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'On the Record' - Issue 12, Volume 48

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STUDENT MEDIA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016 · VOL 48 ISSUE 10‑ BADGERHERALD.COM

ON THE RECORD UW chancellor talks campus mental health care access, increasing number of in-state students and retaining top faculty. page 16

Photo by Katie Cooney The Badger Herald


Thank you to The Badger Herald’s Pillars Mac VerStandig Michael Voss Will Haynes Bilal Murad Colin Finan Google Pew Research Center

N I D O L J HERA E H T badgerherald.com


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Herald Business

Hayley Sperling Publisher Tyler Lane Nina Kravinsky Business Manager Bobby Zanotti Riley Vetterkind Business Associate Luke Presberg Emily Hamer Community Outreach Coordinator Briana Reilly Teymour Tomsyck Marketing Manager Billy Maloney Margaret Duffey Emily Neinfeldt Anne Blackbourn Cadence Bambenek Gabby Ortiz Maija Inveiss Advertising Director John Batterman Alice Vagun Advertising Manager Sam Streeck Vidushi Saxena Advertising Executive Jacob Balowek Dana Kampa Yusra Murad Aaron Reilly Phil Michaelson Ben Cross David Hayes Celeste Benzschawel Henry Solotaroff-Weber Grace Ferolo Chairman Briana Reilly Helen Matsumoto Vice Chairman Hayley Sperling Zoe Collins Vice Chairman John Batterman Izabela Zaluska Vice Chairman Tyler Lane Maddie Whitmore Members Riley Vetterkind Brighton Lindberg Nina Kravinsky Marissa Haegele Yusra Murad Katie Cooney Emily Hamer Julia Kampf Jacob Balowek Joshua Duncan Advisers Kevin Bargnes Kevin Castro Stacy Forster Benedict Melanie Tobiasz Will Haynes Dan Chinitz Jason Joyce Matthew Norman Davy Mayer Sam Li Polo Rocha

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RUNNING FOR OFFICE, NOT AWAY

5

Though America will not see its first woman president come January, a local training program that prepares Democratic women for office saw an unexpected spike in applications after election day. Leaders say women felt “empowered� to push for change.

Board of Directors

MAKING IT BIG

15

Producer Ted Park kept pushing it in the music industry until he made his big break.

LOSS DELIVERS BAD GRADES

25

The Wisconsin defense was unable to stop a strong Penn State offense and further cemented Indianapolis as a house of horrors for the school.

Paul Temple

5 16

NEWS

6

FEATURE

27

DIVERSIONS

PHOTO PAGE

19

OPINION

30

12

ARTS

23

SPORTS

SHOUTOUTS

SUPPRESSING FREE SPEECH

19

Fierce committment to sheltering protected students from microaggressions has led to unbalanced hate/bias incident protocols and diversity programs.


MADTOWN CRIER

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Madtown Crier Madtown refuses to slow down. Here are some upcoming events The Badger Herald recommends to keep you up to speed.

Thursday 12/811/ It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at Vilas Hall, 7:30 p.m., $10-$20 The Floozies — Night One at The Majestic, 8 p.m., $20, $30 for two-night package Courtesy of Electronic Midwest

Saturday 12/10

Friday 12/9

Courtesy of Majestic Madison

Tuesday 12/6 Sick Puppies at the High Noon Saloon, 8 p.m., $18

Wednesday 12/7 Open Mic Night at The Sett, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., FREE

Thursday 12/8 BME Ugly Sweater Bowling Night at The Sett, all day, $6

Friday 12/9 It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at Vilas Hall, 7:30 p.m., $10-$20

Manhole Sketch Comedy Show at Wisconsin Union Theater, 8:15 p.m., FREE

Saturday 12/10

The Floozies — Night Two at The Majestic, 8 p.m., $20, $30 for two-night package

Trapo :: Shade Trees Live at The Majestic, 8 p.m., $18

It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at Vilas Hall, 7:30 p.m., $10-$20

Sunday 12/11 Monday 12/12 Courtesy of Comedy Works

The Understudies Improv Show at Wisconsin Union Theater, 8 p.m., FREE

Team Trivia at Union South, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., FREE


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Training program for female Dems sees application spike after election Emerge Wisconsin experiences massive rise in interest shortly after Nov. 8, activists push for society to address misogyny, sexism

by Alice Vagun City Editor

Following the election of President-elect Donald Trump, protests, petitions and political activity erupted in cities and college campuses around the country that expressed dismay at the the nation’s choice of the controversial Republican businessman for the White House. But despite the defeat of Hillary Clinton, who many predicted would become the first female president, Emerge Wisconsin — a training program aimed at preparing Democratic female legislators for political life — saw an unexpected spike in applications after election day. After election night, Erin Forrest, executive director at Emerge Wisconsin, was worried the results would have a discouraging effect on women wanting to run for political office. “I was not in a great place after election night,” Forrest said. But in a few days, Forrest started seeing more applications come in for her program. Since the application period opened in September, the program received 100 applications total. Sixty of those applications were received after Nov. 8, with 18 of them coming in within the

first two days after the election. Calling the rise in applications motivating and inspiring, Forrest said she was filled with hope. “Those women made the decision that they weren’t happy with what happened, and they felt like they can be empowered to do something about it,” Forrest said. “Their response wasn’t ‘I want nothing to do with this,’ it was ‘We need more people to get elected, and I can be one of those people.’” Some notable alumnae from the program are Rep. Melissa Sargent, D-Madison, Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa, D-Milwaukee, Dane County Supervisor Jenni Dye, District 33 and University of Wisconsin alumna and former College Democrat, Dane County Supervisor Hayley Young, District 5. Participants in the six-month long program meet one weekend each month to partake in various trainings ranging from public speaking and communication to fundraising and campaign strategy. The program is designed to let the group bond, become cohesive and explore why they want to run for office, Forrest said. Particularly for women, it is important to have a support network of fellow women when running for office, Forrest said. It’s not that women are less

Stay on Track

capable to run for office, Forrest said, but it is how society is structured that requires them to have that extra help. “Women are still responsible for emotional labor in life like taking care of kids and aging parents, so they are much less likely to self select to run for office,” Forrest said. This significant gap in political ambition between men and women starts as early as the high school level, Forrest added. In a 2013 study “Girls Just Wanna Not Run,” 37 percent of female college-aged students considered running for political office compared to the 57 percent of their male counterparts. Women often need to be asked by their peers and neighbors to run for office, UW junior Clara Hoff said. Despite what she called “disappointing” results, Hoff, who also serves as vice-chair for College Democrats, believes more women will be willing to take that next step in running for office. “After the results, we all needed to take time for ourselves — but we understand that our work has to continue,” Hoff said. “We saw a lot more people showing interest in the political process in the election.” In the same vein, UW sophomore and College Democrats press secretary Eliana Locke received messages of support and inquiries of how to get more involved after the election. For her, while the election loss was like no other, it also presented a hopeful moment where people can start to work toward serious change.

The biggest change men and women can make in the future, is working to battle the misogyny and sexism that is “prevalent in our society” and has crept into the campaign trails for female candidates, Locke said. With women making up a little over 50 percent of the population, but only 20.1 percent of Congress, Locke said women can bring in a a unique perspective on certain issues, such as reproductive health. “We need more programs like Emerge Wisconsin because the way the system of campaigning is set up, is systematically set up to favor men,” Locke said. “Since we’ve had more men candidates than women, people are programmed to see men as the more correct version.” While Locke said programs like Emerge Wisconsin are not going to fix people’s implicit biases against women running for office over night, it will provide them the skills to fit with people’s perceptions and see them as viable candidates. With more applicants, Forrest said the program is looking at ways to craft additional programing to meet all the needs of the women who applied after seeing the election results. While there will be no dramatic shifts for the program in the foreseeable future, Forrest said they will work to find answers to the everevolving political landscape as they move along. “Part of the answer is building the future we want and building a government that looks like the people it represents,” Forrest said.

We are now offering Winterim classes to help you stay on track. Apply and Register Now! Classes start January 3rd and go through January 20th.

• Online classes to fit your needs • $238/credit • Transferable credits • Fast-paced classes so you can graduate on time Photo · A 2013 study showed only 37 percent of female college-aged students considered running for political office compared to 57 percent of their male counterparts. Alice Vagun The Badger Herald December 6, 2016 • badgerherald.com • 5


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Madison’s First Snow Fall

Photo · State Street got cozy under the season’s first blanket of snow this weekend. Katie Cooney The Badger Herald

6 • badgerherald.com • December 6, 2016


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GOP could push for further cuts to UW System budget next session

Experts believe Republicans will take ‘emboldened’ approach come January, introduce concealed carry, transportation, health care bills

by Vidushi Saxena State Editor

Wisconsin’s Democratic legislators will have a difficult time passing their bills as experts predict Republicans will take an “emboldened” approach toward their agenda in the upcoming legislative session. Wisconsin Republicans Nov. 8 secured their largest majority in the state Legislature since 1956. Mike Wagner, University of Wisconsin journalism professor, said this is predictive of an even more conservative agenda going through the session in 2017. “Democrats are going to have a hard time getting much of their agenda on the legislative agenda, let alone getting it passed,” Wagner said. Republicans’ stronger presence in the Legislature is expected to impact students. UW System Board of Regents approved a plan for $42.5 million in state aid for the 2017-19 budget in August, which is approximately half of the $95.2 million it requested for the 2015-17 budget. UW political science professor Barry Burden said Republicans could push for further cuts to higher education institutions like those in the UW System, which Wagner said could raise other costs like tuition and are expected to be met with resistance from students. Burden anticipates Democrats will try to lessen budget cuts through

their own proposals, however, the Legislature is unlikely to adopt them. Burden said the university in the upcoming session is expected to push for its budget plan and for fewer restrictions on employees and research areas. UW System’s budget plan looks to expand college advising options for younger students, increase research opportunities, connect students with job opportunities and create a more transparent system. Another issue state Republicans are expected to spearhead is legalizing concealed carry on college campuses, something the UW System opposes. Wisconsin Legislators might have to propose changes to BadgerCare, a state program that provides health care coverage to Wisconsinites in need, if President-elect Donald Trump and Congress repeal the Affordable Care Act, Burden said. In this case, since Obamacare would no longer be in effect, all laws passed in accordance with it would have to be reversed through new bills. It is unclear what impact repealing the Affordable Care Act will have on Wisconsin. Transportation funding is another issue that Republicans could find difficult, Burden said. Wisconsin’s roads and transport continue to decline without further investment in their upkeep, which is something that will probably be addressed in the upcoming session. “The governor continues to be at odds with

legislative leaders about how much to invest in transportation and how to pay for it,” Burden said. Regarding K-12 education, Burden expects state Republicans to move forward this session with their school choice program. Burden predicts bills increasing support for private schools and the School Choice Wisconsin program to be passed. The School Choice Wisconsin program expands educational options for students in low to middleincome families through vouchers and parentfocused programs. Democrats are expected to continue pushing for election reforms, criminal justice reform and other issues, but it is unlikely their initiatives will get any serious attention. “We should expect the [Republican] party

Photo · On Nov. 8, Wisconsin Republicans secured their largest majority in the state Legislature since 1956. Marissa Haegele The Badger Herald to have continued success enacting most of its desired legislation,” Burden said. Doha Awad contributed to reporting for this article.

Rural feelings of being overlooked planted seeds for Trump victory UW professor’s book shines light on resentment in non-urban areas, president-elect’s rhetoric during campaign tapped into social divides For scholars and journalists who may still be confused by President-elect Donald Trump’s win, a recent book sheds light on why Trump’s message was appealing, especially to rural Wisconsin voters. Published in March of this year, “The Politics of Resentment: Rural Consciousness in Wisconsin and the Rise of Scott Walker,” by University of Wisconsin political science professor Katherine Cramer, demonstrates that rural voters felt overlooked by urban cities. Cramer, also the director of the Morgridge Center for Public Service at UW, said her book was not originally supposed to describe Trump’s appeal to rural America, but rather was supposed to help readers better understand rural America in general. For the project, Cramer visited restaurants and convenience stores across Wisconsin to listen to discussions and reactions from rural residents about state events. What she found was “rural resentment” toward cities. Cramer said she was not aware of this resentment prior to her research. “The resentment is this sense of feeling like they are not getting their fair share of political attention, public resources and respect,” Cramer said. The “politics of resentment” are the ways in which politics figures “tap into” voters’ anger at being ignored, like how Trump tapped into the social divides in America, Cramer said. These animosities helped Cramer understand how groups of people and official entities interact and engage with each other. The rural parts of Wisconsin wanted a change that prioritized

by Gabby Ortiz Campus Editor

their needs at the top of the political system, and they felt Trump would lead them to that, Cramer said. “In many different places in Wisconsin among many different types of people, there is distrust of the political system for feelings of being ignored and disrespected,” Cramer said. Though almost everybody Cramer talked to said the political system wasn’t working for them, their concerns varied. For example, Native Americans protest that the state does not have a good enough Native American history curriculum. If there was a more detailed curriculum, more people would know when to respect their culture and traditions, Cramer said. Moreover, Cramer said Trump’s win can also be attributed to the distrust among rural Americans for Hillary Clinton. The more conservative-leaning groups distrusted Clinton most. Cramer said she wanted to do a study where she could travel around the state and engage in personal dialogue rather than just sit at home and “guess” what the big issues and major concerns are. She said it’s important to “get off campus” and ask people what they actually think. Cramer is known for her approach to studying public opinion on politics and how people view their place in politics by interacting directly with communities and engaging in direct conversations. In her second book, “Talking about Race: Community Dialogues and the Politics of Difference,” Cramer used a similar strategy to observe conversations at local hangouts and illuminate how people talk about race. Cramer grew up in Grafton, just north of Milwaukee and graduated from UW in 1994. Cramer returned to UW after completing her Ph.D. at the University of Michigan in 2000 to focus

on politics in her home-state. “[Wisconsin] politics were always very fascinating to me because people were generally politically involved, but more than average across the country,” Cramer said. “Also, we have a lot of innovation here and interesting political characters.” Since 2000, Cramer has written four books and has received the 2006 UW-Madison Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award. Cramer said this presidential election illuminates the irony of politics. Politicians often focus Photo · UW political science proon big cities and urban areas, fessor Katherine Cramer said her but the politics of resentment study was not originally intended has provided this “fertile to describe Trump’s appeal, but to ground” for Trump to lay his better help readers understand message and allow it to grow rural America. and travel, Cramer said. “People in small towns Courtesy of Katherine Cramer are pretty much off the radar for most of the national and political reporting, and now suddenly we are a big focus of attention,” Cramer said. December 6, 2016 • badgerherald.com • 7


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field notes Leaf-cutter ants could be key to addressing resistance to antibiotics

Bacteria found on bodies of these bugs, other insects, could replace sources for pharmaceutical drugs that are currently losing effectiveness by Riley Steinbrenner Science and Technology Writer

In the late ‘90s, Cameron Currie, now a professor of bacteriology at the University of Wisconsin, traversed through the Panamanian rainforest to observe the world’s most ancient agriculturalists: leaf-cutter ants. These unique ants could be the key to addressing humans’ increasing resistance to antibiotics. Like humans, leaf-cutter ants grow their own food, a fungus related to the common mushroom. They can carry 5,000 times their body weight, Currie said, and strip the leaves of an entire tree in one day to feed their fungal gardens. Currie plowed through the dirt with his hands, uprooting colonies containing millions of ants that find shelter within the 3,000 rooms connected by intertwining tunnels underneath the tropical terrain. After taking a closer look at the leaf-cutter ants in his lab, he noticed it: a waxy substance covering the ants’ bodies. But after sifting through thousands of articles, he found nothing to explain its purpose. By separating the ants from their fungal gardens in his lab, Currie discovered this wax coating wasn’t actually wax at all, but a special type of bacteria. In the absence of the bacteria-donning ants, Currie observed that their fungal gardens began contracting diseases — leading to an all-too human realization. “I actually stated it as a joke,” said Currie. “Wouldn’t it be funny if these ants are using antibiotic-producing bacteria like humans do?’” Currie’s discovery of antibiotic-producing bacteria on the bodies of millions of leafcutter ants, as well as common insects found in the United States, could potentially replace soil bacteria as a source of antibiotics. Soil bacteria is currently used in 75 to 85 percent of pharmaceutical drugs that are losing effectiveness on humans across the globe. Not only do these antibiotics fight infection, they are also used in critical medical practices such as transplant surgery and premature childbirth, Currie said. “It’s fundamental to all modern medicine,” Currie said. “If you took away antibiotics, we would be biomedically put back in the dark ages.” Though bacterial diseases are treatable with most of these antibiotics, some bacteria’s 8 • badgerherald.com •December 6, 2016

F I E L D N OTES

resistance to some antibiotic strains found in this group of soil bacteria means the mortality rate from these infections has dangerously increased, UW Professor of Medicine and Division Chief of Infectious Disease Dr. David Andes said. A survey conducted in the UK, Andes said, predicted that by 2050 more than 10 million people will die per year from antibioticresistant diseases — more than the amount of people who die annually from heart disease and cancer combined. But even healthy people too, Andes said, can be infected by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, meaning no group of people are immune. For doctors and nurses who work at the UW Hospital, these cases are becoming more common. “Here at the hospital, easily half of the infections we treat are drug-resistant infections,” Andes said. “We see patients [at least once] every day for which we don’t have any effective antibiotic therapy. ...There’s really not anything we can do, they usually don’t survive.” MRSA, a bacterial infection which causes noticeable wounds on the skin and severe pneumonia, has, over the past 15 years, become a quintessential case of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to the American Museum of Natural History. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predict that antibiotic-resistant bacteria infect at least two million people in the U.S. every year. At least 23,000 of those people will die every year as a result — more than by HIV/AIDS in the US — unless a new strain of antibiotic is found, Currie said. It takes 15 years, however, to develop a new pharmaceutical antibiotic, an undertaking which hasn’t been done in the last 20 years, Currie said. Currently, in soil bacteria, only one out of every one million strains of antibiotics is found to have pharmaceutical potential, Currie said. But thanks to Currie’s initial finding of fungal garden-preserving bacteria found on leaf-cutter ants, he and his lab have discovered 25 new antibiotics from screening only 250 strains of insect bacteria, including honeybees found throughout the United States and even on the UW campus. Finding one new potential antibiotic per 10 strains of insect bacteria is a promising result, Currie said, adding that there is a 20 percent chance that these new antibiotics can be used pharmaceutically.

To become a pharmaceutical drug, however, researchers must invest several years of their lives and capitalists must invest millions of dollars. But a 20 percent success rate for a potential pharmaceutical drug with an unknown monetary return, compared to a guaranteed profit from a cholesterol drug finding with the same success rate, doesn’t scream dollar signs to investors with millions at stake. “We’re actually now in what’s called the ‘valley of death’ between having really promising results but not having it de-risked enough,” Currie said. To make it through this “valley of death,” Currie has partnered with Andes. Together, Currie and Andes, as well as two scientists based in Schenectady, New York, have created a startup company called Symbiotic to seek financial resources through federal grants to further their research endeavors on promising insect antibiotic strains. “That would be sort of the pie-in-the-sky goal,” Andes said. “That this [insect antibiotic research] could keep going, that we could continue to develop new antibiotics that we are discovering.” Once Currie and Andes are able to find sufficient funds for their research, they hope to patent their antibiotic strains for pharmaceutical use. WARF, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation at UW-Madison which supports Currie’s research, would be given some of the revenue the antibiotic patent makes, Currie said. “We as a society need to invest in basic science to identify the innovations that lead to the future biomedical practices that we depend on,” Currie said.

FIELD NOTES

F I EL D N O TE S

F I E L D NOT ES Designed by Greta Zimmermann

Source: The Review on Antimicrobial Resistance


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Despite more states legalizing weed, no indication Wisconsin will join

Opponents warn of marijuana’s dangers, legislators hesitant to take action because of federal prohibition, fears of it being gateway drug by Amos Mayberry Reporter

As more states choose to legalize marijuana, many Wisconsinites wonder if the dairy state will be the next to allow recreational or medicinal use of the plant. Twenty-nine states have legalized marijuana for either medical or recreational use. California, Massachusetts and Nevada on Nov. 8 became the latest states to opt for legal recreational use. Wisconsin, however, is choosing to keep the drug illegal for both recreational and medical use. Currently in Wisconsin, possession of marijuana is a misdemeanor that could result in a fine or jail time. One exception in the Wisconsin law is for individuals with seizure disorders. Qualified patients are allowed to possess cannabidiol, a component found in marijuana. This chemical helps treat seizures and is not associated with producing a “high” for the consumer. Despite Wisconsin’s stringent restrictions on the drug, a recent Marquette Law School poll shows that 59 percent of Wisconsin voters agree that marijuana “should be fully legalized and regulated like alcohol.” Marijuana is still illegal under federal law in all 50 states due to federal prohibition, but many states break federal law in order to allow marijuana use in their state. Barry Burden, UW political science professor, said legislators are leery of legalizing marijuana because of the current federal prohibition, and fear that marijuana can serve as a gateway drug. Many states that have legalized marijuana have done so by referendums and not acts of legislators, Burden said. Scott Chipman, Southern California Chair of Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana, said states should not legalize marijuana because of the dangers of the drug. Marijuana could have dangerous health affects, especially for young people, Chipman said. Many people do not know the dangers of marijuana, which Chipman claims include brain damage, cancer and increased danger behind the wheel. He said other states should consider these concerns before adopting marijuana reform. Representative Melissa Sargent, D-Madison, has proposed many bills that aimed to loosen the laws restricting marijuana, but has seen little success. Sargent said legalization will benefit society in many ways. She claims lifting restrictions on this one plant can help problems in criminal justice, provide medicinal benefits, raise money for state though taxes and revive people’s personal liberties. “The most dangerous thing about marijuana

is that it is illegal,” Sargent said. Minor drug offenses, like possession of marijuana, cause many people to find themselves in Wisconsin’s criminal justice system, leading to racial disparities in the prison system, Sargent said. In Dane County, the 2013 Race to Equity report shows an African-American adult is 8.1 times more likely to be arrested than a white adult. Sargent said legalizing marijuana will not fix the problem of racial disparities in Wisconsin’s criminal justice system, but it can be the first step in solving the issue. Madison Police Chief Mike Koval said Wisconsin is looking at the problem of drug use in the wrong way. Koval said law enforcement in Madison has put possession of marijuana as a low priority on the list of criminal offenses. Instead of punishing people for minor drug possession we should be educating people about the risks associated with the drug, Koval said. If Wisconsin is to move toward legalization there will need to be serious conversations about the other issues that accompany marijuana use, Koval said. Discussions about regulation, safety and accessibility are very important factors when looking at legalizing marijuana. Many of the same concerns with alcohol apply to marijuana, Koval said. Preventing the

Photo · According to a recent Marquette Law School Poll, 59 percent of Wisconsin voters agree that marijuana “should be fully legalized and regulated like alcohol.” Marissa Haegele The Badger Herald drug from getting into the hands of minors and driving while under the influence of marijuana are just a few of the concerns that accompany legalization. There is also an inherent risk of the physical consequences of marijuana. “Any time you are taking on drugs that are foreign to the body, whether that be beer or intoxicants or in this case marijuana, it is not necessarily good for the overall body’s health and wellness,” Koval said. But Sargent said whether marijuana is harmful or a medicine, the government should have no place making decisions about what a person should or should not be able to do with their body. Legalizing marijuana does not mean everyone should it, but it gives the people that do choose to use it the ability to be more open and to not stigmatize marijuana users as criminals when they are our neighbors and friends, Sargent said. But Chipman said the government has the responsibility to protect the safety of its citizens, which includes keeping marijuana illegal.

“The government has an important roll in promoting public health and safety,” Chipman said. The issue of marijuana is very polarizing, Koval said. In the same Marquette poll 39 percent of people in Wisconsin have negative attitudes about the controlled substance. Fifty-five percent of Wisconsinites think the government should have “no business” in deciding what adults put in their body. Sargent said marijuana is not an easy topic to discuss, and there has been almost a century of misinformation around the drug. Marijuana is hard to study because of it’s Schedule 1 classification by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Marijuana is listed along with Heroin, LSD and Ecstacy. If we look at the science behind it, continuing the prohibition on marijuana is not benefiting our society, Sargent said. “Legalizing marijuana will increase prosperity, make a safer community and honor personal liberties at the same time which seems like a real home run,” Sargent said.

December 6, 2016 • badgerherald.com • 9


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College athletes keep local area youth’s ‘chins up’ through mentorship

Through new software, children, athletes connect online, program leaders hope kids will be ‘empowered’ to pursue goals, dreams

by Maija Inveiss City Editor

Instead of writing traditional pen and paper letters to a pen pal in an elementary school classroom, school kids can connect with college athletes with software provided by the Chins Up Foundation in Madison. The organization allows student athletes to message back and forth with fourth through sixth grade students, Chief Program Officer Lauren Parish said. Since it was founded in 2011, Parish said the program has worked with more than 100 athletes and 100 students from both the University of Wisconsin and Edgewood College. Though it originally started as handwritten letters, now a software program helps them create connections. Parish said when founder Israel Lopez was a child living in Madison, he looked up to a college athlete and got to know

him while Lopez helped out at West High School. Lopez got a letter from the athlete and a signed picture, filled with inspirational messages. “He wanted to give back in that same way, recognizing what a strong platform athletes have and how much influence they really have on kids,” Parish said. Parish said Lopez wanted to create an organization which would help provide an athlete mentorship similar to his when growing up. When kids talk to athletes, these strong leaders can empower them. Athletes usually are people kids already look up to and aspire to be someday, Parish said. “We want to inspire these kids to become more than what they think they can become,” Parish said. “Empowering them to set big dreams and set big goals.” The athletes and students communicate through a software system created by the Chins Up Foundation. Parish said the organization screens the letters before

sending them to the kids to make sure they are protected. They also include only the first name and last initial for all of the kids. Billy Bull, a junior and a basketball player at Edgewood College, said it gave him a good opportunity to give back to the community and mentor kids. “Growing up I think it’s huge having a mentor in your life and someone you can go to, to talk about anything,” Bull said. “We gave a lot of those kids that opportunity.” Bull became involved with the Chins Up Foundation after one of his captains introduced it to both his team and the athletic department at Edgewood. Bull said working with the organization was a great opportunity since it not only provided a chance to give back, but it was also timeflexible. Parish said the organization is working to continue developing the software for the communication platform. Though the main focus will still be the mentorship

aspect, the organization wants to provide tools to help the athletes themselves with professional development like interview preparation, resumes and balancing budgets. Parish also said the Chins Up Foundation hopes to spread the software to other cities and universities, possibly selling it to other organizations looking to start a similar program. Throughout the discussion between the athletes and students, Parish said they focus on the importance of education and staying in school. Parish said the organization wants students to know how much work and dedication is needed both on and off the field, focusing on the importance of school work as well. She said the kids often respond well to the athletes they look up to. “We want to emphasize you’re a student athlete — student comes first,” Parish said.

Obama, Republicans call for reduction of occupational licensing

License requirement spurs bipartisan criticism, professionalizes some industries, but creates hurdles for those entering new careers by Amos Mayberry Reporter

For students looking to make some extra cash on the weekend, bartending is often an attractive, and lucrative, option. But in the process of trying to land that job, they discover an unexpected hurdle: having to get licensed. It’s a hindrance that many politicians across the aisle are looking to eliminate. Occupational licensing has brought Democrats like President Barack Obama, Libertarians and Republicans together to reduce restrictions on employment. The Libertarian public interest firm Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty published a report early this month calling for the elimination of licenses for certain occupations including bartending, auctioneering and cosmetology. Occupational licenses are requirements for certain occupations to be approved by the government, WILL research fellow Colin Roth said. This comes after a White House report that called for a reduction of occupational licenses nation wide. Obama has formally called for all states to reform their current licensing program and made federal funding available for these reforms. In Wisconsin, Roth said the number of licenses given out by the state government 10 • badgerherald.com •December 6, 2016

has increased in recent years. The number of occupational license holders in Wisconsin has gone from 275,000 in 1996 to 371,000 in 2016, according to WILL. These regulations have resulted in consequences for both workers and consumers. “Licensing comes at a price,” Roth said. “It can result in higher consumer costs, restricts supply, and restricts entry [to employment].” Despite these negative effects, Rep. Dale Kooyenga, R-Brookfield, said not all occupational licenses should be eliminated. The state should continue to require licenses for occupations that are important to public health and safety. In these cases, licensing helps promote higher quality of service, Kooyenga said. For some occupations, licensing prevents people from “climbing the economic ladder,” Kooyenga said. Restrictions can exclude people who may not have enough financial resources to attend certification but are capable of entering an occupation. Roth said people in certain occupations want the government to require licensing because this can end up professionalizing an occupation. This, however, can also be unfair for individuals trying to enter certain career fields, Roth said, because those who were working in the field before the requirement don’t need to obtain a license. “Licenses fence out people that want to enter the [field],” Roth said. “The people in

the occupation already get it because they are usually grandfathered in.” Kooyenga said occupational representatives often go to the state government to become licensed. Once permission to license is granted, a committee of high ranking members of the occupation determine the requirements for obtaining a license. These requirements could include completing a certain number of experience hours or obtaining a certain level of education. Some reforms have already taken place at a municipal level, Roth said. Up until November 2015, all levels of government, including state and municipal government, had the ability to impose licensing requirements for certain occupations. But with the passage of Wisconsin Act 65, this is no longer the case. “Maybe we have put up too many barriers for people to get into jobs they are pursuing,” Roth said. Officials as high as President Obama agree that occupational licensing can create barriers to employment and can be

unnecessary. Obama has created a grant to support states that choose to reform licensing policies. The $7.5 million grant is available for states because most licensing happens at the state level, according to White House. Kooyenga said this is an issue that both Republicans and Democrats can get behind. Reducing requirements attracts those on the left that are concerned with poverty and employment as well as those on the right that are concerned about overextending the role of government, Kooyenga said.

The number of occupational license holders in Wisconsin has gone from

275,000 in 1996 to

371,000 in 2016 Source: Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty


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UW law students aim to reduce stigma surrounding mental illnesses

Field has high rates of depression, alcohol dependency; WisLAP program, volunteers seek to help those struggling with stress

by Alice Vagun City Editor

The first year of law school is not known for being easy. Jen Bizzotto, a second-year law student at the University of Wisconsin Law School, learned this first hand around exam time of the 2016 spring semester. “I had sort of a crisis,” Bizzotto said. “I kind of dissolved, and my ability to be productive was just not there.” As she reached out to the Dean of Students Office and her professors, she began to document the whole process as a health concern and realized something: This happens to a lot of people. But it’s something no one ever talks about, she said. “The more vocal I have been about having problems, the more I see people feel the same exact way and are able to relate,” Bizzotto said. A February 2016 study found that 28 percent of attorneys struggle with some level of depression and 19 percent show symptoms of anxiety. So when Bizzotto got an email asking if she’d be interested in becoming a health ambassador for the Wisconsin Lawyers Assistance Program, she signed up immediately. WisLAP provides physical, mental and emotional health support services to lawyers, law students and judges through the State Bar of Wisconsin, WisLAP manager Mary Spranger said. The support service was first developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s to help manage substance abuse among practicing attorneys — a problem that has not subsided since. Since then, the program has expanded to address any troubles of a personal nature that may decrease a member’s

well being or impair their ability to practice law, Spranger said. Noting that law students struggle with the same concerns as practicing attorneys do, Spranger said WisLAP partnered up with UW Law School to provide extra resources for students seeking help. While WisLAP has a staff of its own, Spranger said the “heart of the program” is its volunteers. Former judges, lawyers — some recovering from substance abuse themselves — and students give their time to help others seeking help, Spranger said. At the moment, the UW Law School has eight health ambassadors who serve as liaisons between the program and the legal student body. As one of them, Bizzotto said they are working with Spranger to develop programming to expand health and wellness support. “We’re still evolving the role of what it means to be health ambassadors. Even if we put ourselves out there as potential mentors, it’s really hard to get people to reach out to you,” Bizzotto said. “Yes, we can listen to people’s concerns, but people don’t want to talk about this kind of stuff because they want to be perceived as successful and [law school] is a competitive process.” One of the ways Brizzotto said they hope to help students is by institutionalizing themselves within the school by becoming a recognized group, like the Academic Enhancement Program. AEP provides enhancement and supportive services for all UW law students. Brizzotto currently serves as one of the two-year law students who hosts and leads discussion groups for first-year law students. From talking about a stressful assignment or following up with one of the students personally, Brizzotto said she takes it upon herself to make

sure everyone is doing well. Along with helping out students on a personal basis, Brizzotto also wants to address a culture that she said is “rampant” in both the law school and legal profession as a whole: alcohol dependency. In the same study from above, WisLAP also found 36.4 percent of surveyed lawyers scored at a level consistent with hazardous drinking or possible alcohol abuse or dependence. Of the same participants, 14.2 percent said the problem manifested during law school. Brizzotto is not surprised. Pointing to the “Bar Review” — an every-Thursday-night law student drinking gathering — as the only regular social event promoted by the Law School, Brizzotto said the drinking culture starts earlier on. “When I hear ‘Oh, we’re so stressed out, let’s get trashed,’ it’s disheartening,” Brizzotto. As Brizzotto works with the other health ambassadors to establish WisLAP within the Law School, she hopes to promote healthier social events, like a board game night. Overall, as the WisLAP program continues to develop within UW, Spranger hopes to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and combat the culture of “you can’t talk about these things.” “UW law students already have so many resources to choose from, there are a platter of things,” Spranger said. “Since they will be a part of the state bar, why not give them this extra resource, too?”

WisLAP provides free and confidential services to law students, lawyers and judges. Members can seek additional support on their 24-hour help line at (800)-543-2625.

Designed by Greta Zimmermann Source: Journal of Addiction Medicine

Public market to bring businesses together, promote local economy

After several years of resident advocacy, project receives approval in Madison budget, city plans to invest $13 million

by Maija Inveiss City Editor

After several years of residents pushing for the Madison Public Market to be approved in the city budget, the market will finally be built within the next three years. The market, for which the city plans to invest $13 million, is part of the long-term effort of community members, stakeholders and prospective vendors and will act as a location for food retail, wholesaling, processing, art/craft vending and community events. It will be located along First Street near the intersection of East Washington Avenue and Johnson Street. Though there was a large amount of discussion on the Public Market during the budget deliberations, ultimately the council approved it 17-3. There was solid support in the council for the market. Dan Kennelly, the manager of the city’s

office of business resources, said the space will also provide a demonstration kitchen, various programs and education and training. Kennelly said the market will help people in the area start businesses, particularly those who might not typically be able to. He said the food preparation and food service industries represent the largest number of jobs in the Madison area. “The Public Market aims to be a place that helps people in that sector who might have skills in that sector or an interest in starting a business ... get an opportunity to start a business,” Kennelly said. From a community perspective, Kennelly said the market will be a great public space for people to learn and get access to food. Colin Murray, the executive director of Dane Buy Local, a local nonprofit organization that focuses on creating a thriving local economy, said the Public Market can be a stepping stone for businesses to expand in the future. It offers an opportunity to redevelop an area in the Northside

which is going through major changes with the closure of Oscar Mayer plant. Murray said Dane Buy Local has been involved in recent years with the Public Market, especially working with outreach. Murray said during the battle of the city budget, the market was up against a police station and a fire station, both of which were able to move forward in the end. “There was a lot of concern about that, pitting one project against the other, which is unfortunate,” Murray said. When they created the original business plan, the city sent out a survey to members of the community Kennelly said 95 percent of survey respondents supported the project. Overall, Murray said people have been very supportive and like the idea of making a market in Madison. Some, however, wish to see it in a different location. Murray said there were other areas in the city that could benefit from the market, but the

city already owned some of the property and a building that could be utilized. In the city, Murray said there has been a huge focus on supporting local businesses, so the Public Market fits well with that ideal. “I’m surprised we didn’t have a public market sooner,” Murray said. “Some of the major cities already have them, including Milwaukee, so we’re a bit behind the times when it comes to the public market, but it looks like we’re getting there.” According to its website, the plan is to start designing the market in 2017, building in 2018 and open in early 2019. Kennelly said throughout the creation of the market, there will be chances for the public to get involved. “This is an on-going process, and we are still working on the design of the project,” Kennelly said. “There will be opportunities for people to provide input and help shape the project as we go forward, so stay tuned.” December 6, 2016 • badgerherald.com • 11


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Conversation Starter WUD Art is one of Madison’s longest running cultural institutions by Henry Solotaroff-Webber ArtsEtc. Editor

The longest practicing branch of Wisconsin Union Directorate, and perhaps one of its most under-appreciated, is WUD Art, founded in 1925. While many see its exhibits around campus, few know the work that goes into planning them or the organization’s rich history in Madison. The Badger Herald talked with the director, Yusi Liu, about WUD Art’s history, purpose and vision. The following article was edited for style and clarity.

BH

The Badger Herald: How do you look out for artists who you want to feature, and where do they come from?

YL

Yusi Liu: Our art exhibition includes artwork from all around the world. We started a call for artists that we posted on different portals, so artists will see it and apply. We then pile up those submissions and select the things we think are important and challenging to the visual community in Madison. This year, we have an associate director of installation who is in charge of contacting artists and bringing them in. He has a team, and together they put up the gallery, including lettering, lighting, artist statement printing and headstone setup.

BH YL BH

How long is that process? Ten days. How crazy is that? Is there any particular exhibition that stands out to you as being particularly interesting, difficult or enjoyable?

YL

Some of the ones that are created onsite during installation because that’s more when the artists install, and we offer assistance. It’s more creative. It’s a great hands on experience for people who like art, especially for those who want to go further in museums. It’s like an internship, but here it gives you more independence. For example, we had a gala two weeks ago that featured a four-day lineup. The first day we had a band booked for the opening. The second day

12 • badgerherald.com • December 6, 2016

we had a pop-up installation. The third day we had collages, and then the fourth day we had zine making.

BH YL

Are those types of events a recent effort of WUD Art?

BH YL

Are those types of events something you want to do more of?

BH

Are art students mostly making up WUD Art, or are there other types of people as well?

We’ve been doing it for three or four years. This year we changed the form of it — making a different event each day.

Yes, I really want to do more sponsored events to continue this climate, the world, the art scene.

YL

No, we invite everyone at UW. Our committee members, half of them, have academic fields that are not art-related at all. Some people are studying math, biology or chemistry. They help introduce new aspects of the submission and selection process. We choose them because it’s a very challenging theme in art, and for people who make science pieces and really want to see that happen. They bring diversity to the art show. It seems like, from top to bottom, everyone brings something different to the table and to the team. Our committee’s goal is to bring people in from different fields on campus because you don’t have to be an art major to appreciate it.

BH

Are there any particular artists that you are excited to bring next semester and the year after?

YL

We usually do submissions, so we don’t choose them. But, I’ve got to say, I want to see something Trumprelated.

BH

Tell me a bit more about yourself. Coming from Beijing, how did you

get involved in WUD Art initially, and what inspired you to want to become the director?

YL

I’m studying art history. When I first decided to study art history, I started going to WUD meetings. In the first month, they gave me curating opportunities. After that, I started to really like the committee, so I applied for Associate Director of Marketing. From there I kept going.

Photo · The members of WUD Art often work alongside artists to install exhibitions in the space of ten days. Marissa Haegele The Badger Herald

BH

Have you guys worked at all with UW student artists?

YL

Yes. Every year in the spring semester we have a student art show. Next year, we will have our 89th student art show. It’s open to all undergraduates, and all students in Madison. You can be any major. We give awards, too. The award is given by a decision from the art committee members. The art we purchase from them at the art show will then go to the Wisconsin Union Art Collection.

BH YL

Do you think people have a clear idea of what WUD Art is, or do you think you guys are under the radar?

Yes, but sometimes I feel like our name in the media gets misrepresented. Sometimes we get treated on the media like a venue, but we don’t rent our space. We decide what to put in the gallery for everything, and we have to pass everything by vote on our committee.

BH

Are you guys generally overwhelmed with the amount of submissions you get, or do you think you could be getting more?

YL

It really depends on the year. Last year we got around 100 pieces. The year before we got even more. We always invite a juror who chooses which art should be showed in the student art show.

BH YL

Is there anything else that you want to bring up or talk about before we conclude?

When the second floor of Memorial Union opens, our oldest gallery in the Union will re-open, and that’s very exciting. We are actually the oldest gallery in the Wisconsin Union. Our gallery was opened in 1938 — the earliest art space in Madison and on campus. We meet every Monday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., and everyone is welcome to join.


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How to sexually survive Trump’s presidency by Meredith Head Hump day Columnist

Perhaps for white, cisgender, heterosexual males, the recent election of Donald Trump to the presidency means nothing to their well-being. But for most other groups — particularly undocumented people, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people of color and individuals at the intersection of these identities — a Trump presidency entails serious restriction of rights and even physical risk. Hate speech, particularly of a white supremacist variety, has already exploded all over the country as the president-elect validates long-present racist ideologies. Women, queer and trans folks suddenly face the possibility that the Trump Administration will undo hundreds of years of progress. The promises Trump made throughout his campaign pose a threat to access to contraceptives, healthcare, Planned Parenthood and simple human rights. Now more than ever, it is essential that we remain vigilant, educated and aware of our own rights. Those with privileges must step up. As we approach this unprecedented political period, it is important to consider preparing for the coming years in order to protect our sexual health.

Birth Control

President Obama’s Affordable Care Act worked wonders for birth control. Provisions require insurance providers to cover contraception, making birth control much cheaper for those with insurance coverage. On election night, Google trends revealed spikes in searches for “IUD” and “birth control” as folks with uteri began to experience panic regarding their reproductive health. The Trump administration has expressed a determination to limit Obamacare at the very least, as well as to cut funding for reproductive health in general. Birth control could quickly become much more expensive. By redefining contraceptives and cutting funding to organizations such as Planned Parenthood that provide birth control, Trump could limit both coverage and

access. Though the internet implies that people should rush to get a form of birth control that lasts longer — such as an IUD, which lasts five years — folks do not need to consider inauguration day as a deadline. Although Trump and Congress could easily make contraceptive access more difficult, this would still take time. Those seeking birth control that will outlast a presidential term might consider the IUD, which comes in both hormonal and non-hormonal (copper) versions. The copper IUD lasts ten years and is a great option for trans folks, since hormonal birth control can interfere with those taking hormones to improve alignment with their gender identity. But it is important to remember this recommendation means something different to people of color. Given America’s history of forced sterilization among communities of color and using Puerto Rican women as test subjects for birth control pills, it is understandable for marginalized groups to feel uncomfortable with those who demand that “everyone” run out and get an IUD. America’s problematic history concerning the reproductive rights of low-income communities, people with disabilities and people of color means that not everyone will be receptive to this suggestion. Although Obamacare has improved access to birth control, many communities still struggle to obtain contraceptives.

healthcare. Trump’s position on trans rights remains unclear, but it is likely that his administration will act on transphobic ideologies rampant throughout the party. Perhaps even more frightening than Trump’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues is Vice President-elect Mike Pence, homophobe extraordinaire, who believes that queer folks should be treated with conversion therapy in order to “provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior.” Mental health professionals have publicly rejected the practice, claiming that conversion therapy has immense potential to do damage to an individual’s psychological well-being. It has even been outlawed in some states. Given these factors, it is unlikely that conversion therapy could ever gain credibility, but folks should remain vocal and active in opposition to conversion therapy and other such outdated, inhumane practices.

Planned Parenthood

Trump’s vow to shut down Planned Parenthood echoes the calls of many conservatives determined to limit access to reproductive healthcare, but so far Planned Parenthood has remained steadfast in its determination to keep its doors open. Those able to can help Planned Parenthood remain an essential sexual health resource by donating money, speaking out against hate (either through social media, protests or activism) or volunteering. Above all: remain vigilant. Remain active. Remain aware of privilege. Protect those especially vulnerable in a nation under the influence of Trump in the executive branch. And most importantly, if you are able: Vote in midterm elections. Democracy may feel like it has failed us now by putting so many lives in danger, but democracy also means we have the power to create change.

LGBTQ Rights

Many same-gender couples fear that the right to marriage could be snatched away. Luckily, the Supreme Court has deemed marriage a “fundamental right,” meaning that current marriages are safe for the time being. Though Trump could not immediately eradicate marriage equality, he will have the power to choose a Supreme Court justice who could do just that. In addition, the non-discrimination portion of the Affordable Care Act could be at risk for removal. This piece proved especially important for trans folks, who frequently encounter discrimination when attempting to access gender-affirming December 6, 2016 • badgerherald.com • 13


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Madison-born artist wins national spotlight against all odds Struggling to make it in the music business, Ted Park, team, went all in, nearly lost, but are now reaping benefits by Henry Solotaroff-Webber ArtsEtc. Editor

Ted Park isn’t the type of guy to forget his roots — if anything, they’ve propelled him forward through adversity, and will continue to propel him toward his approaching stardom. Catching up with him over the phone the day after Thanksgiving, the first topic of conversation was me and my holiday. It was an unconventional way to start an interview, but it was fitting. The adventures of Ted Park, who now lives in New York, have been anything but conventional thus far. Despite the deeply melodic, Top 40-ness of his music, Park has been anything but a mainstreamer or an insider. Born in Madison, Park moved to his family’s ancestral home of South Korea at nine years of age. Monolingual in English, Park was accepted as an Americanized novelty at first, but then eventually brushed away. “They wouldn’t really fuck with me like that,” Park wistfully recalled. Depressed and out of place, music became at outlet for his younger self. At first he consumed hip-hop and pop, really everything, on a mass scale. Then, citing an inclination for writing bestowed upon him by his academic “pops,” Park began to write his own music as an adolescent. The wide array of music Park listened to became a deep pool of inspiration from which he formed his striking sound. Park said he considers his music to be a mix of R&B, pop and hip-hop, and himself a singer-rapper. On his tracks he blends the catchiness of the first two with the energy and swagger of the latter. On tracks like “Hello (Who Is This?),” he tells a story — coming home and meeting up with an ex-beau — in terms general enough to apply to anyone, but with the charisma to make it feel authentic in its sentimentality. Ted Park doesn’t

sell emotions like some artists do — he evokes them. Following a move back to Madison before high school, Park began to see signs of progress in his growth as a young artist. No longer panned by himself or others, Park recalls the moments when people actually began to enjoy his music. Potential doesn’t pay rent though, and neither does a few thousand plays and a few hundred Soundcloud followers. At the same time as Park was getting a taste of a real music career, he said his living situation in Madison began to deteriorate. Citing the allure of going out and chasing the dream, and the factors that led him to feel like he was being pushed out of Madison, Park dropped out of high school to go all-in on his music — but really in himself. Suffice to say, the bet didn’t pay off at first. In fact it looked like Park had bet it all on black, with the ball on red. The years that followed consisted of Park making one step forward, only to get knocked two steps back. Eventually he found himself in New York, where he met an investor named Saho at a hotel party at the end of 2015. Always wanting to invest in an artist, Saho knew Park was the one he’d been looking for after hearing his music and getting to know him more. In the months that followed, the pair would see their money dwindle away into studio time, promotional fees and all the avenues artists must send their money down with no guarantee of return before they make it big. Still, throughout all of it, Saho retained his faith in Park, seeing to it that he had food and a place to stay — even if it was in the slums, Park said. All the while Park was plagued by the knowledge that his

mother was badly ill in South Korea, he said. The latter, Park said, formed the conditions for one of his first songs to garner attention from the likes of Complex, a New York based culture magazine. “I was down about my moving back to Korea, I really missed her. She told me she wanted me to make music that made people happy and wanting to dance. I wanted to make something uptempo to cheer myself up and to make music for my mom, friends and listeners to bring up. We had been going through some shit you know. I just wanted to make brighter shit.” Now in 2016, he and Saho were nearly homeless together, Park said, when record labels finally began to start reaching out. In meetings, he said, they were impressed by Park’s sound and following, but noted his lack of that one elusive hit. Park, now motivated more than ever, returned back to his roots in Madison to find it. For once, something came easy. On his first night back, Park met back up with one of his mentors, DJ Pain 1. Chilling at his crib, Pain 1 played Park a

beat that hit him like a bolt of lightning. In the space of a few hours Park wrote his lyrics, and the two had a track recorded named “Hello (Who Is This?).” Initially experiencing a slow start, the track soon climbed to the top tech of Billboard’s Viral Chart listings. Park got his break, and soon he got his record deal. Nowadays he, Saho and his full team are back on their feet and thriving in New York City. He’s playing successive live shows for the first time, and has a pile of unreleased tracks he’s dying to release, now equipped with the push a record label can provide. He has his eyes forward, but hasn’t lost sight of the past. His next main goal, Park said, is to provide Madison artists with an easier path than he had, “an outlet,” he said. Park wants nothing more for the Trapos, the 3rd Dimensions, the Trebinos to join him on the wave he’s on. Maybe, if he succeeds, he’ll be back with them in Madison.

Give Yourself a Gift this Holiday Season and Wrap Up Your 2017 Apartment Search! Open House: Friday, December 9th 12pm-5pm 101 N Mills Street

You will Love the Holiday Apartment Specials!

Photo · Park now resides in New York City, garnering attention from live shows. Photo Courtesy of Ted Park

Refreshments Provided by Rocky Rococo’s

Designed by Greta Zimmermann The Badger Herald

14 • badgerherald.com • December 6, 2016

www.jsmproperties.com 608-255-3933 101 N Mills Street


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Roast offers artful surroundings, tasty food, prime location Craft beers, sandwiches of all kinds, sweet potato fries are musts when visiting popular State Street restaurant by Celeste Benzschawel ArtsEtc. Editor

Good food, good beer and good friends are all that matters when hitting up Roast Public House (more commonly known as Roast). There is a spot for all, whether diners feel like sipping craft brews at the bar or enjoying a nice meal in comfy booths or tables. The whole feel of the restaurant is casual, yet artful. With a combination of pale brick, wooden walls and floors and bare light bulbs hung from the ceiling, the place evokes a feeling of home and warmth. The establishment also sports large blackboards for beer and food specials that add to the overall aesthetic. The serving utensils are also unique in style. Instead of typical ceramic plates, meals are served on metal trays. Instead of servers having to constantly refill waters, diners are gifted old wine bottles full of water so they can fill up at their leisure. Now let’s get to the food. It’s awesome (let’s just say this wasn’t my first visit). Roast offers apps, salads, sides and sandwiches. A lot of sandwiches to be exact, with sections featuring pork, beef, poultry

and meat-free options (though the meatless sandwiches pale in comparison to the rest, in terms of choices). But, by sandwiches, Roast also means wraps and burgers, too. But hey, if Roast wants to call a wrap a sandwich, they can be my guest (or rather, I’ll be their guest, anyway). My eyes and stomach settled on the Turkey Spinach Dip Press. This sandwich, served on soft wheat bread, featured scrumptious layers of “hot-pressed” turkey, tomatoes, cheese and you guessed it, spinach dip. Spinach dip, which seems like an unconventional sandwich ingredient, is what made me suck up that sandwich like a vacuum cleaner. Did I upgrade to sweet potato fries? Damn straight. All humor aside, those fries are the best sweet potato fries I’ve ever inhaled. They are for sure a go, not to mention the sauce (oh, heavens). Roast sure knows how to feed people — the portions they provide are just enough to make you wish you would have skipped lunch. The perk of this, though, is that saving leftovers ensures lunch for tomorrow. Or, if you’re like me, dinner number two.

One thing that Roast could improve on, though, is their service. If diners choose to embrace their inner senior citizen and go at 4:00 p.m., service will be ample. At busier times, though, Roast has been rumored to lack a bit. But hey, if it meant I had to wait a little longer for their food, so be it.

Overall, Roast is a great place to go. Diners are given exemplary culinary options that taste amazing, the restaurant is visually pleasing and its location is prime (especially for us kids). Not to mention, the restaurant is run by two UW graduates. Go UW! Go Roast!

Photo Courtesy of Roast Photo · Roast’s most prevalent menu item is sandwiches, each catered to provide a new twist on the tried and true classic.

Producer Engelwood is known almost everywhere, except Madison UW student has fans ranging from native New Jersey to distant South Korea, is ready to make mark on local scene by Henry Solotaroff-Webber ArtsEtc. Editor

Despite boasting more than 10,000 Soundcloud followers, a growing fan base all over the world and consistent appearances on the front page of Bandcamp, Engelwood, a.k.a Matt Engels, has yet to make a real splash in Madison’s local scene. A University of Wisconsin junior, he acknowledged it’s partly his own fault due to lack of involvement and outreach into the local scene, but he hopes this changes and is trying to change it soon. He has begun to work with other local producers like Since ‘93 and emcees like Yung Gravy. Before he became an increasingly renowned producer, however, Engels was a bored highschooler in New Jersey — a suspended and grounded one at that. “When I was 17 I got suspended from school for drinking at Homecoming, and then my parents grounded me for, like, fucking three months,” Engels said. “I had nothing to do so I downloaded

FL Studio (a popular production software), and started making shitty electronic music, at first.” It wasn’t until he started looking at his high school friend’s tunes, crazy chill-hop and lo-fi stuff, Engels recalled, that he discovered his own drive and potential to create quality music. Engels said he isn’t quite sure how his own sound emerged or how it has now won over ears across the globe. Anyone who listens to his groovy beats is immediately hit with the sensations of the beach — smooth sand, tranquil waves, ice-cold drinks and a setting sun. For Engels this is partly ironic, because he is terrified of the ocean. Instead, the “beachy-ness” of his music coincides with the fact that it’s incredibly upbeat. As Engles said, “nobody gets mad at the beach.” He said he derived the tropical aura surrounding his songs after noticing that the samples he was picking out usually fit this pattern. From there he realized he could potentially run with a sound that embodies beach, tropical and

laidback vibes, and that’s just what he did. Though school work is something that’s currently a burden for Engles, it has the potential to become a blessing. Engels said he’s “extremely frustrated” with having to split the time he could spend sharpening his craft with earning, what he considers to be, a mostly wasteful Communication Arts degree. “It’s extremely frustrating, honestly,” Engels said. “It’s not like I’ve blown up or anything, but I’ve proven I can do this.” Indeed he has. With collaborations with the likes of Soundcloud standout Jeff kaale, and millions of listens, it’s understandably difficult for Engels not to look toward the not-so-distant future of making music his main objective and source of income. For now, Engels said he relies on donations from his fans, something he acknowledged won’t be viable once it’s time to take Engelwood fulltime. He’s unable to sell his own music due to the commonly hand-tying issue of clearing the

copyrights for samples he uses. While he’s working on lessening and at some point eliminating his usage of sampling other artists, Engels is also working on establishing himself within Madison’s own burgeoning music scene. He’s just released a track with local emcee Yung Gravy, and frequently works alongside local staple producer Since ‘93. To add yet another dimension to his music, Engels is also looking for R&B singers to collaborate with. To further expand his name, Engels has plans to do live shows with Yung Gravy in the new year. He would perform his solo stuff, and then DJ the emcee’s spot, but first he needs to acquire turntables and learn how to do the latter. These are big plans, certainly, but Engels has all the time in the world. With an impressive online backing in tow, Engelwood will certainly be yet another promising talent to look out for in the 608, adding beachy vibes to a normally wintry town. December 6, 2016 • badgerherald.com • 15


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Blank links faculty retention issues, fall in research ranking to cuts to UW System in five of past six budgets In a Dec. 2 interview, UW chancellor weighs in on out-of-state enrollment, how to address sexual assault, diversity on campus

Blank on... Mental health “If you really have a long term chronic, serious physical health problem, our local health services clinic can only help you somewhat and at some point you have to go get help through your parentsʼ insurance or through other forms. And similarly, with mental health services, we can be the front line, we can provide [some counselling sessions] but someone who really needs substantial, ongoing and very regular, long term care in terms of mental health does need to find some alternative sources of health care.”

Sanctuary campuses “The extent we are legally possible, we will work to protect any student on this campus. Students on this campus are here because we want them to be here, we want them to complete our education, we want them to feel safe on the campus. I canʼt declare myself closed to all federal agents, thatʼs just not legally possible as a state institution.”

College affordability “For students who really are low income and need assistance coming here, we have got to try to provide them with financial aid that is necessary [to] make it affordable. That is something that is within my control— the housing stock in Madison and the private market with landlords is not really in my control.”

16 • badgerherald.com • December 6, 2016

by Margaret Duffey Features Editor by Emily Neinfeldt Features Editor

University of Wisconsin Chancellor Rebecca Blank has had a tumultuous 2016. With high-profile sexual assault cases and a spike in hate and bias incidents — ranging from swastikas on a dorm room door to a Halloween costume of President Barack Obama in a noose — UW has found itself in the national spotlight. Meanwhile, Blank and the system dealt with the fallout from the last state budget, which cut $250 million from the UW System and took faculty tenure out of state law. Blank sat down with The Badger Herald to address topics ranging from diversity on campus to faculty retention.

Sexual assault

Blank said university administration alone won’t be able to end sexual assault and the movement needs to be a partnership between administration and student grassroots groups. “At the end of the day, behavior on Saturday night at parties off campus are not going to change because I tell people to behave differently,” Blank said. “They’re going to change because of grassroots changes in behavior by students.” Blank said education initiatives, like the Tonight program, an online prevention program about sexual assault and dating violence, are one piece of what the university can do to end sexual assault. A number of student organizations, Blank said, are working on bystander intervention and sexual assault prevention. These initiatives allow students to be the initial front. “This has to be a partnership, it can’t just be the administration,” Blank said. “It’s got to be the administration together with grassroots groups. None of us are ever really going to stop sexual assault in this society. That is unfortunately, at this moment in time, I fear the reality. But we need to be reducing the numbers, we need to be proving as much support as possible to students who experience it.”

Campus diversity

In the days following Donald Trump’s November presidential victory, thousands of UW students gathered at the Capitol to protest sexual assault, and what they see as Trump’s marginalization of minority communities and neglect of women’s rights. In the week after the presidential election, UW received 16 bias incident reports, according to a UW statement. In comparison, there were 66 incidents reported in the first half of the 2016 fall semester. Blank said the rise in bias reports is not unique to UW. Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate Patrick Sims is currently implementing diversity efforts that were put in place after a 2014 diversity report. UW has also expanded the SOAR program around inclusivity, Blank said.

“All of [these efforts are] about climate change and culture change and that isn’t something that is fast.” Blank said. “We are in a world where the expression of dislike, of challenge between different groups is as strong as I’ve ever seen it. Whatever is going on out there is going to come back here to this campus.” In addition to making sure students feel safe on campus, Blank said UW also has an obligation to continue to speak for the value of free speech. Because UW is a public university on public land, much of the campus is public space and students who want to express their opinions in that space have the right to do so, she said. “Whatever those opinions are and however obnoxious and abhorrent they may be to other people within our community, that is what public space is about and we have to protect that and speak to that,” Blank said. Conservative pundit Ben Shapiro, spoke at a UW event last month. Blank said that though there was a lot of controversy surrounding the event, it was a good example of both students in support of and against Shapiro being able to express their opinions. While free speech in public spaces is a student’s right, Blank said there are spaces on campus that are not public, including the dormitories. UW has an obligation to respond to these instances and take disciplinary action. “If I come up to you and get in your face and say nasty and threatening things to you individually, that is different than public speech stated generically out here on Bascom Hill,” Blank said. “That is a form of unacceptable individual assault and behavior that we have to respond to.” While there are currently students against free speech provisions and students who want to expand free speech provisions to everywhere on campus, Blank said at this moment in time, UW has to “sit in the midst of that uncomfortable balance.”

Out-of-state enrollment

In exchange for the state lifting the out-of-state enrollment cap, UW agreed to accept a minimum of 3,600 Wisconsin students in every freshman class. Over the past 10 years, the average number of Wisconsin students in every incoming class has been fewer than 3,600, so Blank said the agreement is indicative of the university’s commitment to the state. She also noted since Wisconsin has experienced a decrease in high school graduates, the increased minimum means that UW will include a greater share of Wisconsinites graduating from high school. Since the cap was raised, UW will accept more outof-state students by increasing the freshman class size. Blank said the university receives far more applications from out-of-state students than it has spots to accept them. The move to the Common Application will likely increase applications, so it will not be necessary to direct greater recruiting efforts out-of-state. Instead, Blank said UW will be putting greater efforts into targeting strong in-state candidates. Blank said the university wants to become a stronger recruiter of top performing Wisconsin high school students, who usually end up applying to

Photo · Blank said UW was able to retain more than 80 percent of the 10 percent of faculty who recieved outside job offers. Katie Cooney The Badger Herald

other top national schools instead of UW. The goal is to retain their skills in state since the likelihood of them returning to Wisconsin to work after attending an out-of-state university is low. To do so, UW launched a campaign that targets students who score 30 or higher on the ACT called the “Prime Campaign.”

Budget cuts

Since five of the past six state budgets — which the legislature passes every two years — have included cuts to the UW System, Blank said loss of state revenue has significantly impacted UW for a decade. The majority of cuts were focused on the educational side, causing a decrease in staff, faculty and advisors and an increase in class sizes, Blank said. “At a time when almost all the other states around us are increasing their higher education funding and investing, every year that we are filling budget holes rather than investing in new ideas and new issues and new opportunities for students, we are falling behind our competitors and that is a problem,” Blank said. There are four priorities included in the Board of Regents’ 2017-19 biennial operating budget request for the UW-System. Blank said it requests more than $40 million in new money and $50 million in lapse dollars, which were included in the last budget but never given by the state. It also includes a capital budget with funding requests for building, reconstruction and maintenance. Blank said for the first time ever, the last biennial budget did not allocate any money for maintenance costs, and

called its exclusion “incredibly irresponsible.” The Regents’ proposal also includes a request to increase state financial aid, which has been frozen for about the last 10 years, Blank said. Additionally, if the Legislature decides to continue the instate tuition freeze — which has been in place for the last four years — the Regents request that it remain in place for only one more year. “Tuition freeze is a budget cut by another name and I’m very much hoping that in this coming year we are going to be able to have a very different conversation with the state Legislature than we had in five of the last six years,” Blank said. Despite budget cuts, Blank said over the last eight to 10 years, the university has put $30 million of internal funding into financial aid. She said this has has “more than made up for the decline in state funds.”

Faculty retention rate

UW recently lost its National Science Foundation ranking as one of the top five research universities, a stumble that Blank links with Wisconsin’s political climate and a loss of faculty. Nearly 10 percent of UW faculty received outside offers last year, which Blank said is a result of budget cuts and the national media storm after changes in state tenure policy. She said when the state “tore up” tenure rules and gave Regents the responsibility of rewriting them, many faculty members were upset and the media misled people to believe

tenure was completely eliminated. The yearlong rewriting process made UW an “incredible recruiting target” for other universities in search of faculty, Blank said. Of the 10 percent who received outside offers, UW managed to retain more than 80 percent of them, she said. UW’s top faculty bring in millions of dollars in research funding, so the loss of certain members can have a significant impact on the ability of the university to compete in the research field. She said UW lost a few of its top grant receivers andthese departures contributed to UW’s falling ranking. To maintain faculty, Blank said she is working to build other revenue streams outside of state funds, like increasing summer classes to make it a more viable semester with more significant enrollment. In addition, the university launched UW2020, a set of funds for early stage research on campus. She said the university is giving select proposals seed money to conduct research to a point where it is attractive to outside funders. Despite the university’s efforts, Blank said she can’t guarantee it won’t continue to have retention issues. She said she imagines they will continue to struggle until there is an increase in sources of revenue to account for the lower pay most UW faculty members receive compared to other Big Ten schools. UW faculty are paid about 12 percent less than their peers in the Big Ten, she said. “That’s not Harvard, Stanford or Yale — that’s in the Big Ten,” Blank said.

December 6, 2016 • badgerherald.com • 17


ARTSETC.

@BH_Arts

Albums to look forward to next semester by Henry Solotaroff-Webber ArtsEtc. Editor

2016 was fucking nuts for music. It giveth some of the best albums of recent memory, and also taketh some of our greatest icons, may they rest in peace. The music world travels 100 miles a minute, though, and it’s never too early to look into the future to see what 2017 might hold for us.

GOOD Music — Cruel Winter Kanye West has seen better days, and we wish him a swift recovery and a serious reconsideration of his politics. His label GOOD Music, however, is thriving, and seems to be adding tastemakers to its growing roster on the daily. This makes Cruel Winter, the follow up to the disappointing Cruel Summer, so exciting. While CS was largely a Yeezy-imprinted project, Cruel Winter has been said by Travis $cott, a contributor and executive producer, to be a more grassroots, youthful affair. On it, we might see collaborations we’ve never dreamed of — Migos and Pusha T, Travis $cott and John Legend, Kacy Hill and Hudson Mohawke; the possibilities are endless.

Photo Courtesy of Flickr user Lunchbox LP

Nelly Furtado — The Ride “Promiscuous Girl” is still great for party playlists, and “I’m Like a Bird” is still the perfect breakup song. These are facts — hard ones. Still, Nelly Furtado is more than just a hitmaker. Her ability to weave through genres in her songwriting renders her as one of the more versatile, and perhaps under- appreciated, artists of her generation. Yet, The Ride looks to be her reminder to everyone that Nelly Furtado is still here, and she’s still doing her thing. For the album due in March, Furtado moved in a bold direction with single “Islands of Me.” It’s a synthy, artsy pop song with some psych leanings as well. It’s a tarot card single that might indicate this album is a potential passion project of Furtado, the prospect of which should excite mainstream and indie listeners alike.

Photo Courtesy of Flickr user rodrigoferrari

Grizzly Bear — TBA “OH-oh OH-oh Oh-ohhhhhhh!” These immortal vocals open up Grizzly Bear’s 2008 megahit “Two Weeks,” a song that still lives on in the coffee shops of our youth. For many their first real indie band, Grizzly Bear followed up their 2009 indie-pop gem, Veckatimest, with 2012’s largely folk-inflected Shields. In 2017, it’s hard to know what direction they’re going to take. Will it be heavier or softer, tighter or looser, possibly electronic? No one knows what the final product will be other than it will most likely be innovative, and it will most likely be amazing. We can’t wait.

Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The xx — I See You After a messy few years following their two mega-hit albums and a 2015 solo slam from frontman Jamie xx with In Colour, masterful minimalists The xx are finally back with their third LP, I See You, due in January. If their lead single “On Hold” is any indication, the famed minimalists are picking up right where they left off with 2012’s Coexist, if not a little more poppier. On the track, vocalists Jamie and Romy duet over glistening synths and upbeat percussion. If this is the direction they take for the entire album, it’ll be a welcome change, but we won’t know what The xx have up their sleeves until the project is released. 18 • badgerherald.com •December 6, 2016


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OPINION

Letter to the editor: UW’s diversity initiatives unclear, unproductive Vague wording in hate/bias incident policies, ineffective cultural competency training harm our campus climate generating micro-aggressions? The dramatic differences in these lists of protected groups The word “diversity” is now used need to be explained. in so many different ways that the Are they a result of word has lost much of its original Chancellor Rebecca Blank’s meaning. haste in responding to student For many years, diversity has demands of last spring? referred to efforts to increase the Are they the work of three campus representation of “targeted” different committees? minorities, meaning African Or might they have been Americans, American Indians, carelessly “borrowed” from Hispanic/ Latinos and South East other campuses? Asians. These three new 2016 But in the last decade campus diversity programs may well leaders have given the word infringe on free speech and an entirely new and expanded freedom of expression. meaning. This is of concern because It refers to an ever-growing list the Board of Regents in of “differences” among groups December 2015 approved a of students that are “protected” new statement on Academic under current diversity plans and Freedom and Freedom of programs. Expression. Protected from what? An important provision of Protected from being the object of the statement says this: “hate/bias incidents” and “micro“Although the Board aggressions.” greatly values civility, Hate/bias incidents are defined concerns about civility and as, “Single or multiple acts mutual respect can never toward an individual, group or be used as justification for their property that are so severe, closing off discussion of pervasive and objectively offensive ideas, however offensive or that they create an unreasonably disagreeable those ideas may intimidating, hostile or offensive be to some members within, learning or program environment, or outside, the university and that one could reasonably Photo · Hate/Bias incident teams have been irresponsible in protecting freedom of expression, and the new diversity program for community.” conclude are based on actual or incoming freshman curtails free speech. Whether the Hate/Bias perceived” differences in the factors Incident teams should be discussed below. Marissa Haegele empowered to decide what These incidents are described as kinds of speech are and are The Badger Herald contributing “to a hostile campus not protected by the freedom environment and can occur even if the of expression statement surely Hate/Bias Report Form and the Our differences while the Hate/Bias Incident act itself is unintentional or delivered needs to be clarified by the Board of as a joke, prank or having a humorous Wisconsin Cultural Competency Training Reporting Form lists only 13? Regents. Program list. Is there a reason for this discrepancy? intent.” Most disconcerting is the likely effect of How are students going to remember all Why does the Hate/Bias Incident Report Micro-aggressions are defined by the these three new diversity programs. 25 of these differences? Form exclude important differences found University of Wisconsin as, “A social While promoted as a mean of improving Will they be provided with a pocket in the Hate/Bias Incident Website, among campus climate, they are far more likely to exchange in which a member of an guide they can refer to when they engage them race, color, creed, cultural affiliation, advantaged group says or does something, worsen campus climate. in conversations? political affiliation, “other” affiliations and often accidentally, that belittles and They will do so by making students more What will this mean for freedom of spirituality? alienates a member of a marginalized fearful about how they express themselves expression? Are some incidents less serious than in both public and private conversations. group.” Will students be too terrified to discuss others and need not be reported? Students face the challenge of weaving They will most certainly close down all Why does the Our Wisconsin list, their way through a minefield of much of anything beyond the perennial efforts to stimulate much-needed, open and presumably safe topic of sports? in contrast to the Hate/Bias Incident possible hate/bias and micro-aggression conversations on race. Might the best advice be to always Website list, exclude color, national origin, transgressions, against one or more So much for UW’s historic commitment students from one or more of the 25 choose their words carefully and perhaps creed, disability, marital status, cultural to “sifting and winnowing.” affiliation, political affiliation and veteran protected groups listed in the Chancellor ’s even keep their mouths shut? Other questions arise: Why does status? new 2016 diversity programs. W. Lee Hansen (wlhansen@wisc.edu) is a the Hate/Bias Incident website list 17 Are these differences incapable of Professor Emeritus in Economics at UW. I refer to the Hate/Bias Website, the by Letter to the Editor

December 6, 2016 • badgerherald.com • 19


OPINION

@BHopinion

Whether liberal or conservative, it’s time to take a break from politics There are four long years ahead of us for analyzing Trump’s policies, actions by Connor Touhey Columnist

There is little to be said about American politics in 2016 that hasn’t already been covered by someone, somewhere. It doesn’t matter whether one’s opinion is conservative or liberal, based on truth or fallacies, idiotic or not. The fact of the matter is, everyone had a lot to say this year. We’ve been over-saturated with politics on TV, alerts on our smartphones, Twitter and what people have deemed to be “news” on Facebook. Even since the election ended, politics are everywhere. For those of us who believe Trump was the wrong choice, the scramble to figure out how to prevent anything catastrophic has begun. Since major news outlets called the presidential race, millions began to panic over the horrific Trump cabinet picks, the future of the Democratic Party and the terrifying domestic and international consequences of electing Donald Trump to the presidency.

And honestly, people are right to panic to some extent. There will be real, global consequences from this president and the cabinet the president-elect picks. Anyone who claimed, “It doesn’t matter who we elect, nothing will change,” should be prepared to eat their words, because this is not going to be pretty. Minorities, the LGBTQ community and women in this country all face threats many thought were in the past. In coming weeks and months, it will be time to start figuring out ways to work together in order to make sure this man does as little damage to our friends, our families and our country as possible. That’s why it might be smart to take some time off over the Holidays. I know that it might sound foolish to take a break from politics, but really think for a second about how often politics play a role in your life. Even if you didn’t have the traditional family Thanksgiving debate on politics, I would venture to guess that you see politics every hour you are awake of every day, even if you don’t realize it. Over Thanksgiving break, I recognized

how over-saturated my life has been with politics, and I tried to separate myself for the long weekend. It certainly wasn’t easy, especially considering how prevalent political posts on Facebook have become, but it did help me to better remember all the good going on in my own life and how important it will be to preserve the future of our country over the next four years. Frankly, I came out of that break feeling politically refreshed, ready to deal with what comes our way when we get to January. I would urge anyone reading this to do the same. Take a deep breath, get off of your smartphone and focus on other things. The next four years won’t be easy, so do not take this next month-and-a-half for granted.

Photo · Politics surrounds your life at every turn. It’s okay to focus on other things for the time being. Alice Vagun The Badger Herald Connor Touhey (ctouhey@wisc.edu) is a senior majoring in political science, history and journalism.

If you don’t have ADHD, you have no business using Adderall Using stimulants as a study tool undermines, promotes misunderstanding, minimizes effects of mental illness by Lauren Van Hoof Columnist

The weeks leading up to finals are when I usually start getting texts from people who normally don’t speak to me during the year. Various forms of “Hey, so I have a lot of exams coming up” and “I have to study non-stop the next few days” start flowing in, all followed up with a request for one thing — my prescription for medication I take to treat attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. I’m so used to it that when I was first contacted about writing this, I thought the individual was going to ask if they could buy my ADHD medication, not if I could write about it. Aside from the fact that the distribution of my medication is both morally and legally wrong, the requests are also completely misguided. College students everywhere seem to think these drugs are nothing more than a hyperactive, hyper-effective form of an energy drink for them to use when it’s time to cram at the end of the semester. It’s like the pill is a secret cheat sheet for school. But this could not be further from the truth. Even more distressing is that by flirting with these drugs, students begin to think that how 20 • badgerherald.com • December 6, 2016

they feel on these meds is how we prescription holders and ADHD patients feel every day while on them — intensely focused and motivated to get all of our work done. There are even kids who believe our prescription gives us an unfair advantage. If only. I require that medication just to be able to focus as much as “normal” people do every day and to function the way a student has to in our education system. If I didn’t have my medication everyday, not just during finals, I would certainly fail out of school. When I forget to take it, I might as well not go to class: I can’t even make it half way through the professor’s first sentence without forgetting what he said. I won’t realize for a good half hour that I’ve stopped listening and started thinking about everything else happening in my life. My brain insists on incessantly multitasking on irrelevant matters rather than focusing on the task at hand. Students abusing the medication and using it one week a semester to study in overdrive makes it seem like it’s just a little extra help to make things easier. People start to see those who are prescribed ADHD medication as lazy and just searching for an easy way out. They fail to recognize that it is a medication for a mental disorder and learning disability.

My need to take this medication to function in a way that society deems normal is one of my least favorite things about myself. The effect it has on my mood, personality and already existing anxiety are a nightmare. I wish my brain was able to cooperate the way the school system wants it to all on its own, but it can’t. Seeing my classmates and friends casually pop this drug as a way to stay awake longer and be over-stimulated just makes it seem like it’s no big deal and is very demeaning to those who need it. Since I was 12 years old, I’ve relied on this drug. It’s not to give me a leg up during finals week or to give me a kickstart when I made the choice to sleep late or go out with friends but to simply survive academically. It is exceedingly disrespectful, not to mention physically harmful, to ingest the drug without a prescription. Study harder. That’s what I’m trying to do. Lauren Van Hoof (lvanhoof@wisc.edu) is a sophomore majoring in chemistry.

Photo · Medication combatting ADHD is more than just something to give people with the learning disability a boost­— it allows those to work within the current school structure. Marissa Haegele The Badger Herald


OPINION

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Trump’s establishment cabinet choices prove he played his voters for fools

Billionaire bankers, swamp creatures representing president-elect’s government show he is not for common man by Eric Hilkert Columnist

President-elect Donald Trump, who rode voter anguish to victory in key Rust Belt states like Wisconsin, built his campaign off a promise to “drain the swamp.” Much of his appeal was rooted in his image as a political outsider and not a corrupt politician like his opponent, former Secretary of State “Crooked” Hillary Clinton. Yet his cabinet appointments have been painting a very different picture of what his presidency may hold in store. Trump’s cabinet has painted a picture strikingly consistent with the flaws that he exploited in Clinton’s campaign. A combination of Washington insiders, members of the so-called “establishment” Trump was such a rebel against and rich bankers that Trump had criticized as part of a global elite who “robbed the working class” have thus far been the nucleus of his cabinet. Elaine L. Chao, wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, will be his Secretary of Transportation. A Washington veteran who served in George W. Bush’s administration as Secretary of Labor, she will be key in helping Trump keep his promise to increase infrastructure funding. Tom Price, Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services Secretary, is a sixterm Congressman from Georgia. He will be instrumental in working to repeal the

Affordable Care Act, a campaign promise of Trump’s that he has already begun amending. For his Chief of Staff, Trump tapped Reince Priebus. Priebus previously served as chairman of the Republican National Committee. It does not get much more establishment than that. What I do not understand isn’t these appointments, which make total sense given Trump’s lack of experience and meaningful relationships on Capitol Hill. What I’m still failing to understand is the logic behind vouching for a man because of his lack of exwperience in the field he is applying to work in. What kind of man walks into a job interview and brags about lack of prior work experience? Who would then hire that man? America, that’s who. Yet Trump clearly understood the limitations his lack of experience placed on him, hence his move to surround himself with Washington insiders. Instead of draining the swamp, he is diving into it. Perhaps he is even muddying the waters further. The same Wall Street connections that plagued Clinton’s campaign will now be represented in Trump’s White House. In his appointments of Treasury Secretary and Commerce Secretary, Trump has selected two men who embody the “elite” that his supporters seemed to despise. Trump’s pick for Commerce Secretary is Wilbur Ross, an investor whose property,

Sago Mine Number One, had been cited for numerous safety violations in 2005, consequences of cost-cutting meant to improve the bottom line. Eventually, these violations caught up with Sago Mine, and an explosion killed 12 workers. Yet our nation’s leader, a supposed man of the people, thought this man deserved a seat in our government. Even more outlandish is Trump’s pick for Treasury Secretary, billionaire banker Steven Mnuchin. The former Goldman Sachs partnerturned-Hedge Fund manager will now be tasked with government borrowing from financial markets and rewriting the tax code. Who better to help the everyday man by coming up with a fair tax code than a billionaire? Trump’s picks of billionaire businessmen to run the economic portion of his cabinet are not surprising. After all that’s what Trump is at his core, a billionaire businessman. This will be the legacy of Trump’s campaign, long after he is gone from office. It will be the memory of how he tricked the American people into thinking he represented all of them, when he only cared about himself

Photo · A man who spent his entire life reaping the rewards of an unfair system was never going to change it. Amos Mayberry The Badger Herald and his rich friends. A man who spent his life reaping the benefits of an unfair system was never going to change it. It was our fault for thinking otherwise. Eric Hilkert (ehilkert@wisc.edu ) is a sophomore with an undecided major.

UW gave students false impression about receiving second Meningitis B shot Given incredible seriousness of this disease, every single effort should be made by the University to innoculate students by Phil Michaelson Associate Opinion Editor

The fact that the University of Wisconsin is not following up the initial round of the meningitis vaccination shots is irresponsible and completely asinine. Not all too long ago, UW was in a bit of a frenzy over the discovery of Meningitis B on campus. There were a few students diagnosed around mid-October, and the response that followed had an end-of-the-world type flavor. OK, maybe it wasn’t actually that extreme, but we as students definitely received our fair share of emails describing the dangers of this disease, how it can be spread and the importance of vaccinations against it. In all honesty, all this hype came with a pretty good reason. For those who do not know, meningitis is the inflammation of the brain’s lining and spinal cord, very often caused by

meningococcal bacteria. This can cause high fevers and severe headaches, and people who have meningitis usually become seriously ill in a matter of days. Therefore, as I’m sure we all remember, UW made the kind gesture of providing free vaccinations for a few weeks to combat the spread of this less-than-pleasant disease. It was a pretty solid move considering the Centers for Disease Control considers only more than two cases an outbreak. So once I found a little free time, I strolled on down to the SERF to get my shot and found myself in a herd of other informed students being pushed through an assembly lineesque makeshift clinic. I received an injection, a band-aid, a high five, “nice job” and a little reminder sheet telling me to come visit UW for a second round of shots in about 30 days’ time to completely oust that pesky, life-threatening

meningitis bug. So now that about 30 days have passed, I am due for my final round of vaccinations, just as so many other students on this campus are. The only issue is the fact that UW has decided not to offer the second round of mass, widespread injections to those they were so eager to defend a little over a month ago. According to the squad up in East Campus Mall, the end of semester is just so busy that they’re going to let students handle getting the rest of the vaccwination on their own. I understand that finals time is stressful for everyone, so setting up another clinic in the SERF like the one from mid-October wouldn’t exactly be a peach, but it still seems a little problematic that UW made such a drastic scene out of the whole thing and then turned around so casually to let us, as students, take care of finishing such a crucial vaccination. Although UHS will

administer the vaccine to students who are uninsured, it seems this offer is begrudging at best. The fact of the matter is that UW seems to be backing out on their apparent mission to keep its student body protected from a life-threatening disease. If something is actually big enough of an issue such that I’m getting texts from my mom reminding me to get my shots because my school informed her directly of the discovery of meningitis on campus, then UW should probably make sure they finish the job of preventing the problem that caused such a scare in the first place. Letting students fend for themselves for the necessary final stage of vaccinations against a lifethreatening disease is irresponsible at best. Phil Michaelson (pmichaelson@badgerherald.com) is a junior majoring in biomedical engineering.

December 6, 2016 • badgerherald.com • 21


OPINION

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Moving to block grants would end Medicaid as we know it

This program primarily benefits low-income Americans; changing funding type puts this group in jeopardy of losing health insurance by Aaron Reilly Opinion Editor

Wisconsin Republicans, such as Speaker of the Assembly Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Gov. Scott Walker, are licking their chops at the possibility of moving Medicaid from an entitlement to block grant funding, a move that will end up taking away health care coverage from those who truly need it. Medicaid is a means-tested entitlement, which means that people under a certain income automatically qualify for and receive Medicaid benefits. The benefit is health insurance for, primarily, low-income parents with dependent children, pregnant women and elderly individuals. Funding for this program comes jointly from individual states and the federal government, which essentially allows for states to set the threshold, based on a percentage of the federal poverty line, for people they cover. Medicaid coverage varies greatly from state to state. Some states took Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion that covers all adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, while other states elected to undergo partial expansion, meaning they would set their own Medicaid eligibility standards but therefore lose out on some federal funding. A move to block grants for Medicaid would not, as Walker’s spokesman suggested, “Help end the one-size-fits-all Washington mandates that do not work for Wisconsin and result in worse outcomes and higher costs to taxpayers.” Block grants are federal funds granted to states to accomplish broad federal goals. A move to block grants from entitlement in Medicaid would most likely lower the amount of funding overall, taking health insurance away from poor, needy Americans. This statement by Walker’s aid is untrue for a whole host of reasons, but my favorite is the outcome leading to “higher costs to taxpayers.” When Obamacare was passed, challenged in court and ultimately upheld, the ruling contained a provision that allowed states to opt out of expanding Medicaid to 138 percent of the poverty level meaning some states, including Wisconsin, chose to forgo the expansion because of fears about high costs and an overreaching federal government. Under the brilliant leadership of Walker, Wisconsin decided to forgo the Medicaid expansion. This was a particularly idiotic decision. First off, the federal government is paying 100 percent of the costs incurred from covering the new groups the Medicaid expansion has allowed for. This happens until the end of this year, and after that, it drops to paying 90 percent of the costs. I’m not so sure about you, but when I am offered free money, I take it, and this was a hefty chunk of change. Walker let the state do without $12.3 billion over the next decade in federal funds for Medicaid. It’s not like moving to cover all people making below 138 percent of the poverty level would have 22 • badgerherald.com • December 6, 2016

changed Medicaid in Wisconsin that drastically. Under former Gov. Jim Doyle, Wisconsin expanded our state-sponsored health care to one of the most robust in the nation, covering adults making up to 100 percent of the federal poverty level. If Wisconsin were a state with incredibly minimal state Medicaid coverage, the money left on the table would have been much greater — like Texas, which decided not to take $65.6 billion from the federal government. So instead of accepting federal money to pay for the burgeoning cost of Medicaid, with the Wisconsin Department of Health requesting an additional $450 million in the 2017 to 2019 budget to cover increasing health care costs, Wisconsin Republicans want the flexibility to use block grants to fund Medicaid. This is not just a conjecture — moving from entitlement to block grants in the past has left people in the dust. Under President Bill Clinton, traditional welfare was reformed from an entitlement program to a block grant.

Photo · Walker hurt Wisconsin taxpayers by not accepting the federal expansion, costing us $12.6 billion, which undermines his claim of being “fiscally conservative.” Alex Arriaga The Badger Herald The current welfare system, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, promised to lift people out of poverty by incentivizing work, allowing states the flexibility to create their own programs to get people to work and out of poverty. This idea was not realized. While average income, and wages improved after welfare reform, TANF has done little to lift families out of poverty. One thing is certain though, welfare caseloads have vastly decreased due to vast cuts in funding, leaving needy families out in the dust. While there are many uncertainties with Republicans in power, one thing is certain — health care in the U.S. will be reformed, leaving many without the means to afford the growing

costs. We must resolve to fight fotr the poorest among us, even though it may not be in out selfish best interest. This is a noble pursuit, and a necessary one if we want America to remain, and probably more accurately return, to a place where anyone, regardless of background, can succeed — no matter if they grew up rich or poor. Standing against a move of Medicaid to block grants doesn’t just protect the health of poor Americans, it is a stunning approval of American [rinciples of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Aaron Reilly (areilly@badgerherald.com) is a sophomore majoring in social work and economics.


SPORTS

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McSorley, Lions gut Badger defense in disappointing finish Penn State staged largest comeback in Big Ten Championship Game history after trailing 28-7 midway through second quarter by Ben Cross Senior Sports Editor

INDIANAPOLIS- University of Wisconsin’s football team fell to an inspired second-half performance from Penn State University and 31-3 comeback, orchestrated by redshirt sophomore quarterback Trace McSorley. The Badgers’ loss was their second loss in the Big Ten Championship game in three years, falling 58-0 to Ohio State University in 2013.

Offensive player of the game

Trace McSorley put on a show in the second half of the Big Ten Championship game against a Wisconsin defense that is widely considered to be one of the best in the country. His 384 yard, 22-31 performance was enough to sneak the Lions to their first conference title since 1994. McSorley broke a Big Ten Championship record with four touchdowns in what has become a typical performance over his team’s nine game win streak. The redshirt sophomore put the Nittany Lions in the College Football Playoff picture for the first time this season, a mere 12 hours before the Committee comes out with its final rankings.

Defensive player of the game

There wasn’t much defense to be had on Saturday despite the expectation of a hardnosed battle, but Wisconsin linebacker Ryan Connelly made what would’ve been the play of the game had the Badgers held on to win. Connelly recovered a bad snap and returned it 10 yards to put Wisconsin up 21-7 with 10 minutes to go in the half. The redshirt sophomore also led Wisconsin alongside senior linebacker Vince Biegel with eight total tackles, posting six solo tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. There weren’t many bright spots for Wisconsin or either team’s defense, but Connelly burst through with one of his best performances of the year.

Wisconsin player of the game

Of all the stat lines to explain the defensive letdown and offensive shootout in Lucas Oil Stadium, running back Corey Clement’s breakout attack was not one of them. The senior back ran for 164 yards on 21 carries, averaging 7.8 yards per carry and posting a 68 yard touchdown run that sparked Wisconsin’s original scoring run in the first half. Despite two fumble scares that normally scar Clement’s performances this season, he was able to find holes that have alluded him all year and post dominant numbers against a normally stout Penn State front. The senior shared in the mood of his fellow Badgers in the post game locker room, getting through questions as quickly as possible and finding it difficult to gather himself to say what he wanted to say.

Penn state player of the game

Trace McSorley came into the game Saturday night on a hot streak that only continued as he avoided a turnover and looked like the Big Ten’s best quarterback. Despite handing the ball off the Big Ten’s best running back all season, Saquon Barkley, McSorley took command of the Nittany Lion offense and was the undisputed headliner in the unexpected shootout. Many people expected the quarterback to find a way to get some big plays through a powerful Badger front, but the unending domination from McSorley will be remembered in Big Ten history. McSorley and his team now hope the Committee takes notice of the win and finds a way to sneak them into the Playoff.

Momentum switch

Penn State has been a second-half team all year, and that was no more true than in the Big Ten Championship on Saturday. However, Wisconsin’s 14-point lead at half had a chance to move to 17 until senior kicker Andrew Endicott missed a 48-yard field goal on UW’s first drive of the half. While the missed kick was certainly a spark to begin the Lion’s run in the second half, the Badger’s inability to turn the drive into a touchdown, or any points at all, was a true momentum swing that defined the half for Wisconsin. The drive and resulting miss was a notice of a turning tide that would consume Wisconsin as McSorley found his groove on the next play from scrimmage, a 70-yard bomb to bring the Lions within seven.

Photos ·Despite a strong first half performance, both sides of the ball fell apart for Wisconsin in their losing effort. Jason Chan The Badger Herald

When you knew the game was over

While many would say the Badgers’ inability to convert on a 4th and one on their final drive was the clinching play for the Nittany Lions, the game came down to several UW defensive mishaps to give PSU the lead. On the final field goal for Penn State that gave it a seven point lead toward the end of the game, Wisconsin’s Leon Jacobs was penalized for roughing the passer on 3rd and 6 to keep what would’ve been a dead drive alive. Without the penalty, the Lions would’ve been outside of field goal range for kicker Tyler Davis and would’ve given the Badgers the ball with plenty of time and sitting one touchdown away from a win. Despite the significance of the uncharacteristic play from Jacobs, the loss boiled down to a large collection of Wisconsin defensive shortcomings that the offense was unable to overcome. The mood in the Wisconsin locker room was as one would expect, players talking in somber tones and reflecting on what could’ve been. The UW seniors have experienced this feeling before, but are eager to get over this loss and end the season on a high note with a bowl win.

December 6, 2016 • badgerherald.com • 23


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OPINION

Letter to the editor: UW’s diversity initiatives unclear, unproductive Vague wording in hate/bias incident policies, ineffective cultural competency training harm our campus climate generating micro-aggressions? The dramatic differences in these lists of protected groups The word “diversity” is now used need to be explained. in so many different ways that the Are they a result of word has lost much of its original Chancellor Rebecca Blank’s meaning. haste in responding to student For many years, diversity has demands of last spring? referred to efforts to increase the Are they the work of three campus representation of “targeted” different committees? minorities, meaning African Or might they have been Americans, American Indians, carelessly “borrowed” from Hispanic/ Latinos and South East other campuses? Asians. These three new 2016 But in the last decade campus diversity programs may well leaders have given the word infringe on free speech and an entirely new and expanded freedom of expression. meaning. This is of concern because It refers to an ever-growing list the Board of Regents in of “differences” among groups December 2015 approved a of students that are “protected” new statement on Academic under current diversity plans and Freedom and Freedom of programs. Expression. Protected from what? An important provision of Protected from being the object of the statement says this: “hate/bias incidents” and “micro“Although the Board aggressions.” greatly values civility, Hate/bias incidents are defined concerns about civility and as, “Single or multiple acts mutual respect can never toward an individual, group or be used as justification for their property that are so severe, closing off discussion of pervasive and objectively offensive ideas, however offensive or that they create an unreasonably disagreeable those ideas may intimidating, hostile or offensive be to some members within, learning or program environment, or outside, the university and that one could reasonably Photo · Hate/Bias incident teams have been irresponsible in protecting freedom of expression, and the new diversity program for community.” conclude are based on actual or incoming freshman curtails free speech. Whether the Hate/Bias perceived” differences in the factors Incident teams should be discussed below. Marissa Haegele empowered to decide what These incidents are described as kinds of speech are and are The Badger Herald contributing “to a hostile campus not protected by the freedom environment and can occur even if the of expression statement surely Hate/Bias Report Form and the Our differences while the Hate/Bias Incident act itself is unintentional or delivered needs to be clarified by the Board of as a joke, prank or having a humorous Wisconsin Cultural Competency Training Reporting Form lists only 13? Regents. Program list. Is there a reason for this discrepancy? intent.” Most disconcerting is the likely effect of How are students going to remember all Why does the Hate/Bias Incident Report Micro-aggressions are defined by the these three new diversity programs. 25 of these differences? Form exclude important differences found University of Wisconsin as, “A social While promoted as a mean of improving Will they be provided with a pocket in the Hate/Bias Incident Website, among campus climate, they are far more likely to exchange in which a member of an guide they can refer to when they engage them race, color, creed, cultural affiliation, advantaged group says or does something, worsen campus climate. in conversations? political affiliation, “other” affiliations and often accidentally, that belittles and They will do so by making students more What will this mean for freedom of spirituality? alienates a member of a marginalized fearful about how they express themselves expression? Are some incidents less serious than in both public and private conversations. group.” Will students be too terrified to discuss others and need not be reported? Students face the challenge of weaving They will most certainly close down all Why does the Our Wisconsin list, their way through a minefield of much of anything beyond the perennial efforts to stimulate much-needed, open and presumably safe topic of sports? in contrast to the Hate/Bias Incident possible hate/bias and micro-aggression conversations on race. Might the best advice be to always Website list, exclude color, national origin, transgressions, against one or more So much for UW’s historic commitment students from one or more of the 25 choose their words carefully and perhaps creed, disability, marital status, cultural to “sifting and winnowing.” affiliation, political affiliation and veteran protected groups listed in the Chancellor ’s even keep their mouths shut? Other questions arise: Why does status? new 2016 diversity programs. W. Lee Hansen (wlhansen@wisc.edu) is a the Hate/Bias Incident website list 17 Are these differences incapable of Professor Emeritus in Economics at UW. I refer to the Hate/Bias Website, the by Letter to the Editor

December 13, 2016 • badgerherald.com • 24


OPINION

@BHopinion

Whether liberal or conservative, it’s time to take a break from politics There are four long years ahead of us for analyzing Trump’s policies, actions by Connor Touhey Columnist

There is little to be said about American politics in 2016 that hasn’t already been covered by someone, somewhere. It doesn’t matter whether one’s opinion is conservative or liberal, based on truth or fallacies, idiotic or not. The fact of the matter is, everyone had a lot to say this year. We’ve been over-saturated with politics on TV, alerts on our smartphones, Twitter and what people have deemed to be “news” on Facebook. Even since the election ended, politics are everywhere. For those of us who believe Trump was the wrong choice, the scramble to figure out how to prevent anything catastrophic has begun. Since major news outlets called the presidential race, millions began to panic over the horrific Trump cabinet picks, the future of the Democratic Party and the terrifying domestic and international consequences of electing Donald Trump to the presidency.

And honestly, people are right to panic to some extent. There will be real, global consequences from this president and the cabinet the president-elect picks. Anyone who claimed, “It doesn’t matter who we elect, nothing will change,” should be prepared to eat their words, because this is not going to be pretty. Minorities, the LGBTQ community and women in this country all face threats many thought were in the past. In coming weeks and months, it will be time to start figuring out ways to work together in order to make sure this man does as little damage to our friends, our families and our country as possible. That’s why it might be smart to take some time off over the Holidays. I know that it might sound foolish to take a break from politics, but really think for a second about how often politics play a role in your life. Even if you didn’t have the traditional family Thanksgiving debate on politics, I would venture to guess that you see politics every hour you are awake of every day, even if you don’t realize it. Over Thanksgiving break, I recognized

how over-saturated my life has been with politics, and I tried to separate myself for the long weekend. It certainly wasn’t easy, especially considering how prevalent political posts on Facebook have become, but it did help me to better remember all the good going on in my own life and how important it will be to preserve the future of our country over the next four years. Frankly, I came out of that break feeling politically refreshed, ready to deal with what comes our way when we get to January. I would urge anyone reading this to do the same. Take a deep breath, get off of your smartphone and focus on other things. The next four years won’t be easy, so do not take this next month-and-a-half for granted.

Photo · Politics surrounds your life at every turn. It’s okay to focus on other things for the time being. Alice Vagun The Badger Herald Connor Touhey (ctouhey@wisc.edu) is a senior majoring in political science, history and journalism.

If you don’t have ADHD, you have no business using Adderall Using stimulants as a study tool undermines, promotes misunderstanding, minimizes effects of mental illness by Lauren Van Hoof Columnist

The weeks leading up to finals are when I usually start getting texts from people who normally don’t speak to me during the year. Various forms of “Hey, so I have a lot of exams coming up” and “I have to study non-stop the next few days” start flowing in, all followed up with a request for one thing — my prescription for medication I take to treat attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. I’m so used to it that when I was first contacted about writing this, I thought the individual was going to ask if they could buy my ADHD medication, not if I could write about it. Aside from the fact that the distribution of my medication is both morally and legally wrong, the requests are also completely misguided. College students everywhere seem to think these drugs are nothing more than a hyperactive, hyper-effective form of an energy drink for them to use when it’s time to cram at the end of the semester. It’s like the pill is a secret cheat sheet for school. But this could not be further from the truth. Even more distressing is that by flirting with these drugs, students begin to think that how 25 • badgerherald.com • December 13, 2016

they feel on these meds is how we prescription holders and ADHD patients feel every day while on them — intensely focused and motivated to get all of our work done. There are even kids who believe our prescription gives us an unfair advantage. If only. I require that medication just to be able to focus as much as “normal” people do every day and to function the way a student has to in our education system. If I didn’t have my medication everyday, not just during finals, I would certainly fail out of school. When I forget to take it, I might as well not go to class: I can’t even make it half way through the professor’s first sentence without forgetting what he said. I won’t realize for a good half hour that I’ve stopped listening and started thinking about everything else happening in my life. My brain insists on incessantly multitasking on irrelevant matters rather than focusing on the task at hand. Students abusing the medication and using it one week a semester to study in overdrive makes it seem like it’s just a little extra help to make things easier. People start to see those who are prescribed ADHD medication as lazy and just searching for an easy way out. They fail to recognize that it is a medication for a mental disorder and learning disability.

My need to take this medication to function in a way that society deems normal is one of my least favorite things about myself. The effect it has on my mood, personality and already existing anxiety are a nightmare. I wish my brain was able to cooperate the way the school system wants it to all on its own, but it can’t. Seeing my classmates and friends casually pop this drug as a way to stay awake longer and be over-stimulated just makes it seem like it’s no big deal and is very demeaning to those who need it. Since I was 12 years old, I’ve relied on this drug. It’s not to give me a leg up during finals week or to give me a kickstart when I made the choice to sleep late or go out with friends but to simply survive academically. It is exceedingly disrespectful, not to mention physically harmful, to ingest the drug without a prescription. Study harder. That’s what I’m trying to do. Lauren Van Hoof (lvanhoof@wisc.edu) is a sophomore majoring in chemistry.

Photo · Medication combatting ADHD is more than just something to give people with the learning disability a boost­— it allows those to work within the current school structure. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons


OPINION

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Trump’s establishment cabinet choices prove he played his voters for fools

Billionaire bankers, swamp creatures representing president-elect’s government show he is not for common man by Eric Hilkert Columnist

President-elect Donald Trump, who rode voter anguish to victory in key Rust Belt states like Wisconsin, built his campaign off a promise to “drain the swamp.” Much of his appeal was rooted in his image as a political outsider and not a corrupt politician like his opponent, former Secretary of State “Crooked” Hillary Clinton. Yet his cabinet appointments have been painting a very different picture of what his presidency may hold in store. Trump’s cabinet has painted a picture strikingly consistent with the flaws that he exploited in Clinton’s campaign. A combination of Washington insiders, members of the so-called “establishment” Trump was such a rebel against and rich bankers that Trump had criticized as part of a global elite who “robbed the working class” have thus far been the nucleus of his cabinet. Elaine L. Chao, wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, will be his Secretary of Transportation. A Washington veteran who served in George W. Bush’s administration as Secretary of Labor, she will be key in helping Trump keep his promise to increase infrastructure funding. Tom Price, Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services Secretary, is a sixterm Congressman from Georgia. He will be instrumental in working to repeal the

Affordable Care Act, a campaign promise of Trump’s that he has already begun amending. For his Chief of Staff, Trump tapped Reince Priebus. Priebus previously served as chairman of the Republican National Committee. It does not get much more establishment than that. What I do not understand isn’t these appointments, which make total sense given Trump’s lack of experience and meaningful relationships on Capitol Hill. What I’m still failing to understand is the logic behind vouching for a man because of his lack of exwperience in the field he is applying to work in. What kind of man walks into a job interview and brags about lack of prior work experience? Who would then hire that man? America, that’s who. Yet Trump clearly understood the limitations his lack of experience placed on him, hence his move to surround himself with Washington insiders. Instead of draining the swamp, he is diving into it. Perhaps he is even muddying the waters further. The same Wall Street connections that plagued Clinton’s campaign will now be represented in Trump’s White House. In his appointments of Treasury Secretary and Commerce Secretary, Trump has selected two men who embody the “elite” that his supporters seemed to despise. Trump’s pick for Commerce Secretary is Wilbur Ross, an investor whose property,

Sago Mine Number One, had been cited for numerous safety violations in 2005, consequences of cost-cutting meant to improve the bottom line. Eventually, these violations caught up with Sago Mine, and an explosion killed 12 workers. Yet our nation’s leader, a supposed man of the people, thought this man deserved a seat in our government. Even more outlandish is Trump’s pick for Treasury Secretary, billionaire banker Steven Mnuchin. The former Goldman Sachs partnerturned-Hedge Fund manager will now be tasked with government borrowing from financial markets and rewriting the tax code. Who better to help the everyday man by coming up with a fair tax code than a billionaire? Trump’s picks of billionaire businessmen to run the economic portion of his cabinet are not surprising. After all that’s what Trump is at his core, a billionaire businessman. This will be the legacy of Trump’s campaign, long after he is gone from office. It will be the memory of how he tricked the American people into thinking he represented all of them, when he only cared about himself

Photo · A man who spent his entire life reaping the rewards of an unfair system was never going to change it. Amos Mayberry The Badger Herald and his rich friends. A man who spent his life reaping the benefits of an unfair system was never going to change it. It was our fault for thinking otherwise. Eric Hilkert (ehilkert@wisc.edu ) is a sophomore with an undecided major.

UW gave students false impression about receiving second Meningitis B shot Given incredible seriousness of this disease, every single effort should be made by the University to innoculate students by Phil Michaelson Associate Opinion Editor

The fact that the University of Wisconsin is not following up the initial round of the meningitis vaccination shots is irresponsible and completely asinine. Not all too long ago, UW was in a bit of a frenzy over the discovery of Meningitis B on campus. There were a few students diagnosed around mid-October, and the response that followed had an end-of-the-world type flavor. OK, maybe it wasn’t actually that extreme, but we as students definitely received our fair share of emails describing the dangers of this disease, how it can be spread and the importance of vaccinations against it. In all honesty, all this hype came with a pretty good reason. For those who do not know, meningitis is the inflammation of the brain’s lining and spinal cord, very often caused by

meningococcal bacteria. This can cause high fevers and severe headaches, and people who have meningitis usually become seriously ill in a matter of days. Therefore, as I’m sure we all remember, UW made the kind gesture of providing free vaccinations for a few weeks to combat the spread of this less-than-pleasant disease. It was a pretty solid move considering the Centers for Disease Control considers only more than two cases an outbreak. So once I found a little free time, I strolled on down to the SERF to get my shot and found myself in a herd of other informed students being pushed through an assembly lineesque makeshift clinic. I received an injection, a band-aid, a high five, “nice job” and a little reminder sheet telling me to come visit UW for a second round of shots in about 30 days’ time to completely oust that pesky, life-threatening

meningitis bug. So now that about 30 days have passed, I am due for my final round of vaccinations, just as so many other students on this campus are. The only issue is the fact that UW has decided not to offer the second round of mass, widespread injections to those they were so eager to defend a little over a month ago. According to the squad up in East Campus Mall, the end of semester is just so busy that they’re going to let students handle getting the rest of the vaccwination on their own. I understand that finals time is stressful for everyone, so setting up another clinic in the SERF like the one from mid-October wouldn’t exactly be a peach, but it still seems a little problematic that UW made such a drastic scene out of the whole thing and then turned around so casually to let us, as students, take care of finishing such a crucial vaccination. Although UHS will

administer the vaccine to students who are uninsured, it seems this offer is begrudging at best. The fact of the matter is that UW seems to be backing out on their apparent mission to keep its student body protected from a life-threatening disease. If something is actually big enough of an issue such that I’m getting texts from my mom reminding me to get my shots because my school informed her directly of the discovery of meningitis on campus, then UW should probably make sure they finish the job of preventing the problem that caused such a scare in the first place. Letting students fend for themselves for the necessary final stage of vaccinations against a lifethreatening disease is irresponsible at best. Phil Michaelson (pmichaelson@badgerherald.com) is a junior majoring in biomedical engineering.

December 13, 2016 • badgerherald.com • 26


OPINION

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Moving to block grants would end Medicaid as we know it

This program primarily benefits low-income Americans; changing funding type puts this group in jeopardy of losing health insurance by Aaron Reilly Opinion Editor

Wisconsin Republicans, such as Speaker of the Assembly Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Gov. Scott Walker, are licking their chops at the possibility of moving Medicaid from an entitlement to block grant funding, a move that will end up taking away health care coverage from those who truly need it. Medicaid is a means-tested entitlement, which means that people under a certain income automatically qualify for and receive Medicaid benefits. The benefit is health insurance for, primarily, low-income parents with dependent children, pregnant women and elderly individuals. Funding for this program comes jointly from individual states and the federal government, which essentially allows for states to set the threshold, based on a percentage of the federal poverty line, for people they cover. Medicaid coverage varies greatly from state to state. Some states took Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion that covers all adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, while other states elected to undergo partial expansion, meaning they would set their own Medicaid eligibility standards but therefore lose out on some federal funding. A move to block grants for Medicaid would not, as Walker’s spokesman suggested, “Help end the one-size-fits-all Washington mandates that do not work for Wisconsin and result in worse outcomes and higher costs to taxpayers.” Block grants are federal funds granted to states to accomplish broad federal goals. A move to block grants from entitlement in Medicaid would most likely lower the amount of funding overall, taking health insurance away from poor, needy Americans. This statement by Walker’s aid is untrue for a whole host of reasons, but my favorite is the outcome leading to “higher costs to taxpayers.” When Obamacare was passed, challenged in court and ultimately upheld, the ruling contained a provision that allowed states to opt out of expanding Medicaid to 138 percent of the poverty level meaning some states, including Wisconsin, chose to forgo the expansion because of fears about high costs and an overreaching federal government. Under the brilliant leadership of Walker, Wisconsin decided to forgo the Medicaid expansion. This was a particularly idiotic decision. First off, the federal government is paying 100 percent of the costs incurred from covering the new groups the Medicaid expansion has allowed for. This happens until the end of this year, and after that, it drops to paying 90 percent of the costs. I’m not so sure about you, but when I am offered free money, I take it, and this was a hefty chunk of change. Walker let the state do without $12.3 billion over the next decade in federal funds for Medicaid. It’s not like moving to cover all people making below 138 percent of the poverty level would have 27 • badgerherald.com • December 13, 2016

changed Medicaid in Wisconsin that drastically. Under former Gov. Jim Doyle, Wisconsin expanded our state-sponsored health care to one of the most robust in the nation, covering adults making up to 100 percent of the federal poverty level. If Wisconsin were a state with incredibly minimal state Medicaid coverage, the money left on the table would have been much greater — like Texas, which decided not to take $65.6 billion from the federal government. So instead of accepting federal money to pay for the burgeoning cost of Medicaid, with the Wisconsin Department of Health requesting an additional $450 million in the 2017 to 2019 budget to cover increasing health care costs, Wisconsin Republicans want the flexibility to use block grants to fund Medicaid. This is not just a conjecture — moving from entitlement to block grants in the past has left people in the dust. Under President Bill Clinton, traditional welfare was reformed from an entitlement program to a block grant.

Photo · Walker hurt Wisconsin taxpayers by not accepting the federal expansion, costing us $12.6 billion, which undermines his claim of being “fiscally conservative.” Alex Arriaga The Badger Herald The current welfare system, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, promised to lift people out of poverty by incentivizing work, allowing states the flexibility to create their own programs to get people to work and out of poverty. This idea was not realized. While average income, and wages improved after welfare reform, TANF has done little to lift families out of poverty. One thing is certain though, welfare caseloads have vastly decreased due to vast cuts in funding, leaving needy families out in the dust. While there are many uncertainties with Republicans in power, one thing is certain — health care in the U.S. will be reformed, leaving many without the means to afford the growing

costs. We must resolve to fight fotr the poorest among us, even though it may not be in out selfish best interest. This is a noble pursuit, and a necessary one if we want America to remain, and probably more accurately return, to a place where anyone, regardless of background, can succeed — no matter if they grew up rich or poor. Standing against a move of Medicaid to block grants doesn’t just protect the health of poor Americans, it is a stunning approval of American [rinciples of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Aaron Reilly (areilly@badgerherald.com) is a sophomore majoring in social work and economics.


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PUZZLE BY PETER A. COLLINS

14 Italian cheese 15 Tire filler 16 Give off 17 1988 #1 hit for UB40 19 “___ going!” 20 Oak or elm 21 Big feature on a donkey 22 Empty ___ (parent whose children have all moved away) 24 1971 hit for Marvin Gaye subtitled “The Ecology” 27 Toy gun pellets 30 Year: Sp. 31 List-ending abbr. 32 Regions 34 “___ Lay Dying” 35 Like some textbooks 39 1920s standard with the lyric “Sugar’s sweet, so is she” 43 Woman in “The King and I” 44 12, on a grandfather clock 45 ___ bin Laden, 2011 Navy SEALs target 46 Salt, chemically 48 Psychic power, informally 50 June preceder 51 1986 hit for Talking Heads

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ACROSS   1 Twin city of Raleigh   7 Dictionary offering: Abbr. 10 The “m” of e = mc2

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56 Classical music halls 57 Decay 58 Yawn-inducing 62 Gas in commercial signs 63 1990 hit that samples the bass line from Queen/ Bowie’s “Under Pressure” 66 1941 film “citizen” 67 Complain, complain, complain 68 Laid down the first card 69 Toboggan, e.g. 70 Route displayer on a dashboard, for short 71 Word with finger or America DOWN   1 Something thrown at a bull’s-eye   2 Pusher’s customer   3 Carnival attraction   4 ___ pants (baggy wear)   5 See 6-Down   6 With 5-Down, present time   7 Grocery section with milk and yogurt   8 German “a”   9 Crazily fast 10 “Old boys’ network” meeting places 11 Friendliness 12 Cry to an attack dog 13 One cubic meter

ANSWERS ON PAGE 27

18 City between Dallas and Austin 23 A pitching ace has a low one, in brief 25 Like a Monday crossword puzzle, relatively speaking 26 Western plateau 27 See 34-Down 28 ___ Mawr College 29 Observed 33 Left behind 34 With 27-Down, foe of the Forty Thieves 36 Setting for “The King and I” 37 Funny Bombeck 38 June 6, 1944 40 Removing surgically 41 New York City mayor de Blasio 42 Head: Ger. 47 Barley beard 48 “The Time Machine” race 49 “30 Rock” or “3rd Rock From the Sun” 51 Policy experts 52 Perfect 53 Sierra ___ (African country) 54 Bottom-of-the-bottle stuff 55 Flowed back 59 Word that fills both blanks in “This ___ is your ___” 60 Brother of Cain 61 Jekyll’s alter ego

December 6, 2016 • badgerherald.com •29


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B I N G O Snow Day

Make Make full-length documentary snow soup refuting global warming

Throw snowballs at happy couples in the park Turn the snow into white chocolate

Be unique and make a huge snow penis

Unironiclly enjoy curling

Make snow Angela Merkels

Sing the snow a lullaby

Feed your local yeti

Pretend to know something about hockey

Pour lava on the snow to balance the ecosystem

Ride your polar bear to work

Sublease an igloo

Listen to trap remixes of holiday classics

Tell a Get the snif- Christmas fles tree its balls are hangin'

Play "Donner Family" with the kid next door

Abduct a snowman

Get snowed in with Snowden

Purchase Wite-Out

Go to a Plow some strip club snow bunnies and "make it snow"

Watch curling on TV

Escape the snow globe you're trapped in


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