

39 Margin jotting

25 Without difficulty

3 Is mistaken

43 Rummaged through

28 “If it’s all the ___ to you ...”

4 Cooking utensil

44 Perpetual bane, essentially

30 Creative concept

5 Like the word “hangry” or

45 What makes Len lean?

31 “Pet” cause for complaint

“bae”

46 Two presidents

33 Short rest

6 Capital of Western Australia

47 Like a hot online video

36 Feeling of low spirits and

7 Send a check

48 Blazing

8 Picture to click

49 What a bull does

9 Unobstructed, on a traffic

50 Give reparations

sadness 40 July’s third?

41 Barn nestling

Turn on any football program and you will notice a stark lack of actual journalists covering the sport, with networks instead opting for the star power and playing experience of former athletes to discuss the NFL. It should be said that journalists aren’t completely absent from broadcasts, but still often take a back seat in actual discussion, usually as hosts or moderators. This fall, longtime

sign

52 “Let us know if you’re com-

42 Has debt

10 Wrap up securely

43 Some seeded breads

11 Salk’s conquest

53 Certain sword

44 Part of a drum sound

12 Pyromaniac’s crime

54 Prefix with “European”

46 Prove beneficial

13 Cherry center

55 Mayberry self-jailer

49 It can make you sweat

21 Valdez cargo

56 “And Then There Were ___”

ing” on an invitation

COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS - GOIOWASTATE.COM

Journalists like Ponder have taken a backseat on television.

COURTEST OF CREATIVE COMMONS - BIGCATS LAIR

Tony Romo will move to broadcast television this year after many productive years in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. reporter Samantha Ponder will host ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown flanked by former players such as Randy Moss and Charles Woodson.

However, the hiring of athletes with little broadcasting experience, for better or worse, sends a message to journalists that their voices are not as important as athletes’, and that their time honing a craft in college is inferior to an athlete’s time gaining playing experience.

And that message, though harsh, may actually be true, at least in the eyes of viewers. For as long as I hone my writing skills or my understanding of a sport, I’ll never be able to tell the same locker room stories as a professional athlete. Nor will I ever be viewed with the same credibility as a former pro talking about his sport.

With the respect and credibility that they bring to the table, there are obvious perks to having former athletes on TV. Furthermore, it’s not as if these ex-players come off as awkward or unprepared. If an athlete is on TV, after all, it’s for a reason, as they are usually natural speakers and performers who are able to seamlessly convey their knowledge of the game.

As a 14-year NFL veteran who has always been articulate in interviews, Romo should have little trouble in his role as an analyst, and will provide a fresh outlook to the CBS broadcast. No one is saying that he’s unable to do the job that lies ahead.

What could be said, however, is that he’s perhaps a bit underqualified for a No. 1 broadcast job. But the significance of this has to do with a larger trend rather than this specific job.

Executives seem to value playing experience and star power over actual broadcasting experience, and the role of the sports journalist on TV is under attack.

There is undoubtedly an important role for athletes to play on TV, as they have valuable stories, knowledge and perspectives to share. At the same time, however, journalists also have an important role to play, as they hold a different yet significant perspective of the sports they cover, and may actually speak with less biases than former athletes.

For example, Michael Strahan almost always picks the Giants during pregame prediction segments, while a sports journalist trained to be more objective would likely make a more informed and independent decision.

Athletes have valuable roles to play, but they’re not journalists just because they have microphones in front of them.

Ultimately, whether journalists actually maintain a presence on sports TV, especially in pregame and postgame shows, is down to the desires of their bosses and viewers. Journalists are of obvious importance if objective sports journalism is to be the standard, whereas athletes are far more valuable if a casual, locker room-type environment like TNT’s “Inside the NBA” is the goal.

Athletes have valuable roles to play, but they’re not journalists just because they have microphones in front of them.

Let’s respect the profession for what it is.

Do you think broadcast teams should value journalism experience over playing experience? Are you excited about Tony Romo’s career as a broadcaster? Let Jake know at sports@dailycardinal.com.

Sports

WEEKEND, APRIL 6-9, 2017 DAILYCARDINAL.COM

Read of the week

Softball

Badgers look to make statement in Madison against Hawkeyes

By Jonathan Mills THE DAILY CARDINAL

PHOTO COURTESY OF JACK HINIKER

Unlike other athletes, Emma Paulson made a reverse leap from Division I to Division III and has loved it.

Level up: Athletes leap to top-tier schools from Division III dominance

By Kelly Ward THE DAILY CARDINAL

W

hen McKena Ramos was recruited to run track at the UW-Oshkosh four years ago, his coaches never expected that he would become a five-time All-American and two-time national champion in just one season.

“When we were recruiting him, I didn’t think he would be able to come in and win a national championship as a freshman,” UW-Oshkosh track and cross-country coach Eamon McKenna said. “We knew he was good and we knew he was a little bit under the radar.”

During the season, Ramos made a decision: If he won a national title, he would transfer to a Division I school.

“I told myself going into the indoor national meet—and I didn’t tell anyone this—If you win the national meet as a freshman, you should really consider transferring,’” he said. “I didn’t think it was going to happen, I just made a little bet with myself.”

After taking home the indoor title in the 800-meter race and the outdoor title in the 1500-meter run, Ramos decided to transfer to UW-Madison, where he is now a senior. The Sheboygan, Wis., native has been a solid contributor for both the Badgers’ track and cross-country teams since his arrival in the fall of 2014, using the increased intensity and tougher competition to improve his times across the board.

“The biggest difference athletically is the competition level; everyone is on your level and up,” Ramos said. “There are more opportunities. Traveling from coast to coast and competing on the highest stage, that’s big.”

Ramos’ decision to transfer to a Division I school after success at the Division III level isn’t altogether unheard of. While still relatively rare, there have been several highprofile transfers within the last few years from Division III into the Big

Ten, and every school in the conference features at least one such transfer on at least one roster.

Besides Ramos, there are two other Badger athletes who have recently made the jump from Division III to Division I: Ryan Ramczyk and Ricky Finco, both members of the UW football team.

Finco, a junior who transferred after one year at UW-Whitewater, is a wide receiver who plays mainly on the scout team. Ramczyk’s story has been well documented, from his all-out dominance on the offensive line at UW-Stevens Point to his AllAmerican season in Madison that rocketed his name up NFL Draft boards around the country.

While making the jump to Division I has paid dividends for Ramos, Finco and Ramczyk, competing for a large institution in a hyper-competitive environment hasn’t been ideal for everyone who has tried.

Emma Paulson realized that competing at the highest collegiate level was not the right fit for her during her freshman season on UW-Madison’s swim team, and subsequently transferred to the University of St. Thomas, a Division III school in Minnesota.

“When I was at Madison, I was confused as to how some people could live out the [Division I] lifestyle and that culture, and I kind of got angry about it. How could I be the only one who seems to be unhappy when everyone’s going through the same thing?” Paulson said. “But I realized that people are different and have different fits—it might work for them, but it wasn’t the right fit for me.”

Finding the right fit paid off, as Paulson recently finished a decorated career with the Tommies that included three individual national championships and nine individual All-American designations.

“Training-wise and the quantitative aspects, my times fit with Division I, but the qualitative aspects fit with Division III,” Paulson said.

“Swimming DI, it kind of takes over your life in a sense, but DIII [is] just a part of your life. It breeds a different culture.”

Since Division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships, their athletic facilities are generally significantly lower-scale than those at the Division I level. In addition, Division I schools are more likely to invest more money in those facilities and programs in general, so the difference becomes even more pronounced when an athlete transfers from Division III. “For running, it’s pretty much the same training, but we have athletic training facilities with ice baths and stuff like that. We didn’t have those facilities at Oshkosh,” Ramos said.

Ramos added that tutoring at the Fetzer Center and the ability to take exams while on the road have allowed him to succeed academically since arriving in Madison, while Paulson says that she is held to the same standards as non-athletes and has no designated academic services at St. Thomas.

Though their paths have led in opposite directions, Paulson and Ramos both firmly believe they made the right decision to transfer after one season.

“I am absolutely happy,” Ramos said. “It’s been my dream to compete for this school since middle school and now that I’m actually here it’s unreal. The best thing that’s happened would probably be all the experiences I’ve had that I wouldn’t have been able to experience if I wouldn’t have transferred.”

McKenna, Ramos’ former coach, was cautiously optimistic when offering advice to other athletes in Ramos’ situation and encouraged them to look for the right fit.

“If you stand out in DIII, you’re going to have opportunities,” McKenna said. “At the end of the day, the biggest question a studentathlete should ask themselves is, ‘Am I going to be able to replace what’s making me dominant here?’”

After getting swept at the hands of the Nebraska Cornhuskers last week, the Wisconsin softball team (2-4 Big Ten, 23-6 overall) hopes to righten the ship Friday when the Iowa Hawkeyes (2-4, 8-21) travel to the Goodman Complex.

The Hawkeyes enter the weekend series fresh off their first conference series win. An impressive display of offense and pitching earned them two wins over the Purdue Boilermakers last weekend.

For many teams, coaches rely on their senior players not only to produce, but serve as role models for younger, lessexperienced players. Iowa senior Kaitlyn Mullarkey has done just that, as she leads the team in batting average (.256) and runs batted in (12). Currently, she is tied for No. 13 in program history with 16 career home runs and is on pace to break other program records. Mullarkey also sits at 27 career doubles and can move into No. 15 in team history with four more.

Besides Mullarkey, junior Cheyenne Pratt has created chaos on the basepaths for opposing pitchers this season.

She is 6-for-6 on steals this year and is a perfect 12-for-12 swiping bags in her career.

As a team, the Hawkeyes’ pitching is respectable despite their dismal record. They lead the conference in double plays per game with .62, forcing opponents into tough situations at the plate with runners on base.

Their earned run average of 3.21 ranks No. 6 overall in the Big Ten, largely thanks to their five

experienced starters returning from the 2015-’16 season.

For the Badgers, the Hawkeyes will be a formidable opponent. Wisconsin saw its Big Ten record slip against Nebraska and is still searching for its first home victory this year.

Senior Chloe Miller has opened the season on fire in 2017.

She leads the Badgers with a whopping .511 batting average and is tied for the team lead in RBIs with 35.

The long ball has certainly helped the Badgers this spring.

Eight players have recorded a home run this season and Miller sits at the forefront with seven.

On the pitching side, the Badgers feature workhorse freshman Kaitlyn Menz. Although she had a slight hiccup against Nebraska, Menz has been the ace for the team. This season, she has already pitched 117 innings and racked up 71 punchouts. As the schedule toughens, strong performances from fellow pitchers Mariah Watts and Angela Morrow will be critical to take some pressure off of Menz and senior Kristen Stevens.

On paper, both teams play similar styles. They are balanced and showcase efficient offense and pitching units. The key for this series will ultimately be defense, though. The Hawkeyes total 34 errors on the season while the Badgers have committed 35.

Last year, the Badgers won a 5-4 walk-off thriller over Iowa. However, the Hawkeyes ensured Wisconsin left the weekend with a foul taste in its mouth and took the series 2-1. In 2017, both teams have struggled in the Big Ten and are looking for statement wins.

JESSI SCHOVILLE/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Despite a dominant record, the Badgers have struggled in Big Ten play and are looking to get back on track against Iowa.