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Weekend, April 17-19, 2009
Voter turnout increases in ASM spring elections By Erin Banco THE DAILY CARDINAL
The Associated Students of Madison Student Elections Committee and Student Judiciary met quorum Thursday and reviewed the results of the 2009 spring elections. The elections produced an 8.3 percent voter turnout, a 3 percentage point increase from last year. Fifteen percent of the student body voted against the proposed ASM constitution in February. “I think we were hoping for something closer to the constitution election, just because we got our hopes up that people were really invested because this was advertised better than our previous years like last year, but it is a 3 percent increase from last year and the year before,” Claire Lempke, member of the ASM Press Office, said. For Accessibility, Community and Empowerment of Students was a new slate running for ASM this year. The slate’s main goal is
to strengthen grassroots involvement in ASM by being more transparent and reaching out to other student groups. Eight candidates from the slate won seats in ASM. One of the winners was Kyle Szarzynski, who won a seat on the Student Services Finance Committee. Other winners of SSFC seats were Tim Fung and Michael Romanesko. Eight percent of the freshman class voted, compared to approximately 26 percent of the senior class. The sophomore and junior classes were close in voter turnout, with 23 percent of sophomores and 24 percent of juniors voting. Hannah Karns, current vice chair of ASM, will serve as senior class president for the 2009-’10 school year. Kurt Gosselin, former chair of SSFC and member of competing slate Students for Responsible Leadership in ASM, will serve as both secretary and treasurer of the senior class and asm page 3
UW admission not affected by incomes By Melanie Teachout THE DAILY CARDINAL
A recent study by the La Follette School of Public Affairs says family income of potential students will not affect their chances of acceptance into UW-Madison. “Nationally, the percentage of college students from families in the top income bracket has been increasing faster than students from the bottom bracket,” political scientist and public affairs scholar John Witte said in a statement. “The good news is that the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s admissions process is not becoming more elite in terms of income, even as it has become more selective.”
Witte and Barbara Wolfe, both members of the school, released the research this spring in the La Follette Policy Report. Former Chancellor John Wiley’s concern of higher education becoming less accessible to those unable to afford it inspired the analysis. “Wiley thought we were becoming more elite in terms of who we are serving and applications and who is accepted, but there is no indication that is the case,” Witte said. Witte and Wolfe are currently conducting research to determine whether family income influences enrollment and admission page 3
KYLE BURSAW/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO
UW Police Department officers arrest a female partygoer at the 2008 Mifflin Street Block Party. This year, police will attempt to increase signage as a way of enforcing safety guidelines for students.
As Mifflin nears, safety agenda still uncertain By Anna Bukowski THE DAILY CARDINAL
As the Mifflin Street Block Party draws closer and student excitement increases, city officials are seeking ways to enforce safety guidelines at the annual event. The Madison Police Department plans to boost the number of informational signs displayed in the Mifflin area. According to MPD Cpt. Mary Schauf, the increased signage is part of an effort to help people understand the rules are not gone. She said street parking is prohibited and meters will be covered with signs detailing proper conduct. Many city officials attributed criminal incidents at the block
party to general ignorance, and MPD urges attendees to follow lawful procedure.
“If you are going to leave, leave the beverage.” Mary Schauf captain Madison Police Department
Schauf said one of the most notable rules to follow is that students must obtain a permit if they plan to host a party. She stressed students should use caution with open containers
because they are forbidden in the street. Glass bottles are outlawed completely. “If you are going to leave, leave the beverage,” she said. The MPD is also working toward bringing a sponsor to the event. According to Schauf, sponsorship would contribute significantly to Mifflin’s success. A sponsor’s support would be seen in various aspects of the event, including a potential increase in the number of public facilities. This increase would decrease public urination arrests, she said. MPD said they want to “keep mifflin page 3
STATE BUDGET UPDATES: JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE DELIBERATES The Joint Committee on Finance held its first executive session at the state Capitol Thursday to begin deliberations on Gov. Jim Doyle’s proposed budget. Before delving into items in the 2009-’11 budget bill, the committee unanimously MILLER passed Doyle’s request to allocate $38 million in federal stimulus funds to the Department of Workforce Development for job training for dislocated workers, young people and people with disabilities. “I think this may be the most significant thing we do today, is invest millions of dollars from the federal stimulus package to help people who are out of work get back to work in Wisconsin,” JFC co-chair Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, said. In their opening statements, Pocan and JFC
co-chair Sen. Mark Miller, DMonona, acknowledged that passing the budget will involve making tough decisions. “[The budget] won’t be as good as perhaps we would have liked it to have been, but that is facing reality, and we on this POCAN committee are also going to have to face the reality of the economic situation,” Miller said. Rep. Robin Vos, R-Racine, urged the Democratic leaders to work with the Republican committee members to make sure the budget does not hurt citizens and businesses with increased taxes. The committee then voted on several budget items, many along party lines. —Megan Orear
Primary enforcement passed 14-1 This item will allow police officers to pull over motorists if they suspect they are not wearing a seat belt. By adopting this provision, the state will receive $15 million in federal funds. The committee unanimously passed the motion to keep the fine at $10 instead of Doyle’s proposed $25. Removal of policy items defeated 12-3 Republican committee members motioned to remove several items from the budget, such as the statewide smoking ban and domestic-partner benefits, for being policy items. Increased financial fee passed 12-3 This item, passed along party lines, will increase the fee to license a financial agent from $30 to $70, estimated to bring in an additional $2,800,000 annually. Budget repair threshold defeated 15-0 The JFC shot down Doyle’s request to increase the threshold for the introduction of a budget repair bill from a 0.5 percent shortfall to a 2 percent shortfall.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”