Thursday, February 11, 2021 - The Daily Cardinal

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Thursday, February 11, 2021

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ASM votes ‘no confidence’ in Heller

By Anthony Trombi STAFF WRITER

The Associated Students of Madison (ASM) passed a vote of no confidence in the Vice-Chancellor of Finance and Administration Laurent Heller, signed an open letter from Amnesty International, addressed UW-Madison complaints over the COVID-19 Student Relief Bill and updated a potential budget for CAHOOTS at their meeting on Tuesday.

ASM passed the COVID-19 Student Relief Bill on Jan. 26 that would allocate $2 million to help students experiencing housing insecurity. Heller, on two separate occasions, blocked the COVID-19 Relief Fund as UW-Madison claims it violates system policy. ASM leaders claimed that Heller purposefully presented misleading legal arguments and refused to meet with any students regarding the issue.

“I specifically want to talk about Vice Chancellor Lauren Heller.

Administration continues to say to students and press that we are refusing to work with them on another solution,” said Lourdes Puig, a mem-

ber of the BIPOC Coalition, in the meeting’s open forum. “Laurent Heller, who is directly blocking the fund, has refused to meet with students to discuss the issues.”

In a vote of 18-0 with two abstentions, ASM officially declared no confidence in Heller. A no confidence vote signifies ASM’s lack of support for an entity. University communications did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the vote.

ASM also released a document which addresses legal concerns with the Student Relief Bill. The document explains the legal issues presented by the Office of Legal Affairs and provides an explanation based on community feedback.

“I am primarily here to talk about my support for the Student Covid Relief Fund. We have always had an eviction and housing crisis in Madison,” said Heidi Wegleitner, who represents District 2 which encompasses an area of Madison just northeast of campus, in the Open Forum. “This pandemic has really put so [many] more people in jeopardy of losing their housing.

The numbers really are staggering and a tremendous need for additional resources.”

Amnesty International — a human rights advocacy club on campus currently supported by 26 student organizations — also presented “a moral restart” plan that offers a different approach from UW-Madison’s “Smart Restart.”

The “moral restart” consists of improving the quality of student housing and isolation unit resources, implementing a pass-fail option, increasing transparency between accessibility and student resources and addressing racial inequality on campus.

A petition outlining those priorities, sent in early January to Chancellor Rebecca Blank, Dean William Karpus, the Board of Regents, the Office of Compliance and to Administrative officials at UW-Madison, was formally signed by ASM and Amnesty International.

The student government passed their budget proposal for their Crisis Assistance Helping Out On the Streets (CAHOOTS) Crisis Response Team, which relies on crisis and medical professionals to respond to mental health

related calls, instead of law enforcement officers.

ASM also passed Emergency Housing legislation that recognizes “housing as a fundamental right” and states that “eviction and homelessness does not just affect students but the broader community within Madison, Dane County and the state of Wisconsin.”

Furthermore, the legislation “demands that Governor Evers use his emergency powers to authorize the use of public buildings — including University of Wisconsin buildings — to provide housing to homeless individuals.”

SHIP Restructuring to Aid Students, another proposed and passed legislation, will conduct a comprehensive examination of the health coverage for UW students and international students under student visas, where SHIP is the UW-Madison Student Health Insurance Plan.

The legislation states that, “ASM demands SHIP restructures its payment periods to be either on a monthly or semesterly plan that corresponds to the time when the semester begins

Dane County relaxes restrictions under new orders

By Nicole Herzog STAFF WRITER

Public Health Madison and Dane County issued an emergency order easing restrictions surrounding gatherings and activities Monday.

Under Emergency Order #13, indoor gatherings where food and drink are not served will allow up to 50 people, while 150 people are permitted for outdoor gatherings. Events with food and drink allow up to 25 people indoors and 100 people outdoors, according to the statement released by Public Health Madison and Dane County.

The previous order allowed gatherings of up to 10 people indoors and 50 people outdoors, regardless of the presence of food and drink.

The new order became effective Wednesday at 12:01 a.m., according to a statement by the City of Madison. The order serves to replace Emergency Order #12 and will remain in effect for 28 days.

“This order loosens restrictions on important parts of daily life, and I am hopeful that we are able to continue on this path as we move into spring,” Janel Henrich, Director of PHMDC, said in the City of Madison statement. “As we cautiously adjust our orders in recognition of improving conditions,

and as we vaccinate more people, we will continue to monitor where we stand. As we saw in the fall, things can change quickly and we all need to do our part to prevent disease spread.”

The order also reduces restrictions surrounding sports games and competitions, according to the statement.

Sports games and competitions are allowed under the order; however, physical distancing of six feet or more is required at all times except during active participation in the sport. Additionally, face coverings must be worn during sports when physical distancing is not possible.

Sports which cannot uphold physical distancing at all times are limited to 25 people indoors at a time and 100 individuals outdoors, not including employees. All sports must also have a cleaning, hygiene and protective measure policy established.

The new additionally adjusts rules regarding the types of face coverings allowed, with additional restrictions on masks for outdoor locations.

The new order mandates the use of face coverings with two or more layers and does not permit certain face coverings, such as ski masks, single-layer neck gaiters or bandanas. Face coverings are

also required upon attending an outdoor gathering of more than 50 individuals.

Mandates regarding schools, higher education institutions, restaurants, personal services (i.e. salons and tattoo shops), religious entities/groups, gyms and retail stores remain unchanged, according to a statement issued by PHMDC. The decision to shift restrictions comes after more than 11 percent of the population of Dane County has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The statement also notes that

when Order #12 was released in January, the seven-day case average was 213, and 71 residents were hospitalized with the virus. At present, the sevenday case average is 107 and 63 people are hospitalized.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway expressed her optimism when looking toward the future amidst the state of the pandemic.

“I feel very hopeful,” RhodesConway told WKOW. “And I’m really glad that we’ve collectively worked together and collaborated enough to get ourselves to this point.”

CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Dane County is relaxing restrictions on gatherings under a new emergency order.

and ends.” This would differ from SHIP’s current payment period which offers an annual, a fall or a combined spring and summer premium for international students.

The final legislation passed focused on workers’ rights during the pandemic. The Student Council asked that, “all campus units provide employment and payment continuity for all workers - hourly, part-time and salaried — during the pandemic and extend the $15 dollar wage floor to student workers.”

“I want to voice my support, especially for the worker’s rights during the pandemic tonight. Really everything on the agenda, it is all interconnected in the ways the university is treating its students and its workers,” said Clare Michaud, an academic staff member and former UW-Madison undergraduate student, in the Open Forum. “The university is especially to blame for how it has manifested within the campus community and the greater Madison community.”

The next ASM student council meeting will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 23.

BIPOC students call for action

By Sophia Vento STAFF WRITER

The UW-Madison Black Cultural Center — an identity center within the Multicultural Learning Center — is honoring Black History Month with a slew of events in their series, “Music as Medicine: Evolution of Music in the Black Community.”

Throughout February, the university is hosting a series of events that highlight the rich history and influence of music in the Black community, as well as its role in activism, healing and freedom of expression.

Featured art, radio and documentary galleries are listed among the university events planned for the month.

Events are open to the public.

And, amid special university recognition of Black History Month, student organizations and leaders continue to advocate for Black students across campus every day.

The UW-Madison BIPOC Coalition is one student group advocating for the voices of students often left out of decision-making processes at the university level, including Black students.

In honor of Black History Month, the coalition is highlighting the accomplishments of Black artists, activists, creatives and intellectuals – both past and present — on social media. They are also hosting a variety of

call to actionpage 2

“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”

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Thursday, February 11, 2021

UW Twitter bot tracks Nick’s capacity

An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 130, Issue 16

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By Addison Lathers FEATURES EDITOR

The Nicholas Recreation Center is home to 30,000 square feet of fitness space, eight courts, five studios and an Olympic size pool. But while the facility continues to operate at 25% capacity due to COVID-19, these spaces can fill up fast, resulting in long lines and even longer wait times.

Ethan Lim, a junior majoring in computer engineering and computer science, set to work to create a practical solution to this impractical situation.

“I would always check to see if the Nick had spots open at times I wanted to work out,” Lim said. “But it was always at 100% so it became annoying to constantly check its usage only to see it at 100%.”

Inspired to improve students’ gymgoing experience, Lim created the Twitter bot @IstheNickFull to automate the process. Every 25 minutes, the bot tweets whether or not the Nick is full and the current occupancy rate.

Users can also mention the bot with the hashtag “full” to get a live response from @IstheNickFull.

If RecWell’s live usage tracker goes down, the bot will then make estimations on the occupancy based on prior

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data collected.

“I had been messing around with the Twitter API and Python web scraping at the time, and [I] thought those two in combination would be a great way to automate the process of checking and pushing updates on the Nick’s usage,” Lim stated.

While Lim has experience in mobile and web app development, @ IstheNickFull is the first bot he’s ever deployed. So far, the launch has been a success. The bot has already accrued over 130 followers despite only being up-and-running since last Tuesday.

“The amount of followers the bot accumulated in such a short span of time was unprecedented, and way more than I expected. I’m just glad that people actually find it useful,” Lim said.

Currently, Lim is looking to update the bot’s features by releasing a total summary of average attendance by time and day of the week. Until then, he recommends Thursdays as the best day to hit the gym.

“Eventually the bot will give recommendations on when to go based on the data it collects,” Lim explained. “Right now, I’m just sorting out making the data persistent.

So stay tuned!”

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virtual events, including a concert featuring local Black musicians on Feb. 27, among others.

All the while, the coalition continues to advocate for the BIPOC student voice.

Jordan Kennedy, co-founder of the UW-Madison BIPOC Coalition, stressed that Black History Month is a time to recognize history and talk about issues facing not only AfricanAmericans but Africans that are often misinterpreted or not discussed indepth with many Americans. Kennedy highlights that the organization’s continual advocacy for large-scale change in conjunction with honoring Black stories this month is critical.

According to Kennedy, the coronavirus pandemic only heightened and intensified issues relating to the acknowledgment of student voices at a university level.

“With the pandemic, everything becomes more transparent and everything gets heightened and becomes more intense,” said Kennedy. “Overall the administration’s lack of desire to hear from students has really shown through.”

Issues ranging from housing insecurity to telecommuting policy among socially marginalized groups have been at the forefront of recent discussions on campus, and the BIPOC Coalition has worked closely with the Associated Students of Madison (ASM) and other student groups to advocate for the livelihoods of all UW-Madison students.

According to Kennedy, diverging opinions between students and the university, especially in the context of COVID-19, do not deserve to be labeled as a “disagreement.” This is due to students not truly having an “equal voice at the table”, Kennedy said.

“From working with the UW-Madison BIPOC Coalition, I have seen how difficult it is to get cooperation from the administration in terms of meetings and I haven’t had the luxury to get one,” said Lylecyrus, whose BIPOC at Wisco feed directly aims to highlight the experiences and thoughts of BIPOC students on campus.

He feels that the summer press release describing UHS intent to reconsider its relationship with campus police when dealing with students experiencing mental health crises was deceptive in the sense that actual action against this relationship was not taken up until last month, and by ASM – not the university administration itself.

The university released a statement last month explaining that UHS, the UW Police Department (UWPD) and other departments within the university will work to improve mental health services and the handling of emergencies relating to mental health.

The passage of legislation supporting a Crisis Response Team on campus later

“With the pandemic, everything becomes more transparent and everything gets heightened and becomes more intense.”

John Kennedy Co-founder of the UW BIPOC Coalition

that same week indicates that student groups such as ASM still believe not enough has been done.

Ultimately, student leaders like Kennedy and Lylecyrus want the voices of BIPOC students to be heard and utilized by university officials when engaging in important discussions and making decisions.

Black History Month may take place during the month of February, but the voices of Black students, as well as the voice of other students of color, remain critical in the conversations and decision-making processes that impact the livelihoods of all students on campus.

“I think that every month is Black History Month,” said Lylecyrus, emphasizing the importance of understanding historical contexts that have shaped society when striving for progress. “We [BIPOC individuals] get that the university and America altogether ‘hear us’ but at this point, we need society to listen to us.”

COURTESY OF KATIE SCHEIDT

A new bill would allocate $1 million in funding each year for Extension specialists.

New proposals would boost Extension funding

By Alexa Heller STAFF WRITER

New legislative and budget proposals could create more UW-Madison Division of Extension agents, who exemplify the Wisconsin Idea by bringing university research to agricultural communities across Wisconsin.

A Senate bill introduced Friday would require the UW Board of Regents to allocate $1 million in additional funding each year for Extension services at the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS).

The proposal is supported by multiple groups representing the agriculture industry. The bill was referred to the Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges, but is not yet scheduled for a vote.

The bill would specifically direct funding toward applied agricultural research. Faculty members funded through Extension work with farmers at the county level Wisconsin to conduct research to solve problems and develop improved farming methods.

CALS currently has about 40 faculty that are partially funded

by Extension. The number of faculty has been decreasing over the last 30 years due to a decline in state funding. These funding issues have only gotten worse in the wake of the pandemic, according to Associate Dean for External Relations and Advancement at CALS Heidi Zoerb.

“Like other schools and colleges at UW-Madison, the pandemic has had a significant impact on our operations and had a negative impact on our budget. Along with the rest of the university, we are currently addressing a budget reduction of more than 4 percent for our research and instructional programs and our research and Extension programs,” Zoerb said.

Patrick Robinson, Associate Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the Division of Extension, said the reduction in personnel led to a loss of expertise in “all areas of the organization.”

Gov. Tony Evers said Friday that he would propose funding for additional Extension specialists and county agents in his upcoming biennial budget. That proposal is part of his planned $43 million investment into agriculture.

In a January special session on agriculture, Evers asked for $2 million during the 2020-21 fiscal year to fund 20 county-based agriculture positions, but the bill did not pass.

In their 2021-23 budget request, the Board of Regents asked for support for those 20 positions.

Douglas Reinemann, a UW-Madison professor and CALS Associate Dean for Outreach and Extension, said he hopes CALS would gain about six or seven faculty positions.

“These faculty would be focused on research of benefit to Wisconsin farmers and educational programs to help farmers adopt new technologies and practices to make agriculture more sustainable — environmentally, economically and socially,” Reinemann said.

Robinson said increased funding would “fill a lot of gaps” related to faculty and outreach expertise.

“It’s hard for me to overstate how important [the proposals] would be.

It would be the biggest increase in funding that we’ve seen probably in my career, and I’ve been in Extension for about 18 years,” said Robinson. “It would help tremendously.”

Zoerb described the roles that Extension specialists play in the research and discovery arm for many Wisconsin agricultural sectors.

“These faculty members develop new fruit and vegetable varieties that are better suited to specific climate and environmental conditions. They develop health guidelines for plants and animals and test practices to determine which will have the best overall returns for Wisconsin farmers,” Zoerb explained. “The discoveries made by these specialists will contribute to best practices that will improve the economic and environmental well-being of the agricultural sector they serve.”

Zoerb added that agriculture and related sectors are vital components of Wisconsin’s economy, generating $104.8 billion in economic activity and 437,700 jobs.

“UW-Madison Extension provides the conduit between research and practical solutions for farmers, business owners, nonprofits and families.

Extension specialists at UW-Madison and other campuses and Extension educators based in local communities are operating in every county across the state, translating research for various farmers and business owners,” Zoerb said.

Robinson, who is located on the UW-Green Bay campus, said Extension brings Wisconsinites from across the state together, with faculty members and educators in every county.

“The value of that is we are able to leverage the great work that goes on in the research realm, especially at UW-Madison but on partner campuses as well, and bring that to the people of Wisconsin,” Robinson said. “We always say we are the Wisconsin idea in action.”

Life & Style Datamatch’s solution to being single dailycardinal.com

By Samantha Benish STAFF WRITER

Each year, there are few days that bring such contrasting emotions to the world.

February 14 brings an array of such emotions — whether they be positive, negative or a mix of both. Simply put: you either love it or you hate it.

It’s 2021. With the unique challenges that 2020 brought, the world itself has had to adapt in a variety of new ways, including changes to the dating scene. One of these revolutionary websites is a name you might have heard of: UW, meet Datamatch.

Datamatch is a free, online matchmaking service designated for college students across the nation. The company was originally thought up in 1994 by a few Harvard students, and their dream became a reality a few years later.

Today, Datamatch has expanded its boundaries to 30 schools across the nation, including top names like Yale, Princeton and Columbia University.

After registering through Datamatch’s website, users are given the opportunity to fill out a humorous survey created by real students from their university. These are customized each year, so there won’t be two of the same questions!

To provide even further incentive, Datamatch will be ran-

Thursday, February 11, 2021

domly selecting a handful of users who fill out the survey to receive a $25 Ian’s Pizza gift card! The questions will definitely give you a good laugh!

On Valentine’s Day, you’ll receive ten other users that Datamatch’s algorithm has matched you with. Paired with someone that looks interesting? Hit the “Match” button, and see if you found your true love. Mutual ‘matches’ will be sent a notification, creating a potential for a new connection.

Taken? Datamatch also has options for making new friendships as well, so anyone can get in on the opportunity!

Introduced to UW-Madison in 2018, Datamatch has been connecting both undergraduate and graduate students for a little over three years.

Last year, over 4,200 students signed up for the program from UW alone, adding to the 40,000 total users nationwide.

Sophomore Sydni Gburek has been using Datamatch since her freshman year.

“The questions make the entire experience,” she commented. “They are so original and relatable, especially for this semester!” Datamatch has introduced a few new features to this year’s experience, including the opportunity for users to choose personalized pronouns and gender identity. The indepth options for creating the

perfect profile are endless.

Additionally, a new feature called “Crush Roulette” allows users to submit a pair of people

released on Valentine’s Day. The search for love has dramatically increased in difficulty with the recent shift

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little amusement, even in the uncertain times that we now find ourselves in.

Be sure to head to www.

COURTESY OF DATAMATCH

Introduced to UW-Madison in 2018, on Datamatch.com you might find true love or even win prizes and giftcards! that they think should be matched — either themselves, friends or random people. The selected pair will then be given a higher chance of matching when results are

to online environments. Yet, Datamatch is flourishing.

Their overall mission circulates around the idea of bringing people together with a

datamatch.me to see if you could find your true love — or just win a gift card to Ian’s Pizza. It’s up for you to decide.

The Valentine’s Day date you didn’t know you needed

By Haley Harris STAFF WRITER

On Feb. 14 you could be receiving a bouquet of red roses, a box of delicious chocolates or a life-size stuffed animal from your special someone.

Or you could be like me —

“single as a pringle” on this particular Valentine’s Day — and you will either have to resort to buying those gifts yourself, hoping a friend will gift you with one, or doing nothing, and wallowing in your self-pity, spite and loneliness.

Ok that last part may be a tad dramatic, some people don’t even like Valentine’s Day and others enjoy being single, but lucky for all the romantics like myself, this year I have a solution: Coco.

I am not talking about cocoa the chocolate; I am

COURTESY OF THE DANE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY

Coco is a loving dog looking for a home this Valentines Day. Consider adopting him at the Humane Society.

talking about Coco the yellow Labrador Retriever who currently resides in the Dane County Humane Society.

Coco is a 1-year-old female who weighs 50 pounds. She has the sweetest personality, lots of energy, and she tends to be a little nervous when she first meets someone, but once she fully warms-up to that person, Coco will never leave their side. As Stanley Leinwall once said, “no animal I know of can consistently be more of a friend and companion than a dog. That quote embodies Coco perfectly.

Coco’s last home was somewhere in the south, so she is not yet used to our Wisconsin winter weather.

This means she will take some time adjusting to the cold and may need a few extra cuddles from her owner. She is a Labrador Retriever which is a dog-breed who really enjoys exercising and playing, so someone who can spare some time in both the morning and night to walk with her would be ideal.

I know February and March tend to be on the cold side, but if you bundle up and do short spurts of walking, you can both get your exercise in during these final winter months!

Fortunately, Coco is up to date on all age-appropriate vaccinations; however, she is from the south where heartworm and other parasites are common, so she would benefit

from visiting a veterinarian shortly after adoption. Coco’s adoption fee is 350 dollars plus tax. I know this may seem like an unattainable expense, especially as a college student; however, if you and a few of your friends/roommates’ all chip-in, the price becomes affordable.

If you are seriously considering adopting Coco at this time, here is the link to followthrough with it: Dane County Humane Society – Coco.

I will end this article with a quote from W. Bruce Cameron, the author of “A Dog’s Purpose,” “A Dog’s Journey,” and “A Dog’s Way Home”: “When we adopt a dog or any pet, we know it is going to end with us having to say goodbye, but we still do it. And we do it for a very good reason: They bring so much joy and optimism and happiness.

They attack every moment of every day with that attitude.”

This year instead of receiving cocoa the chocolate as a gift for Valentine’s Day, make a difference in an animal’s life, such as Coco, and gift her with a loving, caring and happy home.

I promise Coco is worth so much more than roses, chocolates, jewelry, a dinner date or a stuffed animal.

She will bring you so much joy and will be your life-long best friend for so many more years to come.

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4 • Thursday, February 11, 2021

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BY LYRA EVANS

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‘The Little Things’ brings little to genre

By John Bildings STAFF WRITER

Picture this. It’s 1993, and you’re sitting down in the theatre to watch Denzel — the guy who just played (and got snubbed) for the Oscar as Malcom X — and Morgan Freeman hunt down a serial killer somewhere among the crime-ridden streets. The guy who made “Jaws” and “ET” is directing, and as opening credits roll — you firmly believe this will be the best movie of the year. Things couldn’t get much better, right?

Wrong. Because it’s actually 2021, we’re 11 months into a global pandemic, and once again you’re sitting down on the couch and firing up HBO Max to watch a release from your home.

Trapped in the past. This is exactly how I felt as I turned on “The Little Things” Monday night.

Directed by John Lee Hancock

direct at various points, “The Little Things” stars Denzel Washington (“Remember The Titans”) and Rami Malek (“Bohemian Rhapsody”) as Joe “Deke” Deacon and Jim Baxter, two police officers tracking the trail of a serial killer on the loose in 1990 Los Angeles.

After a visit into the city to collect evidence from a recent murder in his own neighboring territory of Kern County, Deacon learns of the gristly spree and follows new lead detective Baxter to a gruesome crime scene — where the pair discovers another new victim, and Joe soon recognizes similarities between this woman and a murder case he was unable to solve during his own time as a lead LA detective.

Unable to cope with his previous failure to catch the killer and hungry to solve out the crime, Joe decides to

COURTESY OF WARNER BROS.

Denzel Washington and Jared Leto are opposing forces in "The Little Things." (“The Founder”) with a script that he himself wrote in the early 1990s and reportedly had Spielberg, Clint Eastwood and others attached to

take a “vacation” from his duties up north and join Baxter in his search — the duo soon narrowing on Albert Sparma, played by Oscar-winner

Jared Leto (“Requiem For A Dream”), as a local maintenance man whose obsession with crime feels too apparent to let slip.

From there the movie devolves into all of the neo-noir Los Angeles eeriness we expected when the movie was first announced — but sadly for us fans, have already seen time and time again.

Aptly put, “The Little Things” is the most boilerplate murder mystery I’ve ever seen — simply following along the slowly-burned path that previous genre entries like David Fincher’s “Se7en” perfected just a few years after it was written and television entries like “True Detective” and “Broadchurch” provided far more justice in longer episodic forms than what can be found here.

From the “I’m a different kind of cop” clichés in Deacon’s gruff old deputy demeanor to the arrogant, “I can solve anything” attitude that spells trouble for Baxter from the moment he steps on screen, it’s clear that this movie has been dusted off the shelves and plopped into our accounts to make up for what was lost when Denzel regrettably turned down a lead role in Fincher’s 1995 classic — a decision he’s claimed to be one of the worst of his career, and a choice to return to the genre that feels like it would have been all the more better had he been able to hop in a time machine and make himself 30 years younger again.

Everything in this script — ranging from the motivations and patterns of the unknown killer, brooding atmosphere, frequent transitions between sweaty urban streets and dusty highway landscapes, and gradual insanity that envelops one of our

protagonists — is a rinse and repeat that we’ve seen a thousand times up to this point, all leading towards a final 20 minutes that’s somehow both unfulfilling to what little story or tonal differences do manage to get introduced and could likely be predicted if you’ve ever watched anything even remotely similar in the past.

There are virtually no fun twists to be found anywhere within the film’s far-too-long 127-minute runtime, and once the credits finally rolled, I was stuck wondering why I had stayed up far past my normal bedtime to watch something I had already seen and enjoyed years earlier.

Even with the struggles of the screenplay, the top billing and performances of three former Oscarwinners feels like nothing to stick up my nose about – yet still largely failed to capture any genuine attention on my behalf. Denzel — always good, more often amazing — feels stuck between two different roles here – at once a depressed old man stuck reflecting upon what happened years ago that ruined both his career and family, at the same time a quietly whispered about, vengeful investigator who will stop at nothing to bring the killer to justice.

It’s not that he doesn’t show up at all, with a few fleeting moments during interactions with suspects in which he switches from charismatic to menacing as only he can masterfully do.

But, rather just feels tired among the countless other times we’ve seen him do it before — a character with little writing to chew on and larger purpose among the plot holes completely up in the air until the suddenly predictable reveal inevitably comes.

Despite playing one of the best fictional police officers of all time in “Training Day”, King Kong definitely has shit on him here.

In the same token, Malek — whose critical acclaim is now being put to the test as a genuine leading man — similarly feels stuck between multiple personalities in his role as Baxter, his vampiric looks and unsettling mannerisms not quite fitting the mold of a cocky “tough guy” that I think would’ve made what happens far more effective. The energy he provided felt off the entire time, and his wooden approach made the dynamic between the pair boring as a result.

Surprisingly, the lone bright spot for me came in Leto’s work as Sparma – upping the campiness that he tried — and largely failed — to bring to his role as the Joker in “Suicide Squad” a few years ago and serving as a fun-ish bright spot once he makes his introduction.

One scene in particular, a taunting of Deacon and Baxter during a tense exchange in the interrogation room, is a lone entertaining moment to savor, and knowing Leto’s method-style approach was likely a full immersion into the genuinely creepy fellow we continue to follow for the rest of the movie.

With a tired script that even arguably the greatest actor of all time barely holds together, “The Little Things” feels right at home as a VOD dump during the worst part of the movie calendar — disappointing not just because the story is uninteresting, but also because it doesn’t offer anything new despite its pedigree. Save your time and skip it, it feels like everyone involved did.

Two leads of ‘Malcolm & Marie’ carry a standstill plot

By Dominic Lerose STAFF WRITER

We’ve seen black-and-white features make a comeback over the past few years as directors strive to make their films seem more artistic and visionary. While there’s no denying that Sam Levinson’s “Malcolm & Marie” looks good on screen, the director seems to think that the eyecatching imagery and his actors’ performances are enough to sway us.

Set entirely in one house during the course of one night, Zendaya and John David Washington portray the title characters, who for the entire duration dissect their relationship at great lengths, causing both a greater connection between the two in addition to more hostility.

Malcolm is a rising filmmaker, who after receiving an award for his debut feature has to come to terms with forgetting to thank Marie in his acceptance speech, a mistake that reflects a deeper, more problematic weakness in their relationship.

Early on, we can tell that Malcolm is plagued by narcissism and the desperate need to be embraced as an artist, while Marie’s dark past of drug addiction, isolation and suicidality prevents her from embracing love.

It’s not easy to say by the end of the film whether or not Malcolm and Marie are a healthy couple and that they should be together. Not once do we take one’s side over the other, for we’re easily able to recognize the

flaws in both characters.

Levinson teases us by expressing his two characters’ sincere attraction to one another, yet we can’t help but wonder if these two people are together for convenience and support or are truly in love with one another.

If it weren’t for the captivating performances by the two leads, close to nothing would have worked about this film.

Zendaya, collaborating with Levison after the hit HBO series “Euphoria,” once again captures the soul of a broken woman desperate for recognition and belonging, while Washington, at times mirroring the style of his great father Denzel, delivers fiery energy from start to finish.

The two leads know how to connect with their audience, bringing vulnerability and passion to the screen despite not given much material to explore outside of arguing and making up with each other constantly.

While there’s no denying the talent of the two actors, Levinson writes his characters poorly at times, one scene in particular in which Malcolm goes on an extensive rant about Hollywood culture and how it relates to race and gender being too forced and draining to watch.

Attempting to make the film more than just about a relationship, “Malcolm & Marie” resorts to preaching about the culture of modern-day entertainment and comes across as

more pretentious than insightful.

Similarly to its social commentary, the black-and-white imagery proves rather useless, once again used as a way to seek style as a distraction from the story.

What truly weighs “Malcolm & Marie” down is that from start to finish there is no progress in the conflict. Watching this film is like accidentally stumbling across an argument between a couple and not being able to escape.

The entire film seems to stay in one place — literally and figuratively — causing the viewing to be tiring and flat-out boring for much of the film.

Many scenes feel misplaced, one sequence in particular that feels like the climax where everything comes together is featured in the middle of the film, making the rest of the story feel empty and repetitive.

Since we really don’t know much about either character other than what they do or some of the struggles they had in the past, it becomes challenging to connect with either and truly understand what they’re going through as human beings.

The surface is scratched as to who Malcolm and Marie are as people but after constant arguing, we’re left feeling relieved that the film ends rather than desperate to learn what’s next for the two characters.

DOMINIC MILLER/NETFLIX

Zendaya is Marie in new Sam Levinson romance drama, "Malcolm & Marie."

almanac

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Almanac’s official guide to being single on Valentine’s Day

By Gillian Rawling For some, this weekend means roses, chocolate, dropping loads of money, dinners and best of all: gifted squishmallows. Couples will be swept away by the spirit and whimsy of the holiday and enjoy themselves on intimate dates, and the

one-on-one time that only COVID can provide.

Despicable.

I asked some of UW-Madison’s hottest singles — who also happen to be some of my closest friends — what this warcrime of a holiday means to them and more importantly, how they’re planning to spend that special day.

COURTESY OF AMIT GUPTA/CREATIVE COMMONS

For our eligible interviewees, Valentine’s day is just another reminder why exactly they’re single in the first place.

“Totally 100% because of Coronavirus. No other reason…” explained one distinguished gentleman.

While placing the blame on the virus is quite novel, other interviewees stuck to the tried and true “it’s not me, it’s you” method.

“I’m exclusively attracted to crazy bitches,” “No men are good enough to love me,” “because I finally set higher standards for men and I’m not dating someone because I’m lonely,” (proud of you girl-boss!!!) were just a few of the examples I was given.

Some explanations hit closer to home than others: “because I’m still in love with my ex,” and “i’m single because no guy wants to man up and take me on a date.” (yes, we are talking about you k***!!)

One woman said it is “because I only like those who have zero future or are mentally abusive” double points for both!!

If this article makes you feel cynical and lonely — good! That’s the point!

Fret not, for my fellow singles have some great offers for your holiday

other than romance.

Some have decided to go with the tried and true method: substance abuse.

“I will be getting sloshed with the girls on V-day,” said one.

“I will likely be nursing a level 70 hangover with copious amounts of fun dip and grey’s anatomy- and probably rolling a joint (or 4) to take the edge off,” said my single and fabulous friend, another explaining “instead of going on a date I will be doing a face masks in my apartment and drinking “sparkling grape juice” while watching rom coms.”

Other creative ideas include “wasting the day watching football and then having a panic attack at midnight.”

So nice to see some original takes!

No matter what though, make sure you take the day to relax from insane amounts of online class, and feel comforted in the fact that you will be doing better than the interviewees “likely hanging out with my ex” and “going to lunch with my mom.”

As for myself, I will be manifesting that the boy I’ve been obsessed with since freshman year magically decides that he wants to date me.

Tom Brady’s soul pact with the devil, collusion with Roger Goodell continues to pay dividends

By Nicholas Rawling Any football fan who’s been paying attention the last 20 years knew exactly how this was going to go, even if they wouldn’t let themselves admit it.

Of course the Bucs were going to get all the calls — actually breaking a Super Bowl record for most first downs converted via penalty — of course the Chiefs’ receivers’ hands would turn to butter, of course Mahomes’ backup-calibur O-line would do everything in its effort to keep their social distance from Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett. Because this is what always happens when Tom Brady is involved.

Although in our heart of hearts we all knew the “what?” many of us are still asking “why?” Why, God, have you forsaken us? Why do we have to

watch this MAGA-hatwearing douche win another one? Why must we listen to Tony Romo and other sports media personalities incessantly salivate over his greatness to the point that it sounds like they’re horny? Is this some type of cruel punishment you’ve decided to dole out to this country for what we’ve done to the rest of the world?

Allow me to posit my own theory — there’s nothing my God can do about this, because Tom Brady has sold his soul to Satan in exchange for eternal youth and good fortune, and the NFL is more than willing to aid in the bidding of the lord of the underworld as long as it helps their ratings.

Tell me what seems more likely to you: Do NFL officials call pass interference penal-

ties to bail Brady out on obviously uncatchable balls simply because they, like Jim Nantz, have a huge crush on him?

Or is it because Roger Goodell knows that larger-than-life characters like Brady always draw higher TV ratings?

Is Brady immune to the effects of aging because he’s never eaten a tomato? Or does he retain his youth by draining blood from children as a sacrifice to the Angel of Darkness?

Is it mere coincidence that COVID-19 protocol deprived us of watching Brady give his son a big, fat, wet kiss postgame? Or have Bill Gates and the Chinese Communist Party been scapegoated all along in an effort to divert our attention from the mad scientist who really created coronavirus, Commissioner Goodell?

I’m just asking questions.

COURTESY OF WILL CIOCI/WISCONSIN WATCH

Wisconsin Senate decides they are over COVID-19

By Hannah Ritvo The Wisconsin Senate voted Tuesday to repeal the statewide mask mandate. If this mask mandate is abolished, Wisconsin will be joining a list of other memorable states without federal mask mandates. Gracing this list are Alabama, Oklahoma, Missouri and Nebraska, all states people spend their lives dreaming of visiting.

Students of UW-Madison have a lot to say about the Senate’s decision. Leader of the College Republicans of UW-Madison club has issued a statement revealing they will be going out in a bar-crawl style celebration to all restaurants and stores in Madison without

masks if the bill gets passed.

When told there will most likely still be a local mask mandate for the city of Madison, he responded stating the club will pay for buses to take them to a neighboring county where there is no mask mandate.

A member of PIKE told us “yeah I didn’t wear my mask before, but now when I see someone wearing it, I can say ‘take that off, it’s the law’… it’s totally epic!”

Gym-rat Freshman Scottie was confused when asked for his take on the Senate’s vote.

He told us he thought COVID19 was already over. Scottie said “he knew Covid was over when he saw the vaccination rollout happening in the Nick.” He fist bumped a grandma while

waiting in line at the Nick, and when she didn’t reciprocate, he pulled down his mask and said “WTF?” The grandma sadly passed away of COVID-19 related symptoms shortly after the interaction.

Not only will the mask repeal most likely contribute to a rise in COVID-19 cases, the mandate is tied to a bill that grants 50 million dollars a month in federal food stamp money. Thus, if the mask mandate is repealed the federal food stamp money will no longer be granted to the state. Business major Troy Hersh stated “if it means we don’t have to wear masks, I don’t care about the poor people. As my dad says, ‘survival of the fittest.’”

opinion Looking into the failures of their past dailycardinal.com

By IAN-MICHAEL GRIFFIN OPINION DESK EDITOR

In the wake of a presidency tempered in raw angst, one of which that revelled in partisan divide, it is easy to lose oneself in the comforting reassurances of the next administration. Instead, we must remain vigilant of further demagoguery.

If you exclude the numerous assertions of bigotry and a whole host of “isms,” the initial and prime reason for the animosity for President Trump stemmed from his brazen oratory style which neglected refined speech as well as the emotions of the opposition. To his supporters, this was a rallying call for the destruction of “politically-correct culture,” which is the antithesis of machismo and the traditional status-quo.

While it was Trump’s unabashed charisma and humor that secured his loyal following, the very same technique was viewed as “un-presidential” or “brutish” by Trump’s fierce critics.

As the Biden Administration rises above the grave of the Trump Presidency, it seems to be an unfortunate reality that those who were offended by Trump’s rhetoric will likely overlook the upcoming administration’s flaws due to its polished presidential style.

This sort of self-deception may sound like “he isn’t as bad as

Thursday, February 11, 2021

Trump,” or “at least he sounds like a president should.”

It is true that the presidential image was tarnished by Trump during the past four years, and it is equally true that such an image is essential to upholding foreign relations and national respect for the office of the President. America may very well require a more elegant approach to governing going forward, but we should not mask the blemishes in Biden’s record simply because he is a steady and calming voice on the television instead of an uncouth verbal brute.

It does not take much research to realize that Joe Biden may not be the cure to America’s ails that many of the left say he is. Even his own pick for Vice President, Kamala Harris, has undergone a self-rationalization to see him as a force for good in American government.

It has not even been two years since the Democratic Primary Debate where Harris openly attacked Biden’s record regarding race, in which she recalled his cooperation with segregationist senators of the past, as well as his opposition to the court-mandated desegregation of the busing system in America in an attempt to introduce racial diversity into the national school system.

Biden’s history of embracing such unsavory legislation is a startling look into how someone’s own

politics and principles can change in the direction of where the wind of history is blowing.

However, in highlighting Biden’s failure, Harris unintentionally drew attention to her own hypocrisy regarding race.

As a prosecutor and later attorney general in the state of California, Harris enforced extremely strict crime laws that disproportionately targeted African-Americans over any other race and boosted record incarceration rates. The Los Angeles Times, in a profile, attempted to underscore that Harris “did not play a role in passing those laws.” While it is true that she did not pass the laws in question, it is also a reality that she enforced them to the letter, instead of publicly voicing her opposition to discriminatory legislation.

Staining her name further, she time and time again defied a Supreme Court order to decrease California’s prison population by releasing roughly 5,000 non-violent offenders who were deemed to be qualified to reenter society.

Even through a brief review of their careers, it is evident that their actions have not always been in coordination with the social values they have touted on the campaign trail. However, after the Trump Presidency and ensuing chaos, neoliberals and moderates have betrayed the consistency of their values for a

reassuring face.

In the aftermath of Trumpism, this revisionist mindset will be a common sight. While it is understandable to feel excited for a return to common decency, one must take care to neither allow misdeeds to go neglected nor for “whataboutism” to reign supreme over rational thought.

The left is viewing Biden and his administration as a step on the right path for America, but some centrists argue it may not be overall.

From a centrist’s vantage point, it looks much like the stereotypical, disingenuous politician with a plastic smile on their face and a knife placed firmly in their hand behind their back. It should be acknowledged that the liberal social policy they support on the campaign trail and in front of the podium may very well be just a tactic to enamor the liberals opposed to Trump.

Harris and her heel-turn in opinion of Biden is emblematic of the sort of rationalization we will continue to see from leftists eager for change in our government. Consistency is required as we navigate a particularly challenging era in American politics. We cannot hold leaders to different standards for our leaders, determined by the letter denoting their party next to their name.

Biden should be recognized as the politician he is, instead of this

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image as a champion of American democracy which has been falsely purported after the shamefulness that transpired at the end of Trump’s term.

America is sick, and it is rotting from the inside out. The necrotic tissue begins in the Senate and expands to the House and all other facets of the government. The enemy of American prosperity is the lifelong politician who benefits off of conflict and fake smiles.

Do not give the Biden Administration a pass simply because you are comparing it to the failures of the previous administration. Do not be fooled by the hollow platitudes of a politician of almost fifty years who said all the right things to obtain an office wounded by the scandals of the past four years.

I would urge the neoliberals — who decried President Trump — to be fervent in their consistency of principle, and hold Biden to the same standard of virtue.

He is not the savior of America that you might wish him to be.

Ian-Michael is an Opinion Editor at The Daily Cardinal and a freshman studying Political Science and Journalism. Do you think we need to end saviorism in politics? Do you think Joe Biden shouldn’t blindly get a pass? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

Wisconsin State Legislature: Replacing outdated government technology a necessary undertaking

By Anupras Mohapatra OPINION DESK EDITOR

As the birthplace of true giants of the technology industry like Google, Amazon and Microsoft, America is easily viewed as a global technological powerhouse. This idea makes further sense when looking at the technology utilized by the U.S. military, with robotic systems and hypersonic missiles being just a few examples of American technological might. With this in mind, I was in shock when I stumbled upon a Twitter thread by Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers highlighting just how appallingly outdated the state unemployment system is.

It turns out that for all the technological might America possesses, government departments at the federal and state levels continue to utilize outdated systems. Such systems — usually known as legacy systems — are cumbersome to operate, expensive to maintain and prone to hacking.

The Government Accountability Office conducted a study on systems utilized by federal departments in 2019 and found that among the 10 most critical legacy systems in need of modernization, the Department of Homeland Security’s system had 168 critical risk vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. Further, a system used by the Department of Education was found to run on Common Business Oriented Language (COBOL) — an outdated programming language with dwindling availability of skilled technicians that can support it — and systems used by the Department of Treasury and Department of Human and Health Services were found to be around 50 years old.

The news of Russian hackers breaching federal government systems in 2020 might have raised alarm

and shock at the time, but looking at the state of government technology, perhaps it was inevitable.

Besides the obvious security risks

and massive expenses accrued in the act of maintaining legacy systems — the federal government spent about 80% of their $90 billion budget for technology in the 2019 fiscal year to maintain these systems — outdated technology causes great inconvenience as well.

Why has the government spent so much on maintaining these outdated systems? For starters, there are vast systemic hurdles that prevent changes from taking shape. The sheer scope of modernization projects proves to be inhibitory. For instance, the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services planned to spend $500 billion to convert nearly 100 paper forms into digital forms, yet in 2015 — about 10 years

since the plans were put into action — they had spent $1 billion to convert only one single form online. Such digitization and technological issues

who have to work with the outdated system. These include a lack of email support, document uploads, automated changes and other basic features we take for granted when we use our personal computer systems.

Rising unemployment due to COVID-19 exposed the cracks in the government technological arsenal by adding strain on the ailing system when it might previously have been ignored.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development processed more unemployment claims using the outdated system in the nine months since the pandemic took GRAPHIC BY JESSIE LEVY over than from 2016 saw the agency commit several blips, to 2019 combined. The issues like sending over 5,000 green cards caused by the system consebearing faulty information in 2014 or quently left freshly unemployed duplicate green cards — as many as Wisconsinites in a state of confufive for a single individual — between sion, with some waiting months March and May 2016. on their unemployment claims.

Meanwhile, political gridlock also Efforts had been made to modfactors into the lack of progress made ernize the system in the past, but in adapting to changing times, with came to no avail. In 2007, then-Demdisagreements on passing legislation ocratic Gov. Jim Doyle’s administrathat can fund such technological over- tion pulled the plug on a project to haul proving detrimental. overhaul the computer system when This brings us back to the situ- it began falling behind schedule and ation in Wisconsin. Evers’ thread looked likely to exceed its $24 million on Twitter highlighted that the budget. Now, the new plan proposed state unemployment system utilizes by Evers is estimated to cost $90 milCOBOL — like some of the out- lion over the next 10 years to moderndated federal systems — and listed ize the unemployment system, finally specific inconveniences for those accomplishing change that lead-

ers across the aisle failed to over the years. Yet, the Republican-controlled State Legislature is at an impasse. The Republican leadership shifted blame onto Evers and the agency, calling on the governor to “take ownership of the problems” and suggesting that the backlog of claims was down to departmental mismanagement.

A fact check by Politifact reveals that Evers cannot unilaterally “take ownership” of the problem. The full funds available to him for unilateral action simply do not cover the cost and legislative action is necessary. The legislature would need to allocate funds biennially for the project to reach completion as planned.

It is, therefore, imperative that the state Legislature come to an agreement sooner rather than later. While compromise has been notoriously hard to achieve recently, as the mask mandate situation and COVID-19 relief legislation have illustrated, as the outdated technology is having a real and negative effect on their constituents. Further action should also be taken at a federal level to address the issues pertinent today. As long as the status quo exists and systemic hurdles stand too tall, government technology will remain stuck in the past. Action is, therefore, necessary and imperative across all levels of government to address this and get back in touch with the times.

Anupras is a Senior Staff Writer and a sophomore studying Computer Science and journalism. Do you agree that government technology should be adapted to meet the needs of today?

Send all comments to opinion@ dailycardinal.com

sports Weekend Recap: Badgers seize first place in Big Ten with Gopher sweep

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Thursday, February 11, 2021

By Reagan Eckley and Cole Wozniak STAFF WRITERS

It has been almost 15 years since the University of Wisconsin-Madison men’s hockey team has sat alone atop the Big Ten Conference standings.

That drought came to an end last weekend, as the No. 11 Badgers (13-7) finished off a sweep of then-No. 2 Minnesota Golden Gophers (15-5) in Minneapolis, giving them the top spot in the conference headed into the season’s final four weekends.

The Badgers got things started quickly in game one, with leading scorer Cole Caufield finding the back of the net on a breakaway just one minute into the game for an early 1-0 lead.

Both teams held on defensively through the rest of the first period and the first eight minutes of the second, until Minnesota was able to tie things up with a goal from Sammy Walker.

The third period, however, brought a series of rapid-fire goals for Wisconsin, beginning with more action from Caufield. Thirteen minutes into the period, the sophomore forward shot a pass from Linus Weissbach (with Ty PeltonByce also on the assist) into the top right corner of the net, allowing Wisconsin to regain the lead at 2-1.

This marked Caufield’s 16th goal and 30th point for this season –– he would later add

dailycardinal.com

another goal and three assists in game two, bringing him to 17 goals and 33 assists on the year.

Caufield now leads the nation in both categories.

Dylan Holloway and Roman Ahcan would add late goals for the Badgers to put them ahead comfortably. The Golden Gophers were never able to respond to those third period goals, allowing Wisconsin to take the 4-1 upset victory.

“It’s a big thing for us to stay in games no matter the score,” Caufield said postgame of the third period flurry. “Obviously when you’re playing Minnesota, the games are going to be pretty tight and you’re gonna have to play the whole 60 minutes. The way we’re closing out games, playing the whole 60 minutes all the way to the end shows the maturing and the drive our team has.”

The Wisconsin defense had themselves another great night, with graduate transfer goaltender Robbie Beydoun leading the way by saving 24 of the 25 shots that came at him. They also successfully defended an intense three-on-five penalty kill in the first period.

Game two was ugly from the jump for the Golden Gophers.

Two minutes after the puck dropped, Minnesota center Jaxon Nelson was penalized for boarding Tarek Baker, who was knocked around a lot in this series. The Badgers were able to capitalize quickly when

VICKI DOMBECK /UW ATHLETICS

Hobey Baker Memorial Award candidate Cole Caufield celebrates a Wisconsin Badger goal in LaBahn Arena.

Ahcan knocked Caufield’s shot past goalie Jack LaFontaine early in the first.

Wisconsin, which has one of the best power plays in the country at 31.1%, took advantage again when Holloway scored off a pass from Caufield putting the Badgers up 2-0.

After a Minnesota goal narrowed the gap, Ty Emberson found the back of the net for the Badgers to put them comfortably in front for good.

“That was a satisfying win,” said Emberson. “It was a very good team win to come into Mariucci and display what

we’ve been working on all year.”

Wisconsin would score eight goals in total in the route of the Gophers from six different players: Ahcan (2), Holloway, Emberson (2), Pelton-Bryce, Jack Gorniak and Caufield.

This was Wisconsin’s first sweep of the Gophers since 2009, and the most goals scored for the Badgers in any road game in recent school history.

“It feels awesome,” Ahcan said after the rout in Minneapolis.

“Guys are hot right now.”

The Badgers have now won their last four games and seven of their last eight since coming back

after the season break.

“Of course it’s great to beat teams that you’re competitive with,” coach Tony Granato said of Saturday’s win. “In all sports, Minnesota-Wisconsin is a tremendous rivalry. But this is no different than any other win.

We’ve got a heck of a conference to battle through.”

The Badgers will again be on the road for their next series against the Michigan Wolverines when they head to Ann Arbor. The Badgers were outclassed the last time they played Michigan but were not at full strength.

No. 1 Badgers travel to Indiana to take on greenhorn Hoosiers

By Ellie Nowakowski STAFF WRITER

DIANE NORDSTROM/UW ATHLETICS

Outside Hitter Liz Gregorski serves to win a set against No. 11 Purdue.

The undefeated Badgers are back on the road this weekend after sweeping Rutgers on Friday and Saturday night.

No. 1 Wisconsin (6-0) will head to Bloomington, In. to face off with Indiana (2-4) this weekend in their next twomatch series.

The Hoosiers will be looking for their first win at Wilkinson Hall this year ater dropping its only home series so far against the University of Nebraska in the first week of the season.

Nebraska won both games in just three sets.

Indiana heads into this weekend after beating Iowa (1-5) in five sets last Saturday behind a fresh lineup. The Hoosiers added eight freshmen to the team this season, and have been relying heavily on them thus far.

The Hoosiers’ freshmanheavy roster includes outside hitter Tommi Stockham, who recorded 26 kills Saturday against the Hawkeyes. Freshmen middle blockers Layla Blackwell and Savannah Kjolhede put up 13 and eight blocks, respectively, in the Hoosiers’ second match

against Iowa, both of their collegiate career highs. These three freshmen also hold the highest hitting averages on the team: Kjolhede at .293, Blackwell with .254 and Stockham with .207 for the season.

Other standout players for the Hoosiers are senior setter Brooke Westbeld –– who has recorded 107 sets so far this season –– and junior outside hitter Breana Edwards, who has put away 73 kills on the year thus far.

Sohpomore defensive specialist Sophie Oliphant is worth keeping an eye on after a careerhigh three aces against Iowa during the last series.

Indiana head coach Steve Aird will be looking for more consistency from his young team, which will come as they play more games together.

“At times we look pretty good and at times things fall apart,” he said after a Feb. 5 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes. “I think it’s a matter of skill development and improving our consistency.”

After a lackluster win on Friday, the Badgers showed up with more energy to sweep Rutgers for the second night in a row on Saturday. This has been a trend for the Badgers this sea-

son, who have been coming out much stronger in their second match of each series.

Head Coach Kelly Sheffield feels good about how the Badgers are progressing as a team as they move into tougher matchups later in the season.

“Hopefully we just continue to develop and grow as a team,” Sheffield said. “That’s the goal is to develop better chemistry and continue to grow with how we’re playing the game, continue to develop individually.

That’s part of the exciting thing about coaching is watching people that continue to develop as we move through.”

Despite an undefeated season thus far, Sheffield is always looking for ways that the team can improve.

“He’s got high expectations,” UW Assistant Coach Gary White said. “He wants our program to be viewed as something that really strives for excellence, something that wants to be great day in and day out.”

Wisconsin plays Indiana Friday and Saturday at 3 p.m. central time in Bloomington, Indiana.

Both games will air on Big Ten Network+ and will be broadcast on U-100.9 FM Madison.