Weekend, April 9-11, 2010 - The Daily Cardinal

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Kids’ film ‘Dragon’ succeeds, even with adults ARTS

University of Wisconsin-Madison

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TIGERS LOSE THEIR STRIPES IN BLOWOUT Badgers demolish RIT 8-1 to earn spot in national championship game Complete campus coverage since 1892

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SLAC rallies after expiration of Nike deadline By Kelsey Gunderson The Daily Cardinal

The Student Labor Action Coalition marched from Library Mall to Chancellor Biddy Martin’s office Thursday to encourage her to cut UW-Madison’s apparel contract with Nike. In December 2009, Martin gave Nike 120 days to act on several alleged labor violations, including the failure to pay 1,600 workers of a Honduran factory $2.1 million in severance pay after they lost their jobs when the factory closed in January 2009. Martin’s deadline expired Wednesday, and several SLAC members said they do not believe Nike has made enough improvements for UW-Madison to continue contracting with them as an apparel licensee. “Nike has made it very clear

that they are not going to pay their workers, and we think it’s time to hold them responsible,” said Jonah Zinn, a UW-Madison sophomore and SLAC member. Caleb Cardona, a UW-Madison junior, said he was participating in the march because he is Honduran and had several family members who worked at the plants that closed. “They deserve pay. It’s completely unfair,” he said. According to Dan Cox, a UW-Madison senior and SLAC organizer, Nike has previously stated they are not responsible for the actions of their sub-contractors and that they do not provide severance pay regardless of the situation. “But the law is very clear,” he said. “Nike is just trying to get out slac page 3

danny marchewka/the daily cardinal

Students debate funding for new Nat Supporters and opponents of proposed Natatorium renovations met Thursday in the Humanities building to debate a possible increase in student segregated fees. The debate offered a chance for the student organization in support of the Natatorium renovations, NatUp, and its opposition, the No New Segregated Fees Campaign, to voice their opinions in a panel discussion before the referendum goes to a student vote next week. The proposed facility would be

By Konnor Schmaltz The Daily Cardinal

UW System initiative aims to increase graduation through student retention UW System leaders met Thursday in hopes of raising total graduation by 30 percent in 15 years through outreach and financial improvements. At the Board of Regents meeting, UW System President Kevin Reilly presented the system’s “More Graduates for Wisconsin” initiative that aims to increase undergraduate degrees per year from 26,000 to over 33,000 by 2025. The initiative will focus on retaining students rather than

completed in fall 2014, with an increase of $54.19 per semester in student segregated fees beginning in fall 2013 to help fund the renovations for the next 30 years. According to Kaitlin Bromann, a UW-Madison student and NatUp proponent, the Natatorium’s current amenities and size cannot meet the increasing student demand, which currently forces Rec Sports to turn down half of all student organizations’ requests for space. “The need for this project is undeniable,” Bromann said. Opponents agreed that the reno-

vations are necessary but questioned the use of student segregated fees to pay for it. “[The new Natatorium] is going to happen,” Peter Rickman, member of the No New Segregated Fees Campaign, said. “It just comes down to who pays for it, and we say not from student segregated fees.” Audience member Carl Fergus, a UW-Madison senior, said he also questions the need for funding to come from students, pointing to the proposal’s lack of significant state nat page 3

Business owners, community members discuss downtown alcohol ordinance

Alison bauter the daily cardinal

The Daily Cardinal

Weekend, April 9-11, 2010

Wisconsin fans, including the omnipresent Phil (far right), cheer on the Badgers as they cruise to an 8-1 victory over RIT in the men’s hockey Frozen Four. See Sports on page 8 for complete coverage.

The Daily Cardinal

By Cathy Martin

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We want one more!

By Alison Bauter Students rallied Thursday to encourage Chancellor Biddy Martin to sever UW-Madison’s contract with Nike.

SPORTS

increasing enrollment. Its strategies include improving college preparatory programs, diversifying the types of courses available and targeting “populations of opportunity” like older adults, racial minorities and first-generation and low-income students. Reilly stressed the need to augment financial aid programs like the Wisconsin Covenant. He called for renewed state investment in universities as well as the freedom to “make regents page 3

The Downtown Subcommittee of the Alcohol License Review Committee met Thursday to discuss proposed changes to the downtown Alcohol License Density Ordinance, including the controversial 365-day limit put on property owners to find new tenants if they want to keep their liquor licenses. ALDO, passed in 2007, limits the number of alcohol licenses granted to downtown businesses. The ordinance is due to expire in October, but some committee members are pushing to modify it sooner in hopes of helping out area businesses. Several members of the public were in attendance to discuss the proposal. The majority of downtown business owners who spoke

opposed the 365-day limit. “The best way to get good operators is to have the time,” Brian Mullins of the Mullins Group said. “If there are extended vacancies downtown as a result of the 365-day rule, that doesn’t do any good for the area.” Kurt Frank, owner of three downtown bars, also said he opposes the limit. “Businesses need more than 365 days to not make compromises so that there aren’t issues,” he said. A representative of the Dane County Coalition to Reduce Alcohol Abuse said she believes there are too many liquor licenses in the downtown area and the 365-day limit would be good way to decrease some of those licenses. “The profits of alcohol are

privatized while the costs are socialized,” she said. Elizabeth Myer, an area resident whose son was killed by a drunk driver in 2008, also spoke in support of the limit. She said she believes the density of liquor licenses contributes to the amount of alcohol students consume. “I agree there needs to be good tenants, but I’m concerned that the downtown area is becoming too providing of alcohol,” Myer said. Also discussed at the meeting was the need to provide different types of entertainment to the downtown area, which was agreed upon by everyone who spoke on the issue. Committee members plan to continue discussion of ALDO at their next meeting.

“…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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