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University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Rate of suicides in state increasing, cause unclear By Cathy Martin THE DAILY CARDINAL
GRAPHIC BY AMY GIFFEN/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Abrahamson, Doyle flex fundraising advantages By Charles Brace THE DAILY CARDINAL
Wisconsin political candidates released fundraising reports Monday, with Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson and Gov. Jim Doyle significantly outpacing their opponents. Abrahamson raised $588,256 in the most recent period and over $822,604 overall. Her opponent Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Randy Koschnick raised $14,715 in the same period and almost $50,000 overall. Doyle raised $622,000 in late 2008 and had over $1.4 million in the bank, though he has not officially declared whether he will run for a third term. His likely republican opponent Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker
raised $413,000 in that period. Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson Alec Loftus said the funds position Doyle well for another campaign. “The governor raised $1.5 million during the year, while at the same time raising money for Barack Obama and Legislative candidates,” he said. “In terms of cash on hand, no one is even within $1 million of the Governor right now.” Fundraising amounts often indicate the overall political viability of candidates, though several outside factors like spending by powerful interest groups are likely to affect the race as well. Heather Colburn, campaign manager for Abrahamson, said she was pleased with the level of support shown for the chief justice,
but outside interest groups are likely to make it a “divisive, bitter and partisan” contest. She said over 2,600 residents had donated to Abrahamson so far. Koschnick campaign advisor Seamus Flaherty said voters’ support for Koschnick’s platform would make up the difference in funds compared to Abrahamson. “[Koschnick] has the judicial philosophy and the record that voters prefer,” Flaherty said. “Voters prefer judicial conservatives.” He said it was too early to tell if spending by outside interest groups would be a factor in the election, but Koschnick has asked any groups that do get involved to funding page 3
The suicide rate in Wisconsin is on the rise, according to statistics from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services that show a spike in 2007. According to the DHS, the state’s rate of suicide jumped from 11.9 per 100,000 people in 2006 to 12.8 in 2007. DHS spokesperson Stephanie Marquis said before 2006 the suicide rate was holding relatively steady. “It’s really difficult to ascertain what the underlying cause may be,” Marquis said while emphasizing the many efforts to prevent and educate about suicide around the state, such as Helping Others Prevent and Educate about Suicide, a nonprofit organization based in Madison. Pat Derer, president of HOPES, said increasing acceptance of suicide might be a factor in the rising statistic because people are now less likely to claim suicides as accidents to shield the family or protect the person’s legacy. “More and more people are actually admitting that the person did have a problem and that [the cause of death] was suicide,” Derer said. Derer said people do not reach out or know where to go to get the help they need because of a stigma around depression and mental illness, also adding the failing economy may be contributing to this statistic. However, UW Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Jeffrey Anders said this increase might not be very meaningful.
By Brandice Altfillisch THE DAILY CARDINAL
Members of the UW-Madison Faculty Senate met Monday and debated varying levels of amendments to the draft of the 2009-2014 UW-Madison strategic framework. Several members of the senate voiced their discontent with the draft, citing its redundancy and lack of measurability. The draft commenced with comments from Julie Underwood, interim provost of UW-Madison. Underwood described the draft as a strategic plan and “a collaboration across campus,” in which community members could take part in the future of the university. “The goal here is to be, basically, aspirational as well as inspirational,” she said.
Underwood said she wanted the plan “to provide some type of long term guidance and put together a pathway to actually get to that aspirational goal.” The draft quickly came under fire when English professor Richard Knowles satirically quoted the document and listed several reasons why it was redundant and too vague. “I want to suggest that much of this, besides being vague, suggests that the writer, or writers, is simply too much in love with the sound of their own prose,” he said. Beverly Gordon, professor of Human Ecology, commented on the draft, citing the need for more transparency. “I just wanted to say that it just seems almost ludicrously grandi-
ose,” she said. “It just makes much more sense, in my opinion, that things be focused on a little bit more.” In defense of the document, Underwood expressed it was simply a draft in need of revision. Despite the 30 minute dispute, the Senate found time for important announcements, including a message from University Committee Chair Ann Hoyt. Hoyt announced that close to $2.9 million in scholarship money had been contributed since last year’s resolution to raise funds for students at UW-Madison. The Senate’s goal is to increase the average participation rate for contribution efforts on campus. faculty page 3
Warning Signs • Preoccupation with death • Loss of interest in things one cares about • Talking about hopelessness and worthlessness • Mentioning suicide • Setting one’s affairs in order and giving things away • Aquiring guns or pills • Suddenly happier and calmer - Source: HOPES
CWC unveils new magazine publication By Kayla Torgerson THE DAILY CARDINAL
Faculty grapple over new document
“I’m not convinced that [the suicide rate] is substantially changing,” Anders said. Derer said suicide in Wisconsin occurs more frequently than it does nationally and is the second leading cause of death for young people ages 15-24 in the state. However, Anders said even though suicide among college students is not rare, it is more common in older people. Organizations like HOPES still believe educating people how to watch for signs of depression and on how to get help is the most important factor. “Education is the number one thing that we can do in order to prevent suicide,” Derer said.
The UW-Madison Campus Women’s Center held their volunteer kick-off meeting Monday to recruit students for spring semester activities, including the publication of a new magazine titled Women in REDZINE. This submission-based magazine will feature written literary works ranging from essays to short stories as well as multimedia submissions from women on campus and in the surrounding Madison area. According to the CWC website, the group hopes the magazine will provide a forum for self-expression and “give a voice to the marginalized and oppressed individuals of our diverse community.” The next issue of the publication will feature a CD compilation titled Women in Red Records, including music from several bands as well as spoken word recordings. Chanel Matsunami Govreau,
the publications coordinator for the CWC said the group welcomes all people who view themselves as a woman, whether they were born with male or female anatomy. According to Matsunami Govreau, the CWC identify as a group of individuals coming from various backgrounds, allowing each woman to identify as a group while also expressing her individuality. “Women are not just as simple as women, but we are also coming from different places and experiences,” she said. The CWC caters to the needs of the diverse student body through a variety of events on campus including the Vagina Monologues, which raise money for Domestic Abuse Intervention Services, and Take Back the Night, a rally held in Library Mall and State Street protesting sexual victimization. Chynna Hass, the support services coordinator for the CWC said women 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.”