SOAR 2021 - Monday, June 14, 2021 - The Daily Cardinal by The Daily Cardinal

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SOAR Edition, 2021

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“…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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SOAR Issue, 2021

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Welcome! A letter from the Editor It’s that time of year again — the long-awaited SOAR. While it’s my understanding that SOAR is still remote, our expansive Unions and beloved Terrace are now open to newcomers as tour groups resume the cross-campus trek. If you’ve picked up a copy of this newspaper while visiting UW-Madison, then welcome! We’re happy to have you. If you snagged the SOAR Issue while grabbing lunch at the Union or

taking a study break, welcome back! The Daily Cardinal, UW’s oldest independent student newspaper, has been serving students since 1892 and we’re excited to add you to the list. Writing this letter made me reflect on one of the primary functions of SOAR: to make you think about what you want your Wisconsin Experience to be. The Wisconsin Experience is, according to your advisors, the “vision

for the total student experience that combines learning in and out of the classroom.” If we’re getting technical, the four areas that UW subscribes to are empathy and humility, relentless curiosity, intellectual confidence and purposeful action. So what does all that word vomit mean? Well, when I came to this campus as a baby freshman, I knew I wanted to a) learn a lot b) make new friends and c) take over

the world. I made it my Wisconsin Experience to accomplish those tasks. And here I am, writing a letter to thousands of students at the head of one of the biggest and best student newspapers in the nation, working alongside some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. I’d say I’m like...two-thirds of the way to achieving my goals, but I still have my senior year to figure out the rest. Now’s your chance, my dear

freshmen, to figure out what YOUR Wisconsin Experience will look like. Are you going to kick ass on the club fencing team? Become a cinephile with WUD Film? Or just spend your evenings kicking back on Bascom Hill? More importantly: Am I going to see you at The Daily Cardinal’s fall recruitment meeting? This is your Wisconsin Experience, and I hope you make it a good one.

No more mask mandate for Dane County starting June 2 By Hope Karnopp STATE NEWS EDITOR

Dane County officials released a public statement on May 18 announcing that all health orders regarding COVID-19, including

mask mandates and indoor gathering limits, will be lifted starting June 2. The announcement comes 10 months after Dane County Health officials implemented their first public health order.

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Mandates on indoor gatherings and masks were lifted on June 2.

According to the statement, officials have decided to allow Emergency Order #16 to expire on Wednesday without implementing a new order, effectively meaning that mask mandates and limits on public gatherings will no longer be enforced by local authorities. The announcement follows the Centers for Disease Control’s statement suggesting that it is unnecessary for fully vaccinated individuals to wear masks or practice social distancing in order to avoid contracting COVID-19. PHDMC Director Janel Heinrich explained that the decision not to renew the public health order comes as a result of record low infection rates in Dane County, with new PHDMC data showing an average of only 43 cases per day. “There is simply less and less COVID virus circulating in our communities,” Heinrich said in a news conference. County officials have clarified that private establishments will still

reserve the right to require staff and customers to wear masks and social distance despite their no longer existing any public health orders. “There may be people and businesses out there who still want mask policies in place after the orders’ end as masks still provide an additional layer of protection,” Dane County Executive Joe Parisi stated. “We recommend that businesses take this time to consider next steps while reminding patrons of the current order which remains in place.” Despite lifting health orders, local officials have issued statements urging unvaccinated Dane County residents to continue wearing masks and practice social distancing. According to the Department of Health Services, as of May 31 57.6% of Dane County residents have completed their vaccine series and 66.3% have received at least one dose making Dane County one of the most vaccinated areas in the entire United States. In a press release, Heinrich explained that Dane County’s high

rate of vaccination contributed significantly to the decision not to continue implementing COVID-19 restrictions. “Today I applaud the 63% of Dane County residents who have gotten vaccinated,” Heinrich stated. “This extremely high number allows us to make the decision today to lift our orders on June 2, when we estimate that 75% of those eligible for the vaccine will have received their first dose” Jerry Halverson, MD, chair of the Board of Health, shared Heinrich’s sentiment, congratulating Dane County residents who chose to receive the vaccination and explaining that efforts by local officials have been crucial for keeping death tolls low. “Dane County has put in the work, and now we are going to start seeing the benefits,” Halverson stated. “We have saved lives in this county by following public health orders and now getting vaccinated. We should all be proud.”

Community reactions to possible Evers sets re-election bid end of the UW System freeze By Emma Grenzebach STATE NEWS EDITOR

By Emma Grenzebach STATE NEWS EDITOR

The Joint Finance Committee of the Wisconsin State Legislature voted on May 27 to lift the tuition freeze for in-state undergraduate students at University of Wisconsin system schools. This proposal, backed by the Republican-majority committee, would give the UW System the authority to once again set their tuition prices and potentially increase tuition for in-state undergraduate students for the first time in eight years. Despite the freeze’s success in saving students money over the years, concerns have been raised about UW System schools’ ability to maintain a quality education and environment due to rising costs — something that Republicans feel lifting the tuition freeze would fix. Republicans have declined to offset the money campuses have lost due to inflation with more state money — a solution favored by Democrats — according to the Wisconsin State Journal. With the tuition freeze in place, UW-Madison found ways to increase their revenue stream during the freeze period by enrolling more out-of-state students who pay more in tuition than their in-

state counterparts. In January, UW System President Tommy Thompson announced at a panel discussion that he didn’t plan on requesting the lift of the tuition freeze, at the advice of Republican legislators. “I have been told in no uncertain terms by the leadership of the Legislature that if I come in with a tuition increase, the budget is not going to go anywhere,” Thompson said to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Additionally, the UW System praised Gov. Evers’s budget proposal for 2021-23 following its release in late February. The proposal included $190 million in new funding for the UW-Madison System, with $50 million going towards aiding the deficit left by the tuition freeze. “Governor Evers’ budget for the UW System will allow us to tackle Wisconsin’s most pressing challenges,” Thompson said in a February statement. Last week, the GOP instead voted in favor of lifting the freeze, claiming that UW System schools have been more straightforward about policies and finances in recent years, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. Chancellor Blank expressed her thoughts in a press release

on Thursday. “The end of the tuition freeze will allow UW campuses to manage tuition increases within reasonable limits,” said Blank, underscoring the UW’s years-long hostility towards the freeze. Incoming ASM Chair Adrian Lampron said that the 28th Session has yet to establish a collective position on the issue. “Our organization always wants to ensure that higher education is accessible,” continued Lampron. “[We] will likely engage with this issue when we are ready to do so.” In response to the possibility of rising tuition prices, UW-Madison spokesperson Meredith McGlone highlighted the school’s intention to continue to help in-state students fund their education through financial aid programs. “Through Bucky’s Tuition Promise, UW-Madison will continue to support in-state students and families with a guarantee of four years tuition-free to all students whose household income is $60,000 or below,” McGlone said Tuesday. Ultimately, this motion will still need approval from the Wisconsin Assembly, Senate and Gov. Tony Evers in order to end the nearly decade-long tuition freeze.

Gov. Tony Evers formally announced his re-election bid Saturday at the state Democratic Party’s virtual convention. “Wisconsin, I’m in,” said Evers. “I’m running for re-election. We’ve accomplished a lot in the last few years, but we’re just getting started. We have more work to do together.” He continued to say that he plans to focus on “doing what’s best for our kids, creating good-paying jobs, fixing our infrastructure, supporting small businesses, and making sure everyone has access to quality, affordable healthcare.” Evers explained that he needs to continue in this position to stop the Republican-led legislature from restricting access to abortion, limiting opportunities to vote and drawing congressional and legislative districts that favor their party in elections, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal. Before the official announcement, Evers participated in an interview with the Associated Press on Friday, stating that he needed to continue his role in stopping Republicans through his veto powers. Immediately following the announcement, Wisconsin Republicans

responded with a statement from GOP Chair Andrew Hitt. “Evers has nothing to run on except a record of abysmal failure and absent leadership,” said Hitt. Former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch also criticized Evers’ re-election bid on Twitter. She wrote, “Let Kenosha burn. Pushed billions in tax hikes. Failed to help unemployed after shutting down the economy. No thank you.” These criticisms were accompanied by support for Evers from state Democrats, including the state Democratic Chair Ben Winkler. Winkler explained that the Democratic party is, “unified, energized, and ready to fight shoulder to shoulder with Governor Evers.”

“…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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SOAR Issue, 2021

An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 131, Issue 1

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News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editors-in-Chief Addison Lathers

Managing Editor Grace Hodgman

News Team Campus Editor Ellie Nowakowski College Editor Sophia Vento City Editor Jackson Mozena State Editor Emma Grenzebach Associate News Editor Samantha Henschel Features Editor Gina Musso

Special Pages Editor Riley Sumner Opinion Editors Ian-Michael Griffin • Em-J Krigsman Arts Editors Rebecca Perla • Seamus Rohrer Sports Editors Lara Klein • Christian Voskuil Almanac Editors Gillian Rawling • Nick Rawling Photo Editors Sylvia Yan • Irena Clarkowski Graphics Editors Zoe Bendoff • Jessica Levy Science Editor Joyce Ripenhagen • Emily Rohloff Life & Style Editor Samantha Benish Copy Chiefs Kayla Bell • Olivia Everett Social Media Manager Clare McManamon Podcast Director Hope Karnopp

Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Brandon Sanger Advertising Managers Noal Basil Marketing Director Muriel Goldfarb

The Daily Cardinal is a nonprofit organization run by its staff members and elected editors. It receives no funds from the university. Operating revenue is generated from advertising and subscription sales. The Daily Cardinal is published weekdays and distributed at the University of WisconsinMadison and its surrounding community with a circulation of 10,000. Capital Newspapers, Inc. is the Cardinal’s printer. The Daily Cardinal is printed on recycled paper. The Cardinal is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The Daily Cardinal are the sole property of the Cardinal and may not be reproduced without written permission of the editor in chief. The Daily Cardinal accepts advertising representing a wide range of views. This acceptance does not imply agreement with the views expressed. The Cardinal reserves the right to reject advertisements judged offensive based on imagery, wording or both. Complaints: News and editorial complaints should be presented to the editor in chief. Business and advertising complaints should be presented to the business manager. Letters Policy: Letters must be word processed and must include contact information. No anonymous letters will be printed. All letters to the editor will be printed at the discretion of The Daily Cardinal. Letters may be sent to opinion@ dailycardinal.com.

Editorial Board Ian-Michael Griffin • Grace Hodgman • Em-J Krigsman • Addison Lathers • Anupras Mohapatra • Riley Sumner

Board of Directors Herman Baumann, President • Barry Adams • Barbara Arnold • Scott Girard • Phil Hands • Josh Klemons • Don Miner • Nancy Sandy • Jennifer Sereno

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COVID-19’s effects on campus sustainability By Caitlyn Halfon STAFF WRITER

Campus operations at colleges across the nation have been undeniably different from previous years due to COVID-19, and UW-Madison is no exception. From an environmental and sustainability perspective, one can only wonder what the impacts of the pandemic will have on the environment. Sustainability is the ability for humans to coexist with the earth in a way that meets both the needs of the present and the future — it’s a way of living that tries to ensure that future generations will be able to safely and healthily inhabit the planet. Malorie Garbe, the Sustainability Coordinator at University Housing and Dining, describes sustainability as having three parts: social, environmental and economic. “It’s wanting to protect our environment, but also doing it in a way that’s sustainable for people and for our economy, too,” Garbe said. The university implemented various sustainability programs previously, particularly in housing and dining. “Sustainability Move Out” is an initiative that helps students in residence halls part with items that they no longer need in an environmentally friendly way, through donations and recycling. Gordon Avenue Market, a dining hall on the southeast campus, as well as lakeshore dorm Leopold Hall, both have solar panels on their roofs. Gordon Avenue Market has rain gardens on the roof to address storm runoff. However, one campus-wide program in the dining halls — ticket to takeout — has come to a halt during the pandemic. The ticket to takeout is a pro-

gram in the dining halls for students to take food to go in a reusable container; students check out a container with a token and exchange the container for a new token once they’re done. To protect dining staff, the program was put on pause this year. “It created a great model for just returning and keeping that culture of reuse in mind,” Garbe said. “Something like a reusable to-go container might not seem like it’s that big of a difference or has that big of an environmental impact. But then, when we look at all the containers this semester that are being generated because we have moved to disposable systems, it really does have a huge impact on campus and our footprint.” Travis Blomberg, Campus Resource Coordinator at the Office of Sustainability, noted that the large concentration of waste on campus comes from residence halls. Since dining halls are operating at a reduced capacity, residents are now eating in their residence halls more often. Thus, it’s highly likely that students are consuming single-use materials, like takeout containers, in their dorms more frequently than they would be otherwise. When the semester started, the university had to bring in large roll-off dumpsters to the residence halls to account for the increase in disposable material. Getting the message across to students about which materials are recyclable or compostable has presented challenges in the past, and is proving to be more difficult during the pandemic. Students now need to sort their own trash in both dining and residence halls, to protect the safety of custodial and dining staff, so there is a combined

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Ice fishermen come from far and wide to cast their line before spring arrives. lack of education and/or lack of motivation to properly dispose of trash into the proper bins. There is, however, a tradeoff seen between increased single-use materials in dorms and decreased product usage at other buildings across campus. Steve Heitz, Custodial Service Program Supervisor at Facilities, Planning and Management, mentioned that since the university is running at a significantly decreased capacity, the custodial department has seen a decrease in products such as toilet paper and paper towels — even decreased waste collection from university buildings. “I can tell you one thing with our waste and recycling group who does pick up the dumpsters and everything, they stopped their weekend service...because the waste generation is so far down that they don’t even come in on the weekend to do it,” Heitz said. Traditionally, because campus can populate a large amount of people within its defined space, the per person energy

consumed is more sustainable. If heating and cooling temperatures in campus buildings are adjusted less frequently and you have less people, this consumes more energy per person. To that end, both Blomberg and Heitz pointed out that perperson energy consumption on campus has most likely gotten worse due to the fact that more people are staying at home with fewer residents occupying campus buildings. Although the pandemic is still relatively new, it is hard to guess its long-term effects on sustainability efforts. While UW-Madison might be investing in more single-use medical material to keep students and staff safe, there are fewer people occupying campus buildings and using those resources. Consequently, the university is trading increased waste and consumption in concentrated areas on campus for decreased waste and consumption elsewhere.

Chris McIntosh to head UW athletics department By Sophia Vento COLLEGE NEWS EDITOR

Chris McIntosh has been selected as the University of Wisconsin-Madison athletic director following the announcement of the retirement of Barry Alvarez last April. “Chris is a natural leader who loves the Badgers and cares about our studentathletes,” said UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank in a

For the record Corrections or clarifications? Call The Daily Cardinal office at 608-262-8000 or send an email to edit@dailycardinal.com. JEFF MILLER/UW-MADISON

university news release. “He is uniquely positioned to continue our proud traditions of success on and off the field and doing things ‘the right way.’” After playing Badgers football and serving as captain of the 1999 and 2000 Rose Bowl teams, McIntosh went on to play in the NFL until 2004 before joining the UW athletics department as associate athletic director for business development in 2014. He has served as the deputy athletic director since 2017. During his tenure within the UW athletics department, McIntosh pioneered the Forward 360 program intended to support student athletes in all facets of life — on and off the field — and also advised plans relating to equity and inclusion as well as the creation of the Equity and Diversity Council. “Our responsibility is to develop young people, so they can be successful for the rest of their lives,” McIntosh said, stressing his commitment to fostering a welcoming environment for both student-

athletes and employees in the department under his leadership. “Our mission is to set our student-athletes up for success long after their playing careers are completed.” An emphasis on academics will also be at the heart of the department, said McIntosh. There were thirty-five applicants considered for the position. McIntosh was ultimately selected by Blank but he was also Alvarez’s choice as successor to head the UW athletic department. “I’m looking forward to building off of a foundation Coach Alvarez has built over the last thirty years and seeing where we can go,” said McIntosh in an interview on the Big Ten Network, highlighting his intention to continue to uphold the traditions and values of UW athletics while also acknowledging the importance of embracing change in college sports in Madison and across the country. “We will build upon our legacy of success on the field of competition and support our

student-athletes in the classroom, on campus and after college,” McIntosh said to the UW. Following the announcement of McIntosh’s promotion, some Black community leaders expressed frustration with Blank’s decision, citing concerns with the selection process. In a statement, the Black Leadership Council described the decision as a continuation of “the good ole boy system” while highlighting that several Black employees have left the department over the last few years — indicating a larger issue relating to diversity and equity within the department. “The revolving door of Black staff in the Athletic Department is a troubling pattern that we would like an independent body...to investigate and report on,” read the statement from the BLC, emphasizing a desire for a serious shift in culture within the athletic department. McIntosh will take over as UW athletic director on July 1 when Alvarez officially retires at the end of the month.

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SOAR Issue, 2021

sports Dana Rettke returns for a fifth season l

SOAR Issue, 2021

By Lara Klein SPORTS EDITOR

About a month after Wisconsin fell to Texas in the NCAA final four, bringing their otherwise undefeated (15-0) season to an end, star player Dana Rettke announced she will be returning to the court this fall for one final season as a Badger. Rettke, a middle blocker, is one of five seniors who will be returning as Badgers, including setter Sydney Hilley, libero Lauren Barnes, outside hitter Grace Loberg and defensive specialist Giorgia Civita. This extra year of eligibility was offered to student-athletes because of last year’s chaotic college sports scene as a result of the pandemic. Rettke’s Twitter announcement that she will be back on the roster this fall gave Badger fans hope that another dominant season is on the horizon. Although the Badgers only played a shortened 15 game season last spring, they dropped only three sets during the regular season. The 6-foot-8 middle blocker is a

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four-time first-team All-American and has helped lead her team to back-to-back semi-final appearances in the NCAA tournament the past two seasons, including a national title loss to Stanford in 2019. Her other accolades include earning the Badger’s highest hitting percentage (.420) in program history and averaging an impressive 1.5 blocks per set in the Spring 2021 season. Dennis Punzel of the Wisconsin State Journal has reported that Rettke’s decision to return for a fifth season as opposed to beginning her professional volleyball career was not made lightly. “Navigating this environment was something no one has ever really had to do before and I wanted to make sure I did the best job possible, looking at all my options and deciding what would be best for me,” Rettke said. Deciding factors included many discussions related to her professional options, the likelihood of a “normal” Fall semester and packed Field House, and a promising shot

at securing the first national title in program history. “This was an opportunity that I didn’t want to miss out on. That’s just kind of where my heart fell,

knowing that this is it for college. Pro volleyball can wait a little bit,” Rettke ultimately decided. Rettke’s decision ensures that a majority of the team’s starters will

be returning to the court in just a few months. The Badger’s new and returning talent coupled with Rettke’s leadership should make for an exciting season.

DIANE NORDSTROM /UW ATHLETICS

Dana Rettke will be returning to play a fifth season with the UW-Madison women's volleyball team.

Meet the team: This year’s Badger football line-up By Simon Farber and Dexter McCann SENIOR STAFF WRITERS

The shortened 2020 season was a frustrating one for redshirt sophomore quarterback Graham Mertz. After a freak ankle injury sidelined Jack Coan earlier last fall, Mertz dazzled in his first career start against Illinois in week one, a Friday night kickoff that had the eyes of the nation watching the young QB. The former four-star recruit connected on 20 of 21 passes for 248 yards and five touchdowns, leading then-No.14 Wisconsin to a blowout win over the Illini. “We talked about all week just playing with swag,” Mertz said postgame after his first win. “I was happy that we played with a little extra chip on our shoulder and a little extra swag.” It was mostly downhill from there. Mertz tested positive for COVID-19 the following Monday, and his return to action against Michigan a few weeks later showed that he was far from a polished product in Big Ten play. He wasn’t necessarily bad, but the former High School All-

American Game MVP had Badger fans dreaming big about his potential. If Wisconsin wants to make their first College Football Playoff this fall, they’ll need a lot more from their young quarterback than a 61.1% completion rate and a 9:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He’ll get a chance to take down his predecessor in Coan and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Sept. 25 at Soldier Field. The revolving door of Badger running backs to the NFL has its latest candidate in sophomore RB Jalen Berger, who lived up to his high-four-star label as a true freshman last season. Berger shined against No. 23 Michigan last November, getting a chance to start thanks to lackluster performances by Nakia Watson — who transferred to Washington State earlier this year. The freshman gained 87 yards on the ground on 15 carries, added two receptions for 13 yards and a touchdown in the 48-11 UW victory. He’s not going to be asked to handle the three-down workload that Jonathan Taylor excelled in two seasons ago, but his speed

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Wisconsin football is back after the pandemic's interruption. Here's some info!

and agility give the Badgers a real threat in the backfield against physical teams like Iowa and Northwestern. Berger will be working with Clemson transfer Chezz Mellusi, who announced he would be heading to Madison in early June with a tweet saying, “New beginnings!!! #RBU”. Mellusi saw very limited playing time in Dabo Swinney’s offense last fall, playing behind first-round NFL Draft pick Travis Etienne and backup Lyn-J Dixon. His 32 touches from scrimmage went for 189 yards and four touchdowns, solid production for a third man on the depth chart. Whether those numbers were a product of Mellusi’s skill, Trevor Lawrence’s masterful quarterbacking, or some mixture of the two, we’ll soon find out. He should see a much heavier workload this year, complimenting Berger’s speed with a more physical, upfield approach in shortyardage situations. Wisconsin heads into 2021 with an experienced wide receiver room, as both Danny Davis III and Kendrick Pryor will return for a fifth season under new COVID-19 eligibility rules. Injuries derailed their seasons a year ago, combining for just 11 receptions total across Wisconsin’s seven games. Both players were huge contributors to Wisconsin’s Rose Bowl season in 2019; Davis III compiled 30 receptions for 250 yards, and Pryor added 23 grabs for 278 yards across 14 games. Their veteran presence might help uncork Mertz’s elite potential –– he was forced to throw to a pretty dismantled set of weapons all last season. Both players are solid route runners and have been used dangerously in Chryst’s end-arounds as well as creative rushing plays. Sophomore Chimere Dike returns for his second season in Madison as the WR3 on the depth chart after an interesting freshman season a year ago. The speedster is much more of a home run threat than a constant target for

Mertz, but injuries last year forced him into a role that didn’t go well for him as the season progressed. With Davis III and Pryor receiving the majority of the targets, Dike can slide back into that deepball-threat role and show off his speed against some of the Big Ten’s tougher secondaries. Tight end Jake Ferguson will be back in red and white this fall for his fourth season. He became Mertz’s life raft late in the 2020 season and was subsequently unable to pick up the yards-percatch numbers that he did in years prior. Like Dike, Ferguson should benefit from a more wellrounded offensive attack this year should the unit stay healthy as a whole. Wisconsin’s defense was among the nation’s stingiest last year, in part thanks to the fantastic play of linebackers Leo Chenal and Jack Sanborn. The duo combined for 92 tackles, 10 tackles for a loss, 4 sacks, and 4 forced turnovers. Chenal, who is entering his junior year, was particularly dominant down the stretch, earning defensive player of the week honors after a 13 tackle, 2 sack performance against Minnesota in Wisconsin’s ax game victory. Sanbon, a senior, is one of the leaders of the defense and is projected to be selected in next year’s NFL draft. Junior nose tackle Keeanu Benton anchors the defensive line and might be the Badgers’ best player on the defensive side of the ball. Benton doesn’t put gaudy numbers but is one of the most disruptive players on the field and seems to have a nose for the ball, finishing with two forced fumbles in 2020. Like Sanborn, Benton is viewed as an NFL draft prospect, with speculation he could be selected in one of the first several rounds. Former walk-on Matt Henningson and athletic big man Isaiah Mullens will complement Benton on the defensive line, a unit defen-

sive coordinator Jim Leonhard expects to make serious strides in 2021. The Badgers return both of their starting outside linebackers in Noah Burks and Nick Herbig for 2021 and will count on the duo to generate a strong pass rush. Burks is entering his 6th year of eligibility with the program and will look to improve on a disappointing 2020 season, where he recorded just one sack. Herbig, who started last year as a true freshman, is among the players many Badgers fans are most excited about. A top 150 player in the class of 2020, Herbig lived up to his gaudy ranking with a 26 tackle freshman campaign. Big things are expected from Herbig, and he’ll get plenty of opportunities to rush the passer in Jim Leonard’s blitz-heavy scheme. Faion Hicks and Caesar Williams are the likely starters for Wisconsin at outside cornerback. Hicks, who is entering his senior season, defended a career high four passes despite the shortened season in 2020 and is among the most experienced players in a Badger secondary loaded with veteran depth. Williams, a fifth-year senior, is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2020 season. His NFL dreams were put on hold after he managed to defend just two passes last year, down from 9 as a junior in 2019. Alexander Smith and Donte Burton will compete to play alongside Hicks and Williams at nickel cornerback, with the two likely splitting reps to begin the season. Lastly, Scott Nelson and Collin Wilder return to solidify the safety position for the Badgers. The two combined for three interceptions and three passes defended in 2020 and were a tenacious duo against the run. Wilder, in particular, is considered a veteran leader on the team and will help bring energy to the defensive unit on gameday.

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By Em-J Krigsman OPINION EDITOR

Rising prescription costs, the opioid crisis and tax breaks — Big Pharma’s history of profit-driven selfishness is easily eclipsed as the COVID-19 pandemic prompts these same companies to delay progress, threatening hopes for international herd immunity. Intellectual property (IP) standards were formalized on Jan. 1, 1995 under the TRIPS Agreement of the World Trade Organization. As inscribed in Article 27 of the provision, IP protection extends to “all fields of technology,” thereby placing life-saving medicines under the manipulation of pharmaceutical industries. In effect, Big Pharma assumed absurd power. The monopoly secured under the TRIPS Agreement allowed pharmaceutical companies to inflate medicine prices, subsequently withholding essential medicines from those unable to afford the price. This inhumane capability to deny essential means of survival is one not even permitted to governments on our enemies, yet was so carelessly granted to profit-driven pharmaceutical firms. By monumentally tweaking IP protections, Article 31 of the 2001 Doha Agreement permitted a patented invention to be compulsorily licensed in the name of public health. Under this amendment, a TRIPS waiver would allow governments to obtain the makeup of medications so that treatments can be replicated at a faster rate and at a lower cost. A declared pandemic, one with multiple approved vaccines yet limited manufactured supply, would

SOAR Issue, 2021

seem to plausibly qualify for a TRIPS waiver. In observing this truth, on Oct. 2, 2020, a coalition led by India and South Africa asked the WTO to override patented COVID19 vaccines. Regardless of the lives at play, Big Pharma — backed by rich countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom — continued to assert the need for IP protections on vaccines. The predictable result has been a ceaseless pandemic and an insufficient vaccine supply. As it stands, wealthy nations and their vaccine hoarding have left rich nations with enough doses to vaccinate their populations more than two times over, while less than 1% of the developing world is vaccinated. In foreseeing the imminent disregard for emergent nations, COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access — COVAX — was formed to represent the developing world. COVAX’s mission is to provide low and middle-income countries with the means to vaccinate 20% of their population by the end of 2021 from the voluntary contributions of rich countries. Needless to say, COVAX has remained far from its targets. There are simply too few vaccine manufacturers, with COVAX members at the bottom of the priority list. While COVAX’s aim is commendable, relying on rich nations to reach thresholds far outside of national herd immunity levels will not solve this pandemic. The way forward requires sharing the knowledge and technologies needed to vaccinate more than just the wealthy. Solving this pandemic means overriding intellectual property protections.

Millions of deaths later and western governments have belatedly begun to diverge from their pattern of protection for the private sector. On May 5, the Biden administration notably announced its intention to support a TRIPS waiver, ushering in unparalleled respect. Immediately after the United States’ updated stance, pharmaceutical firm’s share prices fell drastically, leaving Big Pharma in a clamber to reverse Biden’s policy. Now, Big Pharma is not simply denouncing the move but actively lobbying against it. Big Pharma sent a warning letter to numerous United States Members of Congress, irrationally claiming that a TRIPS waiver will “serve as a national security threat” and even “allow China to profit from American

innovation.” Similar intimidation campaigns have been executed throughout the EU. Unlike what pharmaceutical industries are claiming, overriding IP protections will not set a dangerous precedent. On the contrary, invoking a TRIPS waiver would be empowering, symbolizing how publicly funded research can serve as an adequate response to a global health crisis. Further, the argument that pharmaceutical companies absorb the risk of these vaccines and therefore deserve a monopoly on the findings is outrageous. Rich nations, not pharmaceutical companies, provided the funds to expedite vaccine development and research. Taxpayers took the risk in these vaccines. The public’s dollars funded these developments and refusing to

invoke a TRIPS waiver is the irrational decision to prioritize private profits above global health. In reality, Big Pharma’s claims are not rooted in truth but desperation. Big Pharma is scrambling to appease congresspeople, because, as occupants of the private sector, their aim is to make a profit. The simple fact is that pharmaceutical companies were set to make billions in revenue and a TRIPS waiver would undermine those returns. At present, we can either continue to respond to this pandemic as we have by allowing private individuals to manipulate our safety, or we can release the vaccine components and act collaboratively. We have the knowledge. There is a solution. Now it is time to pressure these drug giants to do as they claim and protect global health.

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Big Pharma's history of profit-driven selfishness is easily eclipsed as the COVID-19 pandemic prompts delays.

How UW-Madison could have done better amidst COVID-19 By Ethan Wollins STAFF WRITER

The pandemic, as we know it, has not been easy for anyone. It would be easy to ask anyone on the street about their experience with COVID-19, especially about the effects the pandemic has had on them. Whether it were events cancelled, the loss of a job or even a loss of a family member, the list goes on about the vast repercussions the global killer has caused. Yet there is a key question in everyone’s mind: When does it end? We all have seen domestically that many states have started to ease their stringent COVID-19 restrictions in response to high vaccination rates and lower positivity rates of cases. This would cause anyone in their right mind to be somewhat optimistic for what the future holds; to the common man these restrictions were equal to, if not worse than, the pandemic itself. This optimism is hard to obtain and keep steady, as many of the institutions we live by have yet to act similarly to these optimistic states. There is no reason to have many of the same restrictive policies that were needed when the pandemic began. Now, this is not a plea to say that COVID-19 is any type of myth, as it is important to note the effect this virus has had on a majority of the country — with the death toll slowly approaching 600 thousand Americans. However, the approach UW-Madison and other universities took around the country was

similar to that of the national approach. The university subjected their students to restrictive policies that had little room for flexibility based on the public health standards at the time. Even as positivity rates have declined and vaccinations have gone up, the little wiggle-room that was given by our federal government was the allowance of maskless individuals outside when not in large groups. This pseudo-retraction of restrictive policy is barely a baby step, as we have seen across the country many states’ mask mandates had little definition for masks outside, rather requiring them in public and crowded places. However, the constant roll out of various types of vaccines should allow for some of these restrictions to slowly go away. These vaccines should be considered almost as a godsend; for example, the Pfizer vaccine has shown in most cases to be 95% effective against infection and 100% effective against extreme illness. This was similar to other vaccines as well, where Moderna had a similar effectiveness, and the disputed Johnson and Johnson even had a somewhat effective rate. However, the key to these vaccines is their effectiveness at preventing severe illness, as this was one of the main reasons COVID-19 became such a political matter in the first place. Now, if these vaccines are highly effective at both preventing severe illness and the spread of COVID-19, along with readily available to the general public and those deemed high risk,

what is the problem for the student body of UW-Madison to study at the library in an individual study room without a mask? In talks with Clinical Professor Emeritus John Swartzberg of Infectious Disease at the University of California Berkeley, he explained his own opinion on this specific policy that UW-Madison has, and where the university’s logic may be. “Face-value, it does not seem like a wise policy but behind it we need to know how good the air exchanges are in the room, as a lack of air exchange can lead to higher transmission rates,” he said. Swartzberg also talked about how it would likely not be a problem for someone to be maskless in an individual room if they are fully vaccinated, but if someone were to not be fully vaccinated and use the room before another non-vaccinated student, then there is a greater risk of infection. While science is and should be the supreme-backing for any COVID19 policy, large swaths of the general public will only take this policy for its “face-value.” Why is it that interpreting this policy with a surface-level logic is such a bad thing? This is a generalized problem that not only UW-Madison’s campus is experiencing, but the entire nation, as there is a lack of trust that the science behind COVID-19 protocols actually matters — therefore leading to an innate ignorance of understanding for specific policy.

The question of why this policy and many others exist becomes even more prevalent when the vaccination rate for the student body and faculty is currently at 57%. This data is based on information from the UW COVID dashboard and fact page. This brings the larger idea that if the concept of a vaccine is not the key to a way of life without the restrictions of a pandemic, where is the incentive to get a vaccine in the first place? Why should someone take the risk, albeit an extremely small one, of getting an injection of a substance that lacks a true FDA approval when, as of right now, their vaccination does little to nothing for their way of life? Some may think that this is a selfish way of thinking but this is realistic, at least for an average person who most likely had a mild case of COVID-19 already and is otherwise barely affected by the pandemic aside from the restrictive policies. They would likely not see the overall benefit to a vaccination. Some of these policies were also an overreach into students’ liberties. It was interesting to find that housing residents are technically being tracked by the university for “security and safety purposes.” Every time a resident scans their Wiscard at the entrance of their residence hall, a timestamp is sent into a computer system where it is stored. While this is not directly stated in the housing contract, the university claims that since a resident uses their Wiscard to scan into their residence hall, they

are allowed to store this timestamp for a period of time because the Wiscard is university property. It seems odd that this tracking of a portion of its students as an overreach into their lives was an important policy to the composers of UW-Madison’s COVID-19 response, as they believe that keeping tabs on student’s whereabouts will aid in stopping infection. However, if they don’t allow more than one housing guest per resident in a room and make masks required in any other area than a resident’s room, why is that tracking needed? There is no logical answer for this, other than the unwarranted lack of trust the university has with its student body. The obvious answer to why these policies haven’t been adapted and overturned is most definitely the university’s laziness. It’s common knowledge that a large portion of the student body will not be on campus for the summer time, so why should the university change its policies at this point in time? Well, we have seen a downward trend in positive cases since the middle of February and an uptick in vaccinations from this same time period. Even with the uncertainty of this virus, there was some type of trust with the logic of the science behind these restrictive protocols. If the solution to COVID-19 was fewer positive cases and more vaccinations, the university did an inadequate job at giving their students the liberty they work so very hard to deserve.

arts The sad decline of late-night television l

SOAR Issue, 2021

By Anupras Mohapatra SENIOR STAFF WRITER

My introduction to late-night television was very recent. I remember utilizing shows by the likes of Trevor Noah, Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers to understand the partisan political landscape in America, starting when I got elected as an opinion editor at the Cardinal back in December 2019. At first, I couldn’t stop watching. The YouTube algorithm loves the monologue content these shows produce, and I found myself deep in a rabbit hole. At the time, I quite liked it. The shows seemed clever to me then, I must embarrassingly admit. Fast forward to more recently when I saw this tweet put out by Colbert’s late-night show, and I found myself realizing things. Firstly, I realized just how little late-night content I was now taking in. Secondly, I realized that these shows are straight-up unfunny, regardless of political bias or comedic preference. As part of my deep dive into the world of late-night television last year, I decided to learn more about Stephen Colbert and soon discovered his famous eponymous character from “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central. Alas, today’s Colbert is miles away from the character that fearlessly faced Bill O’Reilly on his own show. The tweet in question makes suggestions for names to call the former president by, keeping with a bit where Colbert does not name the last president, and asks followers for their own suggestions. Uninspired names based on mas-

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sively overused jokes include “Sir Eats-a-lot” — the “joke” being that Trump is obese, in a country where about 42% of adults are obese and obesity poses serious health concerns for the population, “Mayor McTreason” — an incredibly imaginative reference to the Capitol riots on Jan. 6, 2020 — and “Covfefool,” a reference to a misspelled tweet that has its own Wikipedia article, from almost half a decade ago. The replies to this tweet were mostly ripping the show apart, rightly calling out the lack of originality and the fall of Stephen Colbert from his Comedy Central prime, but every so often, I found tweets from people that genuinely found the jokes funny and added more incredibly original names into the mix. Some other names suggested by overly enthusiastic boomers include “Orange Foolio,” “Big Mouth von Tiny Hands” and “Orange Circus Peanut,” which came from another late-night television personality, Samantha Bee. All birds in the same nest. (As part of my research for this piece, I also found this website dedicated to Donald Trump nicknames. Four hundred nine hilarious nicknames, they say. If I had to endure this, so do you.) Now, I love myself some good puns. I particularly relish in puns that make people writhe in agony. However, I would never call myself late-night television material or even an up-and-coming comedian. I can be funny at times, but not once have I thought I am fit to sit in Colbert’s writers’ room. Yet now the standards are so incredibly low that I might actually stand a chance.

After Joe Biden won the presidency, I — among many others — wondered how mainstream news and late-night television would respond. In my opinion, mainstream news has done a decent job of focusing on matters pertaining to the current administration, like the recovery from COVID-19. Late-night television, however, seems to have had a much harder time getting over the previous administration. The shows I mentioned at the start of this piece are a mere handful of many shows that took on the role of satirizing the actions of the previous administration. Some may say that’s a good thing, as it helped rationalize the news which would otherwise hit like a train. Perhaps that explains the ratings boom and also how someone like me was drawn in. As I’d said earlier, YouTube algorithms relished this stuff and so did viewers in America and beyond. The videos did numbers, and I was definitely a fan for a while. But if we are to look at things critically, these shows are now all one and the same. Maybe in 2015, you could say that Seth Meyers, Trevor Noah and Stephen Colbert’s shows had their own unique identity. After Trump got elected, however, you could bounce around from monologue to monologue and hear the exact same jokes. It was probably still fine then, as writers were forced to write about Trump against their will. Now, after Biden has taken charge, these shows cling onto references to Trump even when the news cycle has moved onto different — and arguably more important — things. It is

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Late-night TV is having a hard time getting over the previous administration. just jarring. Maybe it is the safe thing to do. Maybe there are enough boomers who still enjoy the “orange man bad” punchline each and every night on every network because they are now comfortable. The steady ratings certainly seem to suggest that. Though isn’t this just turning a blind eye to other matters that could use comedic dissection? When Jimmy Fallon — another late-night juggernaut (by some miracle) — had John Oliver on his show and Oliver tried using the platform to call attention to the treatment of warehouse workers and unions, Fallon was desperate to move away from the topic. It was an embarrassing watch, yet perhaps quite representative of the late-night television landscape today. Like most things, late-night television is no longer its original self. Driven by profits and ratings and not necessarily the desire to genuinely amuse and entertain, these shows are incon-

sistent and have sold their souls to an exceedingly obvious extent in the last half decade or so. I don’t deny that corporate interests have always been a thing. I also don’t deny that there was some positive impact the satire had on people that use comedy to cope. In fact, I definitely believe humor is an incredible weapon for social change. However, those that wield it refuse to use it as it should be. Today’s landscape reeks of performative stuff like rainbow capitalism: Insincere efforts at appealing to political or social causes for financial benefits more than actual care for the craft itself, the causes or the people most affected. If I was an aspiring comedian looking to drive social change now, I would turn to YouTube, TikTok or Twitter and try building a name there, rather than dreaming of late-night television as a bastion of comedy and a space to make a difference. This is the sad decline of latenight television.

Underground artists from modern-day musical hotbeds By Seamus Rohrer ARTS EDITOR

Music has many geographical hotbeds that consistently produce artists with an undeniable impact on culture. The same can be said about other forms of human expression, such as visual arts, literature and sports. Where one is from has a sizable impact on what their expression looks like. From a musical standpoint, not only do these specific locations produce prolific musicians at a higher rate than other places, but these cities have a personality of their own that seeps into an artists’ music. In the internet era of music, where every-

one can easily be both a consumer and producer, music is flooded with independent, underground artists. This is both a positive and a negative. The proliferation and creation of music have exponentially increased, which is great for culture and society. On the other hand, this also means that artists that deserve much more recognition than they are receiving have to toil away under the radar of the mainstream, pop-minded music industry. Here’s why you should be listening to the following underground artists from powerhouse musical cities that, for a variety of reasons, aren’t getting the attention they deserve.

Los Angeles: Henry Solomon While Henry Solomon has garnered some attention from being linked to the beloved funk bassist Thundercat, he remains very much incognito in the world of music. His hectic, heavily-syncopated sound is a little overwhelming the first time you listen. But amidst the crazy soundscape of saxophone, synths and drum machines, Solomon manages to make his highly unorthodox music surprisingly catchy. The best way to describe it is jazz-infused indie-pop, but to do it justice, one needs to experience it for themself. Song to get you hooked: “Little Punk”, 2020’s Night Time Head Crunch New York: Cumgirl8 Nope, that’s not a typo. The New York post-punk trio only has one album on streaming services, but the 2020 self-titled debut effort offers enough to command some attention. Their music is gritty like the New York punk legends that came before them, but their production and the sounds they achieve give them a newer, refreshingly modern quality. Not every song is particularly great, but their left-of-center style makes every track an interesting listen. Song to get you hooked: “Blue Planet”, 2020’s Cumgirl8

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Snail Mail artist Lindsey Jordan's music is what you want indie rock to be: catchy, powerful and talented.

Chicago: Chris Crack Chris Crack is an artist that remains out of the elusive hip-hop limelight, despite his prolific output, with 20 albums on streaming services alone. A talented lyricist with a knack for wordplay and memorable album names, such as Crackheads Live Longer Than Vegans and White People Love

Algorithms, Crack can flow expertly over a wide variety of beats. Chicago has long been the world capital of soulful rap, and, while Crack’s instrumentals are diverse, he pays homage to his city with plenty of choppedup soul samples in his music. Song to get you hooked: “Joy More Important Than Success”, 2019’s Never Hated I Just Waited Bay Area: Tanukichan Tanukichan’s 2018 album Sundays is a huge win for American shoegaze, a genre typically dominated by England. The University of California, Berkeley alum combines layer upon layer of guitar with her bittersweet, dreamy vocals to create a shoegaze album with heavy singer-songwriter undertones. It’s poppy enough to get stuck in your head, but creative and textured so that it’s also an intriguing listen. Song to get you hooked: “Hunned Bandz”, 2018’s Sundays Baltimore: Snail Mail Snail Mail is the project of the supremely talented Lindsey Jordan, currently only 21-years-old. Her debut EP Habit was released when she was just 16. Jordan also took guitar lessons from Mary Timony, an underground hero of 90s alt-rock. Snail Mail’s music is guitar-heavy, with a big emphasis on creating a dense sound. It doesn’t take a thorough listen to reveal that Snail Mail is everything you want indie rock to be — catchy, powerful and oozing with talent. Song to get you hooked: “The 2nd Most Beautiful Girl in the World”, 2016’s Habit

life and style How to stay healthy as a freshman dailycardinal.com

By Vanessa Buckmelter STAFF WRITER

Freshman year is a very exciting time. Everything is new: friends, living environment, eating habits, social life, school and much more. One thing that almost every incoming freshman experiences is the inevitable cold. All of the changes, excitement and exposure to new people and things make you extremely susceptible to getting sick. This is the reality of freshman year; however, here are a few tips and tricks that can help you fight the germs and feel your best! First, pace yourself. Many freshmen, including myself a few years ago, dive in headfirst and forget that you can’t do everything all of the time. This go-go-go mindset is typically not sustainable and disregards the importance of pausing to

SOAR Issue, 2021

enjoy the excitement and the newness. Taking the time to relax and have a night in, not only is a great chance to recover, but can be an opportunity to get closer with friends or floormates. A little bit of relaxation goes a long way in staying healthy, feeling your best and enabling you to do your best. Second, water is your best friend. It is very easy to get swept up in the array of caffeinated beverages and the coffee spots scattered throughout campus; however, the simple act of prioritizing drinking water in your daily liquid diet will go a long way in keeping your body nourished. Third, there’s the “freshman diet.” Like the many students that have come before you, it is easy to be drawn to the chip section in Flamingo Run and operate on a consistent diet of quesadillas from Gordon’s. Although delicious, it is impor-

tant to visit the salad bar and have some fresh fruits and vegetables. It seems obvious, but this is likely the first time you will ever have had complete control of what you eat and when and remembering that choosing healthy food will pay off in the way you feel is a valuable lesson to learn. Additionally, it is equally easy to have a cup of coffee and a granola bar every morning and abandon the concept of traditional meals. I would encourage you to look at your schedule and find the time to sit and eat meals each day. Not only is planning times to eat well good for your physical health but it can also be a chance to connect with those around you. Some of my favorite memories of freshman year were when my floor would gather for Friday morning breakfast in Gordon’s. Finally, feeling good mentally is a key to feeling good physically. Being healthy

is multifaceted, and it is important to give ample attention to both your mental and physical wellbeing. College can be challenging, and these challenges are much more manageable when you feel grounded. There are many ways to nourish your mental health whether it is through exercise, art, nature or exploring Madison’s numerous options, so don’t be afraid to see what is out there for you! No matter how much self-care and healthy nutrition you give your body, the chances are you will catch the freshman cold at some point, and honestly, that is part of the fun of this whirlwind time. I would encourage you to practice being intentional with how you treat your body because freshman year is a lot more fun when you feel your best! GRAPHIC BY JESSICA LEVY

Advice from a senior for incoming UW-Madison students By Allie Sprink SENIOR STAFF WRITER

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Moving in can be overwhelming, so take some advice from a senior staff writer.

As a rising senior, there are so many things I wish I had known as an incoming freshman. In 2018, I was a scared, overwhelmed freshman wondering how the heck I was going to fit in at this massive school. Everything seemed to be coming at me so fast, and I didn’t know exactly how to process and enjoy all of the unique things freshman year brings. Therefore, I am going to provide a few pieces of advice that every freshman should know before taking on their first year at UW-Madison. 1. Open your mind to new and potentially scary opportunities. Coming to campus and moving away from home is a really intimidating idea. Being in a new place with new people can be overwhelming. However, no matter where you are from in the world, at UW-Madison, everyone will have one thing in common: They are Badgers. Historically, Badgers are risk-takers and adventurers. Obviously you’ll want to keep up that reputation, right? I suggest introducing yourself to as many different groups of people as you can. There are people from all over the world here, and having connections from all over the world is a really incredible thing. Hearing different opinions from

people that came from different places has been one of the most valuable pieces of my education thus far. Don’t be afraid to throw yourself into situations where you don’t know anyone. This is how some of my coolest stories at UW-Madison came to be. You can learn so much from making yourself go out of your comfort zone. 2. GET INVOLVED! Now, I know this sounds completely cliche, but it is SO important. I started getting really involved my sophomore year of college, and one thing I regret is not doing it freshman year. There are so many different groups, clubs, jobs and roles on this campus that can give you really cool experiences. Not to mention, if you start building your resume now, you’ll be able to avoid a lot of stress as you get to your junior and senior year. In addition, getting involved can automatically give you several different groups of friends. The experiences you have early on in college can really shape how your college career goes in the future. The more you get involved early on, the more you will have to talk about in future interviews or conversations. Again, I know it sounds so cliche, but there is something for everyone on this campus. There are clubs for something as specific as enjoying cheese, so get out there and get involved!

3. Live in the moment. As I look back on my past three years at UW-Madison and look forward to my very last year, one of my biggest regrets is not enjoying the moment more often. In college, it is so easy to get carried away with looking forward to the next semester or next year. There are so many exciting things that come with growing up. However, as you get older in college, there are more and more responsibilities placed on you. Freshman year is a time where you get a peak into adulthood, but don’t have to quite worry about it yet. You will meet new people, go to new places, try new foods and accept new challenges because you are in a brand new stage of your life. My advice to you, incoming freshmen, is to enjoy that newness. Being a freshman provides you with the opportunity to build your own story. You are on your own for the first time in your life, and you get to make this new life whatever you want it to be. Don’t take it for granted and don’t wish for it to be over, because as soon as it is over, you cannot get it back. Live in the moment and enjoy your life as a freshman for what it is: new and exciting. Welcome to UW-Madison, and I can’t wait for you all to experience being a Badger, because it is truly an honor.

photo dailycardinal.com

SOAR Issue, 2021

Summer Vacation: A Time to Adventure

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After a nearly ten mile hike up and around the Grand Tetons, the view of Jackson Wyoming's National Elk Refuge contains countless animals, rolling hills and a gorgeous meadow.

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Colorado Springs is home to the colorful hills of the Red Rock Canyon.

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A vacationer at the beach takes a break from the hot Miami sun by checking his phone.

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A small geyser is a common sight within the ancient volcanic land that is Yellowstone park.

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At an altitude over 10,000 feet, Grand Teton has snow almost year long.

science Gilroy Lab launches cotton to space dailycardinal.com

By Joyce Riphagen SCIENCE EDITOR

Viewers watched live at 12:30 p.m. on June 3 as UW botanist Simon Gilroy and his research team launched cotton seeds to the International Space Station, marking the beginning of the first-ever attempt to grow cotton in space. Gilroy’s lab, which focuses on how plants sense and process stimuli, as well as how this impacts growth, seeks to compare cotton grown in space and on Earth under their TICTOC (Targeting Improved Cotton through Orbital Cultivation) project. “We want to understand how gravity influences the development of the root system of cotton,” Gilroy said. Cotton is crucial for the manufacture of textiles — 25 million metric tons are grown globally each year — but it is difficult to grow sustainably. “Cotton uses huge amounts of water and huge amounts of nutrients,” said Gilroy, whose lab has conducted four previous astrobotanical experiments. “And that’s basically a root system thing. Maybe there are elements related to gravity sensing that we could tweak on Earth to redesign the root system to

SOAR Issue, 2021

make it more efficient.” The experiment, funded by Target as part of a sustainability research challenge, will compare the growth of two kinds of cotton: regular cotton and genetically engineered cotton that has been modified to be more resilient to a spectrum of stressors. The Gilroy lab predicts that the modified kind will perform better in space. On Earth, the more resistant variety can weather droughts due to its roots having an improved ability to penetrate the soil in search of water and nutrients. “The goal is to understand root system growth to help understand how to generate cotton with roots that grow deep to scavenge water more efficiently and also sequester more carbon in the soil,” Gilroy said. More efficient cotton would mean saving millions of liters of water annually. Sustainably grown cotton, or even cotton that is less thirsty than the unmodified variety, would be a huge step towards a less environmentally damaging textile and garment production industry. TIC-TOC was previously put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic

BRYCE RICHTER / UW MADISON

Simon Gilroy, a professor of botany, meets with his graduate students in Birge Hall in 2018. and the travel restrictions it imposed on the UW. Now, free to travel once more, Gilroy and his research team will prepare cotton seeds on specialized petri dishes at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Astronauts will then install the seeds into growth chambers, where they will germinate and grow for six

days under the watchful eyes — and cameras — of the astronauts on the ISS. At the end of the experimental period, the seedlings will be frozen and delivered back to Earth, where the Gilroy lab will have performed an identical experiment. The data will then be analyzed back home at the UW-Madison, where

researchers will be able to compare growth and development to see how a brief foray into zero-gravity affected the seedlings’ gene expression. Among its many other achievements, Gilroy’s lab is the first to have genetically engineered plants that grow better than the wild-type, natural plants in space.

Escape the stresses of freshman year in these UW green spaces By Joyce Riphagen

Horticultural Garden, in addition to many native plant species. Just like the Lakeshore Preserve, the Arboretum is home to burial and effigy mounds, many of which can be seen from the trails.

SCIENCE EDITOR

Freshman year can be a stressful time. You’re learning to manage a new, often heavier workload, taking care of yourself, and being a (baby) adult. Spending time in nature can be a great way to manage the anxieties that accompany the first year of college. Luckily, the UW-Madison campus provides a number of beautiful green spaces in which students can destress. 1. Lakeshore Preserve Occupying over 300 acres and stretching all the way from Memorial Union to the Wally Bauman Woods, the Lakeshore Nature Preserve is an accessible, beautiful place to spend time outdoors. Whether you’re walking along the path, having a fire out at Picnic Point or hammocking on the shore of Lake Mendota, you’re sure to enjoy the Preserve’s natu-

BRYCE RICHTER / UW MADISON

A path leads into the Muir woods in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. ral beauty. As you explore, keep an eye out for some of the many Native American burial mounds that dot the landscape. 2. Memorial Union Terrace The iconic Memorial Union Terrace offers a breathtaking view of Lake Mendota, along with tasty food and drinks. Take some time to sit at a table in one of the Union’s sunburst chairs or walk

along the lakeshore. Keep an eye out for ducks and muskrats as you go! 3. UW Arboretum Though a bit far from campus, the UW Arboretum is worth the trek. Home to 17 miles of trails for walking, running and biking, the Arboretum also offers visitors the opportunity to see conifers of all kinds in the Longenecker

I just think they’re neat: Sandhill cranes By Helena Wehrs STAFF WRITER

The bugling calls of sandhill cranes are now common in the early spring mornings of Madison, but they have a long history that remained uncertain in Wisconsin for decades. In the early twentieth century, they were hunted extensively as the “ribeye of the sky” with few regulations. The crane’s status as a tasty game bird, coupled with the destruction of wetland habitats as agricultural lands expanded, led to a concerning decrease in the eastern population. Aldo Leopold, a former UW-Madison professor and ecologist, foretold the probable extinction of sand-

hill cranes in his 1948 book, “A Sand County Almanac.” “Someday, perhaps in the very process of our benefactions, perhaps in the fullness of geological time, the last crane will trumpet his farewell and spiral skyward from the great marsh,” Leopold wrote. “High out of the clouds will fall the sound of hunting horns, the baying of the phantom pack, the tinkle of little bells, and then a silence never to be broken, unless perchance in some far pasture of the Milky Way.” However, under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, sandhill cranes and over a thousand other bird species received sweeping protection. With the

BRYCE RICHTER / UW MADISON

A sandhill crane in the Arboretum. combination of federal protection and conservation of wetland habitats, populations have increased dramatically. The current eastern population is nearing 100,000 birds. With the sandhill crane recovered in its historical range, some

4. Botany Garden The UW Botany Department has some of its best work on display in the Botany Garden. Located directly behind Birge Hall, the garden features a variety of plants and quiet spaces for contemplation. Rumor has it there’s even a chipmunk nesting under the bridge! Pro-tip, the Garden makes for a great shortcut when walking from class to class.

regions of the world, including an absolutely massive cycad and many very pokey opuntias. The greenhouses can only be accessed through the basement of Birge (a fun adventure!). Closer to the Lakeshore side of campus, check out the D.C. Smith Horticultural greenhouse, which offers many comfy places to sit inside its conservatory, in addition to a teenytiny koi pond.

5. Greenhouses There are a number of different greenhouses on campus, many of which are open to the public. The Botany Greenhouses, located in Birge Hall, contain a variety of plants from many different

6. Allen Centennial Garden The Allen Centennial Garden is a beautiful spot right across from Slichter Residence Hall. Sit on the porch of the old Agricultural Dean’s House, say hi to the numerous koi that call the garden home or plop down somewhere with a good book. The garden is maintained by a team of UW staff and students with expertise in horticulture and natural sciences, and there is almost always something in bloom.

Wisconsin residents are in favor of reinstituting a state hunt of the bird. Multiple states have held hunts, but most are in the Rocky Mountain population, which has the most abundant population. Currently, there has been little movement from the state legislature to institute a hunt, but some rural communities see a fall hunt as a potential solution to the crop damage that has increased with the recovery of sandhill cranes. However, both the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the International Crane Foundation have determined that a fall hunt would not have any considerable effect on crop damage by sandhill cranes. Noise deterrents have also proven to be unsuccessful in preventing crop damage, but the chemical deterrent Avipel has proven to be effective and has low toxicity. Wisconsin landowners may

also apply for a permit to allow lethal removal after the USFWS and the DNR concur that other preventative measures have been taken. Conservationists are also concerned for the Wisconsin whooping crane population if the state were to institute a sandhill crane hunt. While the sandhill crane has recovered, there are a mere 800 whooping cranes in the world — 77 of which reside in Wisconsin. There are distinctive differences in plumage between the two birds, but in poor lighting and bad weather conditions, hunters have mistakenly killed whooping cranes. The future of Wisconsin sandhill cranes was precarious for decades, and for the sake of their continued recovery the state must take careful steps to mitigate conflicts between the birds and people.

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SOAR Issue, 2021

What do you wish you knew as a freshman?

Adulting is hard, but lean on your friends and don’t be afraid to ask thepeople you love for help. On the day you move in, there will be a time whenyou are alone in your dorm room, wondering how and where to get dinner. You’ll be ok! Everyone there is in the same situation and is trying to get through the first couple of weeks. Don’t be afraid to Google how to use Tide pods, or ask your house fellow about connecting to the internet. Don’t be afraid to lean on others especially when you’re in a new environment. Your upperclassmen are always here to help, too!

I wish I knew how to study for exams as a freshman. My advice is to start studying early — a few weeks before the exam — and review the information in smaller chunks. Find the areas on campus that work for you. If you like a louder study space, try the unions or College Library second and third floors. If you like a quieter study space, try renting a study room or look for a quiet floor at the library. - Gina Musso

- Hope Karnopp

I wish I knew that it is okay to be nervous. It is okay to walk into a alecture hall full of strangers and be scared to sit in the front or talk to the person next to you. College is filled with new experiences, and being scared is part of it. Put yourself out there and be scared — you never know what opportunities will come from it. - Samantha Benish

No matter what it looks like on the outside, everyone is looking to make new friends at the start of college. Reach out to people you think you will mesh with. Talk to strangers in student areas. Go up to people's dorm rooms when their door is open. Most importantly, always say yes! Being a freshman in college is one of the rare opportunities in life where no one knows who you are or what you were like in your youth. Take advantage of this opportunity to branch out and become the person you want to represent. - Em-J Krigsman