Thursday, November 8, 2018 by The Daily Cardinal

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Thursday, November 8, 2018

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City sets records in voter turnout Tuesday

Evers’ win welcomes new era of changes in education By Robyn Cawley COLLEGE NEWS EDITOR

After a slew of key absentee ballots arrived from Milwaukee, Governor-elect Tony Evers carried the lead throughout the night, eventually succeeding Scott Walker in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Now, he has gained the opportunity to achieve goals of changing public education that his campaign was built on. Throughout his run for governor, he hit hard on the Board of Regents, lack of state support and increasing investment into postsecondary as well as public schools. Evers’ ambition to improve educational policy and access has not gone unnoticed as he traveled up the ranks from teacher to state superintendent. He heavily advocated for more investment in post-secondary education, notably throughout the UW System and technical schools. He noted that the rise of graduate debt is due to lacking investments of the state that will offset costs of high tuition. “I believe in the UW System. It’s a good investment for the state,” Evers said. “But students and their parents need to be active in the issue of having adequate resources. It cannot just come from the students, it has to come from the state.” Though he does not disagree on Walker’s decision to freeze tuition, he supports lowering the cost of college. But, not at the

By Milica Andric STAFF WRITER

Voter turnout for the November 2018 gubernatorial election reached a record high of 92.9 percent — the highest pre-registered voter turnout in Wisconsin’s history. The November 2014 gubernatorial vote was only 69.5 percent. “We’ve been talking about trying to get in between those two numbers, in between 70 and 81 percent with a target of 75 percent,” Madison Mayor Paul Soglin said in a press conference Wednesday. “Crossing 80 percent was imaginable. Over 90 percent? Unimaginable. This is just fantastic.” Despite the record-breaking turnout, Soglin also stated that the number of pre-registered voters for the 2018 election was 156,000, while the April 2017 election had over 200,000 citizens that were pre-registered. According to Soglin, this was due to the “major purging” of old voters off the rolls this past year. The number of voters that participated in the midterm election this past Tuesday reached 145,000. The preceding 2014 presidential election only had 9,000 more voters. “I highly doubt that you’re going to see many communities around the country where the gubernatorial vote yesterday — the state vote — was so close to the presidential vote in the past,” Soglin said. Historically, the City of Madison and Dane County have always been leaders in voter turnout, according to JACOB SCHELLPFEFFER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

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Though Tony Evers ousted two-term Gov. Scott Walker, GOP leaders may be ready to weaken his office.

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Blue wave sweeps statewide offices

Meanwhile, Republican leaders discuss stripping them of certain powers By Will Husted and Andy Goldstein THE DAILY CARDINAL

After a pair of races that were too close to call until early Wednesday morning, Democrats took control of all statewide offices on the ballot Tuesday in dramatic fashion. In one of the closest races for governor in state history, head of schools Tony Evers upset two-term incumbent Scott Walker on road to the key win of the night. “It’s time for a change, folks, and it is a change that we have

delivered,” Evers told supporters in Madison. “Now that the race is behind us, I look forward to moving forward together.” Walker has won a series of tight re-election campaigns throughout his tenure, and it looked as though he may survive yet another challenge late into the night, until the Milwaukee City Clerk announced there were a shocking 47,000 absentee ballots yet to be counted. Those ballots split decisively for Evers, giving him a 38,000 vote boost

and flipping the race on its head as the final tallies came in. These same votes led to an even bigger upset: Attorney General Brad Schimel looks like he will lose his re-election bid to Democratic underdog Josh Kaul. Too close to call even well into Wednesday, the race was largely seen as uncompetitive, with Schimel expected to cruise to yet another term. But record-breaking levels of midterm turnout swung against state Republicans, seemingly

unseating even the most entrenched statewide incumbents. In declaring victory, Kaul announced his intentions to fight to expand Medicaid, push for increased gun safety reforms and be tough on pharmaceutical companies in their role in the opioid epidemic. “As Wisconsin’s next attorney general, I will be a watchdog for Wisconsinites,” Kaul said at a press conference. “While this was a race that was close, the results were also clear, and we look for-

ward to moving forward.” By far the least competitive race of the night, Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin handily defeated Republican challenger Leah Vukmir by 11 percent. Campaigning on universal health care and protecting domestic manufacturers, Baldwin was seen as a heavy favorite to keep her seat despite significant GOP money pouring into the state against her.

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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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Thursday, November 8, 2018

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Student voter ID numbers soar in election By Sarah Jensen STAFF WRITER

The 2018 gubernatorial election results accounted for millions of votes across the country, with an especially high voter turnout in UW-Madison students. Communications Specialist Xai Xiong said that of the eight total polling locations on campus, the voter turnout totaled 87 percent of those eligible to vote at these wards. Additionally, throughout the city of Madison, the voter turnout totaled 92.2 percent. The high student voter turnout was the main goal of the Big Ten Voter Challenge, encouraging students to prepare for election day by registering in a timely manner and keeping up to date with the voting schedule on campus. Megan Miller, Assistant Director of Civic Engagement and Communications, spoke about the initiatives taken by the Big Ten Voting Challenge to increase

student voting participation. “The Big Ten Voting Challenge is a friendly competition between all of the Big Ten schools and each president or chancellor from every Big Ten school signed on to compete and participate in this challenge,” Miller said. “The idea is that a little bit of friendly competition would get people excited and interested to be engaged.”

“Even though Wisconsin has same-day voter registration, it is certainly easier if you’re already registered.” Megan Miller assistant director of civic engagement UW-Madison

Leading up to the pre-registration deadline on Oct. 17, the Big Ten Voting Challenge

focused on encouraging students to register before election day, “because even though Wisconsin has same-day voter registration, it is certainly easier if you’re already registered,” Miller said. Shifting the focus from registration to early voting, the challenge encouraged students to learn more about the candidates and take advantage of early voting opportunities. It also aimed to make the voting process more accessible for students, implementing voter ID printing machines at campus polling locations. “On election day, we were able to work with different campus administrators and the Wiscard office to make sure that all seven of the on-campus polling locations had voter ID printing machines available, so if students were going to vote and they didn’t have their proper ID, they could get it printed on the spot.” In addition to making the voting process more accessible, Miller also discussed the

importance of higher education in encouraging students to be active in their community.

“Of the eight total polling locations on campus, voter turnout totaled 87 percent of those eligible to vote at these wards.”

“In addition to preparing students who are at the university for jobs and for a life after graduation, there is also the public purposes of higher education, which are helping students prepare to be engaged citizens in whatever way makes the most sense to them,” said Miller. “We think that voting is part of that, so we want to make sure we have the tools and we are doing what we can as an institution of higher education to encourage students to be active citizens.”

New Mandarin-speaking counselor expands UHS support

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Recently appointed UHS counselor Wei-Chiao Hsu provides support and expands access to health services for Madarin-speaking students. By Tiffany Huang STAFF WRITER

Reaching out to mental health services can be difficult, especially if there isn’t a counselor who speaks your native language. But for Mandarin-speaking students at UW-Madison, that barrier is one step closer to being broken. University Health Services introduced a female Mandarinspeaking counselor Wei-Chiao Hsu in January 2018. Hsu is the second-ever hired MandarinSpeaking counselor after the two-year gap and the only one serving now on campus. There are about 6,000 international students on campus, a larger group than all other minority ethnic groups. These students may encounter more mental health challenges than domestic students and, therefore, have called for change at UHS. “We have a diverse student population, and we always want

our mental health providers to reflect that,” said Liz Valentine, the human resources team manager at UHS. “We decided to find a Mandarin-speaking counselor.” Hsu, whose skill is licensed and language level is qualified under Cultural Linguistic Services, stood out in the pool of candidates. Hsu is not a U.S. citizen and was born in Taiwan, however, Valentine and her team decided to send out an offer letter. After years of teaching in special education, she decided to get additional degrees in North America, knowing students needed more assistance with their mental health. After completing her master’s degree from UW-Madison, she went back to Taiwan as a counselor to enhance her psychology skills. She received her Ph.D. six years later from University of British Columbia, Vancouver. In addition to Hsu’s expertise

and counseling experience, her identity as an international student gives her a first-hand perspective of what native Mandarinspeaking students go through. “This is my dream job,” she said. One of the challenges that international students face is difficulty acclimating to college. Yu-Tai Chen, a second-year student from Taiwan, recalled his transition to UW-Madison being very hard. “The most difficult part was to settle in all on my own,” Chen said. “I flew here by myself. My parents weren’t here to help me out, so I had to figure everything out on my own — from settling into dorm rooms, choosing courses and just getting to know the environment.” Chen also said he struggled with feeling lonely and out of place as a freshman. Chen is not the only one who struggled during the transition.

International students reportedly face unique challenges, like finding an identity, a home and a group of friends. They have also reported facing stereotypes and discrimination from domestic students. “I lived in Witte in my freshman year. I was the only Asian kid living on the entire floor,” Chen said. “I didn’t know anyone, did not have any mutual friends with anyone because I didn’t go to high school here.” According to Hsu, though all students may face similar challenges when transitioning to college, international students certainly face more than domestic students. “International students struggle more especially with school performance — some because of language barriers and mainly because of cultural differences,” she said. “More serious, some students start questioning the

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Thursday, November 8, 2018

New program brings Native elders to UW-Madison By Jenna Walters CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR

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UW aims to improve bond with tribal nations through new program. blue wave from page 1 “For us, it wasn’t simply a political fight, it was a fight about doing what’s right,” Baldwin said to supporters in Madison. “And for me, it’s always been about doing right by Wisconsin.” Schimel and Walker did not concede until Wednesday afternoon, and Republicans ended election night seemingly prepared to challenge the results. Once news of the Evers’ surge broke at Walker’s and Vukmir’s Pewaukee event, the crowd fell mute, along with the sound of the broadcast. Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch took the stage shortly after. “I’m here to tell you that the fight is not over… we are preparing for the likelihood of a recount in the state of Wisconsin,” Kleefisch said. “We need to prepare ourselves for a long, drawn-out recount that the other side will surely seek.” Come Wednesday morning, the result of the election became more clear to both parties. Evers had won, just outside the margin of victory for a recount. “It has been my honor to serve as your governor for nearly eight years. We’ve come a long way together and it is my sincere hope that the progress we’ve made during our time in office will continue,” Walker said in a statement. With his victory now expected to remain uncontested, Evers emphasized his willingness to work with Republicans to pass reforms. “My priority has always been what’s best for the people of the state of Wisconsin,” Evers said. “I can promise you this: I’ll be focused on solving problems, not picking political fights.” Regardless, state Republicans have made it clear that they do not see Walker’s ousting as referendum against their conservative reforms during the soon-tobe former governor’s tenure. “While yesterday was a win for Governor-elect Evers, it cannot be

turnout from page 1 Soglin. This year’s voter turnout can be explained by the efficient and quick voter process, as well as the rigorous campaigning done by the candidates. “There’s no question that the two candidates and their workers, the media campaigns, had a lot to do with it,” Soglin said. “But our role is to make [voting] as easy and understandable and convenient as possible.”

seen as any kind of mandate for change,” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said in a statement. “Assembly Republicans will continue to deliver on our conservative promises to our constituents and won’t allow Wisconsin to slide backward.” Though they fared well on the statewide level, Democrats had little hope of making gains in Wisconsin’s notoriously Republican-friendly Assembly map, approved by Walker and the Assembly in 2010. “The people of Wisconsin will finally get a governor in Tony Evers who cares about them, rather than one who constantly prioritizes his own political career… but this election also showed that we desperately need election reform,” State Rep Chris Taylor, D-Madison, said. “We need to pass nonpartisan redistricting legislation that Democrats have championed for years so that people are picking their policy makers, rather than politicians picking their voters.” With Evers set to remain in office for the next four years, though, Democrats are now assured a vital stake in the next redistricting process, set to take place after the 2020 U.S. Census, with the governor’s veto power over the Assembly proposed maps. But, in an effort to limit the effects of having a Democrat in office, Vos said state Republicans are even considering stripping away some of the governor’s existing powers: “If there are areas we could look & say ‘Jeez, have we made mistakes where we granted too much power to the executive,’ I’d be open to taking a look & saying ‘what could we do to change that?’” Set to be chained by the leg to a near Republican supermajority in the Assembly, Evers may end up as more of a check on the state’s conservative reformers than a harbinger of change. Regardless, he and the new Democratic faces of the state will take office early next year. Convenience proved to be very important for first time voters, which can be credited to the efforts of Madison’s Clerk office. People were able to vote in a matter of 15 minutes, according to Soglin. “Anybody who voted yesterday, you are part of history,” Soglin said. The mayor said he also has high hopes for the city’s voter turnout in the presidential election in 2020.

A new initiative meant to bring Native community leaders to UW-Madison will host their first guest to educate students on the Menominee Tribe next week. The Native Nations Eldersin-Residence program will host Ada Deer Nov. 12-16. Deer is the first member of the Menominee Tribe to receive an undergraduate degree from UW-Madison. She is also the first chairwoman of her tribe. She is the first elder to visit UW-Madison as part of the new initiative, which is also in cel-

ebration of Native American Heritage Month this November. During her time on campus, Deer will hold drop-in hours at Ingraham Hall. She will also be available to talk to students over the phone, sharing her expertise on Native affairs. In an interview with UW-Madison, Deer, who previously taught in the UW–Madison School of Social Work, said that by making herself available to current UW-Madison students, she can provide an insight into the culture of the Menominee Tribe and other tribal nations. “I hope my presence and my experiences can serve to inspire

and motivate our Native students as well as other students,” Deer said. The main campus partners behind the program are the American Indian Studies Program, University Housing and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. By hosting Deer and other Native elders, the Elders-inResidence program aims to strengthen the partnership between tribal nations as well as the university. The program also hopes to improve retention and recruitment rates for Native students on campus.

education from page 1 loss of state funds. “The state funding is where the rubber hits the road,” Evers said. “For [the freeze] to work, we need more state money. That’s the bottom line.” When the Regents were tasked with agreeing on a new budget in August, Evers helped up the sole hand to vote nay. At the time, he reflected on the importance of state money to make up for the budget’s tuition freeze for instate undergraduates. Evers is seeking to increase Wisconsin schools funding by $1.4 billion more — a 10 percent increase from years past. This is the highest it has been since the mid-1990s. He has planned the 2019-’21 state budget to see a $339.8 million increase in the first year and $1.1 billion the second year. “His vision includes a commitment to reinvest in the UW System, to restore tenure and shared governance rights and to fund the tuition freeze,” said Elena Levy-Navarro, the Vice President of UW-Whitewater’s American Association of University Professors Chapter. When Evers heard that UW-Stevens Point was at risk of losing 13 humanities degrees, he stated this could “trigger system-wide cuts” to liberal arts programs. Advocates for the cuts claimed slashing majors was a response to the shifting job market to STEM majors, which

counselor from page 2 initial reason to come to college and develop imposter syndrome, which is a feeling they believe they don’t belong here or they are not good enough to be here.” Though Hsu feels pressure at times at such a large university, she hopes that she can reach out to more students. “Two out of three students that I serve are Mandarinspeaking students and the rest I serve are English-speaking students, and for me being here only about nine months or so, this is pretty good,” Hsu said. “But I guess the pressure I get is from knowing that I am the only Mandarin-speaking counselor.” In attempts to reach more Mandarin-speaking students, UHS and Hsu have partnered

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Evers’ promises to remold education after succession of Walker. Evers’ responded, “Bullshit.” The program cuts were the result of campuses inability to afford them, he stated during a Reclaim the UW protest.

“For the tuition freeze to work, we need more state money.” Tony Evers governor-elect

Brain drain after graduating — when students leave the state to pursue careers elsewhere — led universities to suffer, which with the Multicultural Student Center and the International Students Services. They have also dedicated a full page on the UHS website about Hsu’s expertise and her service.

“We have a diverse student population, and we always want our mental health providers to reflect that.” Liz Valentine human resources manager UHS

Outside of UHS, Hsu is a health ambassador at ISS, where she facilitates a discussion group every other Friday. She also participates in MSC’s “Let’s Talk” program to spread

caused Evers to encourage the support and reward of innovative research programs for faculty and students. He noted the importance of keeping graduates in the state. As the shift begins to a new gubernatorial era, Evers is tasked with picking up the pieces Walker will leave at the end of his term in January. One of those key pieces: the state budget balance sheet. “Does the state have a surplus or deficit?” Radomski asked. “This is imperative for the governor-elect, legislators, the media and the public to know. As soon as possible.” the message regarding mental health services. ISS is usually the first stop that international students direct questions about immigration, academics and cultural adjustment. The program provides many resources, including programs like BRIDGE and other affiliated student organizations that are aimed at supporting international students. Valentine expressed concern that the staff is not meeting the students’ needs because of an uneven staff to student ratio. However, she said UHS will continue to work to increase staff to meet students’ demand. Hsu hopes to expand from just one-on-one counseling to include group counseling and to reach out and provide mental health services to more students on campus.

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Julien Baker builds connections by sharing stages, personal life stories By Sammy Gibbons EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“What are you going to do with that degree?” This question plagues liberal arts majors through college and beyond. Indie-folk singer-songwriter Julien Baker answered this differently while studying literature in school before dropping out and releasing two albums and touring the world in a span of two years. As an English major myself, my conversation with the artist unsurprisingly spiraled into rants about people’s doubts surrounding what we can do with our degrees. The indiefolk singer-songwriter argued that’s not the point. “We unite the worst of an academic pursuit with its potential to have value in a capitalist market ... in the end what we’re saying will be more lucrative. But what is the point if you don’t have a well-rounded and philosophically aware society?” Baker’s original plan, after switching late in college from an audio engineering major to literature, cast her as an English teacher at Smyrna High School outside of Nashville, her hometown. When her debut album Sprained Ankle was picked up by a label after she quietly published it on Bandcamp, she began touring and has traveled to play music ever since. “Part of college is supposed to be just exposing you [to] a variety of ideas so that you’re able to try your hand and see what your passionate about,” Baker said, explaining why she decided to switch from focusing on a physically and emotionally taxing studio engineering path. “So I was just like, ‘Man, I really love music, that’s what I want to do. I’m gonna play music whether it’s in stadiums or at a dive bar, so I’ll just major in something that I’m passionate about and interested in.’” Baker formerly toured with

her band, Forrister, which has been inactive now since 2016, only when there were spare moments between student teaching gigs. Since the success of her debut record in 2015, the 23-year-old has toured mostly solo, accompanied only by her guitar and piano, as well as violinist Camille Faulkner. Her 2017 release Turn Out The Lights propelled her success, landing her a second stint on NPR’s Tiny Desk (she’s the only artist to perform behind the desk twice) and spots at music festivals in the U.S. and beyond. On the making of boygenius At Eaux Claires and Pitchfork music festivals this past summer, fellow indie crooners Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus joined her in the lineups. She played alongside Bridgers in a unique performance called the Eaux Claires Women’s Choir, and on different stages from Dacus at Chicago’s Pitchfork fest. Before the festivals, the trio had booked a joint tour, but that turned into something bigger, giving Baker a chance to perform with other musicians — two of her close friends — for the first time in a while. “It’s really exciting to be sharing the stage with them,” Baker said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve performed live with other people, but I’m really excited because, for one thing, it’ll give me a chance to perform in a capacity that I haven’t for a while and I get to play lead guitar.” The performer elaborated,“When I perform solo, the attention of the audience is usually just focused one person, me, and it’ll be really nice to share that attention in a collaborative way. There’s something I miss about being able to vibe off of other musicians and have something organic develop in the musical

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Julien Baker teamed up with Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, and they’re now touring the country. exchange that happens on stage between multiple players.” On Oct. 26, they dropped a dream team collab EP under the group name boygenius, on which Baker rocks lead guitar. The album was completed before Eaux Claires. “We all had just been trying to figure out how to creatively combine our music on stage for this tour, and I think it sort of snowballed the excitement until we decided to find time when all of our schedules overlapped and write as much music as we could,” Baker said. The tour launched Sunday night with what Baker called a “high-stakes show,” as they took the Ryman Auditorium stage

in Nashville. They’ll stop in Madison on Nov. 16 at The Sylvee, set to perform individually but with high hopes for an encore of boygenius tunes. On hope shining through personal struggle Dacus, Bridgers and Baker tell stories of heartbreak and dark personal struggles in their music. For Baker, revisiting these times is not as painful as listeners assume. “The more times I’m forced to confront those experiences within the narrative of a song, especially in the context of a live set, I’m also aware that there’s a whole audience of people who are relating to, or at least getting something out of, these songs that’s not rooted in my personal experience, but somehow that experience has allowed me to articulate a feeling that those people have also felt,” Baker said. “The song sort of gets extrapolated into meaning something much more abstract but much less painful and actually more significant to me. Because now it’s not about just my limited individual experience — now that

song represents to me whatever it needs to represent, or whatever it represents to these other people, and I can take comfort in that.” Baker’s thoughtfulness about others trickled into our conversation. When asked how she felt about being a role model for young queer people, she relabeled herself as “just a student of the world,” emphasizing she is aware of her responsibility and space she takes up as a musician. In her popular single “Appointments,” she sings “maybe it’s all gonna turn out alright/ I know that it’s not, but I have to believe that it is.” When asked where this sliver of hope comes from, she said it’s inspired by people’s actions, the tiniest bits of kindness people perform. “It’s the big things that make me feel weak and deterred and fearful, but it’s the small actions that give me hope and revitalize my faith that things can still be O.K.,” she said. “When I see people doing thoughtful things or when there’s some act of unwarranted grace ... those things are able to give me perspective and sort of remind me that there’s hope yet.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF BANDCAMP

Baker’s debut album, pictured above, brought her critical acclaim.

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Thursday, November 8, 2018 5 l

PHOTO COURESTY OF EMILY BUCK

Voters in Wisconsin are required to show photo identification before they can vote. However, UW-Madison students cannot use their Wiscards as a proof of identity.

Voter ID laws unfairly impact students GABY VINICK opinion writer oting should be easier. This is a commonly held belief, yet there isn’t a consensus as to how to amend the problem. The United States fares poorly in voter turnout compared with other countries to an embarrassing extent. According to U.S. News, “only 55.7 percent of votingeligible Americans showed up at the polls for the 2016 presidential election.” For midterm elections, this turnout problem is even more pronounced. This is shocking, especially for a well-developed country like the United States that champions itself on the foundation of free and fair elections. We have numerous elections for government leaders for all levels of government, resulting in many voters having trouble keeping up with the number of options. Additionally, elections are held on weekdays, registration can be intimidating and many people unfortunately believe that their vote does not matter. The Washington Post reported that early voter

turnout increased dramatically this year — by about 125 percent for those aged 18-30 — while this can be attributed to an improved sense of political efficacy amongst young voters, it is crucial that we boost voter turnout if we have any hope of saving our American democracy. I am a first-year student at the University of WisconsinMadison. Today I had the privilege of working with other poll workers to help young Americans register to vote and confirm their polling location. I checked students’ IDs, gave students their voting slip number, checked off their names in the pollbooks and directed them to the next booth to set them up to vote. My experience as a firsttime polling volunteer confirmed my belief that the system by which the state of Wisconsin and many other states goes by is burdensome. It demonstrated to me that voter suppression efforts continue to exist and remain hugely problematic. I encountered numerous students, most first-time voters, that claimed they had

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the cost of living ONLINE ON STANDS NOV. 15 costofliving-dc.com

already registered to vote. Some of these students had registered to vote at the beginning of the year, and others had registered a week or two ago. Their names, however, did not appear in the pollbooks. Despite the countless number of students I interacted with whose registration did not go through the system, I never encountered a rude, impudent student. Rather, they all went back to the registration booth. These students were not idle in their right to vote. They exhibited care, passion and hope to contribute to a better democracy and future. Student after student, I realized how delusional it is to claim that the youth are lazy, misinformed and uncaring. We may have grown up different from previous generations with technology pervading society at such a young age, but that does not make our character or voices any less respectable. However, had those students not been able to re-register the day of voting, they would not have been able to cast their ballots. This is inherently wrong on so many levels. A vote is an important civic duty — if not the most important. And for citizens who may not have the time nor resources to see when voter registration for their state ends, they are unable to perform this civic duty. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, since March 2018, only 17 out of the 50 American states grant sameday voter registration. This brings me back to my question: Why is the voting process so complex? All UW-Madison students are provided a Wiscard, an ID that permits access into campus buildings, and can also be used to pay for things like laundry and printing. However, Wiscards do not suffice as proper voter registration identification, despite their use for getting into residence halls and other locations. Some students had to get their photo taken to show their voter identification

card, and most — if not all — would also take out their Wiscard after I asked for them to show me their ID. Out-of-state students at UW-Madison, in addition to showing their Wisconsin voter identification card, had to either show us their bus pass, which expires by the semester or go on their phone and show that they are a current student through a display of the classes they are enrolled in in their Student Center. This makes the process that much more time-consuming. Yes, these tasks do not appear difficult. And for many affluent students, it is no problem pulling out your phone. But what about students who lack the funds to own a phone? Surely, they could use elected polling officials’ phones — if that is permitted. That said, such an act perpetuates the belief that voter fraud is that much more prevalent and important than getting out the vote. This is problematic. It may make voters feel uncomfortable, embarrassed and frustrated with the voting process. It sends a condescending message to young voters that they do not belong in the participation of government. For those who may previously have been intimidated by the prospect of voting but are finally feeling empowered in this 2018 midterm election, it becomes more clear why voter turnout, particularly for the youth, tends to be low. A friend of mine proposed that our Wiscard now include our signature to enable voters to use it. Many students worry: Do I have everything I need? What if they turn me away at the polls? Elections are undoubtedly anxiety-ridden, and for first-time voters, having to worry about how they will get to the polls and if they have the right materials only exacerbates their concerns. I personally believe this idea would not only expedite the process but also ease new voters’ nerves about it as well. I know that there are several men and women

out there who have many other responsibilities that do not allow them the time nor the resources to check if they have missed their voter registration date. I recognize my own privilege as a white, Americanborn female capable of going to an out-of-state university. Nonetheless, many of my peers are of the same socioeconomic background as me, and as college students, our lives are busy enough with readings, club meetings, work and maintaining a social life. Voting and politics, unfortunately, are not always on people’s minds. However, it is vital that Americans stay aware, vote and recognize their privilege. Voting is a defining characteristic of American democratic values. People have fought for years to disenfranchise minorities by imposing voter restrictions and challenges. I am from Potomac, Maryland, a state that does NOT allow same-day voter registration. Although the issue is now on the ballot for this election, I can only hope that this change will be implemented. Notwithstanding the fact that Madison, a very liberal town, is dedicated to getout-the-vote efforts, particularly for the youth, there remain problems with our current system. Voter suppression exists and often affects vulnerable populations and minorities. Efforts that make it harder to vote do not increase the integrity of the process. There is no reason why a regular student cannot use their regular ID that is used to validate other processes. As UW-Madison political science professor Kenneth Mayer said, “The only reason for a student ID requirement is to make it harder to vote.” That hurts democracy. That impedes on our rights. And it jeopardizes our future. Gaby is a freshman studying political science and communications. Do Wisconsin’s voter ID laws prevent students from voting? Please send all questions and comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

almanac 6 Thursday, November 8, 2018

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Zoo’s new polar bears offer ‘adorable’ distraction from climate change effects By Haley Bills STAFF WRITER

The recent addition to Madison’s Henry Vilas Zoo, Arctic Passage, has left local “animal lovers,” and the rest of the zoo’s unsuspecting and indifferent “bystandertype” visitors, starstruck. The exhibit, which opened in September, hosts a set of super adorable and cuddly twin polar bears, Sakari and Suka. With such endearing, euphonious names, the zoo’s personification of these exotic creatures allows visitors to more easily create a connection with the imprisoned pair. Costing about $9.13 million to build, the exhibit loosely emulates the bears’ native territory, giving them a whopping 0.006 square

kilometers to roam. While this only gives the animals about two hundredmillionths of their natural range, the zoo compensated with a 46,500-gallon pool, which amounts to about seven-tenths of a typical public pool, or in other words, an imperceivable fraction of the ocean. However, if the inmates were given any more space, visitors wouldn’t be able to pay to observe the polar bears in the comfort of their very own private viewing room in a nearby restaurant. Willingly offering financial support to the enslavement of Sakari and Suka for only a slightly better view of the dejected animals may seem a bit silly … but who doesn’t love some dinner and a show?

Despite the zoo’s many shortcomings, they probably choose to focus on the young visitor population’s newest consensus: The polar bears are just “too freakin’ cute!!!” (The polar bears were unable to be reached for comment, as their cries cannot be heard from behind the soundproof glass that encloses their cage. I mean home.) Arctic Passage may transport visitors to a sad excuse for the fabled Arctic environment, but the spectacle of polar bears in Wisconsin diverts them from voicing any complaint, inquisition or doubt. At least we can find solace in the fact that the living conditions for wild polar bears are as good as ever!

IMAGE COURTESY OF SAVANNAH MCHUGH

Twin bears Sakari and Suki featured in their new spacious and fulfilling home.

President Trump manages to downplay Democratic victory with divisive tweet

IMAGE COURTESY OF MELANIN SPEAKING

Featured this week is a poem by Rachel Haynes about dating in the modern age.

Swipe^2

IMAGE COURTESY OF SAVANNAH MCHUGH

Trump emphasized the importance of his divisive tweet from a press conference Wednesday evening.

By Rachel Haynes MELANIN SPEAKING - SMALL TALKS

By Savannah McHugh ALMANAC EDITOR

Swipe Left, Swipe Right Who will I swipe tonight, Am I looking for some fun? Or am I looking for the one? Swipe Left, Swipe Right I got a new match, DM, Alright, Swipe Left, Swipe Right “I’ve never dated a black women before…” Unmatched, God, not another one! Swipe Left, Swipe Right How did my friend meet the one? Did she swipe 24 hours a day, Was she even having fun?

Swipe Left, Swipe Right DM, “Dinner and a movie tonight?” I guess that sounds like fun Swipe Left, Swipe Right One date, two dates, I think it’s going well Ghosted. Swipe Left, Swipe Right Is this millennial love? Boiled down to a few math algorithms And superficial profiles Swipe Left, Swipe Right I could swipe all night Will I ever be happy? Delete.

Tuesday saw a record turnout at polls across Wisconsin and ended up flipping the House in favor of Democrats and the Senate in favor of Republicans. Wednesday morning saw the confirmation of Democratic candidate Tony Evers, ousting the incumbent Scott Walker and causing him to have what witnesses called a “fussy fussy temper tantrum” shortly before calling his mom and blubbering into the phone. Wednesday also saw a menagerie of enthusiastic tweets from President Donald Trump about the nationwide success of the Republican Party, indicating he is perhaps experi-

encing the first stage of grief over the impending demise of his attempt to revive an 1850s-themed political regime. Furthermore, the president once again shocked the country with a lastditch effort to distract rejoicing Democrats everywhere from their success; he tweeted his dick dimensions for the world to read. Dick dimensions can be defined in many different ways, depending on the penile appendage in question, but President Trump chose to emphasize what he considered to be his “biggest” features. “I have the biggest penis in the world, nobody has a larger penis than me,” Trump tweeted late Wednesday afternoon.

“Nobody’s penis is larger than mine ... It’s huge!” Despite notably omitting specific measurements from his tweet, President Trump’s egregious claim was enough to stir the literal shit-pot of American politics and spawn many BuzzFeed and HuffPost articles condemning him for doing what a lot of people probably do on their Tinder profiles using eggplant and peach emojis. One can only hope the state of our country’s social media fixation and usage as a guidebook for positive moral behavior will soon change. Only time will only tell what social media controversy our beloved president will cause next!

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.

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Thursday, November 8, 2018 • 7

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

Fact of the Day

Daily Cardinal Archives

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Across 1. Line on a check 6. Social one’s ‘’gift’’ 9. Skoal, e.g. 14. Apply elbow grease 15. Lubricate 16. Psychoanalyst Fromm 17. Largest venomous snake 19. Landed estate 20. Wild thing? 21. South African prelate 23. Slip away, as time 26. Flight school final 27. True to the cause 30. Corporate combination 34. Got ready to face the day 37. Bound 39. Confederate commander 40. Sirs of the lowest rank 44. The Crossed Harpoons, in literature 45. Man Fri. 46. Place for a pickup 47. Attacks 50. Recorded speeds 52. It is a crime to do this to a criminal 54. Canine coat 58. Financier of last

Today’s Sudoku

Jim’s Journal Classic

resort 63. Clay, later 64. Word with zinc or nitrous 65. It helps support a structure 68. Jocular 69. Home page address, e.g. 70. Unworldly 71. Guilty and not guilty 72. Begley and Begley Jr. 73. More brut Down 1. Souchong alternative 2. Along the line of rotation 3. Yiddish busybody 4. Unit of work 5. Abbr. after a comma 6. Mongolian desert 7. Exposes to the public 8. Ennui (with ‘’the’’) 9. Head part 10. Superlative speaker 11. Hokkaido native 12. Glasgow guy 13. By way of, briefly 18. Do as asked 22. Spirited vigor 24. Promote

25. Second year student, shortly 28. Clerical vestments 29. The bare minimum 31. Zero-star fare 32. Eliel’s son 33. What’s left over 34. Slaloms 35. Diarist Frank 36. Smoke glass 38. Play part 41. Spud 42. First lady’s residence 43. Queen of Sparta 48. Bullock of ‘’Speed’’ 49. Some monasteries 51. Inconsequential 53. Woman’s brimless hat 55. Native from New Zealand 56. Commercial bovine 57. Petro purchase measure 58. Splendor 59. Skater’s maneuver 60. Perform an electrician’s job 61. Turkey denizen, perhaps 62. Snigglers’ prey 66. ‘’The Simpsons’’ character 67. Pricing word

By Scott Dikkers graphics@dailycardinal.com

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

sports 8

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Thursday, November 8, 2018

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Feature

After time in Pittsburgh, Chryst and Granato keep friendship back in Madison

DAVID STLUKA COURTESY OF UW ATHLETICS

CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

After Paul Chryst and Tony Granato bonded during coaching spells in Pittsburgh, both returned to UW, their alma mater, where their strong friendship continued to grow. By Cameron Lane-Flehinger SPORTS EDITOR

In December 2011, Tony Granato received a phone call. An old friend from college had gotten a new job and was moving into town, and Granato was supposed to help him find a place to live. It was a normal story, except for a few details; Granato was an assistant coach for the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins and his old friend was Paul Chryst, who had just been named the newest head football coach at Pittsburgh. Granato hadn’t interacted with Chryst much since they had overlapped as athletes at Wisconsin from 1986 to 1988, where Granato was a forward on the hockey team and Chryst at tight end and quarterback on the gridiron. But Granato jumped into his task immediately, finding a house for Chryst, his wife Robin and their three children. Granato’s initial hospitality jump-started a relationship between the two coaches that’s lasted seven years and has been transplanted 500 miles west. It’s indicative of what Chryst says makes the

men’s hockey head coach stand out among his peers. “That’s just a little example of Tony; he’ll do that for any number of people, and it’s just because he wants to make you feel welcome,” Chryst said. “If there’s a chance he can make you feel welcome, if he can help you or your family in anything, he’ll do that. It meant a ton for me, not because of what it allowed me to do [as a coach] but because it showed how much he cares.” The two coaches became quick friends during their time in Pittsburgh, often attending each other’s practices and texting nearly daily with coaching questions and ideas. “When we got to Pitt is when the friendship really started to grow,” Granato said. “We were able to spend a lot more time together there than we’re even able to here.” When either of them talk about their relationship, it’s impossible to distinguish the personal from the professional: an on-field and on-ice trust that stems from mutual respect and appreciation. “I’ve always admired Tony,”

Chryst said. “When you spend time with him, he’s so generous with his time and thoughts.” The duo were split up just under three years later in July of 2014 when Granato went from the Penguins to the Detroit Red Wings, but both coaches quickly found their way back to Madison and the Badgers. First, Chryst was hired to replace Gary Andersen after the 2014 season. Then, Granato took over for legendary coach Mike Eaves in spring of 2016. Since reuniting in Madison, the two have worked hard to carve out time in their busy schedules despite being on opposite ends of campus — Granato sequestered in the Kohl Center, Chryst in Camp Randall. But, the situation has brought new opportunities for Granato to implement lessons learned from Chryst into his own coaching. The former NHL standout now brings his entire coaching staff to at least one Wisconsin football practice a week and often appears at football events. “His philosophy and his relationships with his players is what makes

him different from anyone else, and that’s what I want our staff to see and to take away,” Granato said. “I want our staff to have those kinds of relationships with our players.” Granato and Chryst took very different career paths between leaving Madison in the late ‘80s and arriving in Pittsburgh more than 25 years later — Granato played 14 years in the NHL before transitioning into professional coaching, while Chryst started coaching immediately, bouncing around the NCAA and the pro ranks after starting as a graduate assistant at West Virginia. Despite this, both coaches have relied on each other as valuable sources of advice and guidance in their own realms. The coaches insist that their sports have more in common than it appears, with many of their conversations centering around universal issues like handling star players, negotiating academic eligibility and recruiting. Granato has leaned particularly hard on lessons learned from Chryst this season with a young squad that has 29 of its 34 games against pre-

season top-20 teams. Facing such a tough schedule, the head coach has drawn from what he learned watching the 2016 Wisconsin football team, which faced five top-10 teams in its first eight games. “The year they started with LSU, I thought the staff did a great job each and every week of keeping the players focused on the next challenge … I just remember after each win they’d say, ‘We’re proud of the guys,’ and then get ready for the next one,” Granato said. “We have the same makeup and the same mentality and so the most important thing for us is to make sure we have the same mindset of going into the weekend embracing the challenge.” Chryst — who became the third Big Ten coach in history to win 40 of his first 50 games — has faced relatively few issues in his first two and a half years with the Badgers. But the next time he runs into some, it’s a safe bet who he’ll go to for advice. “He may say that he’s picked up one or two things from me, but I’ve learned a lot more from him than I’ve given him, that’s for sure,” Chryst said.

Volleyball

After hot start to the season, struggles in Big Ten play have Badgers in need of a win to close the gap at the top By Simon Farber SPORTS EDITOR

The 2018 season has lived up to high expectations for the No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers (9-5 Big Ten, 16-6 overall) so far. Ranked ninth overall in the preseason AVCA Coaches Poll, the Badgers have been consistent despite one recent blip. The Badgers took down No. 2 Texas at home in early September, their first signature win of 2018. The four-set victory put Wisconsin’s record at 3-0 on the season and were led by strong

performances from sophomore outside hitters Grace Loberg and Molly Haggerty. Entering conference play at 7-1, the Badgers ran into tougher competition in a dominant Big Ten. The then-No. 6 Minnesota Golden Gophers swept them 3-0 in late September in Minneapolis — the first time UW was shut out all season. But the team rebounded nicely just three days later, sweeping No. 16 Purdue to bounce back. On Oct. 27, Wisconsin was an impressive 6-3 against ranked opponents. Wisconsin’s last two match-

ups tampered enthusiasm. On Oct. 31, the Badgers hosted No. 3 Minnesota (14-0 Big Ten, 20-2 overall) at the UW Field House, and the Golden Gophers quickly silenced the crowd with a four-set win. Rettke set a school record with 30 kills in the loss, beating the previous mark of 27 kills in the 25-point era. Wisconsin was unable to capitalize on a first set win and dropped the next three en route to their fifth loss of the season. Wisconsin was defeated at home once again by No. 14 Michigan in similar fashion. The

Badgers took the first set 25-19, then proceeded to fall 25-20, 25-22, 25-22 to the Wolverines for their first two-game losing streak of the season. Despite early momentum in back-to-back crucial matchups, the team came away without a win to show for it. Heading into Friday’s matchup with No. 12 Purdue (10-4 Big Ten, 21-4 overall) at the Field House, the Badgers are in desperate need of victories in order to climb back into the Big Ten race. Wisconsin currently sits in sixth place, but just two games seperate teams 2-6

in the standings. With a win over the Boilermakers, the Badgers can leapfrog back into the conference’s top three. Purdue heads into the crucial matchup riding a seven game winning streak. Beyond Friday, the Badgers have five conference games remaining, including a road trip to No. 17 Penn State (10-4 Big Ten, 19-5 overall) on Nov. 24 to close out the regular season. The match will serve as the final test for Wisconsin before the NCAA tournament, which begins five days later.