Thursday, April 13, 2023

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Liberals find success in student vote

Campus organizers, student turnout fueled Protasiewicz’s Wisconsin Supreme Court victory

By Ava Menkes and Anna Kleiber STAFF WRITERS

As co-director of progressive voter outreach organization Project 72 WI, Teddy Landis goes the extra mile — and hundreds more after that — to energize student voters across Wisconsin. For just the 2023 spring elections, Landis estimates Project 72 WI knocked on 40,000 doors across 15 college campuses.

Getting young people to the polls is typically an “uphill battle” for Landis. But with the future of Wisconsin’s 1849 abortion ban and the potential to redistrict voting maps that currently lean towards Republicans at stake, that was not the case with the April 4 Wisconsin Supreme Court election.

“Young people know that when they vote, it absolutely matters,” Landis said. “People who are in college right now know how important the e ect of their vote is.”

In every key University of Wisconsin System campus precinct with high student populations, student voters retained voter turnout better than overall voters, according to data from Project 72 WI. While statewide turnout in this month’s election was 69% of the turnout in the November 2022 elections, the campus precincts retained between 74% and 97% of voters from last fall.

And campuses turned out big for liberal candidate Janet Protasiewicz, who carried every

determined to vote no matter what.”

Finding new ways to court student voters

Voters of Tomorrow, NextGen America, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and Grassroots Democrats HQ also led statewide campaigns encouraging youth voter turnout for Protasiewicz.

NextGen took a nontraditional approach to voter engagement.

Kristi Johnston, the National Press Secretary for NextGen America, led a program with 20 nationwide volunteers who made dating profiles on Hinge to match with students and share voting resources.

Johnston explained how nearly two dozen volunteers nationwide set their location to cities in Wisconsin and designed profiles to attract voters with lighthearted jokes, such as saying they were “crazy for pro-choice.”

NextGen started the program in 2020 after seeing an increase in dating app usage, and the program was a hit, Johnston said.

“Our number one goal is to meet young people where they’re at,” Johnston told The Daily Cardinal. “If millions of them across the country are on dating apps, we’re going to be there.”

Volunteers also made over 1.1 million calls and texts, and brought high-profile names like former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and Wisconsin Secretary of State Sarah Goldlewski to the UW-Madison campus, Johnston said.

Jack Lobel, the National Press Secretary for the “Gen Z-run” Voters of Tomorrow, said young organizers ran hours of phone banking, building connections with Wisconsin o cials to show both students and lawmakers the importance of the student vote.

easier to draw the line with young people that the Supreme Court has the ability to change this.”

UW-Madison, other campuses see high voter retention

On the UW-Madison campus, the Associated Students of Madison (ASM) hosted a series of candidate forums leading up to the election that used community input to formulate candidate questions. ASM also helped print student voter IDs and saw a “near-constant stream” of students getting their ID cards printed toward the end of election night, according to Sarah Nehls, ASM’s vote coordinator.

again for state Supreme Court.

Statewide, Protasiewicz outperformed Gov. Tony Evers in terms of vote share at every key four-year campus ward, as defined by voting data analysis from Project 72 WI.

“Abortion is predominantly a women’s issue. Even more than that, it’s predominantly a young women’s issue,” Landis said. “I have no doubt, and I know, based on my conversations with hundreds of students, that abortion was a key factor in motivating folks to vote.”

increasing student voter turnout for liberal candidates was a product of campus culture.

In a string of tweets following the 2023 spring election, former Gov. Scott Walker blamed Kelly’s loss on “liberal indoctrination” and called on the Young America’s Foundation (YAF), an organization of which he is currently the president, to “counter the impact of radicals on campus.”

Wisconsin county with a fouryear UW campus. Statewide, Protasiewicz defeated her conservative opponent Dan Kelly by approximately 11 points, ushering in the court’s first liberal majority in 15 years.

For Landis, the surge in youth voters demonstrated the crucial role grassroots political organizations play in Wisconsin’s elections. Students have voted for Democratic candidates in near-record numbers in elections since 2018, according to data from the Wisconsin Elections Commission, despite facing voting barriers targeted directly at college students.

“The response to this spring Supreme Court election was unlike anything we’ve ever seen,” Landis said. “It’s clear that something is in the water, and Wisconsin students were

“I’m sure you’ve heard young people don’t vote, and that’s not young people’s fault. That’s the fault of lawmakers who have not given us a seat at the table,” Lobel said.“I think [2023 is] an indication of how 2024 is going to go and how every election cycle is going to go with more Gen-Zers voting.”

Elected officials, including Godlewski, ran their own campaigns to turn out student voters. Godlewski helped with Women Win Wisconsin’s informational campaign which prioritized student mobilization on the platform of access to reproductive rights, according to Godlewski.

“After Roe v. Wade was overturned, half our population lost their rights and have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers [did],” Godlewski said. “I think it really became clearer and

“What excited me the most was seeing students not only voting themselves but bringing their roommates or their friends to vote with them,” Nehls said. “In terms of turnout, the numbers from student wards are some of the largest we’ve ever seen in a spring election. It’s historic, and I could not be prouder of our campus for showing up.”

UW-Madison students turned out for Protasiewicz in record numbers. Among wards containing university residence halls, 91.3% of voters cast ballots for Protasiewicz — 10% more than Dane County as a whole, according to voting data from the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

Madison wards containing UW residence halls also saw higher turnout retention from the 2022 gubernatorial election in the elections data, meaning students who voted last fall were more likely than Dane County as a whole to vote

Students in Ward 20 at UW-Eau Claire saw 91% of voters from last November’s elections show up for the April 4 state Supreme Court election, with long lines to match. Eau Claire County voted 64% for Protasiewicz — over six points greater than Evers’ margin in 2022.

Similar to UW-Madison, UW-Eau Claire was bustling with liberal organizing groups ahead of the April 4 election, according to Matthew Lehner, president of the UWEC College Democrats. Lehner said his group held tabling events throughout the year to inform students about upcoming elections and help them build voting plans.

“The fact that, our campus has caught the attention and admiration of the world for our record turnout, made me incredibly proud to know that our organization had a major role in making that a reality,” said Lehner.

Students refute cries of ‘liberal indoctrination’

Some Wisconsin politicians, mainly conservatives, worried

When asked about Walker’s tweets, UW-Madison’s Young Americans for Freedom did not respond to a request for comment.

Some young voters rebuked Walker’s tweets, stressing the importance and validity of the student vote.

Landis disagreed with Walker’s tweets and stressed the student vote is more important now than ever.

“The 1849 abortion ban is not a hypothetical for students. It’s something that they and their friends are having to deal with,” Landis said. “To dismiss that as indoctrination [is] incredibly condescending.”

Though grassroots organizations had much to celebrate in the aftermath of the 2023 spring election, Lehner said, he and other organizers feel their work must continue with the 2024 presidential election around the corner.

“We are excited by the election results, but we know that in a state like Wisconsin, we cannot rest for a second,” Lehner said. “The fight and hard work must continue because too much continues to be at stake for young people and the next generation.”

“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”

DRAKE WHITE-BERGEY/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Democrats’ willingness to challenge judicial norms is the only way to fix out of balance institutions.

How belly dancing blends cultural history with body positivity.

Teddy Landis Project 72 WI

“People who are in college right now know how important the e ect of their vote is.”

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By Liam Beran STAFF WRITER

“Who influences students to go to college or not to go to college?”

Jennifer Blazek, the Director of the Emerging Leaders Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, asked. In the coming months, the work she’ll be doing with the new Small Town and Rural Students (STARS) Network will seek to answer and address that question.

Blazek will lead the programming and initiative efforts for STARS at UW-Madison. The network aims to “widen pathways to higher education for rural and small-town students,” according to its website.

UW-Madison was invited to participate in the program, which consists of five public schools

— UW-Madison, University of Maryland, University of Southern California, University of Iowa and Ohio State University — and 11 private schools, such as Brown University and the University of Chicago. For UW-Madison, the response to the invite was a “yes, definitely,” Blazek explained.

“This is a population that the university is really interested in reaching more,” Blazek said.

Yet, UW-Madison’s response will di er from what other institutions will be working on, Blazek noted.

“We don’t necessarily want to only focus on increasing access to UW-Madison,” she said. “Of course, if we get rural students, awesome, right? But how do we look across all of the college landscape?”

That means that, rather than focusing on fly-ins or admissions programming, UW-Madison is additionally weighing ideas of pre-college programs or alumni visits. These will help prospec-

tive students “get that same experience that undergrads enjoy,” Blazek explained.

According to a Future Wisconsin Project report, 97% of Wisconsin’s land area is considered rural, with 30% of the state’s population living in that space. In addition, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction reports “about 44 % of the state’s 860,000 PK-12 public school students attend schools in rural communities.”

Dayne Tallier, a UW-Madison senior, went to Gilman High School in Gilman, Wisconsin, which enrolled 147 students as of the 2021-2022 school year. The conservation biology major described himself as “pretty resourceful” but said support was “not at all” available to students.

Tallier described an incident where his high school counselor didn’t know about Bucky’s Tuition Promise, a program which “really influenced [his] decision to come here.” Teaching staff at Tallier’s high school “didn’t know of these resources” for schools other than more local ones like University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire or Chippewa Valley Technical College, Tallier explained. College preparation, such as tutors for the ACT, and information about what to do “after high school” other than technical college were areas Tallier thought would’ve assisted students.

Jacob Roden, a sophomore agriculture business management student from Cedarburg, Wisconsin and a member of Alpha Gamma Rho, a food and agriculture fraternity at UW-Madison, said Madison having green space helped him transition to an “urban environment” di erent from home. Moving from a

smaller community — both in education and schooling — to a more populous, urban setting “can be intimidating,” Roden said, but he also emphasized how adapting to that challenge helped him become “a more well-rounded person.”

Roden hopes to see UW-Madison, especially within the College of Agricultural and Life Science, further help rural students “attend and transition to [the university]” to promote the Wisconsin Idea.

Blazek identified a number of challenges for rural students. Sometimes students “only know what’s in their neighborhood,” Blazek noted, meaning students may limit themselves to local technical colleges or may be intimidated by the transition from a rural area to a “town like Madison.”

“That can be really off-putting and very scary for folks,” Blazek said.

Access — a steady internet connection or the time and ability to travel — can be another obstacle for rural students, Blazek said. Financial access is also a barrier, and part of the reason Bucky’s Tuition Promise, which pays tuition and segregated fees for stu-

dents with a household adjusted gross income of $65,000 or less, “has been so successful.”

“A lot of farm students really benefit from that because it helps o set [expenses] because farms, unfortunately, are very capital rich, but cash poor,” Blazek explained.

Right now, developing the program’s plan is Blazek’s main focus. Part of that plan includes continuous communication with the other institutions involved in STARS to find replicable solutions between schools, Blazek said.

One idea Blazek mentioned was “utilizing current students or alumni,” who she’s currently seeking, to reach prospective students who may not see themselves at a four-year university. This would be part of a larger conversation with students and community members — school counselors, teachers, family members — who “help [students] make that decision for college.”

“We really want to be authentic and intentional, and build lasting trust-based relationships. We don’t wanna just go like, ‘we have solutions for you’ — how can we work together with communities?” Blazek said.

By Gina Musso SENIOR STAFF WRITER

When Takisha Jordan sought resources for housing insecurity in Madison, she felt intimidated by the available providers and services because she did not feel they represented her.

“I felt like everywhere I went when I was seeking help in medicine, I was running to people that didn’t look like me,” Jordan said. “I thought it was kind of intimidating, and when I did meet people that looked like me, they were the custodian, the front desk or the receptionist, so it was just a little weird.”

These experiences inspired Jordan to help start the Homeless Services Consortium of Dane County’s (HSC) Lived Experience Council, which gives community members who have experienced housing insecurity an opportunity to play a crucial role in decision making and local advocacy, she said.

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“I wanted to make sure those that are being a ected by a lot of the [systemic] barriers in the community have an opportunity or a chance to be at the table where decisions are being made, and that’s either for funding or either

creating new housing programs,” Jordan said.

At its core, the HSC aims to partner with local agencies, donors, advocates and those who have experienced housing insecurity to connect individuals in the community to shelter and housing programs. The Lived Experience Council plays a role in developing committees, grant writing and making funding decisions based on members’ experiences with di erent programs and services to help determine where funding should be funneled.

Torrie Kopp Mueller, the HSC’s continuum of care coordinator, works closely with Jordan in supporting the Lived Experience Council.

“We all come together to try to work as a system and identify gaps and services and try to work with other sectors and make sure we’re all moving forward together,” Kopp Mueller said.

Hearing from youth with lived experience

Under the HSC, the Dane County Youth Action Board incorporates community members ranging in age from 16 to 25 — over two thirds of whom have lived experi-

ence with housing insecurity — in discussions surrounding housing insecurity in Dane County.

The Youth Action Board provides a platform for individuals with lived experience to engage in community listening sessions and make decisions regarding support programs and advocacy for individuals facing housing insecurity.

Kayla Every, the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program coordinator, has worked with the HSC since March 2022. Every said she relies on her prior experience to support, recruit and build a community among the 24 members of the Youth Action Board.

“I was a young adult who was homeless in Madison for a few years, so it was very emotional for me coming into this,” Every said. “It’s been very healing because it’s so near and dear to my heart.”

The members are tasked with supporting events and fundraising, grant writing, social media e orts, collaborative policy reading and writing, and other project management tasks. Youth Action Board members are compensated for their time and expertise thanks to grant funding, but the program

also relies on donations to support their mission.

Every said meetings range from “very serious” discussions to bowling alley trips and Perkins Restaurant visits to build community.

“I’m thankful that I’m at a point where I’m comfortable talking about my lived experience, [but] not everyone is and that is entirely alright,” Every said. “But I’m thankful I’m at that point because it has been incredibly useful, incredibly powerful and has given me the ability to consider things I know would have maybe not been considered.”

While Every’s job is to support Youth Action Board members, she said her work has also helped her process her own experiences and provided her a space to connect with others who have experienced housing insecurity.

“We’re a community now,” Every said. “We have trust between each other to really support each other in those ways and understand what someone might be going through at a really di erent level. I’m really thankful for that because I didn’t have a group of people like that ever before.”

Student petition demands more funding, sta for university mental health services

By Cormac LaLiberte STAFF WRITER

University Health Services (UHS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has just 71 employees in its mental health department, 23 of whom are listed as “providers,” to serve the campus community. UHS received a budget of $29.9 million during the 2021-22 academic year — less than 1% of the university budget and almost $10 million less than what was allocated to the Wisconsin Union.

Leland Hermus, who is in his last semester of a mechanical systems engineering degree, thinks it is imperative that the university prioritize its mental health access. He started a petition last Monday urging the university to allocate more funding toward that infrastructure. As of Wednesday, the petition approached 2,000 signatures.

Hermus emphasized the importance of mental health support on a college campus. Among college students, suicide is the secondleading cause of death and over 24,000 students are known to attempt suicide each year.

One roadblock to meaningful progress is the stigma surrounding mental health and

suicide, according to Hermus. It is crucial, he said, to overcome that stigma as a university community — especially when Badgers “have tried committing suicide, or have friends that they’ve lost because of suicide.”

The issue hits particularly close to home for Hermus, whose father took his own life in 2020. He described the emotional turmoil that followed and said therapy allowed him to work his way back to stability. In the wake of his father’s suicide, he sought help through UHS, where a provider made an exception and found space for Hermus in a full schedule.

“I got the help that I needed, but that was only because they were willing to add me to their schedule, and they typically don’t do that,” reflected Hermus. “I thought about it for a long time, and I was thinking, how many other students don’t get that? [I got help] because someone at UHS felt really bad.”

Jackie Garwood is a fifth-year UW-Madison student in the ROTC program. Her main issue with UHS is one many students echoed: wait times. According to Garwood, a student seeking mental help through UHS could expect to wait no less than a month and often more.

Last year, the UW-Madison community lost one of its members, Sarah Shulze, to suicide. Shulze was a member of the track and field team, and Garwood, a Badger rower, said this prompted UW Athletics to provide increased support for its student-athletes.

Following Shulze’s passing, UW hired more psychiatric professionals to its athletic support sta — “but the thing was that that only benefited athletics, [which is] such a small population,” said Garwood.

Garwood’s sister is also a UW-Madison student, but she is not an athlete. When she was struggling with an eating disorder, she was limited in her access to services, Garwood said. She had to wait two months to see help, and when she did, her sessions were limited by a credit system.

“UHS didn’t cover it after a certain point, and she had to find somebody completely different, which slowed her process down quite a bit,” said Garwood of her sister’s experience. “Once you build a connection [with a provider], it’s hard to rebuild and reopen to somebody else.”

Generally, according to Hermus, people’s

600 new luxury student housing units proposed in downtown Madison

By Brynn Mancusi STAFF WRITER

Core Spaces, the luxury student housing developer for the Hub and Oliv near campus, proposed two new developments in downtown Madison in March.

One of the buildings would be located on North Broom between West Gorham and West Johnson called “Johnson and Broom,”

not taken a formal position for or against them.

“On one hand, these additional beds obviously will help with the supply and demand need with student housing,” he said. “On the other hand, with the rich level of amenities proposed, it doesn’t yield a ordable housing to most students.”

Oliv, another Core Spaces project currently in development on W

“I would say one thing in all of these developments, it’s not just building luxury high rises — it’s also demolishing our a ordable housing stock,” she said.

Despite this, the project was still approved by the UDC. Bennett said the Common Council is limited in its ability to impose a ordable housing requirements on new developments.

“We cannot look at a proposal,

issues with UHS are not with the providers or the services themselves — UHS is working with Hermus on his petition, which he clarified “was not made with malicious intent [towards UHS], it’s really just to get the students the help they need and what they deserve.”

Hermus believes students’ issues with UHS generally stem from a lack of funding, which frustrates them and providers alike, and he urged the university to rectify it.

“Our budget is very large,” he said. “And having more mental health support for our students should be a top priority, not something that’s lower on the list. That should be the first thing they look at next year when they try to figure out where they’re putting all their money.”

UW System President Jay Rothman recently proposed a 5% tuition hike, and Hermus urged students to look at whether their money will be “going towards something that benefits us” — namely, mental health resources.

When it comes to the university’s budgeting priorities, Hermus asks UW-Madison, “How important are your students? How important is our mental health?”

Say cheese! UW-Madison

unveils renovated dairy plant

By Noe Goldhaber STAFF WRITER

Through a combination of public funding sources and approximately $18 million from private donors connected to Wisconsin’s dairy industry, the University of WisconsinMadison recently completed a $72.9 million renovation of the Babcock Hall Dairy Plant.

Babcock Hall houses the university’s Center for Dairy Research (CDR), the Department of Food Science, the Babcock Hall Dairy Plant and the Babcock Hall Dairy Store.

The renovations included a threestory addition to the center, modern cheesemaking and dairy processing machinery, and additional facilities in the building, according to the CDR. Along with the facilities, an updated tasting kitchen and a new lecture space on the first floor of Babcock Hall were installed.

Wisconsin’s dairy industry helped fund the renovations, and will directly benefit from future research and development at Babcock Hall, according to Lucuy.

“Our old facility was very outdated,” said Babcock Hall Plant Manager Casey Whytel. “Now, we can make the same products more e ciently.”

The upgraded facilities allow opportunities for both innovation and traditional cheesemaking. For example, a new copper vat on one of the CDR’s research floors will allow for production of traditional alpine cheeses — previously impossible to make and study at Babcock Hall, according to Lucuy.

and the other would be located across the street on North Bassett between West Dayton and West Johnson, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. The proposal would demolish 11 student apartments located between 437-445 W Johnson St., 430-444 W Dayton St. and 215-221 N Bassett St. for the two buildings.

These proposed developments for new luxury student apartments would provide over 600 housing units to the downtown area, a supply which District 4 Alder Michael Verveer told The Daily Cardinal is much needed.

“I’ve been a representative in City Hall of students and other downtown residents for a very long time now, and I have never seen this level of hysteria and very valid concern by parents and students for housing,” Verveer said.

Because the proposed developments are still in the process of being approved, Verveer said he has

Gorham Street, compromised with the city of Madison and campus advocates to include an a ordability component in exchange for additional height, which will allow qualifying students a reduced rent at a 40% discount of the market rate. According to Verveer, 10% of beds have been set aside for at least the next 30 years for students approved by the UW O ce of Student Financial Aid for this initiative.

However, he said Core Spaces has been less accommodating with the new project proposals.

“They are not interested, unfortunately, in providing any a ordable housing in the project between Dayton and Johnson,” said Verveer.

The other project on Johnson and Broom was approved by the Urban Design Commission (UDC), according to District 2 alder-elect and UDC member Juliana Bennett, who voiced her concern for the demolition of a ordable housing units to develop luxury skyrises.

and say the rent is too high and not approve it,” Bennett said. “It’s concerning and frustrating. We have limited tools to limit this behavior.”

The need for a ordable housing has taken center stage in the debate over the approval of the new Core Spaces developments. President of the Campus Area Neighborhood Association (CANA) Elias Tsarovsky said he enthusiastically approaches the discussion and looks to amplify student voices at UW-Madison.

“If everything is luxury development, you are pricing people out of housing,” Tsarovsky said.

CANA is holding a virtual meeting on Thursday, April 13 with the Core Spaces development team at 6 p.m. to learn about the new project at Johnson and Bassett.

“We want to bring people into conversation with the development team directly, it’s powerful,” Tsarovsky said. “We can really build the neighborhood together.”

“You can name a dairy product — anything, anywhere in the world — and we can now make it here and do research on it,” said John Lucuy, director of the CDR and professor in the university’s food science department. “We are the largest and the best dairy research unit in the U.S. and one of the best in the world.”

According to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Wisconsin cheesemakers’ products made up a quarter of the nation’s cheese in 2021. Further, dairy processing and farming brings in $45.6 billion yearly in revenue, according to a study from the UW-Madison Division of Extension.

Along with the copper vat, there are 10 specific bringing rooms for cheese ripening as well as special machinery that processes milk into powder, according to Lucuy. Another new tool is a milk separator that can produce milk products with a specific fat percentage.

“This allows us to create fat-added products — we can produce anything from fat-free milk all the way up to heavy whipping cream,” Whyte said.

An area of future research and innovation is shelf stable milk and dairy products, according to Lucuy.

“Many companies have interest in studying and researching how to bring shelf stable milk to the market,” Lucey said. “Shelf stable milk will not require refrigeration, so [it] will last longer.”

The public opening for the building is from 2 to 4 p.m. on Friday, April 14.

TAYLOR WOLFRAM/THE DAILY CARDINAL

A journey up UW-Madison’s Carillon Tower

By Ian Wilder STAFF WRITER

At the heart of the University of WisconsinMadison campus, up a few flights of steps and onto a small metal platform, you will find a keyboard unlike most, made of wooden keys and a set of wooden pedals. The instrument itself is not located behind the keys, like in a piano. Instead, metal wires go straight up to a set of 56 carillon bells, each playing their own note to create the instrument’s unique sound that resonates far across campus.

The bells sit at the top of the aptly-named Carillon Tower, located just across from UW-Madison’s Sewell Social Sciences building. The tower was built with funds from senior gifts from the classes of 1917 through 1926, who originally donated funds to rebuild the Bascom Hall dome, where the carillon bells were initially meant to be housed. It eventually became evident the dome would never be rebuilt, and instead, the money was put in use to construct the tower, according to UW-Madison’s Department of Facilities Planning and Management.

The bells are played by UW-Madison Carillonneur Lyle Anderson, who has held the title since the mid 1980s. The title of carillonneur at UW-Madison is historically handed to the main player of the instrument.

Though o cially retired, Anderson still performs at 3 p.m. on the second and fourth Sunday of every month. With classic hits such as “On, Wisconsin,” but also di erent genres of music, music from the bells have also found their place on the internet, notably garnering over 700,000 views on YouTube for his performance of the “Main Title”, the “Game of Thrones” theme song, on the instrument.

A carillon is an instrument made up of at least 23 carillon bells, each emanating their own

note. They are played by hand and foot with a set of keys and pedals. The performer can insert their own expression in the instrument through varied pressure on their keys, much like on a piano. UW-Madison’s carillon is on the larger side — made up of 56 bells — and makes up one of over 180 carillons in North America, and more than 450 elsewhere, according to The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America.

Yet, learning to play the carillon wasn’t all that extraordinary, at least not to Anderson.

“Well, it wasn’t any flash of lightning, inspiration or anything, but I was studying organ as an undergrad. My organ teacher was also the carillonneur,” Anderson recalled in a conversation with The Daily Cardinal. “I knew he played on Sunday afternoon. So I came by.”

Eventually, Anderson’s teacher would go on to study at the Carillon School in Holland, where he would encourage Anderson to join — and he did, without expectations of coming back to Madison to be the carillonneur.

“But that eventually happened,” Anderson said. “It was something that was here [in Madison], and I liked it. Carillon is my favorite instrument of the keyboard instruments. I also play organ and piano, but I don’t feel like [I] do as well on those two instruments, so this is the instrument I feel most comfortable on.”

Apart from the addition of new bells, the carillon has undergone some changes over time. This includes a move away from the original keyboard to the carillon by only containing keys for three octaves an, which currently sits at the bottom of the tower as what Anderson called “just an interesting curiosity of history”. Eventually, adding more bells to the carillon would require a new four-and-a-half octave keyboard, which rests in a rather odd spot in the tower.

“[The keyboard is] on a platform in the

middle of the room because I think the architect initially thought it to be located on the floor we’re standing on. And then, before the bells were cast — the head of the Foundry was from an English firm, and when he visited Madison in May of 1935, he came up here and said, ‘Well, you don’t want that because then you have all these long wires going up,’” Anderson said.

About halfway up the tower, which Anderson is proud to call a “completely masonry building”, rests a practice keyboard. Here, carillonneurs can practice playing the instrument without disrupting classes or the community at large. It’s not the same feel as playing the real instrument, but Anderson said it’s a good tool for getting hand and feet placement in order.

“With di cult pieces, you know that you have forgotten that same little passage over and over again, and you practice until you get it right,” Anderson said. “People don’t want to hear that.”

Those nearby might hear much more of the carillon bells in the coming month, as a new clockwork system means the bells should sound every hour — and eventually, even more often than that.

“From here on out, the bells should be ringing every hour, and eventually, it will ring every 15 minutes,” Anderson said. “But we don’t want people to be, you know, annoyed [by the bells]. But if you just get used to them ringing once an hour, then eventually we’ll hit the half hour.”

The hourly tones come automatically from “hammers” on the outside of bells, but Anderson emphasized that all the music you hear from the tower is hand played, coming from the keyboard playing the “clappers” located inside the bells.

Throughout his career, Anderson has had some humorous interactions with tower visitors who didn’t quite understand the instrument’s

various mechanics, he said.

“There was a young couple — a young man and young woman who came here — they stood [right next to me] and watched me play,” Anderson said. “But I remember they went upstairs, they watched the bells play, and then came back down. And the guy said, ‘So, uh, do computers do this?’ and I was like, ‘What part of watching me sit here, play[ing] and watch[ing] the wires moving, going upstairs and seeing the bells?’ Where do you think computers have anything to do with this?”

To those who worry the carillon isn’t being practiced anymore, Anderson reassured the future of the bells at the university is safe.

“In my years of playing here, at any one time, I have known about capable carillon nerds who are here,” Anderson said. “So, after me, someone will play it. People are always worried about that. There’s always gonna be somebody around.”

DRAKE WHITE-BERGEY/THE DAILY CARDINAL

The carillon tower has four oors — the entrance oor, the practice oor, the carillon oor and the top oor

life & style

Is it time to start taking care of your skin?

By Alexandra Malatesta STAFF WRITER

Skin care has become more than just a routine or a trend. It has become a lifestyle for some who strive to achieve that healthy glow. Beauty influencers have used their social media platforms to emphasize the importance of skin care. According to a professional esthetician at Facial Collective, skin care has major health benefits, including protection from stressors and self-confidence boosts. To jumpstart your skin care journey, let’s explore facials, talk to a professional and curate a basic routine. If you’re ready to take the first step towards healthy, radiant skin, let’s get started.

Facial Collective opened in December 2022. Located at 426 W. Gilman St., the skin care studio is an easy location to access from campus. It’s a hidden gem nestled in the heart of Madison, and after passing it, I immediately booked an appointment to check it out. Upon entering the chic and aesthetically pleasing studio, I was greeted by a warm and welcoming atmosphere that immediately put me at ease.

The spa offers a range of skin care services, including facials, chemical peels, microdermabrasion and dermaplaning. With prices starting at $89 for your first visit, it’s an affordable option for a “skin reset” every month, compared to most spas.

As a college student, it’s understandable to think that spending nearly $100 on a facial is a bit extravagant. However, if you’re unsure about making room for it in your monthly budget, they offer a complimentary 15-minute consultation to help you determine what your skin needs and whether investing in a facial is worth it for you.

Head esthetician Morgan Srem discussed the importance of skin care and

common misconceptions of facials.

“Skin care is important, because your skin is the largest organ of your body,” she explained.

“Anything you put on your skin, it is immediately absorbed into your bloodstream — therefore, it’s important to put clean products on your skin.”

Srem emphasized the importance of regular facials and debunked common misconceptions surrounding them. She stressed the importance of creating and sticking to a consistent skin care routine, as it’s crucial to achieving desired results and avoiding the need to seek out a dermatologist right away.

“I am so happy when I am able to see the progress in people’s skin and truly help them achieve their goals,” she continued.

At the spa, I received a fully customizable Classic Facial Collective treatment tailored to my skin. I looked to address my combination skin, with both dry and oily areas, and restore a healthy, radiant glow to my complexion.

During my 50-minute facial, Danee Pryce, a talented esthetician, made the whole experience a delight. She was very easy to talk to — it felt like I was getting my facial from a friend, which made the firsttime facial experience less overwhelming.

I noticed a difference in my skin immediately after. The facial helped remove dead skin cells, unclog my pores and increase blood flow, leaving my skin looking and feeling refreshed.

With the help of a skilled esthetician and the right products, many common skin issues can be addressed and improved through routine facials. Srem’s knowledge and expertise on the topic further cemented my belief in the transformative power of regular facials as a crucial component of a healthy skin care routine.

However, if facials are not what you’re

looking for, Srem shared some steps and products you can buy at your local pharmacy to get started:

Cleanse: Cleansing is the first step in any skin care routine. Choose a gentle cleanser suitable for your skin-type and use it to remove dirt, oil and makeup from your skin. Srem recommended CeraVe or Cetaphil.

Tone: Toning helps to balance the pH of your skin and remove any remaining impurities. Look for an alcohol-free toner that contains hydrating and soothing ingredients.

Moisturize: This step is essential to keeping your skin hydrated and healthy. Choose a moisturizer that is appropriate for your skin-type, and apply it morning and night. Srem recommended the brands CeraVe or Curology.

Sunscreen: Protecting your skin from the sun is extremely important. Don’t be fooled by the clouds in the sky — make sure to apply sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to your face daily to prevent premature aging.

Extras: Some people like to add additional products to their routine such as serums, exfoliants and masks. It is crucial to understand that adding those products to your skin care routine slowly has the most beneficial outcome, Srem said. Other skin care products and brands Srem recommended include Glossier, Bliss, Rhode and Supergoop. Remember, skin care is all about trial and error. Be patient, and don’t be afraid to adjust your routine as needed. With a little bit of time and effort, you’ll be on your way to healthy, glowing skin.

Bellydancing UW’s emphasis on history, body inclusivity

By Hina Suzuki STAFF WRITER

During her freshman year, “D” attended the University of WisconsinMadison’s belly dancing organization’s kickoff meeting as a part of a challenge with her sister.

“My sister and I were trying to see if we could go to every kickoff that we got flyers from at the org fair,” she explained. “I think the kickoff for belly dancing was super late at night, and my sister dared me to go.”

“D” went as a “joke,” she said, but after seeing the performance by Mona N’wal, Bellydancing UW’s former choreographer, she decided to attend their general meeting the following Tuesday.

“It just was really good energy inside the room, and I wanted to be part of it,” “D” said. Now, she is the social media and communication coordinator for the organization.

Established in 2000, Bellydancing UW “is an organization where students can freely express creativity through belly dancing,” Miranda Siedelmann, the club’s vice president, said.

Members gather every Tuesday to learn choreography as well as the history

of the dance.

“We are trying to get our members to focus on appreciating the culture, not appropriating it,” Siedelmann explained.

Some of its members have been attending inclusivity and diversity workshops on campus, she said.

In March, Bellydancing UW performed at an event hosted in celebration of the Middle Eastern and North African Heritage (MENA) Month, as belly dancing is of African origin, according to Siedelmann.

For “D,” attending the event was “special” because she was able to connect with the MENA community and deepen her knowledge of the dance’s cultural significance.

“I could read online what belly dancing is and [members of Bellydancing UW] talk about the history all the time, but actually talking to people in the community that regard the dance as part of their culture was very special to me,” she said.

Currently, the organization is building a mission statement with actionable visions and values, Siedelmann said. She hopes it will be used as a guide as the organization grows in the future.

In addition to integrating history, body inclusivity is another value written in their statement.

“[In the statement] we use language that promotes the dance as more of a creative tool, avoiding the sexual stereotypes that are associated with it,” Siedelmann said.

Through collaborations with other student organizations such as Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment (PAVE), Bellydancing UW strives to be as inclusive as possible.

For Divya VanPietersom, a member of Bellydancing UW, the organization’s emphasis on body inclusivity and positivity allows her to connect with her own values of spirituality and mindfulness.

“It helps me connect with my body, finding little intricate parts of my body that can do different things,” VanPietersom said. “It also clears my mind, and I can find my peace.”

Bellydancing UW will be hosting a spring showcase on April 29, featuring student choreographed group and solo performances, according to members of the organization. The event is open to all students.

COURTESY OF BILL TRICOMI VIA FLICKR

UW-Madison’s very own bellydancing club has their showcase April 29.

By Graham Brown OPINION EDITOR

“There’s significant issues that can be interpreted in di erent ways,” newly elected Wisconsin Supreme Court Judge Janet Protasiewicz said when asked about her judicial philosophy and personal stance on abortion in a PBS interview this January.

“I tell [voters] you should know my value. You should know my value,” Protasiewicz continued.

On one hand, this may seem like common sense. Obviously legal cases must be considered on their own merits and justices cannot say how they would rule on cases they haven’t seen. However, if our courts are going to make the ultimate decision on consequential issues such as abortion, gun control and immigration, it seems reasonable to ask the potential judges about their stances.

Yet, Protasiewicz’s strategy of sharing her personal positions and values represents a radical shift in the way the American judiciary has operated for nearly the last 40 years. All three of Donald Trump’s Supreme Court picks repeatedly deflected during their hearings when the topic of abortion surfaced, preferring to talk about abstract questions of “textualism” and “super-precedent” rather than the ways restricted abortion would impact women across the nation.

This norm of secrecy and deflection by nominees has its origins in a 1987 Supreme Court confirmation hearing, when Ronald Reagan’s nominee Robert Bork ran into a steel wall of opposition in the United States Senate spearheaded by the Judiciary Committee’s Chairman, a 44-year-old junior Senator from Delaware named

Radical honesty

Joseph Biden.

Biden took Bork to task for his consistent public opposition to Roe v. Wade, Griswold vs. Connecticut and the inherent idea that the Constitution guarantees any right to privacy at all.

In the end, Bork was soundly defeated with 58 senators voting against his nomination, becoming only the third nominee since 1930 to see his bid for the highest court die in the U.S. Senate. To this day, Republicans accuse Biden of starting the “judicial wars” that have come to dominate American politics. But if Biden shot first, conservatives moved quickly to change their tactics.

Driven by the Federalist Society, “a powerful network of conservatives and libertarians that has a chapter at many major law schools,” the conservative legal movement learned from Bork’s mistake about being too open on unpopular policy issues. Since then, they made it a principle to avoid concrete answers, with nominees instead saying they will avoid “activist” decisions and won’t read too much into the Constitution.

This philosophy, known as originalism, is dominant among conservative legal experts. The late Justice Antonin Scalia, eulogized by the Federalist Society as “among the greatest members of the Supreme Court,” once said the role of a judge was to “interpret the Constitution exactly as the framers intended it.”

Of course, this is not the way our court system operates. The way the founders intended it in 1787, the First Amendment of “freedom to worship” only applied to certain sects of Christianity, the “right to bear arms” couldn’t extend far beyond muskets and African Americans were consid-

ered three-fifths of a human being.

To not look beyond the physical document itself would make the document pointless. The Constitution was not meant to be a piece of paper, it was designed as a framework — a framework that has been updated 27 times since its inception and more recently than even the Bork hearings.

Furthermore, suggesting that any-

of law” as an absolute construct, totally independent of the judges deciding the law, continues. Just this week, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ron Wyden were ripped and compared to Dixiecrats on the Wall Street Journal’s editorial page for suggesting President Biden should disregard a Texas judge’s ban on abortion pills because another judge in Washington

tionalists such as Biden and Judiciary Chair Sen. Dick Durbin, have been bafflingly unwilling to challenge our fossilized judicial norms. Biden distanced himself from Wyden and Ocasio-Cortez’s statements, saying his administration would not overrule the Texas judge, and Durbin refused to eliminate a simple procedural rule that has allowed Republicans to slow up the confirmation of numerous qualified judges.

The Wall Street Journal editorial board’s justification for this strictly academic approach to the judiciary is that Protasiewicz, and similar electoral victories across the country, proves that the pendulum is swinging back to liberalism. They described the Texas judge’s ruling as a “gift to the left that could end up aiding a more liberal abortion regime in many states if not nationwide.”

But while judges wa e in abstraction, women will die from denying access to this critical substance. It’s not a theoretical concept, it’s potentially life and death for thousands.

one can be expected to interpret the Constitution independent of their own worldview is just as laughable. In early April, ProPublica released a jaw-dropping report alleging Justice Clarence Thomas had failed to disclose lavish gifts, private jet trips and tropical vacations provided by a billionaire Republican donor. Three more justices helped argue in 2000 that the Supreme Court should stop the critical recount in Florida and declare Republican George Bush president.

The inherent insanity of our judicial norms is not that our judges have political opinions, it’s that we expect them not to.

And yet, this framing of “the rule

had issued a contradictory ruling.

Democrats’ boldness and willingness to challenge judicial norms is the only way to fix the institutions that are severely out of balance. In 2022, pro-life referendums were thoroughly defeated in every corner of the country, including ruby red states such as Kentucky, Montana and Kansas.

Protasiewicz bet against this traditional wisdom of secrecy and abstraction, trusting that her personal views were the views of the electorate. For this radical honesty, she was rewarded with 61% of the vote and a seat on the highest court in the state.

Yet, the party’s leadership in Washington, led by elderly institu-

Originalism has never been more than a cover to install radical policies on an unwilling citizenry, and we can never undo those wrongs without emphasizing the fact that they are not the decisions of a majority — just a minority who pushed the limits of institution every step of the way.

Graham Brown is a sophomore studyingPoliticalScienceandEnglish. He is The Daily Cardinal’s Opinion Editor and a member of the Editorial Board. Do you agree that judges shoulddisclosetheirpersonalpolitical beliefs? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com

The Republican Party will lose the 2024 presidential election

By Jason Li STAFF WRITER

An important disclaimer: the future is unpredictable.

No matter the amount of research you gather, the trends you uncover or even your faith in intuition, you can never truly know what’s ahead. This piece is less a prediction of the future and more a reflection of the current state of the Republican Party.

Upon reflection, their current strategy is the impetus for which they will be defeated in the 2024 presidential election.

The Republican strategy can be divided into two main parts.

First, bolstered by former President Donald J. Trump and his constituents, the GOP has taken a hardline on enabling the radical minority bloc within their own party. This was best demonstrated by the election of Republican Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House, which was temporarily blocked by a group of right-wing dissidents.

After a historic 15 rounds of voting, McCarthy eventually won their support by making personal concessions, such as giving them leadership roles within powerful committees. This approach, however, incentivizes the broader Republican Party to shift further right, reaping the short-term political benefits.

The second element of the Republican strategy is a focus on social issues instead of traditional topics such as the economy, infla-

tion, war and international relations. This is where the strategy falls flat, as hot-topic issues like abortion, transgender rights and gun control illustrate the party’s growing dissonance with the American people.

Republican efforts to roll back abortion infrastructure and LGBTQ+ rights, and defend against broad gun reforms and control — while brandished by their conservative base — is seen by the broader society as disingenuous and harmful. From young voters to the business community, some Republicans are distancing themselves from representing our nation’s identity and interests.

These issues surrounding identity politics are summed up best through the Republican Party’s catch-all term of “wokeness.”

According to recent polls, 69% of Americans consider themselves “woke” on the issue of accepting people who are gay, lesbian or bisexual, while 29% consider themselves “anti-woke.”

While the Republican Party’s stance on social issues becomes more rigid, the general public is more accepting. This widening contradiction shows the GOP is failing to adapt to a shifting socioeconomic landscape.

A major issue working against the Republican Party is gun control. Despite a clear majority in bipartisan support for sensible gun control measures, the party has maintained an absolutist stance for supporting

pro-gun causes. This unwillingness to address the issue has ultimately backfired, as young voters are galvanized to take action. This is best shown through recent events in Tennessee, where the GOP expelled two Democratic lawmakers for leading a youth protest after a school shooting — a reminder of how the party’s approach is retaliatory.

Events like this have a devastating impact on the party’s chances. Polls indicate the Republican Party has radicalized young voters into being the most liberal bloc of the electorate. Unless these Republicans change their stances, this trend is likely to continue. Furthermore, with each new mass shooting, the GOP’s resistance to gun control faces renewed scrutiny, making it di cult for them to win over voters on this issue.

One of the most prominent shortcomings of this overreaching Republican strategy is the recent Supreme Court race in Wisconsin. With a majority on the bench at stake, both Democrats and Republicans came into this race understanding the influence the outcome could hold on issues like abortion, gerrymandering, identity rights and even pathways to influence the 2024 presidential election.

Janet Protasiewicz, the Democratic candidate, won what is now the most expensive judiciary race in American history, with over $40 million being spent on the election. Protasiewicz credited her suc-

cess to the turnout of young voters who were energized by her focus on social issues during her campaign.

Besides young voters, the GOP appears to be losing support from the business community, too. Many corporations are now taking a public stance on the party’s position on social issues — a stark contrast from the past.

For example, after Trumpappointed U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ruled to federally block a popular abortion pill, more than 400 senior executives of pharmaceutical and biotech companies criticized the decision and requested it be repealed. The modern business community is more diverse and open-minded than ever before, and they recognize how any significant change against that would disrupt their industries.

The Republican Party has taken on a losing edge. With their current strategy, they are becoming less favorable to the majority of Americans as they drift further to the right. They still have a chance of recovering provided they can reconsider their strategy and look for methods to engage a larger audience.

Despite this, the GOP is doubling down on intra-party radicalization and a lack of sensitivity for a changing society. Consequently, it is likely Republicans will lose the election in 2024. People will not go backward — not in the long run.

Jason Li is a sophomore studying Finance, Investment and Banking at UW-Madison. Do you believe the Republican Party will win or lose the 2024 Presidential election?Letusknowatopinion@ dailycardinal.com.

DRAKE WHITE-BERGEY/THE DAILY CARDINAL

HOPE KARNOPP AND TYLER KATZENBERGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Ask the Director: What does UW Band do after the football season?

By Jackson Walker STAFF WRITER

With a high-arching pass to the endzone, the Wisconsin Badgers connect for another touchdown and instantly, two joyful sounds echo across campus.

The first is raucous applause as Badger fans at Camp Randall erupt, underscoring the second sound: a victorious chorus of “Hot Time,” shortly followed by a rousing “On, Wisconsin!” that rings out from the marching band for all to hear.

To many, the sounds of the University of Wisconsin Marching Band are synonymous with crisp fall days on campus spent watching football and enjoying brats. While the band spends much of its time rehearsing for performances on game days during the fall, its hard work does not end with the football season. Instead, they switch to performances which target a broader audience beyond Camp Randall.

To better understand what exactly the band does between football seasons, The Daily Cardinal spoke with Dr. Alexander Gonzalez, Assistant Director of the UW Marching Band. As Gonzalez put it, marching is only one small part of the many duties associated with the band.

“A marching band is a collection of wind, brass and percussion instruments, and they’re playing on the go,” Gonzalez said. “Marching bands really stem from a military tradition — what was a practical necessity for helping guide battles became something that was used for entertainment.”

Though collegiate marching bands generally approach football games in the same way, the same can not be said for other indoor sporting events.

“At UW-Madison, the

Marching Band is the band that is associated with the football program,” Gonzalez added. “In terms of other bands, athletic bands or pep bands as we’d call them, that is [also] taken from the continued population of the marching band.”

In addition to football games, the UW Band performs at home games for the men’s and women’s basketball teams, men’s and women’s hockey teams and the volleyball team. These obligations keep band members busy as they travel across the United States to cheer on the Badgers in spring tournaments.

This practice is not as commonplace for other collegiate bands that often form “athletic bands” specifically intended for performances at athletic events outside of football, Gonzalez said.

“Sometimes [forming an athletic band] is dependent on the student population and the needs of the institution,” Gonzalez said.

For bands at other Big Ten institutions such as Ohio State, the school where Gonzalez received his doctorate, forming an athletic band helps to diversify instrumentation that is often restricted by tradition. At OSU,

the marching band is strictly limited to 228 musicians playing brass and percussion instruments. In the spring, however, the school’s athletic band can expand to include woodwinds such as flute, saxophone and clarinet, and an increased membership from instruments already on the field.

Though the instrumentation of the Wisconsin Band is sucient without a spring athletic band, Gonzalez said the university has a pool of excellent candidates in its University Band, a non-audition ensemble that rehearses concert repertoire on a weekly basis throughout the academic year.

“In University Band, [there are] almost 250 students, the majority of which are not tied to the athletic program,” Gonzalez said. “Those are prime candidates to potentially bolster the program, but the way we do things has worked really well and is born of tradition. The way we do things might never change.”

Outside of athletic performances, the band keeps busy with weekly rehearsals of music performed during football halftime shows. This music makes up the majority of the material presented

at the band’s traveling concerts, known as “runouts,” which are sometimes imitated by other collegiate bands but never replicated.

“I’m sure there are other institutions that run a spring concert that is similar to ours, but if they do, it is because of the impact that Wisconsin has for kind of originating this idea,” Gonzalez said, explaining how Wisconsin has pioneered the traveling marching band concert. “The runout concerts are so, so unique to UW-Madison. Other institutions hang their laurels on their reputation alone, whereas we are really trying to reach a community and also potential students.”

Other Big Ten bands will traditionally hold miniature concerts on game days, similar to Wisconsin’s Badger Bash, but few travel as widely in the spring as the UW Band does. In a given spring, the Wisconsin Band will perform between four and six traveling concerts at venues across the state. These serve both as recruiting opportunities for new students and a chance to bring music to those who may be unable to visit the band on campus, Gonzalez said.

As Gonzalez said, the run-

out concerts are one of the most important aspects of what the band does in the spring.

“The audience reception is never dull,” he said. “I’ve never seen a runout concert where people stay seated the entire time. My favorite of them are the children’s concerts we do at the Overture Center. Dr. Corey Pompey [Director, UW Marching Band] will mention a song of ours by a pop artist on the radio, and you hear 12-year-olds screaming at the top of their lungs like we are the second coming of One Direction.”

Though exciting events for the community, the runouts are only a taste of the extended length Spring Concert, which takes place at the Kohl Center in late April. The event, which originated from former Director Michael Leckrone, takes a runout concert to the next level, introducing pyrotechnic elements, enhanced stage lighting and other components of heightened showmanship. In the past, Leckrone would even enter the concert via a flying vehicle. Also making an appearance at the performance are Bucky Badger and members of the UW Spirit Squad.

Last year’s concert was the band’s first with Director Pompey and saw many memorable moments including a tribute to the band’s former seniors who graduated during the pandemic and did not get the opportunity to perform their final spring concert. This year’s concert, taking place on both April 21 and 22, will be the band’s first consecutive concert since 2019 and the second of the Pompey era, after the 2020 and 2021 concerts were both canceled.

Tickets for the event are $25 for general admission and $15 for UW students and remain available on the UW Athletics website.

University Theatre 2023-2024: The year for women

By Breanna Bylak STAFF WRITER

The University of WisconsinMadison’s Theatre Department released their production lineup for the 2023-24 academic year, and it looks a little di erent.

There are a few reasons next year’s theater season will be unlike past seasons: there are only four shows — none of which will be performed in the Gilbert V. Hemsley Theatre — and they are all lesser known.

If one were to look back into the UW Theatre Archives, there are normally five University Theatre productions per academic year. However, the Hemsley Theatre, which usually houses one or two University Theatre productions per season, will now be dedicated solely to student productions.

The grounds for this change are two-fold. In a conversation with The Daily Cardinal, Dr. Baron Kelly — interim Artistic Director, Theater Professor and Chair of the Programming

Committee — said that while this change is intended to “give students more opportunities” to work on the development side of theater, it is also to “give the shop time to breathe in between these shows and not put in all of these hours.”

Behind each university production, there is intense scheduling at work. With five productions per year and limited space to store set pieces inside Vilas Hall, Kelly shared that both spacial and temporal issues have arisen in the past. The staff and students in the scene shop work nonstop on productions, leaving limited time for breaks.

This season, Kelly directed August Wilson’s “Fences” with the aim of highlighting Black voices. Next season’s shows were picked by the Programming Committee to continue the celebration of marginalized groups.

These productions will “give an inclusive voice to female play-

wrights because that’s what it should be,” said Kelly. “It should all be about inclusivity.”

Picking these lesser known shows not only advocates for female playwrights but allows the women who will portray these roles to bring their own visions to the characters. Characters in well-known shows often carry certain actor and audience expectations from previous productions, while newer or less well-known shows provide an opportunity to build a character from scratch without the limitations of others’ impressions, making the character and show all the more special.

To start the season, “Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson, Apt. 2B” will take the stage. This dark comedic take on the classic Sherlock and Watson stories will run in the summer and resume in the early fall with guest artist Emily Rollie as director.

The fall will conclude with “Twelfth Night.” One might

think this is a well-known show, but this adaptation will be of the musical variety. The show’s lead, Viola, finds herself in the middle of a love triangle after posing as her twin brother, Sebastian, to make a life for herself in Illyria. Guest artist Aimeé Hayes will helm this 90 minute contemporary take on Shakespeare’s classic.

The spring will explore the intersectionality of Black womanhood with “Wine in the Wilderness” — the story of a

painter finding his muse during the 1964 race riots. UW Theatre Professor Mark Hairston is set to direct the cast.

The 2023-24 season will end with “Orlando,” a comedy told over 300 years while bending gender expectations. This play has been described as “the most charming love letter in literature” by writer Nigel Nicolson. Find more information about the 2023-24 theater season and updates on auditions at the University Theatre website.

JESSICA CHUDY/THE DAILY CARDINAL

CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Men’s basketball FAQs: Answering the biggest questions facing Gard’s Badgers

By Seth Kruger STAFF WRITER

I watched plenty of Badger basketball this season. A turbulent year full of losing streaks, injuries and only occasional bounce-back wins saw Wisconsin finish at a mediocre 20-16 (9-11 in the Big Ten).

Most games, both wins and losses, were decided by fine scoring margins. In fact, I would have likely developed heart problems if I had to watch Wisconsin play in March Madness because of their inability to take leads despite keeping it close.

As we move into the o season, here are the biggest questions likely floating around Wisconsin men’s basketball, and my take on each.

How did Wisconsin miss the tournament following their success last year?

The Badgers found success last season with a Big Ten regular season title and a No. 3 in the NCAA Tournament. It was in stark contrast to this year, when the Badgers finished 11th in the regular season, flunked out of the Big Ten Tournament in their first game, missed the NCAA Tournament and lost in the NIT Final Four.

There’s no question that a large part of the drop-o resulted from the Badgers who left after the 2021-22 season. Johnny Davis, the All-American and top-10 NBA Draft pick, averaged close to 20 points per game last season. Brad Davison, the fifth-year senior and leader of the team, averaged 14 points and led the Badgers’ defense. Chris Vogt, the seven-foot senior, led the team in o ensive rebounds and blocks.

With those three key losses, the Badgers clearly struggled to fill the gaps. There was no Johnny Davis who could score with ease and no veteran with the grit of Davison. The Badgers also struggled tremendously on the boards this season — a partial result of Vogt’s departure.

These departures, alongside a fairly shallow bench — coach Greg Gard’s rotation usually consisted of no more than three bench players a game so long as foul trouble was not a factor — damaged Wisconsin all season long. General inexperience — two underclassmen in the starting lineup and only one senior on the team — and other internal problems mentioned later in this column also contributed to their eventual 11th place finish in the conference.

That’s not to mention the Big Ten gauntlet every conference team ran through this season.

“Don’t ask me if I know how to figure out [the Big Ten]. It’s crazy,” Gard said after a win in February.

Is Gard on the hot seat?

Turmoil in the coaching room was a common theme in Wisconsin athletics this academic year. Football and men’s hockey both fired their head coaches, and after finishing under .500 in the Big Ten, many fans speculated — or demanded — that Gard be next. While it is true that this is only the second season a Gard-led Badger team missed the tournament, it does not seem as though he is on his way out — yet.

Gard has a lot to prove next season, but he has what he needs to do so. Returning all but one player from

this season’s roster, plus potential transfer portal players and incoming freshmen, should provide Gard with all of the pieces he needs to get back to the Wisconsin basketball of the past few seasons.

That being said, University of Wisconsin-Madison athletic director Chris McIntosh has made some sudden and surprising changes recently. So, I’m not even sure about Gard’s chances as I write.

Why were there so many close games? Will they continue next season?

The Badgers finished with a mere 1.7 scoring margin, meaning any average game was decided by less than two points. Almost every game was close, even when the final scoreboard didn’t show a win. That was reflected by countless late game choke-jobs, especially on the o ensive end, thanks to failed last-minute plays, timeouts and missed “hero” shots.

Most notably, against Nebraska, Wake Forest and Northwestern, there were far too many instances of “hero ball” in late game situations — when a player took an objectively terrible shot or tried to make the wrong “heroic” play to win the game. Unfortunately, Chucky Hepburn headlined many of these game-losing situations with deep 3-pointers or fadeaway jumpers at the buzzer that often ended up being the last chance at a bucket in these games.

Outside of these hero-ball instances, the Badgers managed to turn the ball over at crucial points throughout the season in late-game scenarios. Most recently, Wisconsin had the chance to sink a buzzer-beater on North Texas with the final possession of the game, but instead dropped the ball on the floor and watched it roll away in the final seconds of the game.

The season-ending turnover was one of many crucial turnovers throughout the season, which is shocking considering Wisconsin only turned the ball over 8.6 times a game on average — good for second in the Big Ten and 27th in the nation. The unfortunate reality is that the turnovers seemed to happen at the worst possible times.

If the Badgers hope to improve, the

o ense must undergo some necessary late game situation fine-tuning.

Where did the o ense go in many of the second halves this season?

Everyone knows the team let too many leads slip away in the second half, especially in the final game against North Texas, where Wisconsin scored 13 points in the entire second half. This was just one example of many throughout the season where the Badgers endured long scoring droughts in the second half.

When the inevitable drought hit almost every game, the Badgers’ o ense often looked lost and confused as to how they could break out of their slump. Usually, Hepburn would hit a 3-pointer or Steven Crowl would make it to the free throw line to create any sort of o ense. But, these droughts — some of them lasting over five minutes — killed any second-half lead or helped the opponent create a wide enough deficit to close Wisconsin out.

Why did the defense lack consistency this season?

For years, Wisconsin basketball has been known for their gritty defense that traveled throughout the Big Ten. In the midst of an 11-2 start to the season, the Badgers held teams like Dayton, Kansas, USC and Maryland to under 70 points each. However, once true Big Ten play began, the defense took a hit.

Of course, playing in the Big Ten is usually a challenge. But as soon as the Badgers faced conference opponents, they began allowing teams like Illinois, Penn State, Nebraska, Maryland and Michigan to exceed the 70 point mark with ease. This is just one metric to measure the defensive decline.

Simply watching the Badgers, especially when they endured their o ensive droughts, was enough to understand that the defense certainly did not maintain through the second half of the season.

Who were this season’s unsung heroes?

The few bench players who did earn minutes this season were undoubtedly essential, as Carter

team year after year.

This season, however, felt different. Yes, the student section still filled all three levels for most home games, but beyond that, empty seats littered the arena throughout the season. Plus, the sound and energy from the crowd was equivalent to that of College Library at times, especially deeper into the season.

There’s no doubt home teams feed o the energy of their crowd, and the Badgers certainly missed out on some of the passion their fans have given them for years. Still, Wisconsin averaged 13,200 fans per home game, which was sixth best in the Big Ten this season. It’s important to note, though, that this season’s number is about 3,000 fewer than last season — the Badgers recorded a Big Ten-best average of 16,500 fans in 2022.

What’s in store for next season?

Gilmore, Kamari McGee and Jordan Davis all played pivotal roles.

Gilmore’s defensive presence earned him high praises, especially in games like the home win against Michigan when he was tasked with helping guard the rotation of Hunter Dickinson and Terrance Williams II.

McGee backed up Hepburn for the majority of the season, eventually falling into favor over Isaac Lindsey. His calm presence at the point, paired with his ability to score if needed, and defensive poise allowed the first year Badger to earn important minutes.

Jordan Davis, despite losing his starting spot to Connor Essegian, still averaged over 20 minutes a game. His passing vision and 3-point shooting often drew credit in stopping scoring droughts or boosting the Badgers into momentum.

Will Wisconsin improve on the glass? How so?

It’s no question that the Badgers were beat up on the boards. A rebounding margin of -3.4 on the season put them dead last in the Big Ten and 317th out of 352 NCAA Division I teams this season. Even with the likes of a seven-foot Crowl, 6-foot-9-inch Wahl and 6-foot-7-inch Gilmore, the Badgers still gave up over 35 rebounds a game.

Any team that gives up over 30 rebounds a game will struggle to find themselves in the win column, and, to me, this was the most glaring issue all season alongside free throw shooting — 69% on the season.

Gard will certainly stress rebounding before next season, but the incoming class — more on that later — will bring some additional height that will hopefully contribute to next season’s rebounding.

What happened to the once-roaring Kohl Center crowd?

The Kohl Center has been a fortress in the Big Ten since its opening in 1998. The Badgers have recorded some legendary wins at the Kohl Center, like taking down undefeated Ohio State In 2011 and sealing the Big Ten title against Purdue in 2022. The student section and Badger faithful of all ages are known to show out to support the

As mentioned above, Gard is returning every player from this season’s roster except for Jordan Davis, who entered the transfer portal a few weeks after the end of the Badgers’ season. While this is certainly a tough loss for Wisconsin, Davis fell out of favor at the hands of Essegian in terms of minutes.

Within the same few days, though, Wahl announced his return to the program as a fifth-year senior, citing an “unfulfilled feeling.” This is a huge return for the Badgers, as they will keep their most experienced player on the roster.

On top of that, the rest of this season’s team will be older, more experienced and more mature. Essegian will move on from his freshman jitters, Crowl will be a senior, Hepburn’s experience at guard will grow and Max Klesmit can lead a tremendous defense.

Gard will also be able to factor in the likes of Noah Reynolds, a freshman guard transfer from Wyoming averaging 14 points a game. Gus Yalden — a 6-foot-8-inch top-100 recruit from Illinois — will also be on the roster, as will Nolan Winter, the 6-foot-10-inch Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year. John Blackwell, the dynamic 6-foot-3-inch guard out of Michigan, will add depth in the guard position, too.

In yet another season of loaded Big Ten talent, the Badgers should be in the mix to contend in the Big Ten. While there’s sure to be ups and downs, the future of the program looks bright thanks to a strong returning group and a promising recruiting class.

Head coach Greg Gard's two absences from the NCAA Tournament in his eight seasons are Wisconsin's only tournament absences this century.

TAYLOR WOLFRAM/THE DAILY CARDINAL