Wait, who’s going to be here today? Dan and Matt duke it out over the value of Obama’s visit OPINION
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dailycardinal.com
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
OBAMA ON CAMPUS TODAY
Photos from left to right: Danny Marchewka, Isabel Álvarez, jacob ela/Cardinal file photos
Obama visit indicative of Democrats’ concerns over midterm elections By Ariel Shapiro the daily cardinal
Graphic by natasha soglin
SSFC denies WISPIRG funds, debates liaison By Anna Duffin the daily cardinal
The Student Services Finance Committee voted to deny the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group funding for next fiscal year at its meeting Monday night. The SSFC bylaws state that in order for an organization to obtain eligibility at least 75 percent of its beneficiaries must be UW-Madison students. Many SSFC members argued that since WISPIRG is such a large organization, they benefit many people from outside of the UW-Madison student population and do not meet the 75 percent quota. Representative Aliyya Terry, who supported WISPIRG receiving funds, said the organization’s main function is to provide students with the opportunity to become involved with issues they care about, making students the primary direct beneficiaries.
The majority of SSFC representatives, however, argued the many other people who benefit from WISPIRG cannot be ignored. WISPIRG Chair Rashi Mangalick said she does not understand SSFC’s reasoning. “It’s like we’re being punished for being really successful, which is really bizarre,” Mangalick said. “Because we benefit more than just campus shouldn’t be a deterrence from what we’re doing.” Mangalick said WISPIRG plans to appeal the decision in an effort to obtain funding. WISPIRG’s eligibility from last year is still valid, so they will continue to receive funds until next fiscal year and will be able to function normally until then. Also at the meeting, the SSFC discussed the purpose of its Accountability Liaison position. ssfc page 3
President Barack Obama will focus on the Democratic midterm election campaign at his Tuesday rally in Library Mall, and both his opponents and supporters agree his visit, the fourth to Wisconsin in three months, is evidence the state he won by 14 percentage points in 2008 could slip back into the red this election season. “The reason we’re going to Madison is that I want to send a message to young people across the country about how important this election is,” Obama said, adding that he hoped to recapture the energy and support he received from young voters in the last election for the upcoming midterms. Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine said the president is intent on showing UW-Madison students Tuesday he has kept the promises he made to them in
2008, and candidates like Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., are part of making those promises happen. “The lead message we have for young voters, which I think is a powerful one, is that you turned out to support this president in record numbers, and guess what, he didn’t forget about you,” Kaine said. Obama said his administration has made strides by pushing legislation to increase the amount of loans and grants, allow people to stay on their parents’ insurance until they are 26 years old and provide citizenship to young people brought over illegally as children through military service or the pursuit of higher education. Republican Party of Wisconsin spokesperson Andrew Welhouse said Obama has failed to keep his promises, to students or otherwise, obama page 3
Jumped up, jumped up, got down
matt marheine/the daily cardinal
One of Camp Randall Stadium’s most popular traditions moved to Library Mall Monday afternoon as students helped kick off Homecoming with “Jump Around in Library Mall.”
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”