SOAR 2016 - Monday, June 6, 2016 - The Daily Cardinal

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University of Wisconsin-Madison

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SOAR Issue 2016

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GRAPHIC BY EMILY BUCHBERGER

UW-Madison, students develop programs for freshmen to address campus climate Story by Sammy Gibbons

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tories of social injustice filled student newspapers’ pages throughout the previous academic term. Incoming students will not only be made aware of these issues, but they will also be provided with tools to discuss them and similar topics in order to diminish occurrences of discrimination. The university will attempt to instill a sense of acceptance in new students before they even step on campus. Current UW-Madison students are using the online Tonight program and administrators are working on new efforts to help students understand inclusivity and acceptance. They plan to catch this new batch of Badgers at the beginning of their collegiate experiences, in hopes that they will be the group to moderate the campus climate. The Tonight program is an educational tool created by University Health Services that discusses sexaul assault, dating violence and bystander intervention. The program is tweaked slightly every semester to remain up-to-date with campus resources, edit neces-

sary vocabulary and more. This year the program includes a new video that explains campus disciplinary processes. It will also feature David Blom, the new full-time Title IX Coordinator, and explain his purpose. The biggest addition to Tonight, however, goes beyond the online program. Students will now be required to meet with a group of peers in the fall after completing the program. “The additional in-person programming will have a pretty substantial impact,” said Sam Johnson, a violence prevention specialist at the End Violence on Campus unit at UHS. “These inperson workshops will really set a tone for community norms and will follow-up on the foundational knowledge that students are introduced to through Tonight.” This change was made in response to the Association of American Universities Climate Survey recommendations, which also suggested the newly developed Greek life task force. Additional summer education for new students will occur during Student Orientation, Advising and Registration or SOAR. The 24-hour program sends important messages to attend-

ees, including topics of inclusivity. First Wave—an artistic student group connected to the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiative that specializes in spoken-word performances—emphasizes topics of diversity, respect and community during their performance at SOAR. The script is never the same each year and changes along with campus climate and recent events.

“The goal is to get a mixture of potential projects that can impact all of campus.” Everett Mitchell director of community relations UW-Madison

New to SOAR this year is an appearance by Dean of Students Lori Berquam. She will conduct a closing speech for students and parents that will send them off with explicit expectations for the topics mentioned in the First Wave performance and throughout the program. “[Berquam] is going to leave them with a sort of charge moving forward and tell them what they need to do next,” Assistant Dean of

Students and director of the Center for the First-Year Experience Carren Martin said. SOAR is one of multiple steps in another new set of processes being implemented this term, such as the “Our Wisconsin” diversity training program. UW-Madison junior Katrina Morrison proposed the program to Chancellor Rebecca Blank as part of a campaign she was able to establish during her Associated Students of Madison internship. “Being a student of color on this campus, I know how difficult dealing with the bad campus climate is,” Morrison said. “I felt that the best way to fix that would be to educate my peers about that right when they get to campus.” The program requires new students (in Fall 2016 only students in Bradley, Dejope, Sellery, Tripp, Kronshage, Leopold, Smith and Sullivan residence halls must fulfill the requirement; all new students will in Fall 2017 if the pilot attempt is successful) to participate in two sessions. The first—which will occur during the first three weeks of first semester and will take an hour and a half—will introduce the topics and discuss diversity vocabulary.

The second segment will take twice as much time and take place during weeks four through nine of the fall semester. This portion involves more student participation and opens up conversations of identity through numerous small-group discussions. Facilitators will also address recent events and problems campus has had with hate speech and bias. Joshua Moon Johnson, special assistant to the Vice Provost of Student Life and former director of the Multicultural Student Center, worked with Morrison to form the cultural competency program. He will continue to oversee the director, who will be hired soon.

“...we want people to be able to understand what is acceptable and stand up for what is not.” Joshua Moon Johnson special assistant to the vice provost Division of Student Life

Program leaders plan to encourage students to use their

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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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SOAR Issue 2016

An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 126, Issue 1

2142 Vilas Communication Hall 821 University Avenue Madison, Wis., 53706-1497 (608) 262-8000 • fax (608) 262-8100

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Editor-in-Chief Theda Berry

Managing Editor Negassi Tesfamichael

News Team News Manager Peter Coutu Campus Editor Sammy Gibbons College Editor Madeline Heim City Editor Miller Jozwiak State Editor Andrew Bahl Associate News Editor Jake Skubish Features Editor Julia Gilban-Cohen Opinion Editors Jack Kelly • Sebastian van Bastelaer Editorial Board Chair Ellie Herman Arts Editors Amileah Sutliff • Denzel Taylor Sports Editors Bobby Erlich • Tommy Valtin-Erwin Almanac Editors Noah Mack • Marc Tost Photo Editors Morgan Winston • Katie Scheidt Graphics Editors Bethany Dahl • Yi Jiang Multimedia Editors Katie Piel • Lisa Milter Science Editor Julie Spitzer Life & Style Editor Ellen Brandt Special Pages Editors Kerry Huth • Justine Jones Copy Chiefs Katie Gvozdjak • Eva Jacobs Ruthie Sherman • Yi Wu Social Media Managers Kaitlyn Veto • Megan Otto

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UW System faculties cast ‘no confidence’ votes against Ray Cross, Board of Regents Story by Madeline Heim

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fter a year that saw drastic changes for Wisconsin public higher education, faculty governance bodies from more than half of UW System schools have cast no confidence votes to express their disappointment in System President Ray Cross and the Board of Regents. The historically unprecedented wave of resolutions calls out Cross and the regents for failing to adequately protect tenure and academic freedom, as well as arguing they did not push back hard enough against the legislature’s multi-million dollar cuts to the system in recent years. The UW-Madison Faculty Senate was the first group to approve such a resolution and was swiftly followed by UW-River Falls, UW-La Crosse and UW-Milwaukee, where it was passed unanimously by the roughly 300-member body. UW-Madison sociology professor Chad Alan Goldberg wrote the initial resolution and said he had hoped that if faculty from the flagship campus made the first move, other schools would follow suit. “I knew from my communication with colleagues at other campuses that if anything, the sense of frustration and the grievances ran deeper on other campuses than they did on the Madison campus,” Goldberg said. It has been a tumultuous few months for those at other campuses including UW-Milwaukee, which received an elite “R1” research status this spring but draws in less private donors and out-of-state-tuition than

climate from page 1 voices and talk about difference in a respectful manner. “We also want to teach students to recognize what injustice might look like, and have the skills to intervene, to really be vocal about what we see as acceptable in our community here

what is needed to offset effects of funding cuts. UW-Milwaukee history professor Rachel Buff, who is also president of the school’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors, said the funding shortage has contributed to fewer class offerings and advisors, among other things. “Things are really skinny around here in terms of operating,” Buff explained. “It’s very hard for us to achieve these missions very important to the Wisconsin Idea at the incredibly low levels of funding we’re now receiving.” System schools have been making use of networks through the AAUP and the higher education component of the American Federation of Teachers to reach faculty around the state, Buff said, and she called the spread of the no confidence votes “phenomenal.” Goldberg said he hopes that system leadership will take the no confidence resolutions as constructive criticism and engage in a dialogue with faculty surrounding how to “do things differently” and better preserve and defend the Wisconsin Idea. He also encouraged campus student governments to join the fight for an adequately funded UW System and the preservation of the Wisconsin Idea, saying that part of the no confidence vote was driven by the fact that budget cuts have hit students hard. According to UW System spokesperson Alex Hummel, Cross and the regents have been traveling the system and speaking with affected parties about budget cuts and the vision for

Wisconsin’s future. He said most of those meetings have included faculty leadership. “Just making sure they’re listening,” Hummel said. “We really want to stay focused on the future. That’s where a lot of the energy is being spent.” Hummel also spoke of a preliminary strategic plan the regents will present in August to outline priorities and goals for the system moving forward. Although the resolutions are symbolic, Buff said they are

already making changes by simply opening up conversation. Educators are told that the state does not support the university, Buff said, but she thinks the majority of Wisconsin residents are actually deeply committed to the Wisconsin Idea, and seeing faculty act in their own defense has only increased public mobilization. “I think we’re getting our story out there,” Buff said. “It’s been absolutely transformative, and I expect it to continue to do so.”

at UW-Madison,” Johnson said. Johnson administered students from various groups, including ASM and BlackOut, and pulled them together to find common goals that they could present to senior administrators. According to Johnson, the program has capitalized on the expertise

faculty and staff on campus offer to the subject, and he and others have also toured the country to gain more knowledge to create the diversity training program. Johnson also leads a working group composed of faculty, staff and students to compile proposals for cultural inclusion and social

justice training. Blank asked members of the UW-Madison community to submit ideas to make the campus a more welcoming environment. 107 proposals were received, containing a wide variety of solutions to the most prominent problems. Everett Mitchell, who will be leaving his position as UW-Madison’s director of community relations at the end of June, is the chair of the committee that will review the proposals and submit between five and 10 to the chancellor. “The goal is to get a mixture of potential projects that can impact all of campus,” Mitchell said. “We’ll weed through all of these to find the ones that will move us forward to a stronger future.” The group’s criteria is simple: It has to be implementable and must impact a broad population. The few that are selected will be recommended to Blank, who will then decide which ones, and how, to implement them. All of the above ideas will take some time to take effect, but administrators hope that the knowledge reaching incoming students will eventually extend to all of campus and the greater Madison community. “We’re aware that these changes are not going to eliminate sexism [or] racism,” Johnson said. “But we want people to be able to understand what is acceptable and stand up for what is not.”

EMILY BUCK/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

The resolutions declare that System President Ray Cross and the Board of Regents have failed to protect academic freedom.

Editorial Board Dylan Anderson • Sebastian van Bastelaer Theda Berry • Ellie Herman Jack Kelly • Amileah Sutliff Negassi Tesfamichael

Board of Directors Herman Baumann, President Phil Brinkman • James Dayton Victoria Fok • Emily Gerber Andrew Hahm • Janet Larson Don Miner • Corissa Pennow Nancy Sandy • Jennifer Sereno Jason Stein • Tina Zavoral

© 2015, The Daily Cardinal Media Corporation ISSN 0011-5398

For the record Corrections or clarifications? Call The Daily Cardinal office at 608-262-8000 or send an email to edit@dailycardinal.com.

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After a semester that saw several protests highlighting reports of hate and discrimination, UW-Madison administrators and current students plan to educate new students to create a better campus climate.


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Voter registration dips with election law changes Story by Andrew Bahl and Miller Jozwiak

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arret Payne was having a bad day. A junior at UW-Madison, Payne dutifully went to the polls on Wisconsin’s April 5 primary only to be told that his Illinois driver’s license was not

enough for him to vote. An annoyed Payne was forced to trek to Union South to get a voting ID but he said he would not be deterred by the state’s voter ID law, signed into law in 2011 and put into place in 2016 after various legal challenges. “It is important to me [to vote] and I feel like they’re inhibiting me and I’m trying not to take my vote with me,” Payne said. “It makes me want to vote more.” Payne isn’t alone in consider-

KATIE SCHEIDT/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Though 2016 expereinced record voter turnout, voter registration across the state has actually declined during the past several years.

ing changes to Wisconsin’s election laws to be an imposition, as residents young and old had to deal with the confusion and uncertainty that a variety of new rules have brought to the election day. But while Payne came back to register to vote and cast his ballot, many Wisconsinites did not. As a federal court considers yet another legal challenge resting on many of these same issues, voter registration data shows fewer people as registered in the state compared with previous years. The percentage of voters registered in 66 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties has declined since 2010, according to data from the Government Accountability Board. The drops ranged from a virtually negligible decline in some areas to a 27 percent decrease in Calumet County. Eight counties experienced double-digit changes in voter registration and the state experienced a drop as a whole of four percent. The changes held true regardless of income, as the richest county per capita, Waukesha, and the poorest county per capita, Ashland, both experienced declines in voter registration. A few counties saw modest increases in voter registration, including the state’s most populous county: Milwaukee. Dane County, home of the state capital, virtually flatlined in the six years despite major population growth, with about 87 percent of that area’s residents registered. But it is unclear that the changes are due to the voter ID laws. Reid Magney, spokesperson for the GAB, said it is important to separate the voter registration process from the requirement that Wisconsinites present an ID to vote. “Sometimes when people look at changes in laws it is easy to get

those things confused, because some changes happened at the same time,” Magney said. “Registration is different than what you have to do when you vote.” Barry Burden, professor of political science at UW-Madison, pointed to other recent changes that could influence voter turnout. Burden said that changes to what proof of residency a person needs to present to register could suppress those numbers. “If the person wanted to register at the polls and didn’t have a utility bill or proof of residence, they could have someone vouch for them,” Burden said. “That system was in place for many years and is no longer applicable.” Magney also noted other changes that could have affected registration. He said a voter needed only to live in Wisconsin for 10 days before being eligible to vote but the state legislature extended that requirement to a month in 2011. In addition, the role of Special Registration Deputies, who go into communities to register voters, is changing. Showing SRDs proof of residence is no longer good enough, as voters have to bring that document with them to the polls. And after a bill passed in the most recent session paved the way for online voter registration, the future of SRDs themselves may be up in the air. The legislation eliminated SRDs in favor of the new technology. “Our hope is with online voter registration, groups can bring iPads and take it right to the people [instead of SRDs],” Magney said. “I think there may be ways to make that easier.” Despite the statewide decrease in registered voters, Wisconsin’s April 5 primary had one of the highest

turnouts in the state’s history, with turnout across the Badger State pushing 48 percent. And while the GAB hasn’t released same-day voter registration totals, evidence in other states suggests that voters signing up at their polling place will go up significantly when compared with previous elections. Burden said that Wisconsin has some of the best voter turnout in the country despite decreases in voter registration. “Wisconsin is typically among the highest turnout in the nation. In presidential elections, Wisconsin is typically the second highest behind Minnesota,” he said. “Wisconsin is very close to the top when it comes to turnout.”

“Sometimes when people look at changes in laws it is easy to get [registration and ID requirements] confused.” Reid Magney spokesperson Government Accountability Board

Magney said that while changes to voting laws may have small effects, Wisconsin is still poised to remain one of the more politically engaged states in the country. “What do you do about the other 30 percent of people who, in the system, still don’t turn out?” Magney said. “Can you say it is because they feel there are hurdles or is it because they aren’t interested enough? [GAB Director] Kevin Kennedy says often that people will come out when they think their vote will matter, when they have a stake in it. When it doesn’t look like the race is close, people on the margins tend to stay home.”

UW System operating budget inlcudes segregated fee hike for UW-Madison students By Madeline Heim THE DAILY CARDINAL

Segregated fees for students across the UW System will increase $59 on average during the upcoming fiscal year as a part of the System’s 2016-’17 operating budget, which was approved by the Board of Regents Thursday. The budget itself comes out at a time when state general purpose revenue is at an all-time low for the System after adjusting for inflation, according to System President Ray Cross. By the end of the next fiscal year, Cross said tuition fund balances will have decreased roughly 67 percent from their 2012-’13 levels. Julie Gordon, the System’s interim vice president of finance, explained that expenditures outweigh revenues in several areas of the budget, meaning the fund balances will continue to drop. The segregated fee changes range from a $4 decrease at UW-Platteville to a $259 increase at UW-La Crosse and are mostly comprised of funding for capital projects previously approved by the board, Gordon said. The remaining 30 percent of the fee is directed largely toward† student-initiated programming. At UW-Madison, where students

will see a $72 hike in segregated fees over the course of the next year, $59 of that increase came from an Associated Students of Madison initiative to provide funding for University Health Services in areas like mental health and sexual assault prevention. Associated Students of Madison Chair Carmen Goséy said although she plans to be critical of segregated fee use and work to prevent it from increasing further, it is important to let students decide what they want to do with their money. Goséy said that if large increases like this one were to be asked for in the future, it would be a transparent conversation that considers the balance between student need and keeping costs down. “These aren’t unilateral decisions that me or the [Student Services Finance Committee] chair makes,” Goséy said. “It involves a lot of voices on campus.” Prices for room and board are also expected to rise system-wide. UW-Madison students will see a $203 increase for residence hall living, one of the steepest increases of all the System schools. UW-Madison junior Yasmeena Ougayour, a first-generation college student who pays all of her schooling

ROBERT DARLINGTON/THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Board of Regents approved the UW System’s new operating budget for the 2016-’17 academic year, including a segregated fee increase of $72 for every UW-Madison student. expenses on her own, said she understands that the rising fees provide students with resources on campus but also acknowledged that they will add up over her years in school. “I think it is time for the Board of Regents to understand that these extra fees here and there may not seem like much right now,” Ougayour said. “But what about the students

that have to work late hours and still excel in the rigorous courses that our campus offers?” The regents also voted unanimously to approve a request for UW students to receive more need-based aid in the upcoming state biennial budget. Funding for the Wisconsin Grant, an aid package that served more than

32,000 students in 2014-’15, has not increased in six years according to Bob Jokisch, the System’s senior policy advisor for financial aid. The regents approved a request to increase funding for the grant by roughly $19 million in the next biennium. Gov. Scott Walker will have the final say over whether that request is granted.


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Breaking down panda digestion habits By Michael Frett The Daily Cardinal

In one of nature’s more endearing displays, a panda paws at a narrow, basil-colored stick of bamboo. Propping the chute up like a flute, the panda tries to meander the bamboo into its mouth. It leans back just a little too far, awkwardly rolling onto its back as it gnaws on the chute like a toothless child. After the victorious snap of fiber, the panda props itself up toward the zoo crowd around it, flashing a hint of pride as it goes for another bite. Pandas eat almost 80 pounds of bamboo a day, gorging themselves mostly on the stringy, wooded stalks. But every summer, the panda shifts its diet toward the leaves, signaling the start of a digestive breakdown that, according to a recent study conducted by UW-Madison researchers, births bizarre mucous-caked fecal pellets and could ultimately lead to reproductive troubles for captive pandas. “Pretty much once a year… [pandas in captivity] undergo this very painful ordeal where they excrete these things called mucoids,” said Garret Suen, an assistant professor of bacteriology and co-author whose lab studied fecal samples from captive pandas. “It’s very painful for the pandas, enough that they will stop eating for a time.” According to Suen, the digestive problems are likely tied to bamboo, a cornerstone of a panda’s diet that evolutionarily seems out of sync with the panda’s digestive system. Though largely herbivorous, pandas

maintain the carnivorous physiology of other bears. “They are part of the bear family,” Suen said. “Their jaw morphology is that of a bear. Their gut morphology is that of a bear. There seems to be some movement toward maybe better digesting bamboo, but they’re not very efficient at it.” When bamboo passes through the panda’s gastrointestinal tract, it might be only partially digested, with the panda’s gut microbes targeting only the easiest access to nutrients. That’s why, according to Suen, pandas’ feces often resembles chewed up bamboo. “We think what happens is that it’s passing through the panda very quickly, and microbes are going after the really simple to degrade sugars,” Suen said. “But they’re not really going for the high energy sources of plant polysaccharides like cellulose.” This inefficiency, according to the study, might lead to what it calls a dysbiosis, where jagged splinters of bamboo carve into the mucus lining of the panda’s gut and force a “resetting” or shedding of the intestine’s microbe community. The panda expulses that lining as a mucoid, a mucosal fecal pellet resembling Jello-caked shards of bamboo. That resetting, according to the study, frequently occurs in the summer, when mucoids become common, and pandas shift their diet from a bamboo’s stalk to its far more agreeable leaves. During this time, pandas might stop eating outright, becoming lethargic and apathetic as they wait for their gut to finish resetting.

Urban heat island effect hits Madison By Yunhong Wu The Daily Cardinal

The urban heat island effect is a direct result of urbanization through its conversion of pervious areas, or permeable surfaces that promise the growth of plants, into impervious areas, or hard surfaces like cement sidewalks or parking lots. It means that the air in cities is warmer than the air in the countryside. One major reason is the lack of vegetation in urban areas, leading to the lack of evapotranspiration, a process during which the soil’s water is evaporated for plant energy. Without urban vegetation, places are impervious and energy becomes heat storage, leading to air temperature increases. Due to the UHI effect, urban plants become greener earlier than those growing in surrounding rural areas. UW-Madison postdoctoral researcher Samuel Zipper of the UW-Madison Water Sustainability and Climate Project focused on the city of Madison to better understand how the UHI effect affects the annual plant cycle. According to Zipper, his collaborators Jason Schatz and Christopher Kucharik working in the Nelson Institute have been monitoring Madison’s urban heat island for over three years. By using temperature sensors to monitor the climate and looking at satellite pictures, Zipper con-

ducted the study together with his team, which also included Phil Townsend and Aditya Singh in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology and Steve Loheide in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “Madison is one of the most densely monitored and well-studied urban heat island[s] anywhere in the country, or in the world,” Zipper explained. Within the study site, Zipper’s team found that there are a lot of fine-scaled spatial variabilities that have impacts on the lengths of growing seasons within cities. In other words, the increased growing season resulting from the UHI effect does not uniformly distribute across a city. Zipper and his team found that the differences between the temperature sensor data and the satellite image observations showed that the actual growing season is up to about two weeks longer in the cities. The comparison between the on-the-ground temperature sensor network and the satellite observations contributes to the uniqueness of this study, which is the first of its kind. “Having more green space decreases the amount of urban heat island effect,” Zipper said. “Even adding a little bit of green space has benefits in cities.”

Candance williams/Courtesy of the Memphis zoo

Le Le, a panda studied by Professor Suen, munches on stalks of bamboo at the Memphis Zoo. These digestive problems occur during the panda’s reproductive phase, when pandas traditionally go into heat or begin nurturing a pregnancy. According to Suen, this could contribute to panda breeding’s notorious difficulty. Zookeepers often struggle with disinterested pandas during the breeding season, and some captive pandas, like Tian Tian at Edenborough’s Zoo, have historically had difficulty carrying a pregnancy to term. While mucoids have been observed in the wild as well, they appear to be more extreme among pandas in captivity, Suen

said. According to Suen, this may have something to do with stress and access to diet. “These animals have large territorial ranges, and suddenly they’re in an enclosure inside of a zoo. That has to be challenging for that type of an animal,” Suen said. According to Suen, wild pandas’ wide ranges and freedom of movement allow them some greater choice between different kinds of bamboo, as bamboo’s qualities may change over a growing season. Zoos do monitor panda preferences in bamboo, though. At the Memphis Zoo, whose pandas

Ya Ya and Le Le served as subjects for Suen’s lab’s study, their pandas’ bamboo preferences are closely monitored. According to Courtney Janney, the Curator of Large Mammals at the Memphis Zoo, pandas are fed 12 times a day according to those preferences. “If they’re eating [one species] really well, we continue to ask for that to be cut for them while still making sure to offer at least two or three other options per day,” Janney said in an email. “So we’re able to readily identify trends if their tastes change.” According to Suen, the logic behind a panda’s choice in bamboo isn’t exactly clear. “It could simply be that one is tastier than the other,” Suen said. “It could also be related to the fact that these animals have to go in and rip it apart, and maybe different types of varieties of bamboo are more difficult to rip apart. Over the growing season, the bamboo itself changes.” The leading theory is that a panda’s choice relates to nutritional value, Suen added. Memphis Zoo’s pandas’ preferences can be as dictated by species as they are the fields they’re grown in, according to Janney. Suen’s study was conduc ted by researchers from both UW-Madison and the Mississippi State University, as well as the Memphis Zoological Society, and was funded by the United States Forest Service, the United States Department of Agriculture, the Memphis Zoological Society, the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, and the Leo Seal Family Foundation.


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UW provides opportunities for moviegoers By Sam Marz THE DAILY CARDINAL

The screen blinks to life in front of you as you settle into your plush seat. With popcorn in your left hand and a soda in your right, your anticipation mounts as the previews play, a warm-up for the showing to come. A hush soon comes over the crowded theater as the last bits of chatter die out. Finally, the time has come. The film has begun. When people think of a theater like this, the first thought that usually comes to mind is an image of a Marcus Cinema or an AMC theater. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison however, both students and the general public alike need to look no further than the Marquee Theater right here on campus. Located on the second floor of Union South, it is one of many great places to catch a movie. In addition to the Marquee, there are also a few theaters near the campus for those eager to catch the next big blockbuster on opening night. Students can drive or take a bus over to the Sundance Theater in Hilldale Mall. While the theater is small, it screens a handful of new releases. If you’re look-

ing for a more complete selection, a little farther than Sundance is the Marcus Point Cinema, another good option for moviegoers. There’s a multitude of opportunities to experience films, including the various clubs and activities you can join to get involved in the film community. The most notable group is the Wisconsin Union Directorate Film Committee. Established in 1940, WUD Film meets once a week to discuss films and select what gets screened in the Marquee. Within this club, there are even opportunities to attend large-scale film events like the Sundance Film Festival in Utah. WUD Film is a great way to meet new people and build a greater appreciation for film. On top of all this, various film festivals are put on throughout the year like WUD Film’s Marquee International Film Festival, which showcases a variety of films from across the globe. The greater the interest in these events, the greater the potential for more of them in the future. Whether you are a die-hard fan or a casual moviegoer, there are no shortages in Madison when it comes to movies.

Black womxn spread their magic around UW campus By Amina Iro THE DAILY CARDINAL

Arts. Academics. ASM. Social justice. Student organizations. Research. In just about every area of interest on and around the University of Wisconsin-Madison, black womxn are spreading their magic. Our presence in various campus spaces highlight and celebrate our diverse interests and our many facets, while simultaneously cultivating a diverse community, safe spaces and atmospheres that are conducive to our success. Currently, a host of black womxn serve prominent roles that contribute to the campus community. For the first time in campus history, UW-Madison’s student council organization, Associated Students of Madison, has two black womxn occupying both leading positions – senior Carmen Gosey as Chair and junior Mariam Coker as Vice Chair of ASM. Student Katrina Morrison serves as a representative of the College of Letters and Sciences. Another student organization, the Campus Women’s Center houses Support Service Coordinator Janetta Hill and Outreach Coordinator Samantha Adams, both juniors. The CWC welcomes senior Ajanae Dawkins as Program Coordinator, and sophomore Zawadi Carroll as Volunteer Coordinator this fall. The CWC has also hosted workshops facilitated by black womxn and womxn of color on topics ranging from natural hair care to mental health. Graduate student Zhalarina Sanders serves as Executive director of the JVN Project, an organization that aims to use hip-hop to

promote learning and literacy. Many of JVN’s division leaders and staff are also black womxn who facilitate spoken word workshops in near high schools as part of many initiatives. The JVN Project works closely with campus organizations to serve the Madison community at large. We are looking forward to the 2016-2017 academic year to see more events, initiatives and goal-reaching from our black womxn. Further, black womxn continue to stamp their names on the art scene here at UW and in Madison. Recently, Melana Bass, a First Wave scholar, developed her first solo visual-art show titled “Black Girl Everything,” during which she showcased mixed-media visual art based on “the contemporary, mythical journey of black girl magic.” Also, The Chazen Museum recently housed the installation of “Hoodwinked,” developed by student Jay Katelansky. Jay earned her MFA this past spring and was the recipient of the “2016 Chazen Museum Prize for an Outstanding MFA Student.” We can be sure to expect more exceptional art created by black womxn, for black womxn this next school year. These womxn, and many more strive for greatness every single day as nothing less than magical. As we welcome the freshman class to UW-Madison, we also welcome the incoming black womxn within it – the soon-to-be trailblazers, artists, activists and womxn committed to change and forward movement. The shoes may seem big to fill, but they step into a community that is built on support and sustained by love and perseverance.

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Alex G opening for the band Porches at The Sett, a show programmed by WUD Music.

Beginning your college journey in the Madison music scene By Jake Witz THE DAILY CARDINAL

First, you go to a WUD show. There are many ways to enter and explore the Madison music scene, but no first step comes close to being as encompassing and helpful as this one. WUD Music’s events are free and wonderful, and it’s impossible to imagine UW having such a tight-knit music community without them. Second, get a radio show on WSUM. The act of consciously arranging an hour of music and sharing that hour with the city of Madison will refine and expand your music tastes, along with lead you towards fellow hosts with amazing shows of their own. And if you don’t have time for your own show, listen to the dozens of other students pouring their hearts and tastes into a concentrated hour of music goodness.

It’s hard to imagine an incoming freshman developing a healthy relationship with UW’s music community without at least trying these organizations out, as they are filled with the most dedicated and welcoming musical minds on campus. Beyond these institutions, Madison has a wealth of other venues and communities. The Majestic and Orpheum bring in the biggest touring acts, and chances are that your favorite acts of all time will wind up in one of these two spaces before you graduate. The Frequency and High Noon Saloon offer smaller and more intimate shows which sometimes include local acts and are good choices for a spontaneous night out. Liquid, the only 18+ dance club near campus, is terrible and hosts interchangeable EDM bros on

any given night. Your best bet is to become 21 years old and wander off campus to venues like Natt Spil and Cardinal Bar. Then there’s DIY venues, or Do It Yourself venues, or house shows, or “why am I drinking wop and listening to a math rock band in my O. Chem partner’s basement?” The DIY community in Madison is a bit ambiguous; some people are trying to build a community with safe shows for touring and local bands, while others just want to throw a party under the pretense of live music. The rest is in your hands. Thanks to the music diversity in Madison, your journey will be very different than mine, and that’s incredible. Never settle for the same, get lost and find new people and sounds everyday, because the best music you’ve ever listened to is still waiting on you to hear.



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SOAR Issue 2016

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Alert zookeeper shoots penguin that was ‘looking at toddler funny’ By Marc Tost THE DAILY CARDINAL

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Zoo was struck by tragedy this Wednesday, as one of its last remaining male African penguins was fatally shot by a zookeeper. The incident occurred in the afternoon, at peak visiting hours during a special penguin showing. The half-hour show is put on every day, and involves the small flightless birds swimming in circles and jumping out of the water. They are rewarded with small fish, their main food source both in the wild and at the Minnesota Zoo. Zookeepers report that the penguins are usually peaceful creatures, and penguin trainer is one of the most soughtafter positions at the zoo. The show went awry, howev-

er, when one of the larger male penguins broke formation and waddled towards the 3-inch-thick glass surrounding the exhibit. There, behind the glass, stood John Magnotto, age 2, with his mother. At this point a zookeeper named Bob Linko interpreted the penguin’s waddle as extremely aggressive, and, fearing for the safety of the toddler, took action by shooting the endangered animal 11 times with his company-issued sidearm. He later said, “good thing I had the gun on me from my shift at the lion exhibit. I know penguins are attracted to shiny objects and the mother’s purse was covered in sequins, but you just can’t be too careful with these animals.” Numerous animal rights groups condemned the act, imploring the zoo’s use of lethal

force without attempting to sedate or calm the animal. A zookeeper that was not at the scene later explained to reporters that zoo employees are trained to act in this manner if they are concerned about the safety of a visitor. He was quoted saying, “you just don’t know how they will react to sedation. That penguin could have gone crazy and really injured someone!” Later the same day, the zoo issued a statement, explaining that the incident was regretful. It then went on to say that “it was simply part of the circle of life. Animals are born, they grow up, get captured and imprisoned by humans, looked at, and eventually shot. That’s just how nature works. We don’t make the rules, we just enjoy them.”

IMAGE BY CREATIVE COMMONS

Bob Linko, zookeeper at the Minnesota Zoo, stands alert and ready to smite any mammal, fish, reptile or insect out of the ordinary.

SOAR to include new mandatory workshop: how to kick belligerent drunks out of your dorm room By John Joutras THE DAILY CARDINAL

A result of past student feedback, this summer’s Student Orientation, Advising and Registration is mandating an hour-long workshop on practical solutions for dealing with latenight alcohol consumption in residence halls. Goading Inebriated Tramps to Orient Undertakings Thata-way (GIT-OUT), the debut SOAR workshop, is designed to tackle the future reality many burgeoning Badgers will face head-on: drunk people in their dorm room, potentially on either

a weekend or a a school night. The workshop is designed with a simple, three-step lesson plan in mind, according to GITOUT coordinator Halls Banks.

“Drunk people feed on weakness.” Halls Banks GIT-OUT coordinator

“The first step is empathy. See, we want to make them realize there’s a real problem

here,” Banks explained. “We get a little help from technology with that.” All SOAR participants are issued a special set of hearing aids and instructed to explore a simulated party environment filled with fake alcohol and many fake drunk students. “We strap these really loud hearing aids on them, put the SOARers in a tiny room, and then all the counselors meander around the room, shouting meaningless half-facts about their lives through megaphones,” said Halls. “It’s really meant to dial in on that unwanted dorm-

party-at-2 a.m.- experience.” The second step of the program is focused on applicable strategies for expelling drunk visitors from a room quickly and effectively, but also safely.

“Just tell them there’s a better, louder party with more beer down the hall.”

Catie Baughman SOAR counselor

Halls and three-year SOAR counselor Catie Baughman summarized confidently. “The last half ’s two basic parts, ushering and cleanup,” Baughman said. “The number

IMAGES COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS

The Cleveland Indians’ new logo is an attempt at cultural sensitivity. Rather than being more accurate and politically correct, the logo is instead receiving backlash from a different culture.

Cleveland Indians will transition to more accurate logo in 2017 By Dylan Anderson THE DAILY CARDINAL

Beginning in 2017, the Cleveland Indians will replace their red-faced ‘Chief Wahoo’ logo with what the organization has called a more accurate depiction of the team’s name. The future logo will feature an offensive caricature of a man from the country of India, rather than one of a Native American man. The current image shows how the misnomer ‘Indians’ has been used to describe indigenous inhabitants of the Americas for centuries. “We are very proud of the

Indians and our rich tradition here in Cleveland,” Indians owner Paul Dolan said. “But times are changing. It’s 2016 and we need a logo that is a little less racist and a little more politically correct.” The ‘Chief Wahoo’ logo originated in the 1950s and has been the source of controversy and protest, especially during the last three decades. Early reactions to the announcement show critics are just as displeased as they were before. “Though we weren’t thrilled about the mascot being a misnomer, the fact that the logo was

racist was a much bigger issue which hasn’t been resolved,” a Penobscot Indian Nation press release said. “The new proposed logo is no longer directed towards our ethnicity specifically, but is equally as wrong.” “You can’t make everybody happy,” Dolan said in response to the backlash. “It’s impossible.” Many long time fans say they are disappointed, but will still continue to root for their home team. “I’m going to miss wearing red face paint and feathers to games, but my wife will look good in sari robes,” said fan Mitch Wheeler.

one thing with ushering is showing no mercy.” “Drunk people feed on weakness,” Halls added. “Exactly, you can’t expect them to pity you. Don’t mention the midterm you have at 7:45 [a.m.] the next morning, or that the comforter the guy who’s sitting on your bed is spilling beer on is a hand-woven, thirdgeneration family heirloom. Just tell them there’s a better, louder party with more beer down the hall,” Baughman said. “I really wish I had the GIT-OUT experience when I was an incoming freshman,” Baughman added. “Ninety percent of Madison freshmen live in dorms. Excepting the ones who either don’t drink, or drink responsibly, that’s a whole lot of dumb packed into a small space. You gotta know how to deal with it.”


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SOAR Issue 2016

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Welcome future Badgers, and have a great summer! Today’s Sudoku

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ACROSS 1 “___ pretty sight” 1 Classic recording label 6 Christmas kings 10 Car juice 13 Even a bit 14 “... happily ___ after.” 15 Trunk of a tree 16 Waste no time in traveling to 19 Great deal 20 “___ a beautiful morning” 21 Detonate 22 Gives birth to 23 Foils 24 Commotion or type of room 28 A smaller amount 29 Beatles song “Any Time ___” 30 Citrus flavor 31 Singer Simone 35 Do the apples-tooranges thing 38 Small farm building 39 Vagabond 40 Colonizing insect 41 It can get into a jam 42 Give a hard time to 43 Categorizes 47 Deck swabber’s need 48 Labor organizer Cesar 49 It may be written in

stone 0 Move little by little 5 54 Emulate Nostradamus 57 “Happy Days” actress Moran 58 Pitches in 59 Bitterly pungent 60 Female sib 61 Run the party 62 If-___ (computer routines) DOWN 1 Bonneville and Hoover 2 Substitute for the unnamed 3 Birthday party centerpiece 4 Ball of thread 5 Chicken ___ king 6 Track season events 7 Park and Madison (Abbr.) 8 Mousse, for one 9 Arm of the North Atlantic 10 Find attractive 11 Floating above ground 12 Lowly laborers 15 ___-carotene 17 Unfairness 18 Fresh information

2 ___ hoop 2 23 Musician’s speed 24 St. Louis gridders 25 Beehive State 26 Construct 27 Appealed, as for mercy 28 Dance requiring a pole 30 Takes as spoils 31 “___ Island” (Jodie Foster film) 32 Doctrines, informally 33 December air 34 Poker pay-in 36 Audacity 37 Get, as profits 41 Rug-buyer’s concern 42 Kachina doll makers 43 Apexes 44 Lewis with Lamb Chop 45 Rice beverages 46 Range section 47 Center 49 Winery choices 50 Draw with acid 51 In ___ straits 52 “Whole Lotta Shakin’ ___ On” 53 Ultimate purposes 55 Lead-in for “Branco” or “Bravo” 56 Garfield, for one


opinion 10 SOAR Issue 2016

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The battle for bathroom bills JACK KELLY opinion editor

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n recent months, the debate over which bathroom facilities transgender people in the United States should use in public spaces has divided Americans. States such as North Carolina have already made up their minds on the matter, and have passed legislation preventing transgender students from using restrooms and locker rooms that do not match their biological sex. Even here in Wisconsin, bills similar to that in North Carolina have been proposed, and the discussion over them is widely thought to be opened again when session begins again this fall.

You should not ignore the statistics about sexual assault and rape.

In 2016, we as Americans will encounter a number of major events: There is a presidential election just a few months away, we are still without a seventh Supreme Court justice and the world has already experienced one major terror attack, with the constant threat of others always there. Yet, with all of this to face as a country, we remain with a heated and difficult discussion over something that will only make the lives of certain Americans more difficult. The targeting of transgender people through legislation is something that I find unacceptable, for I believe that we, being the U.S., are supposed to be the welcoming home of all people, regardless of sex, race, sexuality, religion and or any other factor. Making life more difficult for people who are widely oppressed socially already, is something that I believe to be wrong. However, I recognize that bathrooms and locker rooms are dangerous places. There have been numerous instances in recent months and years that have shown this to be true. But these locker room and bathroom dangers are present regardless of one’s sex or gender identity, and to generalize an entire population as “dangerous” because they may not be the same biologically as the other people in a restroom is something that I cannot accept. I am well aware of the startling statistics concerning sexual assault and rape in the U.S., and for this reason I am not going to throw them at you in this piece. I would like to approach this topic from a different view,in terms of progress as a nation. The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah recently shared his thoughts on these bathroom bills, and in doing so he brought up a point that has resonated with me. Noah acknowledged the dangers of bathrooms and locker rooms. He recognized that this is a situation and a topic that makes many people uncomfortable, and he certainly did not deny people their right to their beliefs, but his resonating point

was that progress is something that always makes people uncomfortable. In his segment, which lasted a little more than seven minutes, he used a mix of comedy and seriousness to get his point across. And it is upon this point, that I would like to build. Imagine it is July 2, 1964, one of the most important days in American history; Congress has just passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, gender or national origin. No longer were schools going to be segregated, nor the workplace nor public facilities. This was a day that had to have made every American a little uncomfortable. Regardless of whether you supported the act or not, everyday American life was changing in almost all aspects, and this is something people are never totally comfortable with. But as a society we became comfortable with it, and because of our comfort with the uncomfortable, our nation flourished and grew into the great country we now live in. Go back even further, to Aug. 18, 1920. The 19th amendment was ratified on this day—42 years after it was originally proposed by Sen. Aaron A. Sargent—preventing any U.S. citizen from being denied the right to vote based on sex. Our country once again found itself in unfamiliar waters. Women now had the power to participate in a world that once only belonged to men: the world of government. And this has been proven to be, yet again, a most important day in American history. Sargent overcame his discomfort, and we as a society overcame our discomfort, and we are only better because of it nearly 100 years later, as women serve as some of our most important and best political officers. You should not ignore the statistics about sexual assault and rape. Nor should you disregard the dangers of locker rooms and bathrooms. But you should allow yourself to have an open mind. Think back to a time in your life when you were uncomfortable. Think about how good it felt when you got past it. Now try to imagine what it would have been like to potentially live in constant discomfort because of who you are. Imagine not being able to go to the restroom without having at least a hint of doubt or worry about doing so. I’m not asking you to change who you are. I’m asking you to remain open-minded. To not make the lives of transgender people any more uncomfortable than they may or may not be already. I’m asking you to show your true colors as an American and support all people of this nation. My point is this: Become comfortable with the uncomfortable, because it is the first step toward progress. Jack is a sophomore intending to major in journalism and political science. What are your thoughts about the “bathroom bills” states have been penning across the country? What do you think is the true meaning of making progress as a nation? Let us know what you think. Email us at opinion@dailycardinal.com.

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Society is becoming too accepting of increasing mass violence SAMANTHA WILCOX opinion columnist

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ast week, I was sitting on the grass with my co-workers, training to be camp counselors for the summer. During our lunch break, we all naturally checked our phones and were bombarded with news that there was an active shooter on the UCLA campus. Being a San Francisco native, this news hit very close to home, as dozens of my close friends and family have connections to UCLA. However, despite the horrific news, we all were somber for a moment and then moved on to the next topic. I was not alone in my reaction. According to a poll conducted by NBC and the Wall Street Journal, 71 percent of Americans now consider mass shooting events to be a regular part of American life. There are many reasons why people claim these attacks keep occurring: ample access to guns, a lack of mental health infrastructure and even the effects of violent video games on young people. However, despite the many potential reasons as to why these events continue to happen, there never seems to be a long-term solution or change. In the aftermath of the UCLA shooting and other acts of mass violence, media outlets cover the event 24/7, plastering the news with information about the perpetrator, motives, etc. After the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting in late 2012, in which the gunman shot and killed 20 first-grade students and six adults, our country once again reeled from a tragedy

that seemed so preventable. How could we have saved the lives and heartbreak of this event? However, according to Elite Daily, congress has not passed a single gun control law since. While political candidates and incumbents speak about how they would solve the problem, they are not able to get to a point of compromise with the other side of the aisle in order to forge progress in the realm of preventing such events from plaguing American society.

Sometimes pride needs to take a step back in order to let progress forge ahead.

The safety of ourselves, our families and our communities cannot be allowed to be put in the hands of politicians who let their pride get in the way of progress. While the issue of gun control is a controversial one, there are so many other steps that we could take as a nation in order to prevent such events from occurring. Whether it be reducing the stigma about mental health care and increasing its accessibility, monitoring the use and sale of violent video games to minors or bulking up background checks on firearm purchases, there are alternative ways that politicians can help their communities remain safe without encroaching on anyone’s right to

bear arms. Instead of letting this issue of mass violence become a point of pride, we should take it for what it is: an epidemic. If we do not act harshly and swiftly, we are keeping the chinks in our armor open, allowing ourselves and our communities to be vulnerable to such devastating events to occur again and again. Sometimes compromise is necessary in life, and our politicians need to realize this and get their noses to the grindstone in order to find a way to work something out that everyone can agree on. As I said above, I am going to be a camp counselor this summer. At this job, I will be working at a school for the next six weeks. At the same camp training where I heard about the shooting at UCLA, we were trained on the best ways to deal with a violent intruder or an active shooter. While it is always good to be prepared for the worst outcome, we should not have to accept such acts of violence as commonplace in our society. Teachers shouldn’t have to have an action plan or strategy on how best to protect their students from a shooter or intruder. Instead, our government should take the necessary steps to ensure that our communities are safe, something they are currently not doing. Sometimes pride needs to take a step back in order to let progress forge ahead. Samantha is a sophomore intending to major in journalism and communication arts. Do you agree that we are too accepting of mass violence in our society? Let us know at opinion@dailycardinal.com.


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SOAR Issue 2016

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Road to Rio

UW to have at least five athletes in Rio By Kelly Ward The Daily cardinal

As Rio looms just around the corner, over 50 current and former Badgers across seven sports have qualified for the Olympic Trials, and in some cases have already made the team. Here are the five Badger athletes who will compete in Rio this summer. Wisconsin fans may remember Alev Kelter as a talented twosport athlete with Olympic potential in both hockey and soccer. The 2015 graduate and Alaska native played both sports all through college, and even tried out for the national hockey team, hoping participate in 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. After narrowly missing the final cut for that team, Kelter turned her attention to a third sport: rugby. It turned out to

be the perfect fit for her aggressive and physical playing style, and after only playing for a little under two years, she made Team USA, which will participate in Rio. Egle Staisiunaite is a Lithuanian hurdler who almost didn’t go out for her high school’s track team that is now qualified for her second Olympics in the 400-meter hurdles. The 2012 graduate is currently the only non-distance runner representing her country in track and field. She placed 22nd at last summer’s World Championships in her event. Senior Matt Hutchins is the reigning Big Ten Swimmer of the Year and is headed to Rio as a member of the New Zealand team. He qualified for the Olympics back in April after a dominant

swim in the 400-meter freestyle. Mohammed Ahmed has a story that spans three countries - Somalia, where he was born and lived until the age of 11, the U.S., where he attended UW and graduated in 2015, and Canada, where he grew up and competes internationally in track and field. Ahmed will race in both the 5K and the 10K in Rio, events in which he holds national records. This is Ahmed’s second Olympics, and the Badger alum is most definitely in medal contention this time around. Gwen Jorgensen, a 2009 graduate, has dominated international competition. She went from a swimmer and cross-country runner for the Badgers, to the most dominant tri-athlete in the world in just three years. Her meteor-

ic rise to the top allowed her to qualify for the 2012 Olympics, and she currently has not placed out-

side the top two for two years. Jorgensen is favored to win the gold medal in this event in Rio.

Brandon moe/cardinal file photo

Matt Hutchins will swim for New Zealand in the Rio Olympics.

Men’s Basketball

Nigel Hayes’ return gives Badgers loaded, deep roster By David Gwidt The Daily Cardinal

After entertaining the prospect of joining the professional ranks, Wisconsin junior forward Nigel Hayes has formally elected to return to school and finish out his senior season with the Badgers. Following an exceptionally

kaitlyn veto/cardinal file photo

Nigel Hayes’ return spells big things for Wisconsin this year.

rough postseason performance last year, Hayes garnered some skepticism moving into the 201617 campaign. Questions regarding which version of Hayes will emerge during his farewell tour in Madison remain. While the concerns about Hayes are definitely understandable, his tournament struggles, as ugly as they seemed, should not undermine the overall impressive body of work that he has amassed over the course of a largely steady-going career. The return of Hayes, an all-conference forward and the unquestioned leader of his team, solidifies Wisconsin as not only one of the top teams in the Big Ten, but also turns the Badgers into one of the most formidable opponents in the nation. Greg Gard’s team has checked in as high as No. 8 in a recent preseason poll done by kenpom.com.

A Hayes-lead Wisconsin team lends itself as a desirable scenario by all measures, but especially from an offensive standpoint. As an offense that has a propensity to languish periodically and fall victim to scoring droughts, having a dynamic player like Hayes is tremendously helpful. Unlike many of his teammates who rely on ball movement to get open, the standout forward has the ability to create space for himself and find quality looks all on his own. He also possesses an innate knack to generate contact and draw fouls, ranking fifth in free throw attempts and sixth in free throw makes amongst Big Ten competition. His penchant to convert from the line was on full display in a 31-point outing against Indiana, where a 17-22 performance from the charity strike would wind up

Softball

Wisconsin puts together successful season behind Jenkins, Paige-Stewart, Miller By Kelly Ward The Daily Cardinal

It was a year of overachievement for the Wisconsin softball team (11-11-1 Big Ten, 28-24-1 overall), as they won at least one game against every conference opponent they played in the regular season. The team also qualified for the Big Ten tournament, which was a major season-long goal according to head coach Yvette Healy. The Badgers were led by their three all-region honorees, Kelsey Jenkins, Taylor-Paige Stewart and Chloe Miller. Jenkins led the Badgers

with a .411 overall batting average and a .423 mark in conference play. She also set the single-season record for walks with 49 and led the team in eight other statistical categories. Stewart, a pitcher, led the Badgers with a 2.61 ERA and a 2.27 in-conference ERA. Miller led the team with a program singleseason record of 51 RBI as well as 13 multiple-RBI games. Jenkins and Stewart were also honored by the Big Ten - Jenkins on the first team and Stewart on the second team. The Badgers also had five wins over ranked opponents this past

season, which is the second-highest total in school history. Perhaps the best moment of the season came on April 1. It was no April Fool’s joke when the Badgers downed the No. 24 Ohio State Buckeyes in heroic fashion after a walk-off home run by freshman Melanie Cross with the Badgers trailing 5-3. “I think the whole team was believing the whole game,” Healy said after the April 1 game. “We knew going in that we were the underdogs. We just told them to play loose and have fun, you never know what could happen.”

Jack tancill/cardinal file photo

The Badgers finished over .500, took down five ranked opponents and defeated rival Ohio State.

as a deciding factor in the contest. Admittedly, the fact that Hayes’ field goal percentage only registered at a 36 percent clip on the season does not look good, but he does have major scoring potential. Wisconsin has supposedly improved on offense, welcoming sophomore guard Brevin Pritzl and sophomore forward Andy Van Vliet back into the lineup for better shooting depth. The importance of Hayes really starts to show when the roster is viewed as a whole. Along with Hayes, the Badgers will bring back all of their key contributors from last year, a brand of continuity which absolutely did not exist in 2015-16. Gard will boast one of the most complete teams in the nation in his first full season as head coach. On top of Nigel, Wisconsin also

has two other all-conference worthy players in Bronson Koenig and Ethan Happ, the latter earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 2016. But, the true secret weapon for Wisconsin involves its stellar supporting cast. After seldom seeing the floor under Coach Ryan, previously marginal players like Vitto Brown, Jordan Hill and Charlie Thomas made tremendous strides once Gard seized the reigns. With a full year ahead, even more growth should be expected as these players start to come into their own. If the Badgers can build off the late season success of last year and collectively work to maximize their potential on the court, the 2016-17 season is sure to be one Wisconsin fans won’t soon forget.


Sports Sports

soar issue 2016 Dailycardinal.com DailyCardinal.com

Football

Wilcox’s schemes similar to Aranda’s By Lorin Cox The Daily Cardinal

There’s a new face running the show for the Wisconsin Badgers’ defense this season. With former defensive coordinator Dave Aranda off to LSU, Justin Wilcox is taking over the unit that allowed the second-fewest yards per game in the country last season, so expectations will be high in 2016. Despite the changes at the top, Wisconsin fans shouldn’t notice too many differences with the way the defense looks on the field. Wilcox runs a one-gapping, 3-4 base defense just like Aranda did, and his subpackage is the same 2-4-5 that the Badgers ran the past three seasons. The biggest adjustments for the players is the terminology. Every defensive coordinator has their own set of names for every play-call, formation and adjustment, and it takes time for everyone involved to learn the language of their new coach. “Same scheme, different verbiage is the best way to look at it,” outside linebacker Vince Biegel said at spring practices. “And I think that’s what the guys out here were learning today, the different verbiage, the different vocab, getting comfortable with Coach Wilcox, him becoming comfortable with our defense and our verbiage.”

Both Aranda and Wilcox tended to run comparable coverages at a similar rate. All defensive coordinators run the same handful of coverages, but these two have similar tendencies in their play-calling. They feel comfortable leaving their cornerbacks on islands in Cover 1 and Cover 3 quite often, and they tend to blitz out of man coverage rather than zone. Like Aranda, Wilcox will quite often show a single-deep safety before the snap and play the coverage they showed the quarterback, trusting his players to execute in one-on-one situations. They prefer to work more with the players up front to disrupt the quarterback, rather than trying to trick the passer with disguised and altered coverages. In 2015, both defensive coordinators blitzed opposing quarterbacks almost the exact same amount of the time, but where the difference comes is in how they dial up their pass rushers. Aranda frequently brought his inside and outside linebackers after the quarterback, freeing them up with different twists and stunts on the inside and rarely sending his cornerbacks and safeties. Wilcox on the other hand tended to bring his blitzes from the slot defensive back and outside linebackers, leaving his inside line-

kaitlyn veto/cardinal file photo

After leading several stellar defenses, defensive coordinator Dave Aranda left for LSU last year. backers to drop back in coverage to take away the quarterback’s quick reads over the middle. That being said, Wilcox’s defense at Wisconsin is going to operate a bit differently than it did at USC. With the Trojans, he had the luxury of Su’a Cravens, a linebacker/safety hybrid that allowed him to stay in his base 3-4 defense more often because he could line Cravens up at literally any position besides the

defensive line. With no apparent Cravens substitute on the Badgers’ defense, Wilcox’s unit at Wisconsin should end up looking even more like Aranda’s than the group he coached at USC. The new defensive coordinator will coach to the strengths of his roster, which is clearly found in his linebacking corps. Ultimately, Justin Wilcox is going to put his players in a position to suc-

ceed and trust that they will execute. That’s what Dave Aranda was able to do successfully for three seasons, but Wilcox may have a steeper battle ahead of him than Aranda ever faced. A rough 2016 schedule that includes LSU, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Iowa all in the first seven weeks awaits the Badgers, and it is certainly going to be a challenge for the new man in charge of the Wisconsin defense.


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