Thursday, October 13, 2016 - The Daily Cardinal

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University of Wisconsin-Madison

Since 1892 dailycardinal.com

Weekend, October 13-16, 2016

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Badgers Tackle OSU

Can the UW System be

Environmental education is necessary on campus +OPINION, page 6

+SPORTS, page 8

Reports of hate, bias on campus more than tripled

CARDINAL FLASHBACK

By Sammy Gibbons THE DAILY CARDINAL

Coming out in 1991 In the spirit of National Coming Out Day, here is a graphic contained in the 1991 Lesbian & Gay Special Issue of The Daily Cardinal. The paper covers some aspects of sexuality and gender identity, although it lacks inclusivity of the entire LGBTQIA+ community. + Graphic by Todd Hanson

Witte renovation gets green light after Building Commission approval By Andrew Bahl THE DAILY CARDINAL

Fifty-two-year-old Witte Residence Hall will receive a $47 million renovation, after approval Wednesday from the State Building Commission.

“We are hoping that this renovation will give us Witte for another 50 years.”

sue their degrees.” While the project calls for expanding many of the rooms in Witte, the addition of a new floor will result in an increase in space from the residence hall’s current 1,154 beds. Funding for the project was included in the 2013-’15 biennial budget and was approved by the UW System Board of Regents earlier this year. University Housing has said the project is scheduled to begin in the spring

after move-out and extend over the summer. Housing Director Jeff Novak told The Daily Cardinal in July that the project will take two years but the major work will take place when students are away, with only one floor out of use during the school year. “It is a 1964 building,” Novak said. “This is giving it a good refresh. We are hoping that this renovation will give us Witte for another 50 years.”

Jeff Novak director University Housing

The project, slated to begin in the spring, will add an 11th floor to one of the towers, build bridges connecting the two buildings and bring new lounge space and air conditioning. Witte has served as one of the largest dorms on campus since it was built in 1964. Gov. Scott Walker chairs the commission, which must approve all state building projects. He said the construction is necessary to improve student life on campus. “Campus housing creates a positive and welcoming environment for students,” Walker said in a statement. “This investment in UW-Madison makes important improvements to Witte Residence Hall ensuring future students have an exceptional living environment to call home as they pur-

The number of hate and bias incidents reported on campus has increased from 18 in Fall 2015 to 66 in the spring, according to university officials. Chair of the Bias Response Team Joshua Moon Johnson said those who reported predominantly selfidentified as people of color, women and women of color. Many of the incidents involved bias toward race, religion, ethnicity or nationality. Of the reported incidents, 14 were located in residence halls and 19 targeted religion. A recent hate incident occurred in Sellery Residence Hall, where swastikas were drawn on students’ personal whiteboards. Johnson and Dean of Students Lori Berquam discussed the details found in the Bias Response Team’s Spring 2016 Bias Incident Report in a conference call Wednesday, the day of its release. “UW System Administrative Code 17, our state law and our code, states that the university can only accomplish its educational mission if its living and learning environment is free from violence, harassment and intimidation,” Berquam said. “We encourage our students, staff and faculty to report these

acts of incidents of bias or hate that they experience. The Bias Response Team’s purpose is to help those affected and to educate and inform our campus community.” The Bias Response Team plans to issue two reports a year. The Spring 2016 report covers incidents reported Jan. 1 through June 30.

“I’m happy that we have a mechanism so that students who are impacted can be heard.” Lori Berquam dean of students UW-Madison

“During that time period our team did put an effort into making the campus more aware of the bias reporting system,” Johnson said. “We do believe that, because of this additional marketing and communication through various methods, those are the reasons why we’ve had more reports during this period versus prior time.” According to Johnson, most of those who reported wanted to make the university aware of the

bias page 2

MSC panel discusses voting, activism for students of color By Mason Muerhoff THE DAILY CARDINAL

MORGAN WINSTON/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Witte Residence Hall is due for a $47 million renovation, adding air conditioning and a new 11th floor.

In an election cycle marked by racial tensions and controversial voter ID laws, a community panel at the Black and Brown Vote Discussion Wednesday night emphasized to students the importance of voting in November as well as engaging in non-traditional methods of civic action. The panel—composed of journalism professor Mike Wagner, history professor Cindy I-Fen Cheng, Associated Students of Madison Vice Chair Mariam Coker, student activist Jessica Franco-Morales, cofounder of Young Gifted and Black Coalition Matthew Braunginn and alumna of the PEOPLE program

Jessenia Gomez—urged those in attendance to vote and organize through non-traditional methods to enact change on campus and in the community. Wisconsin Black Student Union President Marquise Mays moderated the discussion. “It’s impressive to see a full room and news media and ... lots of people who are coming together to have a conversation about what kind of community people want it to be,” Wagner said. Students, faculty and media representatives packed the Multicultural Student Center in the Red Gym to hear the discussion. The topics covered student empow-

voting page 2

“…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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