Thursday, April 15, 2021 - The Daily Cardinal

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Thursday, April 15, 2021

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UW student activists urgent for change after killing of Daunte Wright

By Sophia Vento STAFF WRITER

With the death of twenty-year-old Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center, Minn., at the hands of Brooklyn Center police officer Kimberly Potter, UW-Madison student activists have redoubled calls for change that have been near-continuous throughout the academic year.

Occurring just 10 miles from downtown Minneapolis, Wright, a Black man, was shot and killed by Potter as a result of an “accidental discharge,” said Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon, stating that Potter instead intended to tase Wright. Both Potter and Gannon have since resigned.

“We have no words for what happened in Minnesota,” read a statement from the UW-Madison BIPOC Coalition on Tuesday. “We wish that we did, but there are no words to describe the despair and seemingly endless frustration that we feel.”

As of Tuesday, coalition members are in Brooklyn Center, asking for financial support for mutual aid and supplies for the community.

The coalition confirmed to The Cardinal that multiple members who had traveled to Brooklyn Center to protest Wright’s killing had been arrested Tuesday night and were being held in Hennepin County Jail.

Jordan Kennedy, a UW-Madison junior and co-founder of the coalition, views the killing of Wright as a grim reminder of reality and the need

for change.

“When we look at the overall stature of police, it is really just authority,” said Kennedy. “It really is just power. It has nothing to do with keeping people safe.”

The killing of Wright comes as the trial of ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who killed George Floyd last spring, is underway — which is only adding more pain to an already aching community, according to the StarTribune. Kennedy feels that the death of Wright confirms the polices’ lack of safety and concern, even as increased scrutiny of police surrounding the trial dominates national conversations.

“I would expect that during this time [the police] would be on extra watch to make sure that they are being careful,” said Kennedy. “But as we have seen with the response to the trial and the response to the protests after Daunte’s killing, you can see that they really don’t care.”

The rethinking of the number of resources that go into police departments across the country compared to community and social programs, such as education and after-school programs, as well as the abolition of the police, are at the essence of change, said Kennedy. “[So], actually making the livelihoods and communities that we live in better and safer, overall,” said Kennedy. “Rather than trying to police them and make everyone unsafe.”

In Kennedy’s view, to address issues relating to police violence and racial injustice, it is not just the systems and institutions that require upheaval but the perspectives of those seemingly unaffected.

“It should be a priority for everyone,” said Kennedy. “Because even now, people argue about Black Lives Matter being a political issue, but it’s not.”

“It’s a human issue,” continued Kennedy. “And if white supremacy isn’t taken on as a direct threat to humanity, then it is really difficult for these [changes] to happen.”

University Response In an email sent out to all students on Tuesday, UW-Madison Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Diversity & Inclusion Dr. Cheryl B. Gittens outlined the university’s commitment to supporting and advocating for BIPOC community members. It also encouraged students to utilize campus resources for support and seek community and action.

Nevertheless, Kennedy does not feel supported by UW-Madison and university administrators, emphasizing that the coalition has been denied meetings with officials this semester despite securing two ensured meetings with administrators per semester, last fall.

“It is being actively oppressed, actively silenced,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy sees parallels between the ways in which police departments and UW-Madison work have

COURTESY OF PINTEREST

emerged, claiming that both institutions seek to operate on their own terms while ensuring that “they have the power” and that “they have the authority.”

“With [the] UW administration, specifically, they do not want anything to happen unless it is under their decision making, on their terms and enacted in their ways,” Kennedy said, underscoring that this “is simply not how things should work in a public university.”

Student input is critical, according to Kennedy, as the university “works for [students].”

The COVID-19 Relief Fund — a point of contention among student activists and university officials this

semester — is just one example of UW’s lack of support for BIPOC student voice, said Kennedy.

“Everything being done was ways for [the university] to block what we were doing, ways for them to make sure that if we were making decisions it was on their terms, making sure that if we made decisions it would not be something that would be out of their control,” continued Kennedy.

Ultimately, Kennedy hopes that university administrators will take part in recognizing and acknowledging the urgency for change.

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MPD warns Mifflin residents to follow county health guidelines

By Molly Carmichael STAFF WRITER

The Madison Police Department released a statement this past Monday warning Mifflin residents that they will be monitoring the anticipated Mifflin Street Block Party. They threatened to hand out citations for individuals caught violating county health orders

and underage drinking.

The annual block party, which is not sanctioned or permitted by the City of Madison, is expected to take place on Saturday, April 24. MPD issued a letter to Mifflin residents this week, outlining the precautions that possible attendees must follow per Public Health Madison and Dane County

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIA WEBER

guidelines.

Following Emergency Order 15, which went into effect on April 7, indoor gatherings where food or drinks are offered are limited to 150 people while outdoor gatherings no longer have a limit. However, during both indoor and outdoor gatherings, participants must maintain six feet of physical distancing.

“Now is not the time to let our guard down,” PHMDC Communication Coordinator Morgan Finke said in an email to the Cardinal. “With more transmissible variants present in our community, we must continue to follow local guidelines; including wearing masks, washing hands and maintaining physical distancing.”

Public Health violations can result in a minimum fine of $376, the letter states.

Additionally, MPD said they will issue citations for alcohol and noiserelated offenses. These include: Underage drinking – If you look under 21 and have alcohol, you will be asked to provide proof of age.

(Mandatory Court and citation of $187 for first offense) Procuring Alcohol – If you provide

alcohol to someone who is not yet 21, you will be cited. This includes underage people who walk into your open home and help themselves to alcohol.

You are responsible for controlling who comes into your home and any alcohol you have in your residence. ($376 per violation per roommate) Dispensing Alcohol – You and your friends who are 21 or older can buy alcohol together and drink alcohol together, but you cannot resemble a bar. Any exchange of money for alcohol constitutes dispensing alcohol. ($681 per roommate) Open Intoxicants on Public Street – The ‘Public Street’ extends from the sidewalk across the street to the opposite sidewalk. No open alcohol is allowed in this area. ($313) Unreasonable Noise – Unreasonable noise can include anything from a loud individual person to loud music coming from speakers or other devices. ($187 per roommate) Last year, MPD implemented a harsher approach to enforce Gov. Evers’ Stay-At-Home Order, which asked Wisconsinites to avoid gatherings and stay in their place of residence

as much as possible — only to leave for essential business and operations.

UW-Madison plans to assist the city in enforcing public health measures, according to News and Media Relations correspondent Meredith McGlone.

“We support the City of Madison’s message to Mifflin Street residents and will assist them with holding students accountable through the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards,” McGlone told the Cardinal in an email.

Mifflin Street resident and UW-Madison senior Holly Anderson said that last week police stopped by her house and neighboring Basset households, explaining that partygoers should social distance and wear masks out on the sidewalk. Police also stated that households who have too many people in their yards could face fines.

“I’m really excited that Mifflin is a possibility this year, and I hope everyone is able to adhere to guidelines so we can all have the most fun possible,” Anderson said.

“…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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‘Allow us to do the work’: DNR wants funding for PFAS testing

By Hope Karnopp STATE NEWS EDITOR

Department of Natural Resources Secretary Preston Cole asked the state’s budget writing committee to support investments to address PFAS contamination across the state last week.

The “forever chemicals” are a group of chemicals, including PFOA and PFOS, that pose risks to human health. While PFAS are common in the environment, heightened levels have affected drinking water and fishing in communities around the state.

Residents of French Island, which sits on the Mississippi River and is part of the La Crosse Metropolitan Area recently received bottled water from the state after the Wisconsin Department of Health Services issued a drinking water advisory due to PFAS contamination.

The contamination likely stems from the La Crosse Regional Airport, where firefighting foam containing the chemicals have been tested and used.

“We have far too many people in far too many communities across the state of Wisconsin that are encumbered by PFAS in their drinking water, and we think that’s a high priority for public health,” Cole said.

PFAS have also been detected in Madison’s five lakes, affecting the fishing community. The DNR is testing fish samples and expects results this spring.

Gov. Tony Evers’ biennial budget recommends $2.1 million over two years for monitoring and testing, $20 million over two years in grants for local governments to test and remediate PFAS and $1 million to collect and dispose PFAS-containing firefighting foam.

“The opportunity there is to tackle this in earnest, we’re not the only

state that is tackling this,” Cole said.

“You have to know which water systems have it and which ones don’t.

We then target our work there, and set up protocols and standards for adherence.”

The budget also recommends adding 11 DNR staff positions to carry out the state’s PFAS Action Council Plan, which was delivered to Evers in December 2020.

Cole explained that beyond public health concerns, PFAS also pose an economic threat to communities where tourists hunt and fish.

“What our intent is to work with the public health officials to identify and hire people to do the testing because we have a nature-based outdoor economy,” Cole said.

The Joint Finance Committee plans to rewrite Evers’ budget and has begun hearing from agencies like the DNR and the public.

Republicans control the committee and plan to scrap some provisions in Evers’ proposal while the committee’s Democrats supported the governor’s plans.

“Today’s briefings showed that we are truly at a crossroads in Wisconsin,” Rep. Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, said. “When we invest in water quality by confronting PFAS contamination and the lead pipe crisis, we can protect the health and wellbeing of our kids and families.

Governor Evers’ budget chooses to invest in a better, brighter future so we all can bounce back from the COVID crisis.”

This week, Republicans passed bills that would require the governor to distribute federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act toward certain policies like broadband, but Evers is likely to veto the measures.

The governor has authority over the distribution of federal funding.

The Republicans’ bill that

addresses environmental concerns includes requiring the DNR to establish a program that would expand well testing programs. Sen. Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay, said that the items “represent strong consensus provisions related to water improvements that largely align with the Governor’s budget proposal.”

The science behind PFAS Research suggests that exposure to PFAS can increase choles-

“We have far too many people in far too many communities across the state of Wisconsin that are encumbered by PFAS in their drinking water, and we think...”

Preston Cole Department of Natural Resources Secretary

terol levels, affect fertility and lower infant birth rates, according to the Wisconsin DHS. Once PFAS are detected in groundwater, they are hard to get rid of, explained UW-Madison engineering professor Christy Remucal, who has conducted research on PFAS contamination in the Marinette area.

“One of the things that’s really challenging with this group of chemicals is that they are really, really persistent.

They last a really long time. Compared to a lot of contaminants that we know how to deal with, they’re really hard to remove,” Remucal said.

Remucal explained that for places like French Island, the long-term solution is to either find a new water source or develop a treatment approach.

Remucal said that because the

chemicals have been used for decades, they move around in the environment and are found “pretty much everywhere that we look.” The real concern is the high levels in places like French Island, compared to areas with lower concentrations like Madison.

“The thing is, of course, how much there are in different places,” she explained. “If you look at our drinking water in Madison, our water utility has done a really good job of measuring for these chemicals and making that data publicly available.”

Beyond groundwater, Remucal explained that PFOS especially bioaccumulates in fish, leading to advisories for places like Starkweather Creek in Madison.

“If you think about a lot of these sites, say at the airport, you get this contamination in the groundwater, groundwater moves really slowly, it takes a long time to hit these rivers.

Those problems are going to be with us for a long time, even pollution that happened decades ago,” she said.

Establishing standards Remucal said that scientists want to see regulations at the federal level, but that states have been “taking matters into their own hands” and developing their own regulations.

The EPA is moving forward on regulating PFOS and PFOA, but established a health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has recommended a standard of 20 parts per trillion.

U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., whose district includes La Crosse and French Island, helped introduce legislation Tuesday that would require the EPA to establish a national drinking water standard for PFOA and PFOS within two years, among other provisions.

“PFAS pose serious and very real risk to human health and our environment — it’s something my neighbors on French Island are dealing with at

this very moment — and we need all hands on deck to tackle this growing crisis,” Kind said. “This legislation will set drinking water standards and designate these chemicals as hazardous to allow the EPA to help clean up contaminated sites in Wisconsin and across the country.”

The DNR is in the process of developing standards for PFAS in surface water, groundwater and drinking water, which will eventually require approval from Republicans in the legislature.

Legal and legislative battles Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the state’s largest business lobbying group, has argued in court that the agency does not have the authority to conduct testing without standards in place.

WMC and the DNR recently reached an agreement not to publicly release the results of wastewater sampling. The DNR can publish data that does not link the results to a specific facility, address or county.

WMC had filed lawsuits against the DNR for conducting wastewater sampling for PFAS and requiring businesses to investigate and cleanup PFAS in state environmental programs, WPR reported.

At the budget briefing, Cole explained that the DNR is “not trying to run anyone out of business” and noted that companies are investing in firefighting foams that do not contain PFAS. In December, the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules suspended parts of a DNR emergency rule that would prohibit most uses of firefighting foams with PFAS. It could still be used in training if containment, treatment, disposal and storage measures are in place.

The DNR was directed to

PFAS page 3

PAVE arranges twelve events for Sexual Assault Awareness

By Ellie Nowakowski STAFF WRITER

The student organization Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment (PAVE) is working to inform and empower the campus community to stand up against sexual assault during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

During the month of April, PAVE will host 12 events and is hopeful about turnout following events that already occurred.

The group hopes that by leading workshops and hosting events, they will educate and connect with a wide audience to start conversations about sexual assault, said PAVE chair Eli Tsarovsky.

Having started under new leadership in the fall and worked without a full team until January, PAVE set lofty goals that have come fruition throughout April.

“It’s like a dream,” Tsarovsky said. “We took an organization that had essentially zero people and have just made it something really exciting.”

Throughout the month, PAVE has co-hosted and sponsored events with different groups across campus. On April 28, it will round out SAAM

with a Denim Day march that is cosponsored by the Office of

“I think the biggest thing I want to come out of this is just building an environment on this campus that is just much more empathetic and caring of each other, really seeing...”

Eli Tsarovsky PAVE Chair

Fraternity and Sorority Life.

“I think the biggest thing that I want to come out of this is just building an environment on this campus that is just much more like empathetic and caring of each other, really seeing people’s humanity,” Tsarovsky said. “We can have these hard conversations, and we can actually make change happen on campus.”

PAVE has embraced the shift to online meetings this year, sourcing a variety of speakers and drawing much larger audiences than they have in the past.

Chanel Miller, author of “Know My Name: A Memoir”

about her experience as a survivor, spoke to students Monday via Zoom at an event that drew over 100 attendees.

“Something we’ve noticed so far, is events have been really successful, educational, impactful, and that the people who stand to benefit from the most have actually been showing up finally,” said Alyssa Bokotey, a member of the PAVE peer education program. “Which is what we’ve been working towards.”

Other PAVE members echoed Bokotey’s excitement about attendance and engagement for SAAM events thus far.

Reaching a wider audience is something PAVE has struggled with in the past, Bokotey said.

“To get to this place that we’re at where we have so many events, and so many people are showing up and are willing to take part in the conversation, to me, indicates that there is broader change that’s happening, (and) indicates to me that we are successful in our mission,” said PAVE Peer Education Coordinator Rachel Pomazal.

Reaching wider audiences has been a trend for PAVE, which had to significantly restructure over the past academic year.

Aside from greater and wider attendance, the group has seen social media engagement and hosted a number of workshops that have exceeded their expectations, Tsarovsky said.

“This semester in general I think we’ve done a really good job of calling folks in instead of calling them out,” Pomazel

said. “Populations who we may generally think of as someone who might be a perpetrator or might be part of a culture that is problematic. I think we’ve done a really good job of calling those folks into the conversation and giving them a seat at the table because it is their problem too, and we do have space for them.”

IMAGE COURTESY OF PAVE-UW

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Madison’s student activists prioritize community over self

By Cailyn Schiltz STAFF WRITER

Fifty minutes. That’s the amount of time that Sam Jorudd spent on his brief spring break in a meeting with the University of WisconsinMadison’s administration.

As the Chair of ASM’s Grants Allocation Committee and a junior at UW, Jorudd had been working to ensure that the University properly allocated emergency relief grants to students. He and the rest of the GAC noticed that the University had received these funds, but not dispersed them.

Jorudd has tried to meet with Laurent Heller, the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, for the past two semesters, but Jorudd says Heller consistently refuses.

“Everyone who was there wasn’t able to provide us with any information we didn’t already know. The student portion of the federal funding that’s already been spent—it’s gone,” Jorudd said. “I guess we didn’t really discover that; we had an inkling already. I actually had that meeting during the time that I would have class today. That meeting went longer than class did. I spent my only 50 minutes off in a meeting with [the] administration.”

UW-Madison student advocates, organizers and activists like Jorudd are balancing classwork, jobs and preparation for graduation on top of fighting for social justice and basic student needs.

This often takes the form of attending meetings that run until 3 a.m., attending and organizing marches, researching complex legislation and battling pushback from powerful figures like University administrators and city staff. They have to burn the candle at every end, but their wicks are getting dangerously short.

The COVID-19 pandemic added to this stress with online classes, social isolation, financial insecurity and limited job prospects for graduates. On top of that, UW-Madison opted for a reduced spring break by canceling classes from Friday, April 2, to Sunday, April 4, to discourage students from traveling.

However, UW-Madison failed to account for the students who use spring break as a time to rest and recharge.

“The unfortunate truth for me is that I want good grades, money, no racism, no prejudice within the university, money for students who need it and the list goes on and on,” Jorudd said. “For me, it’s more stressful standing by and being complacent.”

Student activists have more on their plates than the average student, especially during a semester defined by a pandemic. That can corrode mental and physical health while rippling out to color every aspect of someone’s life.

This can lead to burnout, a severe stress condition identified by exhaustion, isolation and irritability.

Burnout is common in people with high-stress jobs and environments, and it not only affects people’s mental health, but can have detrimental effects on physical health too from headaches to loss of sleep.

A study done in 2020 by Paul Gorski of George Mason University examined the main causes of burnout among racial justice activists.

He identified four major causes for burnout in activists of diverse age, gender and race: structural, emotional-dispositional, backlash and inmovement causes.

Structural Changes The structure of American political and legal systems can make activism, especially for racial justice, a Sisyphean challenge.

Madison’s activists feel that changing an oppressive system from within is not only exhausting, but almost impossible.

“It’s running into the same goddamn wall over and over and over again, just to get something through or an idea through,” said Elena Haasl, a UW-Madison student and Dane County’s District 5 Supervisor.

Haasl is the only student on the Board of Supervisors. Their colleagues are at least twice their age, and some have been on the board since the 1980s.

According to Haasl, the Board is unreceptive to the urgent concerns of younger generations, leaving them as the sole advocate for students in the Madison area.

Haasl’s ideas often get dismissed as “idealistic” or “unrealistic,” but they believe that the Board of Supervisors has the power to enact change that reflects the concerns and serves the well-being of Dane County.

They are currently advocating for stopping the construction of Dane County’s new jail project. Haasl and some other supervisors believe that the time, money and energy spent on incarceration would be better spent on meeting community needs.

“What if we just didn’t build it?”

Haasl said. “We can still turn this ship around, if there’s people willing to recognize that and empathize with that and get out of the mindset that it’s just not possible.”

These structural barriers to change have left Haasl frustrated and burnt-out, though they still feel that their electoral and advocacy work is worth the stress.

“There’s a lot of things that just make it worth it,” Haasl said. “In my class, I brought up the jail project and I had people messaging me asking ‘Wait, how can I get involved in this?’

It’s rewarding to see people recognize the work and recognize that they have a part in it too. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

Emotional Toll Emotional attachment to a cause can drive an activist’s passion to create change, but it can also foster feelings of exhaustion and burnout among activists.

According to Gorki’s study, when focusing on racial justice movements, activists of color often deal with more of this kind of burnout because they have to deal with the added stress of both living with and fighting white supremacy.

BIPOC Coalition co-founder and District 8 Alder-elect Juliana Bennett has strong personal ties to her activism and political involvement. The Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020 sparked her desire to make Madison a more equitable and welcoming space for everyone— especially Black and Indigenous people of color. “[Police brutality] scares the living shit out of me. When I see George Floyd, I see my dad. When I see Breonna Taylor, I see myself. I see my cousins,” Bennett said. “The things that we take on, they’re really heavy issues. There’s a lot riding on it and if you don’t do it, who else is going to do it?”

This personal tie led Bennett and other UW-Madison students to found the BIPOC Coalition.

The BIPOC Coalition collabo-

rates with other identity-based student and city groups to uplift racially diverse voices and advocate for actionable change towards a more inclusive campus. Since its founding this past fall, the BIPOC Coalition has organized marches and events, worked with the Associated Students of Madison to improve the University’s COVID response and coordinated donations and supply drives for community organizations.

Bennett has been so involved with ASM, the BIPOC Coalition and her recent campaign for District 8 Alder that she feels it has bled into every aspect of her life. She often has to prioritize her activist work over her education.

“Sometimes it does feel like school is an extracurricular activity.

It’s tough when you know that what you’re doing is making real-world, actual change,” Bennett said.

Bennett feels fatigued from her full plate, but not burnt out quite yet.

She finds joy and support in the community of activists she has helped to create within the BIPOC Coalition and her campaign team.

Backlash ASM Chair Matthew Mitnick has worked closely with Bennett and the BIPOC Coalition, and his activist interpretation of his role has sparked controversy.

Mitnick faced backlash from the university administration in meetings and on social media, which is another leading cause of activist burnout.

Although he admits this year has been challenging, Mitnick remains stoic and tries to keep his emotions separate from his work.

In light of student organizations coming together against the UWPD last year, Mitnick announced via Twitter on Oct. 12 that he, too, personally supported abolishing the department.

The official campus police account responded, stating that Mitnick was sending them “#mixed messages” by saying he was in favor of abolishing UWPD while also being a part of ASM’s reform efforts.

Mitnick saw this as a personal attack from an administrative body towards a student, and found it unacceptable. “By [writing] that tweet, they made it about me, which then put us in a pretty bad position...I mean, that was intentional,” Mitnick said.

When Mitnick brought his concerns to other administrators, he felt no support. Christina Olstad, the Dean of Students, even sent Mitnick a list of mental health resources.

“That’s when it [became clear] to me that these people really will do anything to suppress any sort of student advocacy,” he recalled. “They make you feel like you’re the issue.”

Mitnick, Bennett and other student activists have found a recent group therapy session with University Health Services to be cathartic and helpful.

It started as a conversation with UHS about crisis response teams, but when Mitnick mentioned how Olstad referred mental health resources to him, UHS offered to hold a group therapy session for them. The activists opened up to one another and discussed their self-care strategies, or lack thereof.

Madison’s activist communities look out for each other. According to Bennett, the BIPOC Coalition members always check in with each other to make sure their colleagues

are fed, hydrated and rested, but are less consistent in checking in with themselves.

Many of Madison’s student activists cited both accomplishing change and building a supportive community with other activists as reasons why they continue to do this stressful, exhausting work.

In-movement causes Gorki’s final cause for activist burnout comes from within activist groups.

Egos clash and energy gets directed towards competition and in-fighting rather than the cause at hand. Jorudd, Bennett, Hassl and Mitnick all acknowledged that even the healthiest activist groups can run into “drama,” but they seem to have an overwhelmingly positive relationship with one another. They accept each other’s non-traditional coping mechanisms, from spontaneous bang trims to tattoos.

Ultimately, activist work has brought Madison’s student activists sleep deprivation, eye strain and tense muscles, but it has also created a community of people who genuinely care about each other and wwtheir causes.

As Bennett is sworn in on April 20, she will be promising to serve as the Dis. 8 alder for the next two years—something the past three alders to represent the UW campus have not done.

Avra Reddy stepped down in 2019 after serving six months, citing a family illness, and Sally Rohrer served as the interim Dis. 8 for five

months until an April election could be held.

Max Prestigiacomo ran uncontested, and while he initially stated that he planned to run again, he made the ultimate decision to move on from the Common Council after his special one-year term was completed.

Prestigiacomo cited burnout and a desire to be more involved with community organizing as his reasoning for doing so. He also wanted to step aside to make space for more BIPOC representation in government.

Prestigiacomo noted that it was uncomfortable to be vulnerable as a politician; talking candidly about his mental health opened him up for criticism and manipulation rather than support.

Still, Prestigiacomo feels optimistic that the next generation of alders, especially Bennett, can begin to normalize self-care and community needs in local government and activist work, changing the system for the better.

“The advice I’m going to be giving to my successor is that I’ve started to feel how being vulnerable and just acknowledging those feelings [is important], and also having friends to talk with about it who are, to be frank, also involved in politics,” said Prestigiacomo. “I don’t think I could talk to some of my friends that aren’t going to every council meeting about what I’m feeling. Maybe I could, but I think there are others that could help relate more.”

GRAPHIC BY LYRA EVANS

+PFAS develop the rule a year ago after Evers signed a mea-

“The state should work on getting the fire fighting foams ‘off the landscape’ and that the DNR...”

Preston Cole Department of Natural Resources Secretary

sure that was supported by Republican lawmakers to limit the use of the foam.

The WMC told the Cap Times that the proposed detection levels in treated wastewater was where the rule went too far, explaining

that an amendment proposed

by Democrats that would require the DNR to establish levels and standards previously failed.

Cole said that the state should work on getting the fire fighting foams “off the landscape” and that the DNR has been working with fire chiefs to meet that goal.

Two bills in the Assembly and Senate would require the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to collect and store or dispose of foams that contain PFAS. The bills are currently in committees and are supported by both Republicans and Democrats.

sports No. 1 Badgers face 19-1 Weber State in initial match of NCAA tournament l

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Thursday, April 15, 2021

By Ellie Nowakowski STAFF WRITER

After a pristine season, No. 1 Wisconsin (15-0) will face off against Weber State (19-1) in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The Badgers are no strangers to the tournament, and are favored to win after coming in second last season. Weber State beat Bowling Green (22-2) in four sets Wednesday to secure its first ever NCAA tournament match win in program history.

“I know what these players are probably feeling like for Bowling Green and Weber State, you know the first time any of those players have ever experienced the NCAA tournament and it’s such a special, special thing,” Wisconsin head coach Kelly Sheffield said. “It’s not something that anybody should take for granted and I know our players don’t.”

The Wildcats have had a strong season, winning the Big Sky Tournament Championship and going nearly undefeated.

Wildcat outside hitter and libero Rylan Adams has recorded 330 kills this season, and leads both teams with an average of 4.40 kills per set.

The senior’s hitting is inconsistent across games, and her hitting percentage is .229 for the season.

Middle blocker Sam Schiess had led Wildcat defensive

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efforts this season, averaging 1.13 blocks per set. Outside hitter Makayla Sorensen has recorded 304 digs for the Wildcats, leading both teams with an average of 4.05 digs per set.

Other strong players for the Wildcats are outside hitter Dani Nay, with 3.36 digs per set, and middle blocker Carline Broadhead, with 0.84 blocks per set.

Weber State heads into the match having played more than twice as many matches this season as the Badgers, but having never seen a second round at the NCAA tournament.

After a first round bye, the Badgers will look to continue their undefeated season and advance to the third round of the tournament.

During the unusual season, the Badgers faced more than a month of cancelled games before returning to their regularly scheduled season to finish off with two sweeps of Michigan State.

“The timing of all of this stuff, as funky as it’s been, has probably worked out a pretty good situation for us,” Sheffield said. “It’s allowed us some time to ramp up and get going.”

Much like the regular season, the tournament will look different this season due to COVID-19 precautions.

“We’re just excited that we

DIANE NORDSTROM /UW ATHLETICS

Liz Gregorski lines up a serve at the UW Field House. The Badgers didn't lose a single regular season match. get an opportunity to play, and whatever way we can do that we’re happy,” Hilley said.

The Badgers won their second consecutive Big Ten Championship title this season, despite playing just 15 of 24 scheduled games.

Seven Badger players received All-Big Ten Conference honors, including Sydney Hilley who was named the Big Ten Setter of the Year.

Middle Blocker Dana Rettke

was named AVCA Northeast Regional Player of the Year for the second season in a row.

Initially, broadcast teams were set to come in starting at regional semifinals, but the first and second rounds were to be played without. However, all match play is now covered and will have live commentators on ESPN, the network announced Friday.

“There will be so many teams there and a lot of players

that this is the only time they have ever been in the NCAA tournament and maybe the only time they will ever be in the NCAA tournament and it’s going to come across like a high school type of deal,” Sheffield said. “It should feel special and for a lot of people that won’t be the case.”

Wisconsin will play Weber State April 15 at 6 p.m. at CHI Health Center Convention Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

Brad Davison announces return to Madison for one final season

By Joe Rickles SPORTS EDITOR

TAYLOR WOLFRAM/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Davison in a home game against the Minnesota Gophers back in 2020.

[In a statement released Wednesday, fifth-year guard Brad Davison announced that he would be returning to the Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball team for a final season.

The 21-year-old Davison said “there is no place I would rather be than Madison,” and that he’s “grateful” to have the chance for one final season.

This extra year of eligibility was granted by the NCAA to all players who participated in the COVID-riddled 2020-21 college basketball season. Davison is the only member of the Badgers’ veteran roster who took this option to return to Madison. Micah Potter, D’Mitrik Trice and Nate Reuvers all opted to turn professional while Trevor Anderson and Walt McGrory opted to seek more playing time elsewhere.

Anderson will play next year at Valparaiso and McGrory will play at South Dakota.

Davison’s career at Wisconsin has been complicated. He has started 124 of the 128 games that he’s played, but hasn’t really met the standards he set for himself his freshman year. His freshman season saw him notch career highs in points and assists per game as well as field goal percentage en

route to a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman team.

While starting all 31 games the Badgers played in 2020-21, Davison posted a career-low 34.5% shooting percentage, in part thanks to an abysmal season from two-point range. But as usual with Davison, that’s far from the full story.

Despite the low shooting percentage, Davison had a career-best season from distance, shooting 38.9%, a full three percent higher than his previous best. In addition, Davison did a much better job taking care of the ball than he had in the past; 2.4 assists and 0.9 turnovers per game gave him a 2.7 assist/turnover ratio, by far the best of his career.

And even with a career low in free throw attempts, Davison missed only ten free throws the entire season to give him a career-best free throw percentage of 86.8%.

There’s no debate that those numbers, while good, aren’t magnificent. But as anyone close to the Badgers will tell you, the numbers barely scratch the surface of what Davison brings to his team.

Brad Davison is the kind of player you’d love to have on your team, but hate to play against.

His reputation precedes him

across the Big Ten, but inside the Kohl Center he’s one of the most beloved players on the team. This was exemplified last season after the Badgers lost to Iowa in part thanks to a controversial foul call, sending head coach Greg Gard into an incredibly rare outburst in support of Davison.

Wisconsin’s roster next season will look drastically different from the old souls that populated the court last season. Youth will be plentiful at the guard spots thanks to incoming freshman Chucky Hepburn and sophomore Lorne Bowman II, who sat out last year due to personal reasons. The pair of big men that Badger fans grew to know for years, Potter and Reuvers, are both gone as well, opening the door for Steven Crowl and Ben Carlson down low.

Davison and freshman Jonathan Davis represent the only two rotation players from last year who are set to return to Madison. The rest of the Badgers’ 2021-22 roster will include new recruits, players that rode the bench, and perhaps a few transfers. Davison’s return gives a sense of sameness and consistency to the coaching staff and Badger fans alike: an usher into the new age of Wisconsin basketball.

arts

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‘Ted Lasso’ gives viewers hope

By John Bildings STAFF WRITER

I broke my leg a few weeks ago.

A fluke involving a Saturday afternoon pickup basketball game with my roommates, I traveled back to my home in Green Bay to visit a local orthopedic surgeon and get the diagnosis on my fractured fibula. No surgery - but non-weight-bearing and a hard cast for the next four weeks.

I was crushed. Here I was, in the last half of my final semester at UW, and I was stuck, once again, in my parent’s basement almost one year exactly after shutdowns ended my time on campus last spring. Slightly depressed and more than irritated at my seemingly lived-in “Groundhog Day” scenario, I tried to do what I know best — turn my attention towards pop culture and try to find something to distract myself from the pain I felt in both my leg and heart.

Yet almost as if it was fate, “Ted Lasso” turned out to be just the medicine the doctor had ordered.

Released back in September, “Lasso” has a straightforward logline. Ted, played by SNL alum and comedy staple Jason Sudeikis (“We’re The Millers” and ”Horrible Bosses”), is a college football coach and national champion at Wichita State University who receives a strange proposition — move to England and become the next coach of the Premier League’s fictitious AFC Richmond squad, despite never having played, coached or borderline touched a soccer ball in his life.

Built on the legacy of an NBC Sports campaign released in 2013 to promote the network’s new coverage of the league, I heard positive buzz about the show when it premiered but never managed to catch it during a fall filled with strange times and too many things to watch.

Showrunner and creator Bill Lawrence’s other sitcoms, namely “Scrubs” and “Spin City,” have never really moved the needle for me.

While the thought of upgrad-

COURTESY OF APPLE TV+

Jason Sudekis is Ted, a former football coach thrown into the Premier League in Apple TV's "Ted Lasso." ing my iPhone for a free year’s worth of Apple TV+ was tempting, it wasn’t until I was confined between my couch, bed and a support stool for daily showers that I realized $4.99 per month wouldn’t be quite so bad.

That decision may have turned out to be one of the best I’ve made, as the journey that Ted and company take us along is the most wholesome and heartwarming I’ve been treated to in years.

Playing off a “fish out of water” trope that seems to work less and less these days, the series begins by revealing that AFC Richmond owner and new divorcee Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) has only decided to hire the Southern drawling, mustached Lasso to ruin the team and stick it to her ex-husband Rupert Mannion.

Hoping to bring to pieces what she says is the only thing he loves, she believes that exploiting Ted’s inexperience is the only way to do so. Set for failure from the second he enters the locker room, Lasso faces criticism and sabotage on behalf of management, local reporters and the Richmond community at large in the early stages — most of which comes from aging captain and legendary footballer Roy Kent (BrentGoldstein), as well as

hotshot Manchester City transfer and rising playboy superstar Jaime Tartt (Phil Dunster).

Neither willing to adjust to Ted’s attitude and complete lack of awareness on the pitch, the miserable squad loses their first few games in embarrassing fashion before finding themselves on the brink of relegation at the halfway point of the season, and it soon seems as though we’re heading towards a quick conclusion to Lasso’s period coaching across the pond.

But folks in Richmond don’t know what Ted — a fellow filled with optimism and positivity galore — is capable of doing when he wants to make everyone around him better on and off the pitch.

Recognizing the talent his team possesses and making several curious personnel and strategy decisions in the following weeks, the American coach manages to slowly turn his numerous doubters into supporters through his infectious personality, enriching spirit and relentless enthusiasm towards whatever new challenges, big and small, the ragtag football squad faces.

Whether it be through a revealing days’ worth of interviews that wins over remorseless team beat reporter Trent Crimm, a late-night bonding

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Ted becomes head coach of the fictional team AFC Richmond, who have a rocky start to their season.

session to expel a curse that haunts the team training room and finally helps Roy Kent emerge from isolation or delivery of freshly baked biscuits to the woman who hired him purely to fail each morning — Ted shows that what he may lack in soccer knowledge, he more than makes up for in heart.

Inspiring his players and staff members to become the best version of themselves, he steers the club towards personal and professional victories aplenty as the playoffs soon approach, all the while painting a smile over his face as he deals with his own personal issues apart from his family back home in America.

As most sports-driven tales do, the season comes down to a “win or go home” match — and while I won’t reveal the outcome for Richmond, the post-game speech that Lasso delivers perfectly symbolizes the way he’s handled every single hurdle thrown his direction.

In a world where the ability to avoid dramedy feels impossible, Sudeikis gives a nourishing performance more than worthy of his Golden Globe victory in February.

Had I not already recognized him as the most undervalued player on a stacked mid-2000’s SNL cast that featured Andy Samberg, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig and more — his turn as Lasso more than does the trick in that regard.

With 30-minute episodes that can be watched as a late-night snack before bed or when you just need to decompress during the most difficult stretches of a semester that has left most of us frustrated, confused and completely exhausted — “Ted Lasso” might sound too unoriginal and predictable to be meaningful, but that basic “we can do this” spirit is what makes it all the more pleasurable to watch.

It’s an old-fashioned show about finding new family and forging new friendships, hidden among football kits and crazy soccer fans. And even if I would have re-broken my leg in frustration when the credits rolled, there would still be a smile on my face.

You can find all 10 episodes of “Ted Lasso” streaming on AppleTV+ right now.

science Cooperation: The future of WI wildlife 6

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“That land is a community is the basic concept of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics.”

— Aldo Leopold, “A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There”

By Gavin Schopf SCIENCE EDITOR

Aldo Leopold penned the foreword to his A Sand County Almanac on March 4, 1948, in Madison, Wis. In the closing essay, titled “The Land Ethic,” Leopold deemed the extension of ethics to the land a necessity in ecological decision making.

Ethics rest upon “The Community Concept,” as Leopold wrote. This concept emphasized “that the individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts.” The land ethic proposes a land-community to which humans, soils, waters, plants and animals are fellow citizens.

Leopold’s work as a thinker, writer, teacher and conservationist “brought the world to his Wisconsin door,” University Housing wrote in a biography about the man. With foreign, federal and state agencies at the door, Leopold and others recognized the need to support future generations of natural resource managers. In 1935, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Cooperative Research Units program was established.

“You have to bring Aldo into the conversation,” said Christine Ribic, unit leader of the Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife

If Leopold brought the world to his Wisconsin door, the Unit program ensured it stayed. While the Unit program reaches out to the entire United States, the WCWRU is specific to Wisconsin.

However, research efforts of the WCWRU and its cooperators have been implemented at the state, national and international levels.

“Think of a three-tier stepping stool,” Ribic said. “One step is the university, another is the Department of Natural Resources and the third is the federal government.”

The Unit program has bolstered bipartisan support in Congress as a result of the technical expertise and resources it brings from the federal to state level of resource management. It has continued to grow since its inception, and this year will welcome Nevada as the 40th state to join the program.

“The Unit program is collaborative and it is a real good example of how when you work together, you can do more than when you work alone,” Ribic said.

Landscape ecology Grassland bird conservation, ecology and climate change adaptation are among areas Ribic has focused her research.

USGS Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit

dently. Focusing on landscape, rather than patch, management better serves animals who respond to the landscape.

The WDNR has applied findings on the landscape management of grassland birds by working within focal landscapes.

“Having our work with the WDNR actually be important enough to influence management has been rewarding, that rarely happens,” Ribic said.

Chronic wasting disease In recent years, disease ecology has become a focus of the WCWRU research portfolio.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD)

in free-ranging deer, and develop research to facilitate and refine CWD management actions,” according to UW Ecology.

Informed chronic wasting disease management requires an understanding of disease transmission and survival rates, the impact of disease at the population level, the role of movement and behavior in disease spread, the role of genetics in disease dynamics and CWD management techniques.

“Please notify the DNR if you see a sick or dead deer or multiple dead deer in any one area,” the WDNR asks. A list of clinical signs of CWD can be found on the department website, along with statewide sampling locations for hunters.

The next generation Unit Leader Ribic and the assistant leader of the WCWRU are federally employed by (USGS) . They are also — by appointment — members of the University of Wisconsin graduate faculty.

Her project, in cooperation with the WDNR, was interested in explaining how rotational grazing of cattle acts as a buffer to water quality. The research team quickly noticed patterns they could not explain — patterns larger than buffers and water quality. Designing a larger project allowed the student to address questions through landscape level ecology.

She questioned the relationship between continuously grazing cattle and the use of pastures by bird communities.

Once again, the question was larger than Ribic and the student thought. Eventually, they found that grassland bird communities depended heavily on the number of trees supported by the landscape.

“It was because of her curiosity and my curiosity,” Ribic recalled.

An interest in graduate work is the “entrée” to the Unit Program, Ribic said. This interest, paired with resource man-

COURTESY OF THE U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE

WCWRU collaborators are performing research to learn about chronic wasting disease, a neurodegenerative disease affecting cervids in Wisconsin.

ALDO LEOPOLD FOUNDATION/UW ARCHIVES

Years before the publication of his "A Sand County Almanac," introducing the land ethic, Aldo Leopold (photographed in 1947) helped establish the USGS Cooperative Research Units program.

Research Unit (WCWRU).

The Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit In 1972, four cooperators signed a formal Cooperative Agreement that established the WCWRU. The cooperators include the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Wildlife Management Institute and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“The mission of the Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit is to train the next generation of natural resource professionals and do research that is of interest to the state,” Ribic said, continuing on to say that this is where the cooperation comes in.

“I always wanted to work with animals, and I have. I have worked on a wide variety of species and that is what keeps me going,” she said.

Grassland birds, the American beaver and the pond salamander are among the species that have led Ribic to focus her research on landscape scale management. Ribic and her colleagues have been so impactful to this field that a WDNR manager once told them that, if their findings were accurate, “we should change the way we manage grassland birds.”

Traditionally, the work and implementation of wildlife research was disjointed, she said. Patches of wildlife around the state were managed indepen-

is an infectious and fatal disease affecting white-tailed deer, mule deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Shira’s Moose and reindeer, according to the UW Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology.

CWD is transmitted by direct cervid-cervid (deer-deer) contact or through environmental reservoirs. When infected, mis-folded proteins called prions aggregate, causing cervids to lose nervous system function. A variety of symptoms including weight loss and behavioral changes may occur as a result.

Collaborative research between the University of Wisconsin, WDNR and USGS National Wildlife Health Center is being performed to “improve our scientific knowledge of CWD

CAROLYN BYERS

Thanks to landscape ecology, wildlife managers know the bobolink is a grassland bird who avoids pastures surrounded by too many woodlots.

As unpaid members of the graduate faculty, Unit members are able to be major professors and mentors of graduate students. The University of Wisconsin also has many mechanisms for interacting with undergraduates informally during their first research experiences, Ribic said.

Graduate level or higher student students working on research initiatives also have the ability to begin a small side project of their interest.

In fact, one of the first graduates that Ribic worked with turned her side project into her Ph.D. work.

agement and applied ecology, is a recipe for work in the Unit program. Seeking out universities that offer the opportunity and getting in touch with Unit members is a good start.

“These projects are about applying group work to get more done for the benefit of society and the environment,” Ribic said.

Students who join the program get a firsthand look at landscape ecology applied to resource management. States reap the benefits too, with many trainees going into natural resource agencies following their time with the Unit.

opinion America needs more organized labor dailycardinal.com

By Philip Klinker STAFF WRITER

In Harlan County, Ky., the history of labor struggles runs deep.

The county, once a center of coal mining in the U.S., was the setting of the one of the largest labor actions in the country’s history. At the outset of the Great Depression,

Thursday, April 15, 2021

the Harlan County War. Still, the miners persisted after the violence died down. The passage of 1935’s pro-labor Wagner Act bolstered union power in the U.S. and unionization rates skyrocketed. UMW became one of the strongest unions in the country and mine workers one of the most

PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR USER SCOTT LEWIS VIA CREATIVE COMMONS

View of an Amazon warehouse, where union efforts have been stifled. miners attempting to organize under the United Mine Workers faced almost every union busting tactic in the book.

The mining bosses employed private muscle, the county’s crooked sheriff and eventually Kentucky National Guard troops to stop the miners from organizing. Strikers and union busters skirmished for months, resulting in the deaths of police and strikebreakers as well as the lead mining organizer, Harry Simms. The events would be immortalized in the labor hymn, “Which Side Are You On?” and would later become known as Bloody Harlan or simply

organized professions.

The number of unionized workers continued to grow until it peaked in the mid-1940s. Workers’ power had never been greater. Then, just as legislation had given labor a seat at the table, legislation took that seat away. The 1947 Taft-Hartley Act gutted unions’ ability to organize and wield power. Unionization rates fell sharply and now stand at around 10% of workers.

What does this history lesson have to do with today? Over the last few months, workers and organizers in Bessemer, Ala. attempted to unionize thousands of workers at an Amazon

plant. Organizers with the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) faced every legal — and a couple illegal — union busting tactic in the book.

Management hired off-duty cops to moonlight as security with a badge, a gun and a marked police car. They held captive audiences of on-the-clock workers and showed them hours of anti-union propaganda. They got the city to streamline traffic lights leading to the plant so organizers had less time to pass out union literature at red lights.

They illegally obtained a union ballot drop box inside the facility and at time of writing, the postmaster of Bessemer has not clarified who all had keys to the box.

Even with all this, the union drive seemed like a fair fight for a while. National politicians endorsed the union drive and even President Biden alluded to supporting it. In the end, the union drive was crushed with only around 30% of ballots cast in favor of unionizing.

Despite a renewed public interest in organized labor, despite the largest strike wave in the U.S. since the 1940s, the Amazon union drive was firmly quashed. And honestly, when I heard, I was surprised. Then I was sad for the workers. Then I was mad at Amazon. Then I was mad at myself for being surprised.

Taft-Hartley is still the law of the land and as long as it is, this will be the likeliest outcome of any union drive — no matter the public pressure or scrutiny.

Labor needs structural, fundamental change to regain its power in American politics.

As helpful and even life-saving as something like a stimulus check can be, giving more people the ability to organize their workplaces,

the ability to collectively bargain for the working conditions and wages they deserve would be a far greater triumph for working people. Give someone a fish, they eat for a day. Teach them to fish, and they eat for a lifetime.

This is why the most groundbreaking legislation in Congress right now is the Protecting the Right to Organize, or PRO Act. The bill repeals much of Taft-Hartley and would unshackle the hands of organized labor.

If the bill passes, the so-called “Right to Work” laws at the state level would be null and void. These “Right to Work’’ laws allow nonunion workers to enjoy the benefits of working in a union shop — higher wages, benefits, safer conditions etc. — while not paying dues to the union. This weakens the power and bargaining position of a union.

This is why “Right to Work” laws have been a favorite tactic of anti-worker politicians. The PRO Act would also crack down on the kind of union election tampering that is rampant today and impose stiffer penalties on companies that engage in union busting.

Usually transformative legislation like the PRO Act doesn’t get very far. Medicare for All, for example, hasn’t even had a vote on the House floor, but the PRO Act passed the House with more bipartisan support than the stimulus bill.

Let me repeat that: The PRO Act was more popular in the house than literally giving people free money.

The bill is now at the Senate, where progressive reforms go to die. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said that when the bill has 50 co-sponsors (it now has 45) he will put it up to a floor vote.

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President Biden has said he will sign the bill into law if it comes across his desk.

The House Republicans who broke from their caucus to vote for the PRO Act were from the more industrial and heavily unionized states of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Even in their shrunken, emaciated state, unions still hold enough sway that Republicans from union states felt pressure to vote for it. Imagine how much pressure labor could put on Congress if it passes. Wages could go up, healthcare could be universal and infrastructure could be modernized.

The failure of the union drive in Bessemer shows that for labor to make the resurgence it’s primed to make, it needs the structural change of the PRO Act. When workers are able to collectively bargain it gives them a fighting chance against the stifling economic and social inequality that plagues American society.

Politics is too important to be left to the politicians. If union power grew in America, people wouldn’t need to hope against hope that some politician in an unfair system would deign to fight for progress.

People could participate in economic and social change first hand rather than put on an “I Voted!” sticker every two years in November and pray something changes. If the PRO Act passes, working people could bargain, strike, picket and agitate for the wages and conditions they deserve.

Philip is a junior studying journalism. Do you think we need more labor unions? Do you think we should pass the PRO Act? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

Meditation is sorely needed on the UW-Madison campus

By Abdullah Marei STAFF WRITER

As we approach the end of this semester, many students are left burned out, exhausted and overwhelmed with the seemingly endless demands of college. Coupled with the increasingly demanding academics, the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated students’ existing feelings of continuous stress. In fact, 71% of college students have indicated increased anxiety due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, more than ever, it is essential for students to find ways of dealing with these demanding stressors. This is where meditation comes into play!

Many people argue that meditation is simply an empty trend that will soon pass. However, many “trends” in the previous years have turned into modern day social norms. For example, in the 1960s, running and jogging was looked down upon as strange.

Such activities were even criminalized by the police for “illegal use of a highway by a pedestrian.” It was only popularized by Bill Borrow, and now is common within most cultures.

Eventually, the same will happen to meditation. As stress increases, people will be prompted to discover new ways of improving their mental health. And with the outburst of psychological research and the positive effects on people’s minds, it is evident that meditation will only

increase in popularity in the near future. Often, people justify their reasoning by claiming that, “it’s just a New Age fad,” assuming that meditation is an esoteric, fictional nonsense.

However, the abundance of research on its improvement on memory, concentration and cognitive functioning has argued otherwise.

According to modern psychological and neuroscience research, meditation has been shown to treat several mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. Not only has meditation proven successful with treating affective disorders, but research indicates that transcendental meditation can lessen symptoms of Posttraumaticstress disorder through dealing with physiological responses. Meditation has been shown to reduce hyperarousal and introduce positive stresscoping techniques.Although the meditation might not treat mental disorders completely, it is a great way to decrease it to the point where the people no longer suffer similar dysfunction and distress.

On campus, Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry Dr. Richard Davidson has proven how meditation has been beneficial in resolving psychological issues. The findings of his studies are run through his Health Emotions Research Institute. In terms of brain development, meditation has been shown to change in volume and

blood flow. Specific regions of the brain related to the brain, such as the amygdala, begin to display decreased activity once people practice meditation. Moreover, decreased blood flow in such regions contributes to people becoming less sensitive, and more satisfied with life situations. In effect, people can become more relaxed and it can help relieve stress, and boost productivity. All of this will not only contribute to better overall mental health, but it could also immensely help college students with their academic performance.

Currently, there are only limited resources that UW-Madison provides for meditation, one of which is the UHS Spotify guided meditation. As such, a plethora of potential resources could be offered to improve the situation of students in the Madison community. A meditation center could be provided at UHS for students to practice guided meditation with other peers, similar to group therapy. Group meditation would often be led by a UHS professional.

In the near future, where meditation is more normalized, meditation classes could possibly be offered in recreational centers such as the Nicholas recreational center. The university can further push it to have mental health training on Canvas which would contain accurate information and resources on mental health alongside

guide meditation training. This will not only expose students to new ways of coping with stress, but it will help spread awareness as well as educate students on the importance of maintaining good mental health. Having

is imperative for college students to begin exploring novel ways of taking care of themselves, mentally and spiritually. Even though it might be difficult at first, starting out with 5-minute meditations a day, filled with

CLAYTON JANNUSCH/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Photo of a UW Student meditating, which is proven to reduce stress. such opportunities available for students will provide countless benefits that will improve their academic, social and personal lives.

Despite the incredible benefits of meditation, it’s critical to recognize the simple fact that meditation is not for everyone. By no means will every person build an instant connection with meditation and produce instant results. Nevertheless, during such a time of elevated, universal stress, it

silence and the greatest level of focus, will do wonders in the long run.

With a clear head and the stillness of time, people can be relieved of most of their worries and begin to tap into something special, something pure, something beautiful.

Abdullah is a sophomore and is studying psychology. Do you think you should consider meditation?

Could it be beneficial? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com

comics 8

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QUARANTINE COMPANION

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BY ZOE BENDOFF

SUDOKU

DIRECTIONS: Fill in each row, column and square with the numbers 1-9

DO YOU LIKE TO DRAW? JOIN US AND GET YOUR WORK OUT THERE!! send your emails to: graphics@dailycardinal.com

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TECK

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BY BAILEY WHISLER

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‘Hero’ cop accidentally reaches for taser instead of gun, tases self in the balls, dies

By Nick Rawling ALMANAC EDITOR

The nation is mourning the loss of one of its big beautiful boys in blue after Minneapolis police officer Jim O’Brien accidentally discharged a taser into his nuts and died Wednesday.

The heartbreaking incident comes just days after yet another ‘officer-involved shooting’ when, according to the Minneapolis chief of police, another officer apparently confused their gun for a taser and killed 20-year-old Daunte Wright with a gunshot to the chest.

Protests have broken out in the wake of Wright’s death, threatening the precious windows of nearby retailers. Late Wednesday night, a firefight erupted between Minneapolis police and mentally ill nazi teenagers with AR-15s after a spat arose between the groups over who had the right to use lethal force to defend the local Target from protesters.

According to witnesses, O’Brien was attempting to unholster his firearm to eliminate someone who looked at him

the wrong way when he tragically grabbed his taser instead — sending 50,000 volts of electricity directly into his testicles and dying instantly.

“It was uncharacteristic for Jim,” said fellow Minneapolis officer Simon Kowalansky.

“He graduated from our nine weeks of training at the top of our class and was probably the smartest guy I knew in the entire force.”

After addressing the country and telling protesters to “leave Wal-Mart’s windows alone, Jack,” President Joe Biden has defied conventions by ordering not only that American flags be lowered to half-staff, but that they be replaced entirely by thin-blue-line flags. Biden has also renewed calls he made on the campaign trail for increased funding for police.

“It’s just so sad, because it could really have happened to any one of us,” Kowalansky said. “Tasers and guns just look and feel way too similar for us to be able to tell the difference.”

This shocking story will be updated as we receive new information.

The Stone Staircase

IMAGE BY DOCCHEWBACCA COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS

By Ashton Jenks ALMANAC CONTRIBUTER

Wooded creaks and winds Defying the standpoint of time In every living dwelling Even those long abandoned yet telling The staircase leads up and down

GRAPHIC BY JESSIE LEVY

Mondays bartender fired for agreeing to make drink less strong

Liminal space for another dimension Different levels of apprehension Rising falling in between In every metaphor, so obscene The staircase goes up and down Blocked by doors banisters and “DO NOT ENTER” signs Fun to climb while high Hushed conversations about hushed things Rushed escalations for rushed destinies The staircase heads up and down How do I know what I am?

Everything is new and I’m in a jam Hear the lake tides and waves Read a book to keep off anxieties Stave The staircase moves up and down Staircase to heaven we hear With one friend by the lake I lear Discussions of Dante and company For now this one girl is enough for me The staircase runs up and down Down with a group, closer than ever In high-school I could never Stepping into a new life where I’m appreciated Using old jokes as ammunition The staircase builds up and down Once more, on those steps, The stone fits with the stoner vibe and reps Same lake, after its been frozen over With y’all, I’m luckier than a four leaf clover And the staircase comes closer and closer

TAYLOR WOLFRAM/THE DAILY CARDINAL

By Mackenzie Moore ALMANAC CONTRIBUTOR

In college, most students go out with one goal in mind: to get drunk as quickly and cheaply as possible. At UW-Madison, Mondays has long been the go-to dive bar to achieve this. Last Friday night, however, this sacred bond was broken when a bartender agreed to only pour one shot of liquor into a vodka cranberry. The employee was later fired once the customer finished their drink and was still found to be able to have a coherent conversation.

“You know, you hear about this kind of thing, but you never expect it to happen so close to you,” Brad Powell, who was on the scene, said with the tearful eyes of someone who just witnessed the death of their childhood labrador. “We’re supposed to be better

than this, you know? This one just hurts.

And I think it will hurt for a long time.”

Efforts to speak to the customer have been unfruitful. In speaking to her classmates, however, it has been learned that she has been attending all of her Zoom classes this week and appears to have been working very hard — undeniably suspicious activity.

Her friends, who say her name is Rachel, were more than willing to express concern. “This just isn’t like her — she just got drunk two weekends ago,” they said about the senior pre-med student.

“The night of the incident, she was really stressed because she had to take the MCAT the next day.”

Upon initial thought, some would say that this is a decent reason to only have one drink at a time. But following careful

research, it has been uncovered that the MCAT did not begin until 3 p.m. the next day and that Rachel is, in fact, not a Puritan.

The bartender, on the other hand, is in purgatory. First spotted just three days after the initial incident, he was discovered to be working at Wando’s with a suspiciously droopy black mustache and a hastily made name tag that claims his name is Marco. After careful review of drunkenly posted Instagram stories, it has been learned that “Marco” is only allowed to make Fishbowls as a penance for his sins.

Due to a strong sense of disgust throughout its ranks and the belief that doing so would be cruel, an Almanac reporter was not sent to interview the wet piece of Wonder Bread™ of a man.

Stay safe out there.

Ascending things I never imagined Curiosity’s itch from toddler years happened Wanting to touch the hidden parts of museums Moving up my life’s colosseum Will I be a fighter or a watcher?

Will I keep these various friends made on the stairwell forever?

Hollering dumb things across the water Heart skipping when someone slides down the banister A two story house for subplots in the making Heels on my feet inhibiting my climb and at my achilles raking A toothache from when I fell up from the basement Sensitive teeth just like me The mahogany banister an artery to my heart, spins round And the stairs lead up and down

We’re always looking for more funny and insightful writers with fresh takes on topics ranging from the UW campus to international news. We accept and encourage creative submissions as well! Any and all submissions are more than welcome. You can send your submissions and any comments or questions to almanac@dailycardinal.com. All articles featured in Almanac are creative, satirical and/or entirely fictional pieces. They are fully intended as such and should not be taken seriously as news.