University of Wisconsin-Madison
Since 1892 dailycardinal.com
Thursday, October 7, 2021
l
Manmade pandemics? +OPINION, page 7
Delays in construction on chem building By Abby Bradbury STAFF WRITER
With the fall semester well underway, University of WisconsinMadison students are adjusting to a (mostly) in-person class schedule for the first time in a year and a half. However, for the thousands of students taking a chemistry course with a lab this semester, classes remain virtual due to ongoing construction delays of the university’s chemistry building. The Chemistry Building Project, which began in 2018, is a two-phase project that includes the addition of a nine-story tower, as well as the renovation of lower floors in the building that normally house lectures, laboratories and student services for undergraduates. Though the new tower was planned to be completed by the end of this summer, the project is experiencing continual delays that have affected the ability of chemistry students to attend labs in person and conduct research in the building. For undergraduate students, this transition to online marks the fourth semester of virtual labs, a less than ideal format for hands-on experiments. The lack of in-person
lab experience is becoming a growing concern for students. “I spent a month or two doing actual labs before going online in March 2020,” said Cole Bell, a third year UW-Madison student currently in organic chemistry. “It’s definitely a concern of mine that I’ll be doing lab work in my post-graduate studies having no in-person experience.” Chemistry students found out only in late August via email that the building would not be available for labs, lectures or research. The delay also impacts researchers and collaborators who rely on the building facilities, instruments, data and research from students. The UW-Madison Chemistry Building is a complex structure of four interconnected buildings. There are two concurrent closures in chemistry buildings that both contribute to the transition to an online format for students. Construction on the northeast building on the corner of University Avenue and North Mill Street was focused on renovating classrooms and teaching labs for undergraduate students. Originally planning to open in June, the elevator shafts
were unable to pass pressurization tests, rendering it a fire hazard and unable to be used this semester. The second closure results from issues with renovations of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems of the two oldest buildings — the Daniels Wing and the Mathews Wing. In late August, there was a planned eight day shutdown of the renovated wings to connect the air systems to the other buildings. Midway through this shutdown, it was announced that due to exhaust problems, the opening of these buildings would also be delayed. There is potential for the two wings to open in late October or early November, a senior graduate student who wishes to remain anonymous said. Graduate students at large are experiencing problems, as most of the research facilities are currently unavailable. These setbacks have led to various timelines adjustments to give graduate students more time to complete essential components of their degree — such as the thesis background exam and research proposal. These closures have implications for both undergraduates taking
their essential chemistry courses and graduate students getting the necessary research they need to complete their degree. More senior graduate students have expressed concern about this affecting their ability to graduate at their intended time. An extra semester for graduate students could lead to loss of grant funding and compensation from
future jobs they are unable to start without final elements of their degree completed. “The impact goes beyond just the students in our department, it goes beyond our university,” said the anonymous graduate student. “It’s impossible to calculate just how widespread these delays are for graduate students and researchers.”
COURTESY OF IRENA CLARKOWSKI
The new chem building construction has expereinced many delays, causing worry.
UWPD, UHS Mental Health Services crisis responders By Claire LaLiberte STAFF WRITER
In the past, when a University of Wisconsin-Madison student called emergency services for a mental health crisis, an officer from the University of Wisconsin Police Department would arrive in response. But in an effort to provide the appropriate support and specialized help necessary for these emergencies, the university has announced that, effective Oct. 4, first responders will be joined by mental health professionals from University Health Services. This partnership was designed over the course of about a year, with serious input from not only the departments involved but also the UW-Madison BIPOC Student Coalition, the Associated Students of Madison (ASM) and the Mental Health Services’ student advisory board. This venture by UWPD and UHS implements what is known as the “co-responder model.” UHS Mental Health Services Director Sarah Nolan and UWPD Chief Kristen Roman stressed “the uniqueness of this pilot on a college campus” and the benefits this program has shown in the few cities where it is in place, per a Department of Justice publication.
Impacts of the program include a decrease in recidivism, fewer instances of violence and arrests and improved relations between police departments and communities. The co-responder model also connects those struggling with mental illnesses to resources that can help them directly. ASM Press Director Tyler Katzenberger stated that students in crisis will feel the benefits of this
program alongside the responders, as they will “have immediate access to proper mental health support care from UHS,” underscoring that “UWPD officers aren’t forced to multitask as counselors” through this coresponder model. As of right now, this program will only run two days per week. According to Katzenberger, the hope is “to see the program expanded to late nights and weekends to provide
COURTESY OF JEFF MILLER/UW MADISON
Police will now be collaborating with UHS when responding to mental health cases.
more complete mental health crisis response service, especially since alcohol and drug use are more prevalent during these time periods.” When a student is in crisis during the program’s operating hours, two trained mental health professionals will be sent along with the UWPD response. In a joint statement, Nolan and Roman stated that the co-responder model will “allow mental health clinicians to work directly with students and schedule follow-up care directly.” Nationwide police responses to such crises have faced criticism from those who state that police officers are not sufficiently trained to assess or treat an acute mental health emergency. This program aims to rectify that in Madison by allowing mental health professionals to “evaluate the situation in real time” instead of going off a police assessment, Nolan and Roman said. Along with this real-time evaluation, the mental health professionals’ responsibilities will include bringing the student experiencing a crisis to the hospital, if necessary. This was made possible by ASM, who provided $3,284 in funding for transportation to the hospital. ASM Chair Adrian Lampron stated in the release that this fund-
ing represented the organization’s commitment to UHS Mental Health Services’ ideas. According to Nolan and Roman, the departments involved “will continue to evaluate and explore potential opportunities to add layers of service, such as wrapping into the City’s CARES model.” CARES, which stands for Community Alternative Response Emergency Services, launched on Sept. 1. The program sends a City of Madison Fire Department paramedic and a responder from Journey Mental Health to respond to mental health crises. As of now, CARES only operates from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays; Dane County’s long-term goal is to make this a 24-hour service, seven days a week. Katzenberger emphasized the importance of mental health services being treated as its own discrete emergency service, as “responding to mental health crises is just as important as responding to fires, crimes and medical emergencies.” This partnership hopes to create just that for students here at UW. Students and campus community members seeking mental health resources can find them at https://www.uhs.wisc.edu/mental-health/.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”