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OUR view: GUNS ON CAMPUS
The Cardinal’s stance on the “concealed carry” law and how it will affect UW-Madison +OPINION, page 5
The Madison World Music Festival brings everything from Scandinavian bluegrass to contemporary Taiwanese sounds +ARTS, page 4 University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Studies critique UW-Madison diversity By Alison Bauter The Daily Cardinal
The Center for Equal Opportunity, a conservative think tank, released two studies on diversity at UW-Madison late Monday night, saying in a press release it found evidence of “severe discrimination” in the university’s undergraduate and law school admissions. According to the release, the CEO study found evidence of discrimination based on race and ethnicity, saying the university gave preferential treatment to African-American and Latino students over white and Asian applicants. “This is the most severe undergraduate admissions discrimination that CEO has ever found in the dozens of studies it has published over the last 15 years,” CEO chairman Linda Chavez said in the release. According to Chavez, the studies show “literally hundreds” of students have applied to UW-Madison undergraduate programs and been rejected in favor of students with lower test scores and grades because “they have the wrong skin color or their parents came from the wrong countries.” CEO will formally release its findings and answer questions at a press conference Tuesday. Meanwhile, many campus students and officials have already spoken out against the study, and plan to protest the event Tuesday. UW administrators quickly countered the CEO release with a press diversity page 3 conference Monday
Mark Kauzlarich/the daily cardinal
Dean of Students Lori Berquam and Vice Provost Damon Williams disagreed with the think tank study
Officials critical of findings By Alex DiTullio The Daily Cardinal
UW-Madison officials called an urgent meeting Monday to warn students of an upcoming “attack” on university integrity after conservative think tank released a study it says shows evidence of “severe discrimination” against white and Asian students in UW-Madison’s admissions process. Provost of Diversity and Climate Damon Williams and Dean of Students Lori Berquam called the meeting after hearing about the Center for Equal Opportunity’s press release. In the statement, President Roger Clegg claims two CEO
“HOT SPOTS” Bike Paths There have been a number of crimes, including robberies and assaults, on the Southwest Commuter bike path that runs through parts of campus and downtown Madison.
Concrete Park Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, said police are noticing many drug-related incidents in Concrete Park in between Towers and Statesider apartments.
State Street Police recently cracked down on a “drug house” in the 500 block of State Street where hard drugs are distributed in cars outside on the street, Resnick said.
studies show evidence of “severe discrimination” based on race and ethnicity in UW-Madison undergraduate and law school admissions. The study states that black and Hispanic students are admitted to the university despite lower test scores and high school rank compared to white and asian students. CEO will hold a press conference to answer questions about the study Tuesday at 11 a.m, but Williams and Berquam wanted to preemptively warn students of what they believe are the organization’s true intentions. officials page 3 The “aggressive and right wing”
Police fight spike in downtown drug, gang violence By Taylor Harvey The Daily Cardinal
Police are seeing a spike in what they believe to be gang and drugrelated violence around State Street and other campus areas. Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, said Monday that police are addressing the issue by increasing bike patrols around the city, which has proven effective because police are able to sneak up behind perpetrators silently. Although many of the attacks are not UW student-affiliated, police became aware of an increase in crimes perpetrated by gang members downtown. Resnick said police are noticing “hot spots” of criminal activities, including Concrete Park—the area between the Towers and Statesider on State Street—and the 500 block of State Street. “This is a dangerous trend coming forward,” Resnick said. City officials are also concerned about an increase in crime on the Southwest commuter bike path, which runs past landmarks like Smith Residence Hall and Camp Randall Stadium. Incidents include a robbery on the path between W Doty Street
and W Main Street Sept. 8. “Although convenient for folks to get around,” Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said, “these days people shouldn’t be using the bike path alone after dark.” Verveer said city officials are suspicious last week’s incident may be related to a gang initiation because the suspects involved were between 12 and 15-years-old. Verveer said Mayor Paul Soglin organized a meeting of all downtown campus area bar owners and managers last week to address the high level of disturbances in the downtown area this summer, especially in the entertainment district. “A lot of police and tavern owners have noticed undesirable crowds loitering downtown and engaging in disturbances,” Verveer said. Police recently uncovered a “drug house” on the 500 block of State Street, Resnick said, where drug distributors conduct business in cars on the street. In addition to increased bike patrols, police are also using funds from the Downtown Safety
violence 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.”