haVing ‘rooMMate’ ProBLeMS? Meester takes creepy roommate nightmare to a whole new level University University of of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin-Madison
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The Student Services Finance Committee approved the Student Activity Center Governing Board (SACGB) budget, and heard the Wisconsin Student Public Interest Research Group’s case for eligibility Monday. The SSFC denied WISPIRG eligibility for student segregated fees last September, rejecting the group’s case on the grounds that their services did not meet the 75 percent quota of student beneficiaries. In November, WISPIRG appealed the ruling to the Student Judiciary, claiming the SSFC’s definition of “beneficiaries” was inconsistent. The SJ ruled in favor of WISPIRG, and did so again when the SSFC appealed the decision. Since then, the SSFC has officially changed the definition of “beneficiary” in their bylaws from “any individual or group that receives ‘services’” to “any individual or group who receives ‘programming’ from the group.” At their second eligibility hearing, WISPIRG characterized their direct service as the “experiential learning” students receive when WISPIRG trains them to campaign and lobby. WISPIRG Secretary Allie Gardner illustrated the point using the example of the group’s high-
speed rail campaign. Gardner said the train itself was not the service; the service was the experience students gained during lobbying and campaign training. “The people who actually benefit from our services are the students,” WISPIRG President Rashi Mangalick said. Cale Plamann, like many SSFC members, was concerned by the perceived change in definition. “There are definitely people who are expressing concern over the fact that [WISBIRG’s] direct service has changed in a very dramatic way from their application to what they presented here,” said Plamann. According to SSFC Chair Matt Manes, committee members may choose whether to take changes at face value, or to rely on the definitions in WISPIRG’s September presentation. Due to time constraints, the SSFC both heard and approved the SACGB’s 2011-’12 budget Monday. The final budget was approved at $410,752, up from $359,325 the year before, due to higher maintenance costs. “I know it’s painful, but that’s what we have to do to keep this building up to standards,” SACGB Chair Katy Ziebell said of the increase. The committee will determine WISPIRG’s eligibility at their meeting Thursday.
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SSFC rehears WISPIRG case By Alison Bauter
column: Political Science professor Jon Pevehouse weighs in on the situation in egypt
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Head cheese
Kathryn Weenig/the daily cardinal
Students were clad in green and gold Monday in celebration of the Green Bay Packers’ Super Bowl win on Sunday night. Even atop a snowy Bascom Hill, Abe Lincoln got into the cheesehead spirit.
Faculty senate adopts principles of proposed New Badger Partnership By Molly Reppen The Daily Cardinal
The UW-Madison Faculty Senate adopted the principles of the New Badger Partnership and discussed various university committee proposals Monday. Chancellor Biddy Martin and members of the proposed partnership’s committee are working on and off campus to build support for increased flexibility for UW-Madison from the state and have engaged with various groups to work on more specific principles for the New Badger Partnership. “When it comes to flexibility and the New Badger Partnership
for the university, new tools can help us deal with the [budget] cuts that we anticipate,” Martin said. “I can tell you from the beginning, the governor was open and seemed sympathetic to the need the university has for greater flexibility.” The New Badger Partnership would allow UW-Madison independence from state restraints when making financial decisions, which would allow UW-Madison to manage decreased funding from the state more effectively, according to the proposal. The core principle of financial flexibility for the proposed partnership is that higher education must be affordable and acces-
sible to all families in the state of Wisconsin. The partnership also maintains that continued state funding is essential in order for UW-Madison to exist and prosper, Martin said. Martin said it is important to compare UW-Madison’s budget and funding to other Big Ten schools and across the country in order to determine where the university stands in comparison to other public institutions. Also at the meeting, various campus committees submitted their annual reports for the 2009-2010 academic year. faculty page 3
Cross takes over UW Extension and Colleges After being approved by the Wisconsin Board of Regents in December, Raymond Cross took over as Chancellor of UW-Extension and UW Colleges Monday. “I am very excited to be the chancellor of both these institutions,” Cross said in a joint statement by UW Colleges and UW-Extension. “They truly embody the Wisconsin
Idea—extending the research and resources of the university throughout the state.” Cross, who is originally from Michigan, previously served as presi-
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dent of State University of New York-Morrisville and Northwest Technical College in Minnesota. He was also a department head at Ferris State University, where he received his undergraduate degree. He will take over for David Wilson, who was chancellor of both institutions from 2006-’10 before moving on to become president of Morgan State University.
Walker and 20 other govs. mad about health care, write to D.C.
BEn Pierson/the daily cardinal
After being denied funding eligibility in September, WISPIRG argued their case to SSFC Monday night.
Gov. Scott Walker and 20 other governors across the country sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, airing their grievances with Obama’s health-care reform. “We wish states had been given more opportunity to provide input when the PPACA was
being drafted,” the letter said. “We believe in its current form the law will force our healthcare system down a path sure to lead to higher costs and the disruption or discontinuation of millions of Americans’ insurance plans.” The governors suggested changes to the current bill that
would allow states more flexibility. Among the governors’ requests were giving states more freedom with the healthcare exchanges, allowing them greater choice over which insurers can participate and the elimination of certain manhealthcare 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.”