University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Wednesday, September 9, 2015
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Turning it around Making Wavves in Madison
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How an early loss can be inspiration
Research says inclusion programs ineffective By Sarah Ferguson the daily cardinal
photo courtesy of Madison police department
A bystander described the appearance of the person of interest, which Madison police detailed in a composite sketch.
MPD releases sketch of possible assailant The Madison Police Department released a sketch of a person of interest in an attempted homicide that occurred on a bike path near South Livingston Street early Saturday morning. The new developments include a composite sketch of an individual who police say attacked a 33-yearold female before fleeing the Capital City State Trail. The sketch was generated based on testimony from a bystander who saw the assailant nearby prior to the incident. While previously reported as a sexual assault, MPD is currently investigating the incident as an attempted homicide. “The person of interest is described as a Latino or lightskinned black male with brown eyes who appeared to be approxi-
mately 25 years old,” according to an MPD statement Tuesday. The person of interest is described as being 5 feet 7 inches tall and of average build, with prominent cheek bones, slightly sunken eyes and five to seven day patchy beard growth, according to the release. “It is important to bear in mind that this is a person of interest at this time. It is but one of many leads that the department is investigating,” said police officer David Dexheimer. “We have dedicated considerable resources to this investigation and will continue to do so.” MPD is urging people to come forward with any information that might be helpful to the investigation by calling 608-266-4451, a number dedicated to the case. —Ravi Pathare
New policies for tenure and program changes approved A faculty committee approved language revisions to policy controlling program changes and tenure protections at UW-Madison Monday, according to a report released Tuesday. The committee’s decision comes as a result of the UW System Board of Regent’s efforts to navigate recent legislative changes to UW System policy, as
outlined in Gov. Scott Walker’s biennial budget. Following the passing of the budget, the Board of Regents asked each campus to propose new policy language to address the new changes. In July, the University Committee appointed the group
policies page 3
“It hurts,” “I’m vulnerable” and “it’s blatant” are a few of the ways disadvantaged students described their college experiences in a research project aimed at uncovering structural exclusion at the university level. Harvard sociologist Anthony Jack shared his research findings on how programs created by universities to aid disadvantaged students can actually hurt them more than help, as part of the Wisconsin HOPE Lab’s Fall Speaker Series. His two-year project looked solely at universities who historically have had a majority of white, affluent students, but that have adopted programs to increase socioeconomic diversity. Jack kept the location of his in-person research confidential, simply referring to it as “Renowned.” The sociologist focused his research on three main university programs and policies to assess their effect on the marginalization of minority students, with the goal of changing policies that minority students may not be aware of, but whose effects they feel daily. Jack said only one freshman orientation session at “Renowned” is free of cost, often leaving it as the only option for underprivileged students to attend. Upon arriving, students interviewed said they were greeted with tampons left on floors, dirty underwear scattered about, feces-covered toilets and bathtubs filled with beer cans that they were expected to clean. Instead of ending orientation excited about classes, students feel pushed into the roles typically historically associated with their racial and socioeconomic background, as evidenced by a Snapchat one student sent, captioned “tired of slaving away at the plantation,” Jack said. Even programs meant to help integrate students into the university’s social scene can help contribute to feeling left out, he noted.
“Students are at Renowned, but they are not part of Renowned,” Jack said. He offered the example of one program that allows disadvantaged students to log hours worked toward paying for university socials and trips often requires students to obtain separate tickets or enter events through separate dorms. “Such a scenario conjures up images of the segregated schools, bathrooms, water fountains and lunch fountains of the Jim Crow South,” Jack explained. Policies affecting dorm and dining hall closure over spring break can also leave students hungry and homeless until classes resume, Jack said. He recalled stories of students searching out food pantries or fainting from not being able to afford to eat until classes resumed. “These are the real hunger games, but the odds are never in
the student’s favor,” one anonymous student said. Such university policies “highlight a tension between proclamation and practice,” Jack said, as “renowned” universities claim that money will not act as a barrier for any student.
“Students are at Renowned, but they are not part of Renowned.” Anthony Jack sociologist Harvard University
He added that these policies are especially dangerous, because students may equate the inability to fit in at a highlevel university with the inability to fit in with a high-level working class.
will chizek/the daily cardinal
Harvard sociologist Anthony Jack’s Tuesday lecture exposed the negative effects of university inclusion programs.
UWPD: Instances of reported sexual assaults not unusual By Bri Maas the daily cardinal
Despite three sexual assaults being reported on campus in the first two weekends of the semester, the UW-Madison Police
Department said these numbers are not shocking. “All of these cases are troubling, but I don’t think it’s fair to say this year is exceptionally different than previous years,”
said UWPD Public Information Officer Marc Lovicott. “Unfortunately this is an issue that we have to deal
assaults page 3
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”