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Weekend, November 20-22, 2009
Fair Wisconsin students discuss LGBT rights
Ollie up!
By Kayla Torgerson The Daily Cardinal
lorenzo zemella/the daily cardinal
A student sets up for a rail grind during the Hoofer Ski and Snowboard Club’s first Rail Jam at Memorial Union Terrace on Thursday.
Students for a Fair Wisconsin hosted a meeting Thursday to discuss domestic partner benefits for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and increased legal protections. State Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, spoke at the meeting said supporters of LGBT rights had made several victories in the past year. “We really had a good year when it comes to equality in Wisconsin,” Pocan said. “We made huge, huge gains, despite the really ugly constitutional amendment [banning gay marriage].” Pocan said these gains are a
result of many organizations, including Democrats, religious groups and organized labor groups, forming a coalition of people deciding “to stand up for what is right in Wisconsin.” Katie Bellanger, executive director of Fair Wisconsin, said the LGBT community has made many gains in legislation, but they are not done working toward full legal protection. “This past year has been a really exciting time for people in Wisconsin, and we’ve made some really important steps forward, and we’re not quite there yet, but we have a lot of work to do,” lgbt page 3
UW System drops consultant in UW-Milwaukee research dispute By Ariel Shapiro The Daily Cardinal
Under pressure from Gov. Jim Doyle, the UW System withdrew Tuesday from a funding dispute between UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee over research related to water technology. The conflict centered on funding for a Madison-based freshwater research consultant, Jeff Smoller, who is on leave from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Smoller serves on The Daily Cardinal Board of Directors. Located near one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, UW-Milwaukee is currently planning to build a school specifically for freshwater research. Although the hiring of this consultant did not directly affect
UW-Milwaukee’s funding, they saw it as the state spending money unnecessarily on UW-Madison, the system’s largest research institution. “Madison greatly, greatly outreceives Milwaukee,” said Eric Peterson, chief of staff for state Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee. “This project is something that Milwaukee has been working on for a long time.” Taylor and other Milwaukee lawmakers urged the removal of funding for Smoller to keep the investment for the water research in Milwaukee. “We are happy to see that the funding has been removed from that position,” Peterson said. However, UW System spokesperson David Giroux said although he understands Milwaukee’s concerns, the con-
tract agreement would not have diminished Milwaukee’s role as Wisconsin’s center for freshwater research. “We’ve done a lot to prepare UW-Milwaukee to take a lead role for this very exciting idea in Milwaukee,” Giroux said, citing funding for the new freshwater research school. However, Giroux said some people in Milwaukee misunderstood the funding for the consultant as undermining research efforts the new freshwater school will provide. “I think if there’s a problem here it is that the UW System has not done a good enough job explaining all the things in support of Milwaukee and UW-Milwaukee specifically,” Giroux said We’ve got to do a better job at getting the word out.”
WISPIRG simulation places UW students in role of homeless By Ryan Hebel The Daily Cardinal
UW-Madison sophomore Alana Bandos had not seen the homeless connection to students until a recent lunch at Rheta’s cafeteria in Chabourne Hall. “It’s not so much a matter of survival of the fittest. We’re not doing more to help ourselves than they are.” Alana Bandos Sophomore UW-Madison
“I saw a student, backpack and
papers out, eating my half-eaten, disgusting cafeteria food,” she said. “This is someone who is trying to better himself, get an education at one of the best institutions in the country, and can’t make ends meet because tuition is so high.” The incident stuck with Bandos, who hosted the Wisconsin Students Public Interest Research Group’s “Poverty Parallel” event Thursday night at The Crossing, a campus Christian center. About 25 students attended the event, which included a poverty simulation where students were given characters with different social statuses, encountering obstacles like unemployment, foreclosures, illness and drug addiction.
Mariana Berbert, coordinator for WISPIRG’s Hunger and Homelessness campaign, said she thought the simulation had a greater affect on students than statistics. She said she hopes it will motivate students to get involved in Madison’s homeless issues, such as Assembly Bill 72. The goal of the bill is to fund grants to agencies and shelter facilities and provide temporary shelters for homeless individuals and families in the vicinity of the state Capitol. Bandos said the recession helped spawn about 800 foreclosures throughout Dane County last year, adding many impoverished residents wispirg page 3
isabel álvarez/the daily cardinal
State Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, discussed LGBT rights and the domestic partner registry with student members of Fair Wisconsin.
UW-Madison awarded $9.5 million for influenza research By Alison Dirr The Daily Cardinal
UW-Madison was awarded $9.5 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for influenza virus research, it was announced Thursday. Yoshihiro Kawaoka, UW-Madison professor of virology, is leading the team of international researchers charged with identifying viral mutations. The team hopes to prevent future pandemics by using the information to create an early notification system. “Early intervention is critical to the control of influenza virus outbreaks,” Kawaoka said in a statement. The study will focus mainly on avian influenza viruses. Although it is unlikely humans will be affected, one mutation may allow the virus to bond to receptors in human cells. This is when a pandemic usually occurs, the
statement said. “The improved ability to predict whether a virus has pandemic potential would be an invaluable asset to the global community,” Kawaoka said in the statement. “Millions of lives might be saved if intervention methods— such as social distancing … vaccine development and production—could be implemented early.” UW-Madison University Health Services is also taking the prevention path as they prepare for an uptick in H1N1 cases after Thanksgiving and winter breaks, UHS Executive Director Sarah Van Orman said. Van Orman said UHS will be ready for the next round of outbreaks. UHS plans to offer H1N1 vaccines on a large scale during the first two weeks of December. According to Van Orman, no flu cases reported have been seasonal flu.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”