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Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Martin appoints campus leader as chief of staff By Erin Banco THE DAILY CARDINAL
DANNY MARCHEWKA/THE DAILY CARDINAL
The Brink Lounge, 701 E. Washington Ave., held a Valentine’s Day hip-hop party Feb. 14 at which four patrons were arrested. A physical confrontation between a police officer and a woman also occurred.
Complaints filed saying MPD used excessive force at Brink Lounge By Lauren Piscione THE DAILY CARDINAL
Three people have filed formal complaints against Madison police regarding police intervention and alleged excessive force during the arrests of four patrons at the Brink Lounge Feb. 14. After a fight involving several individuals broke out, the Brink Lounge owner contacted police officials, who
then reported to the scene. The call drew more than a dozen officers. Robert Franklin, a local hip-hop artist and one of the arrested patrons, and Shay Newman, a local disc jockey who attended the event, both confirmed having filed complaints. According to a 77 Square interview, Newman agreed that the police had used excessive force and unnecessary pepper spray during the arrests.
The Feb. 14 incident led to a physical confrontation between one officer and Michaela Machicote, 22, resulting in a scratch on the officer’s face and Machicote suffering swollen lips. Machicote was taken to a local hospital and treated for a facial injury. Dexter Patterson, a fellow hip-hop brink page 3
STIMULUS UPDATES Optimism at the Capitol After meeting with President Obama Monday, Gov. Jim Doyle said in a conference call he is optimistic about the effect stimulus money will have in Wisconsin. Obama spoke to governors Monday about states’ shares of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including $25 billion to be spent on states’ Medicaid funds. Doyle said Wisconsin is likely to benefit from stimulus money going to medical research because the state is already a major recipient of such grants. Several Republican governors have said they would refuse stimulus funds, but according to Doyle, criticism from Republican governors focuses on a small part of the package.
Wisconsin stimulus benefits • State will compete for $8 billion available for passenger rail and more than $17 billion for scientific research • $55.9 million in Wisconsin’s State Energy Program and $151.5 million for making Wisconsin homes more energy-efficient • About $36 billion nationally to extend unemployment compensation • $25 billion nationally for Medicaid • $883.2 million for State Stabilization Fund to provide adequate funding for education Source: feingold.senate.gov/recovery
DANNY MARCHEWKA/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Midwest Rail Initiative Gov. Jim Doyle said Monday he is hopeful that stimulus funds will go toward the Midwest Rail Initiative, which aims to connect major Midwest cities by a high-speed rail system. Doyle is traveling to Spain this week to meet with a major manufacturer of passenger railcars to try to convince them to do business in Wisconsin. According to Doyle, the first step of the initiative would be to improve the rail line between Milwaukee and Chicago. He said the broader plan is to connect Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison and the Twin Cities with a passenger rail system.
The Office of the Chancellor will welcome a new staff member March 2. Becci Menghini, currently a senior development officer at the Morgridge Institute for Research, will become Chancellor Biddy Martin’s new chief of staff. Menghini, who received her degree from UW-Madison, said her first steps in the new position will be dependent on the chancellor’s initiatives. “I am there to make sure Chancellor Martin’s vision is supported and carried through. I will work hand in glove with her,” she said. The new position will require Menghini to become a liaison for internal and external entities. She will also serve in the chancellor’s cabinet. “Becci brings sound judgment, a quick intelligence, knowledge of our campus community and the leadership skills to help advance our goals and agenda,” Martin said in a statement. “She is a strategic thinker and a problem solver.” Menghini, who learned about
her appointment last week, said she applied for the position after becoming a staff member at the Morgridge Institute in August 2008. She applied for the position because she is a “diehard fan” of the university. “I am excited about the leadership that Chancellor Martin brings to the table and the way she has set forth a vision for the university, and I was eager to be a part of that team.” Menghini will fill the position previously held by Casey Nagy, who served under former Chancellor John Wiley. Nagy left the university in November 2008. “I want to thank Casey Nagy for his dedication and his help during my transition. I appreciate his willingness to stay on and provide the office with continuity,” Martin said in a statement. During the previous two years, Menghini served as the executive director of the University of North Carolina-Greensboro Alumni Association. Before working at UNC-Greensboro, Menghini also served as an administrator for the Wisconsin Alumni Association.
UW shows support for budget plan’s domestic-partner benefits UW-Madison released a statement Monday revealing its support for domestic-partner benefits in Gov. Jim Doyle’s 2009-’11 biennial budget. Doyle’s budget includes a provision that would give health insurance to domestic partners of state employees. It would also grant domestic partners hospital-visitation rights and the right to inherit property from each other. According to a statement, UWMadison is the only Big Ten school that does not offer domestic-partner benefits. “We are heartened by the governor’s reintroduction of domestic-partner benefits in this budget proposal,” Chancellor Biddy Martin said in the statement. “The ability to offer these benefits will allow us to improve our competitiveness for faculty and staff.” Doyle has introduced domestic partner-benefits in past budget cycles, but those provisions were eventually removed by the state Legislature. According to Mark Supanich, co-
president of the Teaching Assistants’ Association, members of the organization are “thrilled” to have the benefits included in the budget cycle again. “We’re definitely hopeful and anticipating that it would be [passed]. We know that nothing is ever guaranteed,” he said. “We’re hopeful that the Legislature does the right thing and keeps it in there.” According to UW-Madison officials, the university will support the inclusion of domestic-partner benefits by creating a briefing paper for the community and by conducting meetings with legislators. UW System student groups are in the process of planning a “Day of Action” on Library Mall March 25 to lobby individuals in the Legislature. Steve Stern, vice provost for faculty and staff services, said in a statement if members of the campus want to voice their opinions on the proposed budget, they should contact legislators using non-university resources. —Erin Banco and Megan Orear
VOTE ON THE ASM CONSTITUTION8
asm.uwsc. wisc.edu VOTING ENDS 9 P.M. TUESDAY
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”