'United in Action' - Volume 53, Issue 2 by The Badger Herald

TUESDAY, September 14, 2021 · VOL 53, Issue 2 · BADGERHERALD.COM

STUDENT MEDIA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

UNITED IN

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POLICE

W Over a year after UW System students started advocating to change their campus police departments, they say more work is still needed pg. 12

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FACULTY ACCOMODATIONS DENIED 7

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UW administration addresses concerns about denied accomodation requests from vulnerable faculty members

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GOP VIOLATES PARTY IDEALS IN REGULATING UW SYSTEM POLICIES

Sen. Steve Nass and other Wisconsin GOP leaders’ power-grab to regulate UW System schools’ COVID-19 policies goes against all the party of small government claims to stand for

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL HITS THE GROUND RUNNING THIS SEASON

The Badgers return to the court in what is likely to be another strong year following a dominating season last fall 2 • badgerherald.com • Septmeber 14,, 2021

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Badgers return to campus With nine out of ten members of the campus community vaccinated, UW looks to persevere through the rising threat of the delta variant and attain a semblence of normalcy

Photos by Abby Cima, Justin Mielke, Erin Gretzinger and Ahmad Hamid

September 14, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 3

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Supreme Court ends eviction moratorium, city rent assistance available ‘It doesn’t make sense for landlords to see evictions through ... They can’t profit off it,’ UW law expert says about evictions by Phoenix Pham City News Editor

households spend over 50% of their income on rent, which classifies them as extremely cost-burdened, according to the Morgridge Center for Public Service. University of Wisconsin Clinical Law Professor Mitch said evictions are likely to increase now that the moratorium ended. “Individual counties in the state

The Supreme Court has blocked the Biden administration’s attempt to extend the eviction moratorium, allowing evictions to resume nationwide. The Supreme Court voted six-to-three to end the moratorium Aug. 26, with the lone three liberal justices dissenting, according to their official decision. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with support from the Biden administration, had extended the nationwide eviction moratorium until Oct. 3 due to surging COVID-19 cases. The CDC had signed an order for the moratorium to be extended until Oct. 3 in areas with substantial and high transmission of the coronavirus, according to the official moratorium. The Supreme Court struck down this order, citing that the CDC did not have the authority to extend a ban on evictions in their decision. The CDC originally enacted the eviction moratorium to keep people housed who may have been out of work or facing financial hardships due to COVID-19, as well as to reduce transmission in lowincome communities, where many community members were at risk of ending up in homeless shelters, according to Congressional Research Service. District 8 Alder Juliana Bennett said she has firsthand experience with financial struggles in paying rent. Photo - Julia Kampf “I was personally afflicted The Badger Herald several times this year with having to decide if I was going to pay rent or if I was going to get food this month,” Bennet said. “That is a devastating of Wisconsin can’t make their own moratoriums on eviction, but there is a question to be asking yourself. I am glad we had [the eviction moratorium] for the lot of aid available to prevent it in most cases,” Mitch said. peace of mind.” In the Madison area, there is a wide In Wisconsin, the moratorium cut the range of resources for individuals to utilize number of evictions landlords filed in half, according to the Department of who may be facing eviction, according to the City of Madison website. Administration. For UW students, the Dean’s Office and In Dane County in 2019, 24% of 4 • badgerherald.com • September 14, 2021

the Office of Student Financial Aid can help with grants and loans to pay rent, even for those living off-campus, according to the UW financial aid website. The university is equipped with federal money through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

A COVID-19 relief bill for students and institutions, HEERF aims to help students who have been facing hardships as a result of the pandemic. The Tenant Resource Center is another Madison organization that helps tenants through legal and financial struggles. In the case of an eviction moving to court, the Tenant Resource Center can help provide legal representation, according to their website.

They also run Dane CORE, a rental assistance program with $15 million in federal funds to help Dane County residents who are facing financial hardships, according to their website. “Eviction takes a lot of time, is costly and normally landlords would prefer to settle up than go through the entire process of evicting someone,” Bennet said. “I am not saying ‘don’t pay your rent,’ — don’t do that. But I hope that it eases some minds. If you have to go through that battle I would strongly encourage reaching out to the Tenant Resource Center.” In the state of Wisconsin, all evictions must be presented to a judge, according to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. But most judges will adjourn the eviction, and aid will be provided to the landlord and the tenant, Mitch said. While the Supreme Court ruling may have caught tenants off guard, evictions will not immediately occur in Wisconsin, Mitch said. “It doesn’t make sense for landlords to see evictions through,” Mitch said. “They can’t profit off it. If they apply for aid, both parties can get money and it is a better situation. Landlords want to avoid them.” Though it remains to be seen how the end of the eviction moratorium will affect tenants, the moratorium did prevent at least 1.55 million eviction filings nationwide, according to eviction research center Eviction Lab. Meanwhile, nationwide rental assistance distribution continues to increase as the pandemic continues, according to the White House. Dane county has given out roughly $11 million of $15 million in federal rental assistance as of Aug. 1, though another roughly $28 million is on the way, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. “I know that the eviction moratorium has been extremely vital for lower income neighborhoods, areas like the south side of Madison, for example, where people are struggling to get by,” Bennett said. “I hope people are aware of and utilize the resources available for them.”

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Madison Fire Department launches mental health crisis response team

Comprehensive, prepared responders will be trained to address mental health emergencies in place of police when possible by Sally Reed City News Editor

The Madison Fire Department will deploy a new Community Alternative Response Emergency Service in the Central District of Madison beginning this Sept. to respond to 911 calls related to mental health. The Madison CARES team is currently composed of two Madison Fire Community Paramedics and two Journey Mental Health Crisis Workers. The team responds on weekdays between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. in the Central District. Madison Fire Department Assistant Chief of Medical Affairs Ché Stedman said this district spans from the Yahara River to North Park Street. Director of the Dane County Public Safety Communications Center Luis Bixler said the program will use trained professionals to help with mental health calls that can be handled outside a criminal justice lens in a news conference Aug. 26. “Connecting our callers with the correct resources is vital in helping people heal and also in freeing up police and 911 resources to positively impact resources and response times for other emergencies.” At a press conference last month, the program

leaders explained the CARES program includes a protocol to help nine-one-one operators determine the appropriate resource to respond to calls. The CARES team will be sent if the call involves assault, threatening behavior or weapons. At the press conference, Bixler said if the CARES team is unavailable, law enforcement officers will be sent. This will be the case if the call comes outside of CARES operating hours or if the team is already deployed and on another call. “Madison CARES will send the right person to the right call,” Mayor Rhodes-Conway said during a news conference Aug. 26. “In many instances, sending someone in unifo could escalate, rather than de-escalate the situation. Madison CARES will reduce trauma for patients and reduce our reliance on emergency rooms and jails, which are sometimes the most costly and least appropriate option.” The Madison Fire Department, which had a large part in creating the program, said the CARES team has received extensive training on crisis intervention, cultural competency, de-escalation, suicide prevention and risk assessment and trauma-informed care. Paramedics on the team will handle any medical emergencies and assess underlying medical issues. The structure of CARES is based on similar

initiatives including CAHOOTS in Eugene, Oregon and STAR in Denver, Colorado. Madison designed CARES using both of these programs, Dane County emergency services data, experts in the community and feedback gathered through public meetings. “We did a couple of listening sessions not just with folks in the community but with mental health providers in the city and Dane County as well,” Stedman said. “We had a lot of input from Dane County Human Services and Journey Mental Health as well as citizens.” Stedman said community input guided the program into opting for less intimidating uniforms without badges and placed an emphasis on ensuring the team is diverse. The hiring process included recruiting diverse applicants and creating a team that is bilingual and includes crisis workers who identify as people of color. Stedman said the program will continuously collect data and review it on a quarterly basis to make adjustments as needed. Adjustments will also take into consideration the budget of the program, which stands at nearly half a million dollars this year. “We will learn from the call center data, we’ll learn from the experience of the folks on the van and we’ll start to see how things are changing in

our community,” Rhodes-Conway said. In the press conference, Rhodes-Conway explained the limits on operations are based on data from the estimated 7,000 mental healthrelated nine-one-one calls annually. Moving forward, some are hopeful for an expansion beyond the set hours, locations and number of workers. University of Wisconsin Senior and leader of Alpha Chi Mental Wellness Group Lex Ricci said she understands the current constraints of the program but hopes to see an expansion soon. “The resources aren’t quite available right now, but I hope that in the future if this works out well, which I really hope it does, there’ll be more of these emergency response teams coming around, because there’s always more than one mental health crisis happening at a time,” Ricci said. Associated Students of Madison Chair Adrian Lampron said in an email they are interested in how the CARES program can inform the creation of a UW crisis response team on campus. “ASM is very excited to see how the CARES pilot goes and we are hopeful that it will be expanded to cover all of Madison if successful,” Lampron said. “Creating a more equitable public safety strategy should continue to be a priority for our community.”

UW faculty struggle to get approval for teaching accommodations ‘The university’s goal of teaching 90% of its courses is just that — a goal,’ UW professor says about return to in-person classes by Elise Wiegele Campus News Editor

Some professors struggled to get accommodations to teach classes virtually as the University of Wisconsin returned to a fall semester of mostly in-person classes. The Wisconsin State Journal first reported three staff members with medical conditions or disabilities were denied the option to teach classes online amid the pandemic, sparking concern from University Committee, the shared governance committee that represents faculty on campus. Some UW faculty members suspected an unwritten blanket policy was the reason why UW was not providing accommodations to vulnerable professors. Others raised concerns that their disability representatives directly told them their requests would most likely be denied, despite professors’ reasoning, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. These concerns cumulated at the Aug. 30 University Committee meeting. At the meeting, UW Chancellor Rebecca Blank and Provost Karl Scholz denied the existence of a blanket denial policy. “There’s never been an edict from the chancellor [or] myself,” Scholz said at the meeting. “To not approve accommodations, if nothing else, that would be grossly against the

law. But it’s also the wrong thing to do.” Scholz compared the communication between faculty and the administration about accommodation requests to a game of telephone, noting the university’s exuberant message about the return to in-person classes did not negate the administration’s “serious” commitment to reviewing accommodation requests for instruction changes. As of the Aug. 30 committee meeting, with less than a week until classes started, 31 faculty members had submitted accommodation requests. Scholz said half of those requests were approved and one-third were still being processed. “I have established no blanket policy here,” Blank said at the meeting. “It’s not clear to me where that statement comes from that we’ve all read in the [Wisconsin State Journal]. In part, I think people may misunderstand the fact that there are different accommodation processes.” Blank also refuted claims about “discouraging” conversations with disability representatives where it was insinuated requests would be denied at the Aug. University Committee meeting. Blank instead suggested some individuals may have heard about the requirements for requests to be met and decided they did not have a case. “I guess that’s a form of discouragement,”

Blank said. “It could be a form of information sharing.” Chaim Perelman Professor of Rhetoric and Culture Michael Bernard-Donals said the process faculty members go through to be granted the ability to teach virtually is confusing and unclear. Bernard-Donals said UW’s policy for accommodations and teaching flexibilities has two parts — one related to faculty who have a disability under the definitions provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act and another related to those who do not have a condition but nonetheless have reasons to be concerned for their health and well-being in the classroom. “Part of the issue is that faculty and instructional staff aren’t clear on which route to follow in order to request an accommodation,” Bernard-Donals said in a written statement. “It’s also very unclear whether requests for accommodations are being turned down because the university has set a goal of 90% of classes to be taught in person, or because of health-related concerns.” Bernard-Donals said he knows dozens of professors have gone through the process of requesting an accommodation and have been turned down after waiting up to 90 days for a decision. “The university’s goal of teaching 90% of

its courses is just that — a goal,” BernardDonals said. “Even if most of the requests for accommodations or flexibilities to teach online were granted, it would lower the 90-percent goal only slightly.” Senior University Relations Specialist Greg Bump said accommodation requests from disabled instructors get reviewed individually. Accommodations that have been made include colleagues taking over another instructor’s inperson course or a change in the course’s location to allow for more physical distancing. “[This includes] assessing whether there is a remote work assignment they’re suited for that meets the business needs of their unit,” Bump said in a statement. Bump said the high rates show the commitment of the broader campus to the start of a safer semester for faculty and students alike. Currently, the vaccination rate on campus for students sits at 89% while faculty have a 92% vaccination rate according to UW’s COVID-19 dashboard. “Members of our campus community have shown they understand the shared responsibility of making UW-Madison a safe place to work and to learn,” Bump said. “Our high vaccination rate and the masking and testing requirements provide strong protection to our community.” September 14, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 5

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As Wisconsin welcomes Afghan refugees, some Republicans push back

Amid efforts to help refugees arriving at Fort McCoy, some Wisconsin Republicans have expressed alarm at resettlement process by Phoneix Pham City News Editor

Amid national and local efforts to help Afghan refugees arriving in Wisconsin’s Fort McCoy military base, some Wisconsin Republicans are pushing back, citing concerns about the speed at which the refugees are being processed. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Fort McCoy is temporarily housing more than 8,000 Afghan refugees while they wait to be resettled across the nation. In an open letter, Gov. Tony Evers expressed support for the refugees arriving at Fort McCoy. “We have been in contact with federal partners about resettlement efforts for Afghan people who are seeking refuge at Fort McCoy,” Evers said. “As we learn more information, Wisconsin is ready to assist these efforts and help these individuals who served our country and are now seeking refuge.” In response, Sen. Patrick Testin, R-Stevens Point, claimed in an open letter the state does not have enough information about the refugees — which he said could be unsafe for Wisconsin residents. Testin said though resettling the refugees should not be a political issue, he is concerned the refugees coming to America will not be properly identified or screened by the federal government. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wausau, expressed similar concerns in a press release. “The White House should abandon this dangerous, ready-fire-aim plan and mitigate risk by transporting Afghans to safe third countries for vetting before bringing thousands of unknown people into Wisconsin or other U.S. states,” Tiffany said. Sen. Janet Bewley, D-Mason, said she hopes in the long term, Afghans who do settle in Wisconsin will become valued members of the communities they choose to call home. Bewley said she knows Evers and his administration are working with the federal government to do what they can to help Afghan refugees accomplish this. Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Common Council Leadership of Madison announced on the city of Madison website they are committed to treating refugees with dignity, care and respect. Additionally, many Madison citizens have expressed interest in helping Afghans who are seeking refuge in Wisconsin, according to the website. Many local and national organizations such as Team Rubicon, Open Doors for Refugees and Jewish Social Services of Madison are working to ensure the Afghan refugees coming to Fort McCoy receive the resources they need. According to PBS Wisconsin, these local 6 • badgerherald.com • September 14 , 2021

organizations help place the Afghans hosted in Fort McCoy in communities across the country, meaning it’s not guaranteed these refugees will permanently be placed in Wisconsin. Currently, the Red Cross is providing mental and physical health services to the refugees at Fort McCoy, according to the Red Cross website. Local Wisconsin organizations are coordinating to provide support to Afghan refugees as they come to the United States, according to the Wisconsin Council of Churches. On the national level, Director of Defense Intelligence for the Department of Defense Garry Reid said in a statement to the press the DOD has been helping Afghan refugees resettle in the U.S. with the help of nongovernmental organizations. Team Rubicon, an international NGO dedicated to providing disaster relief, is one of the organizations coordinating with the DOD to assist relocating Afghan families into communities across the country. Team Rubicon Sr. Associate of Operations John Stuhlmacher said many refugees arriving from overseas have few resources. Stuhlmacher said donating hygiene products, furniture, clothing and household items can help a new family arriving in the U.S. Fundraising money for these Photo - Ahmad Hamid items — or just The Badger Herald providing a sense

of financial security to these families — is a generous way to welcome these families, Stuhlmacher said. But the work doesn’t end at welcoming the refugees, Stuhlmacher said. “These Afghan evacuees are new Americans,” Stuhlmacher said. “They’re starting their life over here in the United States with just the clothes on their backs. They’re going to need our support for a very long time so that they aren’t cut out of society, but rather welcomed into American society.” According to the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families website, there are plenty of ways Wisconsinites can help refugees

resettle. Community members can donate supplies, volunteer, fundraise and advocate for the refugees, according to the website. Furthermore, there are many refugee resettlement agencies, such as Team Rubicon and Catholic Services of La Crosse, that community members can volunteer at or donate to, according to the website. “What we’re really focusing on right now is ensuring that the time they spend here in Wisconsin — no matter where they end up settling permanently — is one that they can look back on as a fond memory, not a negative memory,” Stuhlmacher said.

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The Lab Report: Engineering bacteria for sustainable outcomes Majumder lab studies how microbes can be used to address environmental issues, break down waste into biodegradable plastic by Michaela Kihntopf Science News Editor

Editor ’s note: The Lab Report is a weekly series in The Badger Herald’s print edition where we take a deep dive into the (research) lives of students and professors outside the classroom.

Design - Nuha Dolby The Badger Herald University of Wisconsin senior Hailee Morrison has long been interested in using microbes as environmental clean-up solutions, but as she searched for research labs to join this May she was doubtful of any ability to study this as an undergraduate. Morrison was interested in microbes specifically because many modern scientific techniques were modeled after metabolic processes microbes were already performing. “That’s why I love microbes so much, a lot of advancements we have made are just us taking what microbes had already figured out and just developing it to use for ourselves,” Morrison said. “Why not use this resource we already have and just tweak it, make it a little better, and use it for the environment?” When she came across the Majumder lab, which focuses on using microbial mechanisms for environmental health, Morrison jumped in right away on a project with post-doctoral researcher Liyuan (Joanna) Hou. The project involved using engineered E. coli in an acid whey waste stream. The

recombinant, meaning genetic material, was broken up and recombined in a new arrangement. E. coli break down lactose and lactic acid in the acid whey and convert them into a biodegradable plastic polymer, Hou said. Acid whey is a waste product that results from making certain dairy products, which makes it a particularly relevant topic of concern in Wisconsin. Sweet whey, another waste product of dairy production, is typically broken down by bacteria into methane which can be used as an energy source. Such bacteria cannot function in the low pH conditions of acid whey, which means the whey is sometimes neutralized, then converted to methane, a process that is both expensive and impractical for large waste streams, Hou said. An alternative was to use an acidtolerant strain of bacteria that would not require neutralization before breaking down the acid whey. The lab engineered a strain of acidtolerant E. coli by inserting a plasmid which then allowed the bacteria to convert lactose and lactic acid into a particular biodegradable plastic precursor called polyhydroxybutyrate. “During the project, we definitely surveyed different parameters, things that really matter to the strain,” Hou said. “Things like initial pH, carbon and nitrogen ratio, lactose and lactic acid ratio and presence of nutrients like trace metals. We tried to see if those factors affected the strain’s PHB production.”

switch to produce more acid under these conditions, Hou said. The pathway of producing PHB was being shut down at some point, and Morrison tracked enzyme activity to try to figure out where. “We were trying to see what enzymes were being inhibited or activated under these conditions and then comparing it against the gene data, so whether a gene was being transcribed at normal, high, or low levels at these conditions,” Morrison said. “We were looking for discrepancies where gene expression is high but enzyme activity is low.” When that happens, Photo - Liuyan (Joanna) Hou Morrison said they know that something must be repressing production right now it’s only on the lab scale,” Hou and they need to target that point in the said. “But really you want to scale it up to pathway. full size to deal with the real problem in the Morrison said they did find several real world.” points in the pathway where activity was Additionally, Hou said engineering the decreased. E. coli strain to have the ability to produce This led to troubleshooting certain other biodegradable plastics besides PHBs aspects of the measures and acids used could allow the products to have better in the experiment, which Morrison also properties. contributed to greatly, Hou said. Developing plastics that are easier to The experiment found the recombinant E. break down is crucial to protecting our coli produced an 87% environment, Morrison said. The issue with PHB accumulation, traditional plastics, Morrison said, is they That’s why I love microbes so much, a lot which is very don’t go away. of advancements we have made are just us impressive compared “They might break down, they break to other strains. There down into microplastics and nanoplastics, taking what microbes had already figis still work to be done which progressively get more harmful and despite a promising ured out and just developing it to use for then they get into the water and into the first result, Hou said. aquatic life and then we eat the aquatic life ourselves. Why not use this resource we The 87% result was and they get into us,” Morrison said. “It’s already have and just tweak it ... and use it based on synthetic just bad all around.” wastewater, where the The use of fossil fuels for a one-time use for the environment? acid whey waste was product is also dangerous due to them being simulated. a non-renewable energy source. In real acid whey, It is much more ideal to cycle the use by the yield dropped to Hailee Morrison creating biodegradable plastics instead, about 70%. This is Morrison said. likely because of other The process used in this experiment is Morrison’s role in the factors in the waste stream that are not as especially beneficial because it first takes project began when the lab realized the controlled, Hou said. advantage of a waste stream and uses that microbes stopped producing PHB when “I think the future goal will be to waste to produce a valuable product that lactose concentration got too high. minimize those factors in the real acid whey can be widely used, Hou said. The E. coli’s metabolism would actually and to see if they can scale it up because

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SCIENCE NEWS

Booster shots become key with recent, pending vaccine approvals

UW Health expert says the university will ‘be among the first to know’ about pending federal guidance on booster shots by Tara Disanayaka Science News Reporter

With the start of the fall semester, many students are still wondering how the COVID-19 vaccine field has evolved and what the University of Wisconsin is planning on doing regarding booster shots and updated mask mandates. A major milestone in the fight against COVID-19 is Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine becoming the first to receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration this August. The vaccine will now be marketed as “comirnaty,” indicating active immunization from COVID-19. According to the FDA, the Pfizer vaccine is only approved for individuals 16 years and older, though it is still available under emergency use authorization, for those 12 through 15 years of age and as a third does for immunocompromised individuals. While Pfizer is the first pharmaceutical company to gain FDA approval, there are still many other companies developing their own COVID-19 vaccine, such as Novavax.

According to the New York Times, scientists are optimistic about the results from the new Novavax vaccine trials. Novax received a $1.6 billion grant from the government with the condition they would produce 100 million doses by the beginning of next year. Scientists believe data from preliminary tests are very promising, according to the New York Times. Though it won’t be possible to say definitively if the vaccine is safe and effective until Novavax goes through Phase 3, which consists of a largescale study where the data of those who are vaccinated is compared to the data of those who got the placebo. If the vaccine does prove to be both effective and safe, Novavax will undertake large-scale manufacturing for millions of doses. The University of Wisconsin is offering a third dose of Pfizer and Moderna to immunocompromised students who had previously received two doses of either of the mRNA vaccines. They are waiting for further guidance from the federal government regarding

booster shots for individuals who are not immunocompromised. Ajay Sethi, who is an associate professor of Population Health Sciences at UW, said advisors to the FDA are going to meet to discuss Pfizer’s evidence for needing to boost their vaccine Sept. 17. “Once the FDA reviews the data, the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] will decide whether to recommend boosters, the timing and priority groups, if any,” Sethi said in an email to The Badger Herald. “The [UW] campus will be among the first to know, and the planning process will begin.” Still, Sethi said it is too early to speculate on specific plans regarding boosters. One thing that may influence the federal government’s decision is that the leader of the World Health Organization recently urged countries with large supplies of COVID-19 vaccines, including the U.S., to delay offering booster shots through the end of the year, according to The Press Democrat. “I will not stay silent when companies

and countries that control the global supply of vaccines think the world’s poor should be satisfied with leftovers,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom said in a news conference in Geneva. Though the vaccination front may be looking up, Dane County has reaffirmed their stance that individuals must continue to take precautions against the spread of COVID-19. Public Health Madison and Dane County has extended the mask mandate, which was set to expire Sept. 16, to Oct. 8. More information about the mask mandate extension can be found on PHMDC’s website. PHMDC has recognized COVID-19 isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and have created 19 new positions to address the ongoing COVID-19 response and recovery, according to their recent press release. These new positions will allow others in the public health department to get back to their own work. The positions would be funded through Dec. 2024 with $5.8 million in state and federal grants.

UW launches research center focusing on psychoactive substances The center hopes to expand on research studying the use of psychoactive drugs like MDMA and psilocybin to treat mental illness

by Scott McInerney Science News Editor

Following the culmination of promising clinical data for the benefits of psychoactive substances like psilocybin and MDMA, the University of Wisconsin launched a new research center to better understand these types of drugs. The Transdisciplinary Center for Research in Psychoactive Substances is new in the School of Pharmacy and will expand current clinical studies on the therapeutic benefits of psychedelic drugs, Director Paul Hutson said. “The FDA sees great potential in both MDMA and Psilocybin,” Hutson said. “Both of these compounds have been categorized by the FDA as breakthrough drugs because of the initial signals of efficacy and the safety.” Current studies are showing promising results for the therapeutic use of psilocybin for depression and MDMA for post-traumatic stress disorder, Hutson said. These two are much further ahead in their research than other psychoactive drugs, and they could be facing FDA approval in the coming years. Though there are promising results, researchers are still exploring a myriad of unknowns about these drugs, Hutson said. These drugs may not be effective for 8 • badgerherald.com • September 14, 2021

everybody, so the new research center will seek to explore the safest, most effective way to use these drugs for all types of people. “The FDA is actually concerned about approving these substances, despite some remarkable reports of benefit in many people, because [the research] is not balanced across the racial spectrum,” Hutson said. One focus of the center is increasing diversity among trial participants, Hutson said. They will seek out participants from diverse backgrounds to take part in this research, so they can better represent underrepresented communities. In an email statement to The Badger Herald, associate director of Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies Alberto Vargas said drugs like these have a long history. “Many psychedelic substances have been used historically throughout indigenous groups and this research center can study that history and how renewed interest in these drugs is impacting contemporary indigenous cultures,” Vargas said. Vargas said the research center is conducting various studies to break down barriers to participation for minority groups, including studying the effects of culturally adaptive features on study recruitment. UW Professor John Dunne said

marginalized groups often encounter more psychological challenges, so it’s ethically important to try to heal the issues that come with marginalization. Most psychological studies are performed on WEIRD, or Western Educated Industrialized Rich Democracies subjects, but other cultures should be represented in these studies as well, he added. “There are important variations across different kinds of communities, that are in many cases cultural variations, but they really impact mind and body,” Dunne said. “It’s not about genetics, it’s about culture. In understanding how something like psychedelics might be helpful [we need] to see how it is acting in different kinds of persons, not just our mainstream culture.” Along with increasing trial diversity, the research center will seek answers to questions about the efficacy of these drugs, Hutson said. They are looking to find optimal dosing strategies, how to shorten onset and offset of psychedelic effects and to better understand the value of the psychedelic experience on the therapeutic benefits of these drugs. In clinical trials, safety is a major concern, Hutson said. For depression, participants go through a rigorous vetting process including a preparatory screening process before a guided session with one dosage of a

psilocybin capsule followed by an integration session the next day. “This is a long process,” Hutson said. “With the infrastructure of the new center, more studies will launch, including a treatment for substance abuse issues that could end up using more doses of psilocybin.” While they are showing early signs of benefit in clinical use, psychedelic drugs are illegal for recreational use. Hutson and the researchers at the center went through the proper procedures to obtain FDA approval for clinical trials, he said, which aren’t much different from those of any other experimental drug. Hutson needed approval from the Institutional Review Board, which identified areas to improve safety protocols and approval from FDA for an Investigational New Drug Exemption. Because these are scheduled substances, Hutson also needed approval from the state of Wisconsin, the DEA and the controlled substances section of the FDA. “There’s a lot of hype about psychedelics and that hype has to be grounded in careful research,” Dunne said. “Wisconsin has an opportunity to be a serious research center that people will trust because they know we’re not biased.”

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Madison Night Market offers dose of culture, local businesses The Madison Night Market, now moved onto State Street, will offer a variety of attractions, promotions that many missed during pandemic by Rachael Lee ArtsEtc. Editor

State Street is known for its liveliness — most times, there are strings of students and adults perusing through local businesses, diners laughing loudly from outdoor seating, visitors holding flowers and other goods from farmer ’s markets and local musicians busking. State Street will see this bustling activity after hours with the upcoming Madison Night Market. After a year-long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Madison Night Market will be returning this fall. Over 30 businesses on State Street are participating, as well as other vendors and food trucks. The next upcoming market will take place Sept. 16 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Market has been moved to State Street from North Gilman and Peace Park, where it has been held in previous years. The move to State Street is a big one for the market and will surely drive droves of people anxious to get a taste of an in-person outdoor experience. The market is presented by the City of Madison in partnership with Madison Central Business Improvement District.

Formed in 1999, BID is comprised of businesses and organizations from Park Street to the Capitol Square, working to “market the district as a whole, create a welcoming downtown environment, and further community relations,” according to their website. BID did not respond to a request for comment at the time this story was published. There are a number of cultural and local organizations partnering with the City of Madison and BID to represent the cultural richness of the isthmus and highlight the contributions of local groups to the community. Among these groups are the Latino Chamber of Commerce, the League of Women Voters in Dane County and the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County. For example, the League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit group in Dane County, whose goal is to promote informed and active participation of citizens in government at all levels, according to an email statement sent to The Badger Herald. The LWV will have a booth to provide information on the organization’s work and voting rights. They will also be working in conjunction with the booth from the

Photo · The Madison Night Market has moved to State Street for the 2021 events. Herald Archives

Madison’s Clerk Office, who will be registering people to vote at the Madison Night Market. This event is also a way for local businesses and vendors to show the community what they are about. A variety of businesses will have tables and booths set up outside the shop, while others will also be running promotions on special items within their stores. A manager from Art Gecko, a BID business who has long been participating in the Madison Night Markets, said these events are a great way to spread awareness about businesses, such as where businesses source their items and whether they are fair trade. Another Photo · Le C’s Patissere & Tea House on State Street participating business, Le C’s Patisserie and Erin Gretzinger Teahouse, said they will The Badger Herald be offering raffles for mooncakes — just in five to six p.m., the Urban Community Arts time for the annual Chinese Mid-Autumn Network from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Edi Rey festival. Customers will be able to learn y su Salsera eight to nine p.m. about the autumnal celebration while These musicians bring a fresh mix of buying food and drinks. music and different genres to the table, The business will also be offering presenting a musical potluck from different samples from their bakery, which include communities within Madison. a lot of international eats such as red Angela Puerta Band is led by Madisonbean breads, as well as popular treats like based Colombian-American singercustard buns. songwriter Angela Puerta. UCAN is Many businesses on State Street are an organization that is “dedicated to also involved in community projects and supporting sustainability in the Madison charities. The Madison Night Market Hip-Hop community and advocating for provides a way for businesses to connect equity in the local arts and entertainment,” with customers and a place where people according to their website. can ask questions about how local Edi Rey y su Salsera is a salsa band that businesses interact with the community specializes in a number of genres of Latin beyond State Street. mix. Besides connecting with the community Whether you are looking for a bargain, and picking up cool items for a bargain, tasty international treats or a night out with some other things not to miss include live your loved ones, the Madison Night Market music, food trucks and pop up restaurant surely has something for everyone. experiences and entertainment, which will You can learn more about this and be provided by Boulder Climbing Gym and other upcoming Madison Night Markets Revel DIY. by checking out the “Visit Downtown Live music will be played from the Lisa Madison” website, or by visiting the events Link Peace Park, and the lineup includes Facebook page. songs by the Angela Puerta Band from September 14, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 9

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UW Marching Band returns to action after performance hiatus

Back and better than ever: after more than 600 days away, marching band comes home to Camp Randall Stadium with triumphant field show by Jackson Walker ArtsEtc. Editor

Bringing an end to a performance hiatus on the first Saturday of September, the University of Wisconsin Marching Band returned to the field at Camp Randall for the first time since the 2019 season to perform their traditional pregame and halftime field shows — a sorely missed staple of Badger football games. In their halftime field show, the band proudly proclaimed “We’re back!” with a selection of songs intended to remind Badger fans they are here to stay, including “I’m Still Standing,” by Elton John and “Don’t Stop The Music,” by Rihanna. The show was also complemented by some signature pieces of choreography from the field performers, such as the cross tap and soft shoe marching steps. The performance was the band’s first as a full 300-member ensemble in the more than 600 days since the group, along with other campus organizations, was forced to halt operations following a rise in COVID-19 cases in March 2020. The Rose Bowl game on New Year ’s Day 2020 in Pasadena, California was the last time the band performed at full capacity. The band was not allowed to perform at football games in 2020 per a Big Ten order, and the band’s annual spring concert, an event that typically sees thousands of attendees, was canceled for two consecutive

years in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions. The conditions forced the band to go virtual for most of their performances in 2020. Following the first game day performance, UW Band Director Corey Pompey said he was elated to return to the field to do what he and his students love again. “I have a feeling of gratitude,” Pompey said. “It’s not that I wasn’t grateful before because I was. The last year and a half or so has been extremely challenging on many different fronts. Leading this band is an incredible privilege and gift. The students in the band as well as the staff are elated to perform for the public again.” Pompey said the adjustment from online rehearsal to in-person performances again took some getting used to, but he said it was ultimately a preferable alternative to carrying out band operations online. “Certainly, returning to full band requires a lot of time and planning, however, it was a welcome change from what we went through a year ago,” Pompey said. “The return to a sense of normalcy makes things go smoother because we all know what that is supposed to be.” The Sept. 4 game not only marked a return to in-person action for the marching band but the renewal of all the group offers for its members. Many returning sophomore members marched in their first

Photo · The band performs an energetic program, including at Saturday’s game versus Eastern Michigan Justin Mielke The Badger Herald 10 • badgerherald.com • September 14, 2021

Photo · Trombones tackle the Badger Band’s signature high step Justin Mielke The Badger Herald show with the band — an experience many typically have prior to the end of their freshman year. Sophomore trombone player Garrett Lowery said his first game day as a returning member was “pretty awesome” because he finally got see and experience what it meant to be a part of the band at full capacity. “My freshman year, COVID didn’t really allow us to do much as a group, so most of what we did was just practicing technique and never actually seeing the results of what we were working toward, so to finally get to experience and see what everyone was so excited for … was really awesome,” Lowery said. Returning to action proved to be a large adjustment for some members of the band who had never experienced a full season before COVID hit. For members recruited in fall 2020, their introduction to the group consisted of one two-hour practice per week in small sectionals. The band traditionally hosts three rehearsals a day in August with the full ensemble, which was an exciting and daunting effort for younger members this year. “It’s crazy just how different the atmosphere is having [the full band at practice] instead of just a team of leadership,” sophomore trombone player Jake Peterson said. “There’s just a lot more people around you to push you to work

harder.” While the challenges of the pandemic continue to linger, Badger fans can take solace in the fact that along with Saturday game days, the band too is back and better than ever.

Photo · UW Band Director Corey Pompey leads the band during the halftime show Justin Mielke The Badger Herald

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Trombone Shorty brings a taste of Louisiana to the Sylvee

Troy Andrews, band members captivate intimate audience at the Sylvee with their passionate solos, vivacious performance, enduring energy by Matt van Bastelaer ArtsEtc. Writer

Making his first appearance in Madison since Freakfest in 2017, Troy Andrews — better known as Trombone Shorty — and his band Orleans Avenue returned to The Sylvee with every bit of swagger and groove that their music is known for. Andrews, a New Orleans native, is known for his upbeat trombone and trumpet playing. He has made a niche for himself within the jazz and rock music scenes with his use of upbeat brass and woodwind musical voices. The concert, held Aug. 31, was energetic from start to finish. Entering to thunderous applause, Andrews began the show with a bang with “Where It At?” The smaller crowd warmed up by opener DJ Logic’s turntables had plenty of space to grove and immediately started to dance along with the energetic band. Considering Andrews has been performing live since he was 4 years old — when he performed with Bo Diddley at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival — it was no surprise the 35-year-old artist was

able to command the attention of the crowd with ease. After the high energy opener, Andrews kept his foot off the gas as he showed off his own dance moves à la James Brown throughout a rendition of the classic “When The Saints Go Marching In.” In addition to his apparent showmanship, Trombone Shorty lived up to his nickname with his mind-blowing solos whenever he brought an instrument to his mouth. His solos were matched in quality by baritone saxophonist Dan “Uncle Potato Chip” Oestreicher, who’s infectious energy only added to the excitement of the crowd. Beyond their impeccable solos, the band proved they had clear chemistry performing together. Andrews made sure to share the stage at every opportunity and would enthusiastically encourage his band members during their moments in the spotlight. Guitarists Josh Connelly and Pete Murano also took a turn at soloing, keeping in close sync with drummers Alvin Ford Jr. and Joey Peebles. One of the highlights of the show came

when Andrews and his bassist DJ Raymond riffed on “Do To Me” with the rest of the band exiting the stage, allowing the two tofind a groove as a duet. The duo brought down the house with a performance fit for a king of funk like Shorty. The entire performance was a much-needed dose of funk for the audience, momentarily transporting them from the streets of Madison to the bayou of New Orleans. Andrews’ own solos swept the audience off their feet every time and with the audience matching the band’s energy throughout, the concert was a nearspiritual experience.

Photo · Trombone Shorty returns to Madison with the same energy and groove from years before. Shatter Imgery Courtesy of the Sylvee

Photo · Andrews (left) plays with bassist DJ Raymond (right) during one of many duo moments in the show

Photo · Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue return to Madison for the first time since 2017

Shatter Imgery Courtesy of the Sylvee

September 14, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 11

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UW students rally to reimagine public safety on Wisconsin campuses

by Arushi Gupta, Savannah Kind and Erin Gretzinger Managing Editors, Editor-in-Chief

UW-Eau Claire student activists were shocked when members of their football team, who mocked the Black Male Empowerment group by insinuating they would burn a cross at a “White Male Empowerment” meeting on snapchat, and an individual who wrote on the door of an Indigenous student in the dorms to “go back to the rez” faced no disciplinary action. UW-Milwaukee student activists justified their demands for defunding their university police with the fact that the police officer who shot Jacob Blake started his career at UW-Parkside campus just a short distance away. UW-Madison students questioned who their police force was established to protect after UWPD assisted local police in deploying pepper spray at protesters — many of whom were students. These incidents resonated with University of Wisconsin System students and fueled ongoing conversations about public safety on campuses last fall, against the backdrop of a nationwide movement to re-examine policing after the murder of George Floyd. Students at UW-Madison, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Milwaukee rallied for change in their police departments last fall. While some of the changes UW-Madison activists hoped for will come to fruition this fall, student advocates believe the work to reimagine public safety on Wisconsin campuses is far from over.

CO-RESPONDERS TO UW The tension between students and UW-Madison administration over policing issues reached a peak last fall, with a “Cops Off Campus” march calling for UWPD to be dismantled, followed by an ASM vote of no confidence in the department. But before the start of the academic year brought activism to campus grounds, an anonymous student post on the Instagram page BIPOC at Wisco ignited discussion among student activists about police hospital transport and the role of campus police in mental health-related calls. In the July 2020 Instagram post, a student recounted their negative

experience with UWPD during police-hospital transport after officers responded to the student’s mental health-related call. The post prompted a statement from University Health Services vowing to reexamine the police-hospital transport system in collaboration with UWPD. Over a year later, UWPD and UHS have something to show for the nine-month collaboration they announced in January to enhance mental health crisis responses. The two campus entities will launch a co-responder pilot program this fall to have clinicians respond to mental health-related calls with officers and offer students the option to ride to the hospital in an unmarked UHS vehicle with clinicians in the place of police. Historically, UWPD responded to mental-health related calls alone, Mental Health Services Director Sarah Nolan said. Currently, if someone needs to be hospitalized, the police will be called to accompany and transport them. “There are times in our society, broadly and certainly on campus, where police are called because people don’t have anybody else to call, and that’s hard probably for police and for students,” Nolan said. “And so what I would like us to be able to do is to provide some level of mental health support for when mental health support is what is needed.” Nolan said the pilot program is in its final planning stages and could be launched within a month. UWPD Chief Kristen Roman views the pilot as a method to bring “the right tool for the job” in situations where police have often been used as the catch-all solution. While the co-responder program will start by focusing on mental health calls on campus for students in University Housing, Roman said UWPD and UHS are in conversation with the City of Madison and the Madison Police Department about how they can work together to respond to off-campus mental health calls. Looking back on the Instagram post that spurred the collaboration, Nolan said the “powerful” student story served as a great starting point, but she believes the co-responder program that came out of the initial discussions will have a “stronger impact” than if the campus only addressed police-hospital transport. “There was sort of this underlying reality — that many of us felt like mental health services and mental health clinicians were missing from other places besides transports,” Nolan said. “It just seemed pretty clear to many of us who have been working in our fields for a long time that this is not just about hospital transports. It’s about putting in mental health support all over this campus.”

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WORKING TOGETHER Over the course of the nine-month collaboration, Nolan said UHS looked through hours of body camera footage, walked through UWPD data and reviewed real situations officers experienced to try to understand what the current response system was to mental health crises with campus police involved. Nolan said the campus entities met with the university’s student council, the Associated Students of Madison, and members of the grassroots student organization the BIPOC Coalition. UHS acquired parts of an anonymous survey taken by the BIPOC Coalition to read some responses directly from students about their experiences with UWPD. ASM Chair Adrian Lampron, who was a representative for the ASM Student Council last year, was involved in discussions around 12 • badgerherald.com • September 14, 2021

UWPD and UHS’s crisis response. Lampron said the process of putting together the co-responder model and alternate transport system was hard for several student leaders and activists because they felt they were regularly shut down by the departments they were trying to work with. “Student leaders had a couple of meetings with UWPD folks that basically really quickly deteriorated, so it was hard to continue working with them,” Lampron said. “The students came in wanting to do the work, and UWPD was really resistant to going to that kind of conversation.” UW-Madison senior and BIPOC Coalition Co-founder Juliana Bennett said while it was difficult working with UWPD through some of the tension, they found an “understanding” in the coresponder program. Bennett said, however, it is important to recognize the historical lack of trust between students and UWPD has existed long before last summer’s protests as it is one of many institutions on campus that share the faults of systemic racism. She referenced the UWMadison Public History Project which documented a “history of mistrust” between the department and the campus community. “I’m frustrated that still we are trying to pin this lack of trust with UWPD and by extension, the UW administration, to an event that happened just this past year,” she said. “Because that is simply not the case. It is something that has been happening at UWPD since its inception.” Bennett, who is also the District 8 alderperson for the campus area, said having mental health clinicians respond to calls was one of the main goals of student activists over the past year, and the coresponder program is still a step in the right direction. “When you are in that really deep and dark mental state, for that situation to be made worse by a responder to that situation is just reprehensible and something no student should have to go through,” Bennett said. With this sentiment at the heart of conversations last year, ASM earmarked a lump sum in their internal budget for a community mental health intervention model start-up costs. Nolan said the

department already displays on its website. But the new tool will allow users to filter the data by demographic factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, age and affiliation to the university to provide a clearer picture of the department’s actions across campus. The dashboard will also show the department’s policies surrounding training, protests, use of force and other areas Roman said they chose based on campus listening sessions and feedback from their Police Advisory Council. After the dashboard’s anticipated launch this October, Roman said it will eventually offer surveys to campus community members about the department and display the results online to inform future policy decisions. “[What] we’re trying to accomplish with this data dashboard is again really to inspire trust and partnership with our community, to inform any advocacy and continuous improvement, so we may look at this data and find that we’re right where we want to be,” Roman said. “Or we might find that we’re … off the mark and so this can help us identify where we want to continue to improve.”

SAME BATTLE, DIFFERENT CAMPUSES UWPD was not the only campus police force in the UW System faced with a wave of student advocacy pushing for change when school resumed last fall. For many students across the state, the return to campus last September after a summer of protesting police violence and systemic racism in their communities meant it was time to turn their focus to campus police forces. UW-Milwaukee students Paris Miller and Rory Dononvan said their organization, Students for a Democratic Society, held rallies at the beginning of the school year vocalizing their discontent with the UW-Milwaukee Police Department. SDS delivered a list of demands, including asking for the department to be defunded or disbanded, to UW-Milwaukee’s

I’m frustrated that still we are trying to pin this lack of trust with UWPD and by extension, the UW administration to an event that happened just this past year ... It is something that has been happenning at UWPD since its inception. Juliana Bennett

university is working with ASM to use those funds to pay for the vehicle for one year. The rest of the money for personnel will be reallocated from other areas of UWPD and UHS’s existing funding. As part of their Racial Equity Initiative, UWPD will also launch an online dashboard this fall to increase transparency about the department’s contact with students and community members. Roman said the dashboard will showcase use of force incidents, calls for services, complaints and discipline data — much of which the

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chancellor laying out what reforms they hoped to make to UWMPD. “The UWM police budget is around $3 million, which is the highest of the UW campuses — even higher than UW-Madison — which is ridiculous because our campus is smaller,” Donovan said. While they raised concerns about the amount of funding allocated toward UW-Milwaukee police and the history of systemic racism seeded in police forces, Donovan said the university engaged very little with SDS. In a statement to The Badger Herald, UW-Milwaukee spokesperson Michelle Johnson said Chancellor Mark

Designs by Corey Holl

Mone sent a letter to SDS in response to their demands in December 2020, which stated the university was not in favor of disbanding its police force or reallocating their services to other campus units. In the letter, Mone wrote other campus departments wouldn’t be able to handle the amount of calls the UW-MPD receives if services were rerouted. Johnson said the university also implemented a police advisory committee last September, which has nine members, three of whom are students. Despite the letter from the chancellor and the creation of the committee, the university’s response fell flat for Donovan and Miller. They both continue to push for a reduction in the size of UWM-PD or full disbandment of the force. On the other side of the state, UW-Eau Claire student Jacksen Wolff faced a similar battle. Like Miller and Donovan, Wolff, the president of Eau Claire’s Leaders Igniting Transformation chapter, said he was able to work with LIT to establish a list of demands. “As soon as we arrived on campus [last fall], we began organizing right away,” Wolff said. “We did a large amount of research into the UW-Eau Claire campus police department in terms of their arrest disparity statistics, their budget, that kind of thing.” Wolff said LIT’s list of demands encompassed empowerment of Black students as well as the abolition of UW-Eau Claire’s police department in exchange for a different public safety model. While UW-Eau Claire’s administration seemed open to creating space and support for BIPOC students on campus, Wolff said starting conversations about changes to policing was difficult. Wolff said UW-Eau Claire’s police chief seemed open to change and the concerns of the campus community, with the exception of full abolition of the department. UW-Eau Claire did not respond to a request for comment at the time this story was published. Abolition of a campus police department is a tough goal to meet in the short period of time, Wolff said, but he hopes the work he and other students are doing now can be the first steps toward dismantling the current system and establishing a new one. “It is my hope that we are able to do more in-person organizing involving the student body with the hopes that we can garner more student support and have a bigger portion of the student population on our side,” Wolff said. “We are going to continue our pressure and continue our organizing in the hopes that we can get a conversation with the administration and get those dialogues started.”

Donovan said they hope the greater campus community will have a larger say in how the police function on campus and what duties fall under their jurisdiction. Miller has hopes that coming back to campus will reinvigorate the movement. “I believe that with the incoming class of freshmen that there’s a very good chance for more improvement, or at least more likeminded people coming together to realize we need less cops on campus at a bare minimum,” Miller said. Donovan added there might be some “dormant momentum” from last semester from organizers who didn’t see the results they had hoped for from their initial petitions, demands and protests. Organizers at both campuses have high hopes that their respective campuses will continue to see a growth in support for their causes. “This is a process that takes numerous, numerous years, and right now, my job as an organizer is still to lay the foundation of organizing on this campus,” Wolff said. “I imagine it will be another three to four ‘generations’ of organizers before we see any true change on our campus or in our community. But, of course we can always hope for a more quick and abundant transition.” While UW-Madison students were able to achieve a

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MOMENTUM CONTINUES For the student advocates across the three campuses, the fight for better public safety systems is far from over. Wolff said a big part of LIT’s plans for this year involve educating students on the institutional problems and history of oppression found in police departments.

I believe that with the incoming class of freshmen that there’s a very good chance for more improvement, or at least more like-minded people coming together to realize we need less cops on campus. Paris Miller

co-responder model and alternative to police transport, Lampron said ASM will keep pushing for a dedicated crisis response system based on the City of Madison’s CARES program — which sends mental health workers and a paramedic to address mental health crises instead of mental health workers and the police co-responding. An ideal goal, they said, would be to get the city to expand their CARES program to cover the campus entirely or partially with UWMadison’s co-responder program covering University Housing. Lampron added UW-Madison could have responded better to calls for defunding the police or reallocating some of their resources — particularly since UWPD spent over $6,500 on pepper spray and smoke grenades during Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. Roman said the co-responder pilot is a step toward repairing the fractured trust between students and campus police, but she recognizes the program alone is not enough. “Trust is a complex relationship, and one that takes time and attention,” Roman said. “Hopefully, what comes across with this is that we have dedicated both time and attention to addressing the concerns and the questions and some identified needs within our community.” In recognition of students’ tense relationship with UWPD that has roots going back to long before last year, Bennett believes UW-Madison and other higher education institutions should take tangible steps toward restructuring police departments into scaleddown campus security models that focus less on punitive measures like citations and more on the well-being of students during the crucial development years in their lives. “I would like to see a model that is more focused on catching the issues before they happen and ... on recovery and learning, because that’s why we are here on this campus,” she said. “Not just education-wise, but we’re learning as human beings to be better people, and I think our public safety system should reflect that.” September 14, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 13

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How the “day-and-date” release strategy changed the film industry To survive Covid-19, studios began releasing movies on streaming services the same day as theaters, a decision now proving to have unforeseen consequences

by Mikey Kok ArtsEtc. Associate Editor

The film industry found itself grinding to a screeching halt in March 2020 as it, along with the rest of the world, began to reckon with the effects of a growing pandemic. Many expected to see postponed production on upcoming films, but after a month or two in lockdown, it became evident the public would not be allowed inside of a theater any time soon. Fortunately, movie-goers were not completely left out to dry as an entire year’s worth of films had already been produced, edited and prepared for release. The majority of these films were delayed by weeks, then months and then years as the pandemic lingered on. An absurd example is the film “No Time To Die.” After a full marketing campaign leading up to its intended release date of April 10, 2020, the film’s release was delayed to November 25, 2020 then to April 2, 2021 and most recently to October 8, 2021. While the largest, highest-potential films were delayed, some studios — Walt Disney

Pictures for one — began releasing some of their smaller projects onto their streaming services in order to put their waylaid projects to good use and avoid an even more cramped release schedule following the reopening of theaters. Disney’s releases of “Artemis Fowl” and the filmed performance of “Hamilton” to Disney+ are key examples. As theaters began to reopen in limited capacities toward the end of 2020, Warner Bros. responded by announcing every film on its 2021 release schedule would simultaneously release on their streaming service HBOMax. Many filmmakers aired their grievances at this decision, claiming these films are intended for and enhanced by the theater-going experience. While studios hoped this move would increase the number of subscribers to their platforms, it also made it far easier to skip the lines and high ticket prices at the traditional movie theater and watch the hottest new releases on your own time. Additionally, this also resulted in a large spike in piracy. Following its release on Disney+, Marvel Studios’ “Black Widow” was the most pirated movie for three

straight weeks, according to TorrentFreak. Another unfortunate outcome of this simultaneous release strategy was its detrimental effect on the actors. Many actors have agreements built into their contracts that grant them a percentage of their film’s box office earnings — a stipulation that is proving to be more flexible than some actors prefer. A recent notable example is Scarlett Johansson’s heated legal battle with Disney after their decision to release the film on Disney+ reportedly cost her an additional eight-figure paycheck. Johansson was in a unique position before filing this lawsuit as her contract with Walt Disney Pictures and Marvel Studios had ended. After her character was killed off in “Avengers: Endgame,” fans knew “Black Widow” would be the send off for her character. Since her time with Marvel Studios had ended, it seemed like the perfect time to go after the studio for their disregard of their contractual obligations. Following the announcement of Johansson’s lawsuit, Emma Stone and Emily Blunt used the lawsuit as a point

of leverage for higher payments before signing onto “Cruella 2” and “Jungle Cruise 2,” respectively, ScreenRant reported. Both of those films followed the same format as Black Widow’s release, resulting in a lessthan-expected box office haul, directly affecting each actor involved. While COVID-19 has brought about many changes in the film industry already, more are yet to come as movie-goers will now have to show proof of vaccination status in order to attend screenings, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. This stipulation could contribute further to the widening gap between streaming services and theaters. Clearly, streaming changed the film industry, but the decision to adopt a simultaneous release strategy created waves that these studios did not expect. From this point forward, actors will insist on building specific agreements into their contracts to avoid losing the money that they earn and are deserved. If the actors continue to entertain, they should get every cent they are contractually obligated to receive.

How Scorsese’s negative opinion of Marvel movies holds up in 2021

Master filmmaker Martin Scorsese proved he doesn’t know everything about industry that made him famous when it comes to Marvel by Aidan Holmberg ArtsEtc. Associate Editor

In Oct. 2019, famed Hollywood film director Martin Scorsese caused a social media frenzy when he released an incredibly trivial take, arguing that Marvel movies did not qualify as true cinema. Immediately, Twitter went into a fury. Many were baffled at how a filmmaker as experienced as Scorsese, who produced acclaimed movies like “The Irishmen” and “The Wolf of Wall Street,” could make a statement so rash. One Twitter user called Scorsese jealous, while another noted how he seemed to be judging a series of movies he had never fully watched. The criticism seemed to be never ending. To some extent, the general consensus that Scorsese is out of touch with the current direction of film makes sense. Cinema has progressed substantially throughout the years, and the type of films Scorsese is used to producing and watching don’t capture the attention of modern audiences anymore. 14 • badgerherald.com • September 14, 2021

In a 2019 New York Times op-ed, Scorsese defended his claims, noting that most of the Marvel movie franchise remains largely within their audience’s comfort zone, taking few film-making risks in order to please audiences. As Marvel transitions into its fourth phase of comic book movie adaptations this year, it becomes clear this take did not hold up. Unlike many films today, the films of Scorsese’s era utilized gripping suspense which kept audiences on the edge of their seats. While this aspect of cinema is not completely absent from movies of today, it is not as prominent as it once was. Marvel does try to replicate this by including their movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — a universe entirely separate from the comics — but their regular drawing of ideas from the comics often gives audiences an idea of what might happen. Scorsese’s points start to weaken when he claims Marvel movies are less emotionally captivating of an art form than the films of his time. Anyone who

has been to a screening of a Marvel movie on opening night will know audiences develop a deep emotional attachment to Marvel characters. For example, take Robert Downey Jr.’s character Tony Stark, who sacrificed himself at the end of “Avengers: Endgame.” Audiences had developed an emotional attachment to Stark over the eleven years he was on screen, and when he died, many viewers cried as if they were witnessing the death of a real person. These series are made to make viewers feel as if they are on a journey with the characters, and by losing one of them — such as Tony Stark — it feels as if they’re losing a friend. Though Marvel movies often use a methodical and formulaic approach to please audiences, that doesn’t mean aspects such as emotional attachment and character development are completely left out. Characters like Iron Man and Captain America undergo deep emotional character arcs throughout each of their film series.

Though these storylines also occur in the comics, the films give new life to these stories in a way that print comics just can’t. While current films may not express their art-form in the way Scorsese is used to, they are on a whole new level visually. The development of computer-generated imagery has made the impossible possible, bringing to life characters and visuals that have never been seen before. These movies have arguably developed a new type of cinematic art-form, one that is much more capable of delivering stunning visuals than films of the past. In the end, there is no shame in enjoying either modern CGI-heavy movies or the narrative filled films of Scorsese’s era. No two films are ever the same, and viewers are going to have different opinions of the films they enjoy. Scorsese didn’t grow up with these types of movies, so these ideas feel foreign to him. The goal of cinema is to bring joy to people through artistic expression, and as long as a movie fulfills that, it qualifies as cinema.

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Republicans break party ideologies in regulating UW COVID-19 policies

Sen. Nass, GOP leaders pushing for legislature to sue UW System over their policies is antithetical to the values of higher education by Leah Terry Columnist

The party of small government is looking to block the University of Wisconsin System schools from enforcing their own health and safety measures — policies designed to protect students. As the delta variant spreads, more UW System schools have implemented mask mandates or expanded testing mandates to prevent rising COVID-19 infections on campuses. In response to these policies and the possibility of more to follow, the Republicanled Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules, also known as the JCRAR, voted Aug. 3 along party lines to limit UW schools’ authority to unilaterally create health provisions. The vote established that any UW school’s COVID-19-related health measures must be submitted to the JCRAR within thirty days and approved by the committee. This ruling also came with no public hearing, ridding the process of transparency and indicating Republicans knew the action they were taking would be an irresponsible threat to public health. When Wisconsin Republicans prevent a transparent democratic process by sneaking around behind closed doors and rushing votes on the committees they control, it’s clear their only motivation is political. Mere hours after the JCRAR vote, UWMadison Chancellor Rebecca Blank announced a timely mask mandate for UW-Madison Aug. 5. Blank justified the decision as a “responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of the University,” with no mention of the JCRAR decision. Interim UW President and former Republican Governor Tommy Thompson broke away from his party later in Aug. to declare UW schools don’t need the legislature’s permission to enforce health mandates. “I’m not going to be intimidated,” Thompson said in an AP News article. “Even though I don’t want to pick a fight with the Legislature, I’m going to stand my ground … I’ve got the right and the authority and the responsibility to do what’s necessary to keep the universities open.” Thompson has avoided a UW System vaccine mandate by trying to provide other incentives for getting students vaccinated, such as the “70 for 70” campaign where vaccinated students will be eligible to win $7,000 scholarships if their campus reaches a 70% vaccination rate. But, Thompson hasn’t completely ruled out the option of a vaccine mandate. Other Big

Ten schools, like the University of Michigan, get, yet their core values crumble whenever to learn from each other in an advantageous Illinois, Maryland, Indiana University and they have the opportunity to rile up their base. relationship to promote innovation. Rutgers University have all implemented Even with 90% of students fully vaccinated, The actions of Nass and other Wisconsin vaccine mandates. UW students would be safest with a vaccine GOP leaders are antithetical to the values of Shortly after, Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, mandate at the university level. Some are higher education. UW schools should not need announced he would be pushing for the State using this high vaccination statistic to argue to seek approval from the majority party when Legislature to sue the UW System for allowing UW doesn’t need a mandate at all, but the it comes to creating basic mandates to enforce its schools to create their own health mandates. precedent this situation will set is important the actions consistently recommended by the Nass submitted an official letter to Senate for other large universities also hesitant to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu and declare a mandate. and top U.S. health officials. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos Sept. 7, arguing Social responsibility and institutional With no end to the pandemic in sight, it’s UW System campuses are violating the autonomy are core values of higher education. crucial we allow universities to create health Wisconsin Administrative Rules Law passed Republican attempts to block UW System policies to protect immunocompromised earlier this year. COVID-19 policies contradict both. These students, staff and faculty, as well as return “The UW System is not merely refusing actions detract from the “Wisconsin Idea” that campus to the normalcy both Republicans and to follow state law, it is now an agency the government and universities are supposed Democrats want. challenging the constitutional authority of the Legislature,” Nass said in the statement. “The UW System has offered ever changing spin in regard to their claim of having some sort of mythical independent authority … ” It remains to be seen whether or not LeMahieu and Vos will actually pursue a lawsuit against the UW System. Doing so would solidify Republicans’ desperate urge to appear as if they are standing up for personal liberties, hiding the reality that they are using government overreach to endanger student safety. This GOP power move is immensely hypocritical coming from the supposedly staple party of small government. Legislative Photo - Wisconsin Republicans try to control UW System in an overreach of their legislative power Republicans preach minimizing Ahmad Hamid government control The Badger Herald every chance they September 14, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 15

OPINION

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UW emergency pandemic aid creates equity, needs more vetting

$7.7 million sent to 6,500 high-need students, additional $19.1 million open to all students to claim through online forms Even in the “all students” bracket, UW is helping many students who aren’t in the high-need bracket but still face financial The University of Wisconsin recently difficulties. The middle class tends to started distributing $28.6 million in fall short of qualifying for financial aid emergency pandemic aid to students. through FAFSA, despite being unable to The money comes from the third round keep up with the nearly 25% increase in of the Higher Education Emergency Relief tuition costs over the past ten years, and Fund in the American Rescue Plan Act the openness of this fund changes that. Congress passed in March, which allotted In this sense, it’s also easier for UW $53.4 million in spending money. international or undocumented students UW is required to distribute at least to access funds quickly, which is rare, $26.7 million directly to students for as FAFSA requires correspondence with personal use, but decided to spend the government. The Office of Student $900,000 more than that total on students. Financial Aid Communications Manager In a press release, UW said the funds Karla Weber Wandel said all students who would be sent to “students facing the submitted applications to the open fund ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 received money. pandemic,” with $7.7 million going directly “We’ve been able to provide some to more than 6,500 high-need students emergency grant to each student that has whose financial needs are outlined in the made a request,” Wandel said. “Students Free Application for Federal Student Aid get to choose if they want these funds forms. Of those students, more than 4,600 applied to their student account balance or were Federal Pell Grant recipients. if they want the amount directly refunded to them.” These payments are a glimpse at universal basic income proposals popularized by former presidential candidate Andrew Yang. All students are afforded a base-level financial safety net while some less affluent ones are given additional support. The emergency pandemic aid marks UW’s first major step towards equity that universities often fail to achieve, despite groups like Associated Students of Madison previously calling for an expanded and more consistent student payment system. But, the easy access to this aid also has its downsides. The emergency request form only requires that students create an itemized list of their financial needs, followed by a “brief statement explaining your current Photo - UW-Madison students collecting pandemic-related aid must consider those with the most need financial emergency.” There’s also a short Kirby Wright survey students must fill The Badger Herald out, which includes vague

by Will Romano Opinion Editor

16 • badgerherald.com • September 14, 2021

The remaining $19.1 million left over in the student fund is eligible for all UW students to receive through an emergency form where they can describe their reasons for needing extra money. This means the majority of money is easy for students to access, which can be good or bad, depending on how ethical the student body is. Let’s not forget how important this money is for the 6,500 high-need students that immediately qualified through their FAFSA status. The COVID-19 pandemic made paying rent nearly impossible, and increased medical and living costs, crippling savings for the working class. The ARPA was in part designed to help college students pay for these costs as they attend university. UW is accomplishing that goal for the 6,500 students that desperately need the money. These students get timely access to a few thousand dollars and can use it for anything from tuition to personal costs.

statements such as “concerned about covering future expenses.” As a public school, UW has minimal data on its students who don’t need financial aid and don’t fill out the FAFSA form when they apply to the school. This leaves the Office of Student Financial Aid with a mere paragraph to determine if a student should receive money that a financially desperate student could use to avoid eviction or pay for critical medicine. While it’s not immediately possible to prove that some students are lying on their emergency request forms to receive money they don’t necessarily need, it’s conceivable these students are potentially using money the university could set aside for others with serious financial difficulties. A recent example of government money finding its way to the rich is the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Small, minority-owned businesses had trouble accessing the Paycheck Protection Program while massive chain restaurants — like Ruth’s Chris or Shake Shack — could easily take money from the fund. The Act also provided far more than the $1,200 each American received to millionaires and billionaires through tax breaks. Calling for a UW surveillance campaign to determine a student’s real financial status would only prohibit some students in that middle class category from receiving needed money. Instead, a more rigorous vetting process for students to receive this money would ensure fluffy wording doesn’t open the door for them to receive money they might not need. Direct financial aid can be an equitable opportunity to support both working and middle class students through easy access to money. In the future, UW needs to establish a more robust way to determine who gets these funds. Students not in the high-need bracket should have to show up for in-person interviews and outline a spending plan for their funds. Or, students could be required to reveal a partial picture of their financial status to apply for these funds. These policies would discourage any wealthy students who may be looking to take advantage of the situation from doing so. In a perfectly moral society, we wouldn’t have to worry about students taking money they don’t need. But, if the pandemic has proved anything, it’s that people are flawed.

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OPINION

Wisconsin, United States must help resettle Afghan refugees

Wisconsin is home to America’s largest Afghan refugee camp and some of its biggest critics in the Republican Party by Hayden Kolowrat Opinion Editor

Following the collapse of the Afghan government to Taliban forces, the United States has led the global humanitarian effort to evacuate tens of thousands of Afghan refugees. Many of these people worked for the U.S. government during its 20-year-long war in Afghanistan and are desperately fleeing to avoid persecution from Taliban forces for working with the Western-backed government. Today, around 8,700 Afghan refugees are being housed at Fort McCoy, near Tomah, Wisconsin, making it the largest temporary Afghan refugee camp in the United States. Refugees and their families will remain at the base until they can complete their special immigrant visa applications and be resettled elsewhere. This makes the question of whether the state has a place in housing and helping Afghan refugees a crucial one for Wisconsinites — a calamity which the state must respond to with aid and support. Despite the successes of rescuing thousands of refugees, some Wisconsin politicians have already voiced their concerns about the thoroughness of the vetting process. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., visited Fort McCoy and was surprised to find that before refugees receive their visas, they are allowed two years of “parole” — a type of legal authority commonly invoked during emergencies — to live in the United States. U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., also discouraged quickly resettling migrants to avoid rushing the vetting process. Both figures are concerned about the safety of bringing unvetted refugees into communities around the country who could potentially have terrorist affiliations. The Biden administration has reaffirmed all refugees are vetted twice before arriving in the United States, but many still distrust the administration’s chaotic mismanagement of the Afghanistan crisis. The comment sections of news articles surrounding refugee resettlement are full of skeptics advocating for barring new refugees from settling in the U.S. While many refugees will settle in other parts of the U.S., some will also surely stay in Wisconsin for many years. Jewish Social Services, a refugee resettlement agency based in Madison, Wisconsin, will be assisting refugees and their families to find jobs and housing in the Madison area. The group is one of many leaping into action across the state, and more groups like them are needed to help assuage the current and long-term challenges that come with processing copious refugees.

Despite these challenges, Wisconsin and other states have a moral obligation to accept and assist refugees. Given the years of war the United States waged in Afghanistan, we cannot abandon all responsibility for the mess we created. The U.S. hired many Afghan people with the promise that they would live under a more free, American-backed government in Afghanistan by the time they left. In doing so, Afghans put themselves and their families at risk of attack from the Taliban and other terrorist groups hostile to the United States. Now that the United States is leaving Afghanistan, we must protect our allies who assisted our war efforts there and who are now in danger. While more Americans agree we must help interpreters and other military related personnel, we must not limit our support to them. Female students and advocates, employees from Western businesses and media members are all groups the Taliban is hostile toward because of their affiliation with pro-Western governments.

The U.S. built the conditions in which these people could flourish. If Americans truly do believe in democratic ideals, such as women’s rights, capitalist economies and free press, we cannot abandon the people we convinced to believe in the promise of democracy. What message would this send to others living under oppressive regimes around the world about the consequences of supporting democratic ideals? How can we expect our allies to trust us if we abandon them when they need our help most? These are questions the American public must come to grips with as we cannot absolve our responsibility from the crisis in Afghanistan. Part of that responsibility must be assisting all of our allies there, including all supporters of democracy. In 1975, the United States began another major resettlement effort after the fall of Saigon to North Vietnamese communist forces. President Ford immediately airlifted 175,000 Vietnamese refugees to the United States and another half million would also migrate over the next twenty years.

This was an essential part of American foreign policy when exiting Vietnam and it should remain so today. Since the war, Wisconsin has remained one of largest refuges for Hmong people who fled Vietnam. In 2000, there were over 30,000 Hmong people living in Wisconsin. Cities like Milwaukee, Wausau and Sheboygan have some of the largest Hmong populations in the country. Yet, little has changed in Wisconsin because of Hmong settlement and there has been no threat to any Wisconsinites’ safety because of their settlement here. It is a clear case study for how refugees bring new life and joy to communities — not danger. Today, Wisconsin should look to the successes of the past, like resettling Hmong refugees, to relieve anxieties about settling another refugee population. Like then, now both the United States and Wisconsin must do their part to help this struggling population flee the war we started.

Photo - Local Madison residents welcoming new refugee families into their community Michael Lim The Badger Herald September 14, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 17

SPORTS

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BADGERS BACK IN ACTION After a year of empty stadiums sans screaming Sconnies, sports have returned to Madtown — much to the delight of fans and players

18 • badgerherald.com • September 14, 2021

Photos - Justin Mielke and Shane Frutcherman

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Football: NFL bound: Wisconsin stars with the most pro potential

From familiar names like Jake Ferguson to new faces such as Nolan Rucci, some Badgers showcase NFL promise by Sam Harrigan Sports Associate Editor

This year ’s 2021 Wisconsin Badgers football team is loaded with talent. From top to bottom, at nearly every position, there are players who could potentially make the leap to the National Football League after their time in Madison is done. As the season begins, here are some players to keep an eye out for as potential NFL stars after college. Offense Graham Mertz — A former four-star recruit and high school All-American, Mertz has all of the talent in the world. Since early in his Badger career, he has shown brief glimpses of this talent. Last season, in his first game as a starting quarterback, Mertz went 20 for 21 for five touchdowns in the season opener, and the hype seemed to be real. But, just hours after the game ended, Mertz tested positive for COVID-19, which threw a major wrench into his season. The offense was never right last year as Mertz could not regain his week-one form. Going into the 2021 season, the excitement for Mertz is on another level. He will hope to impress not just Badger fans, but NFL scouts as well as he will try to make the

jump to professional football after his senior season. Jake Ferguson — A preseason AllAmerican, Ferguson is arguably the most talented and accomplished tight end in college football this year. He has played in 34 career games at Wisconsin and has compiled more than 1,000 receiving yards during his time in Madison. Ferguson is known for his soft hands and ability to find the weak spot in defensive coverages. His athleticism does not necessarily jump off the screen, but his blocking ability mixed with his stellar numbers catching the football will almost certainly translate to an NFL opportunity after this season is over. Logan Brown — Brown is one of the highest-rated recruits in the history of Wisconsin football. The former fivestar prospect from the class of 2019 has the potential to continue Wisconsin’s reputation as a prolific NFL draft machine. While Brown has yet to have much of an opportunity in Madison, he will almost certainly play a much bigger role this season than he has in the last two. Keep an eye out for the six-foot-six redshirt sophomore to contribute heavily on Wisconsin’s experienced offensive line. Nolan Rucci — Like Brown, Rucci is a former five-star offensive lineman who committed to Wisconsin as a part of the class of 2020. He is the younger brother of the current Badger tight end and fullback Hayden Rucci. The six-foot-eight and a nearly 300-pound mountain of a man’s athleticism is off the charts. Rucci arguably has the best shot at a professional career of anyone on this Badger team based on his measurements and reputation. While he most likely will not see much playing time this year as a freshman, Rucci’s future at Wisconsin is extremely bright. Defense

Photo · Graham Mertz started the season out rough, with a deflating 16-10 loss to Penn State Justin Mielke The Badger Herald

Jack Sanborn — Sanborn is one of the most accomplished linebackers in the history of Wisconsin football. The senior from Deer Park, Illinois has appeared in 32 games for the Badgers and has amassed 139 career tackles. Sanborn is on the

Photo · Jack Sanborn netted five tackles and one sack against the Nitty Lions, making his career total 7.5 sacks. Justin Mielke The Badger Herald

preseason watchlist for nearly every major defensive award this season, and he will be the undisputed leader of what should be another stout Wisconsin defense. Sanborn will make his money in the NFL based on his reputation as a leader and strong tackler. He is one of the best defensive players in college football, and he has the ability to take over games like he did in last season’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl, a game in which he won most valuable player. Caesar Williams — Williams has become the most dependable cornerback Wisconsin has going into this season. The senior will draw each team’s top wide receiver this year and will hopefully continue to shut them down as he has done in the 35 games he has already played at Wisconsin. While the measurements and stats are not necessarily that impressive, Williams has developed into a true lockdown corner in his first three years in Madison. The development Williams has shown since his redshirt season makes him an interesting NFL prospect going into this season. Braelon Allen — Allen is a freak of an athlete, it’s as simple as that. Once a member of the class of 2022, Allen reclassified a year earlier and is now a member of this year ’s team. While recruited as a linebacker, it is rumored he will now start the season

playing on the offensive side of the ball as a running back. Whatever Allen ends up playing, he will bring unbelievable athleticism to the Badgers. Allen squats more than 600 pounds and power cleans more than 400 pounds as a 17 year old. He is a freak of an athlete, which makes him extremely likely to go pro. Special Teams Andy Vujnovich — If there is any talk of freakish athletes on this Wisconsin team, it would be a mistake to not mention the Badgers’ senior punter. The Dubuque transfer became a reliable punter in his first season in Madison, averaging nearly 42 yards per kick with a long of 60. But, what makes Vujnovich different from the rest is his unbelievable strength and athleticism. An article by The Athletic Ink titled “Bruce Feldman’s 2021 College Football Freaks List” sums up Vujnovich best as “A jacked 6-3, 230-pound dude who averaged 41.6 yards per punt in 2020, he’s here due to some crazy measurables: a 35-inch vert; a pro agility time quicker than most defensive backs (4.00 seconds); a 10-yard split of 1.54, and he benches 395.” Vujnovich’s insane strength and athleticism is the biggest reason for his pro potential.

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Men’s Basketball: Young Badgers face tough Big Ten schedule This year’s Badger lineup will feature many new faces, raising questions about the young groups’ ability to get results by Ian Patton Sports Associate Editor

Wednesday, along with the first fully inperson classes the University of WisconsinMadison has seen in over a year, the Big Ten added to the excitement by unveiling its 2021-2022 basketball schedule. The schedule brings out feelings of uncertainty for many fans, with the Badgers’ squad looking far different from the battlehardened group of veterans Greg Gard had last season. Even with their youth, the Badgers are far from unfamiliar with the same mold of tall Midwest players complemented by fast, skilled guards from the refined prep school ranks in the South and East Coast. In the Kohl Center, this season will be one of Gard’s best-recruiting classes. Additionally, the Badgers have utilized the transfer portal this offseason, acquiring transfers such as Chris Vogt and Jahcobi Neath. During the offseason, Brad Davison announced he is returning to the team for one final season. The fifth-year senior has played 4,000 minutes in his Badger uniform. Overall, the Badgers are shrouded in uncertainty about their ability to perform at young ages and see if their young core doesn’t melt in the crucible of the Big Ten.

Given this uncertainty, the next step is to break down the first games leading into winter break, trying to put together an accurate prediction of an opening month that will most likely be a complete rollercoaster. The Badgers’ Big Ten schedule does not start softly as they host an underrated Indiana team. The Hoosiers match up as basically anti-Wisconsin with no shortage of upperclassmen. The Hoosiers not only have the Karl Malone award finalist and leaper Trayce Jackson-Davis, but they also added Miller Kopp who lit it up for Northwestern last season. Ultimately, the Badgers will need to contain Jackson-Davis, a task that will test young center Steven Crowl and introduce fans to Vogt as a Micah Potter-level addition to the team. The good news for the Badgers is that following Indiana, they go on the road against an equally youthful Ohio State squad. Ohio State gives both Crowl and Vogt a chance at either redemption or continued dominance, a real possibility given Vogt’s height and Crowl’s natural talent. Ohio State’s Kyle Young has produced enough on the floor to be one of the best rebounding power forwards in the Big Ten. Apart from Young, the game will come

down to guard play with Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis having to earn buckets against Ohio State’s Jamari Wheeler, one of the best defenders in the Big Ten during his time at Penn State. The first two games of the Big Ten schedule leave the Badgers with what will be a truly coming-ofage narrative. Following the winter break, the Badgers run the gauntlet playing teams with highly recruited players from teams such as Purdue, Michigan State and Maryland. The Big Ten season is a mountain for any team to climb. Given the youth and incredible upside of the Badger squad, the sky is the limit for what could be a highly successful Big Ten season that hinges significantly on the outcome of the first two heavyweight opponents of the season.

Photo ·The Badgers have a tough season ahead, but old and new recruits hope to ease the transition Jason Chan The Badger Herald

College Football’s new alliance after Texas, Okalahoma Big 12 departure After a recent expansion by the Southeastern Conference, the NCAA’s other conferences ended up coming together by Doug Scales Sports Reporter

It’s safe to say the college football world is in shambles as the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners plan to wave their final goodbyes to the Big-12 Conference and say hello to the Southeastern Conference. As they move on to “bigger and better” things within the SEC, the Big 12 and other conferences are left in the dust to figure out a way back to relevancy. In recent years, the SEC has easily been the nation’s most dominant conference. They sport six of the last 10 national championship rings and are home to the most consistently dominant college football teams year after year. Now, with the addition of two of the top recruiting programs in the country, the SEC adds much more talent to an already loaded cast. Though not officially in place until 2022, other conferences aren’t too fond of this massive shift. Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby expressed his disappointment with the way the SEC went about this addition. “We are disappointed these discussions 20 • badgerherald.com • September 14, 2021

went as far as they did without notice to, or inclusion of, other Big 12 members,” Bowlsby said. Essentially, the SEC underwent this entire acquisition process of Texas and Oklahoma without notifying the Big 12. Though the two teams agreed to leave the Big 12 for their new conference, Bowlsby seemed to be not involved in the discussion. He also came out and said discussions had been going on between the “parties and television partner” for some time, insinuating this move was not just to strengthen the SEC but to also increase revenue for the conference. Once Texas and Oklahoma are gone, the remaining eight teams within the Big 12 will be left with a decision to make — either stay in a conference that just lost its two most notable programs or attempt to also leave the Big 12 and join a more relevant conference. Over the next few months, the college football landscape could begin to take on a new look compared to the years past. To combat the creation of a dominant “powerhouse” conference, three other conferences have come together in

agreement — the ACC, Big Ten and Pac12. The 41 schools within these three conferences unanimously agreed upon a set of ethical terms and conditions August 24, 2021. These terms include a “commitment to, and prioritization of, supporting studentathlete well-being, academic and athletic opportunities, experiences and diverse educational programming.” The purpose of the pact is to establish trust between these respective conferences and prevent something like Oklahoma and Texas’ departure from happening in the future. Though not much stems from this agreement in terms of competitive change, it can be inferred that the expansion of the SEC left a bad taste in the mouths of other conferences, enough to form a pact of loyalty. The only visible changes of this agreement are future games of inter-conference play between the three conferences. Over the next few years, we will begin to see more matchups between Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC teams. This will allow for a more inclusive

athletic experience for students as well as more competitive scheduling between conferences. Expect to see less in-conference play as well with the agreement, as more games will be scheduled out of conference. With increased strength of schedule, these 41 programs will be more likely to compete with teams inside of the SEC for college football playoff spots. A ll around, this agreement provides good ideas for unifying three of the biggest conferences in college football. This agreement was just about the best thing these conferences could do to uphold the competitive integrity in college football. For these conferences, it’s all about stability right now. The college football landscape is experiencing a change unlike any other in recent years. For other conferences, keeping everyone on board and letting the storm pass is a smart decision. As the SEC obviously grows stronger, the Big Ten, Pac12 and ACC plan to do the same. As long as these three conferences remain whole and relevant, call this agreement a huge success.

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Volleyball: Badgers hit ground running behind strong young stars

The Badgers return to the court for what is likely to be another strong year following a dominating season last fall by Ian Patton Sports Associate Editor

win against the defending national champions plants a proverbial flag in the new season of college volleyball. Along with this meaningful start is the fact that the Badgers are straight-up tall. The Badgers tower over teams like Dayton and TCU, adding to the David and Goliath feeling most couples face against the Badgers. This height creates an imposing front line that boasts high block percentages, with nine in their last game against Kentucky. Moreover, the Badgers have a clear changing of the guard going on as strong senior talent is paired with increasingly impressive play from underclassmen. While the team itself has been viewed nationally as a powerful force, individual players are beginning to become superstars on a national scale. One of these players is graduate senior

Dana Rettke who’s play and high level of leadership earned her the Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year award in 2019-2020. Following these honors, Rettke has done far from slow down with multiple matches with double-digit kills, including nine against Dayton in only two games. While in years past Rettke’s incredible play almost eclipses that of her team, that is not the case for this season. While Rettke is undoubtedly the backbone of this solid squad, sophomores Demps and Robinson are rapidly coming into their own light. While Rettke adds height and power to the team, Demps tends to compliment with a high amount of touch. Examples of this can be seen in her Dayton performance, in which she had a kill percentage of 38. While Demps compliments, Rettke and

Sports are back in the most excellent college town in America, and that means everything from fans rolling down State Street for football games to hoards flocking to the University of Wisconsin Field House to see the most dominant show on a court. Of course, that is in reference to the UW women’s volleyball team, whose full pedigree can not be understated. The Badgers are perennial Big Ten Champions, far from a stepped-on conference in women’s volleyball. Consistently, the Badgers can land not only high-level recruits but also top-level international and transfer talent. Last season, the Badgers were long-standing favorites to make a long run in the Big Ten and compete for a national championship. This team saw not only high-level freshmen talent Devyn Robinson and Jade Demps, but a slew of highly touted transfers like Giorgia Civita to add to an already loaded senior core. After what many people saw as a powerful Big Ten season, winning most matches by three games to none, the Badgers charged into the postseason. After an easy-going first round and a telling victory against Florida, the Badgers faced Texas to whom they ultimately fell, ending seniors Molly Haggerty and Deahna Kraft’s Badger careers. This defeat was made even more crushing when Texas lost the championship to Kentucky. After losing two influential seniors, the Badgers now stand two games into the season with what feels like a team that can make a run at more championship greatness. With only five games under their belt, this year ’s team is off like they never left, spotting a clean 5-0 record. While it could be easy to pile, pushing through the point that the Badgers are crazy good, this team already has a slightly different feeling than in 2020. The factors for this are threefold, adding important details to what is a very nuanced team narrative. While last season’s team could rest on their laurels in the first two games of a match, this squad seems to come out hot from the start winning all of their first games this year. But, a perfect record can easily mean little to nothing if you are Photo · The Women’s Volleyball team has netted four wins already this September playing slow and lackluster competition. This is simply not the case for a team Ian Patton with two of their five wins coming against The Badger Herald ranked opponents in Texas Christian University and Kentucky. The most recent

Robinson add a much-needed layer to the rotation, often playing in correspondence with Demps and working to create constant pressure on the other teams’ defense. For many high-level teams, it is necessary to walk before they can run. This simply has not been the case with Badger volleyball as they continue to break the mold of Wisconsin Athletics characterized by hot starts, eventual skids and the eventual postseason exit, leaving fans with a bittersweet taste in their mouths. The feeling in the Wisconsin Field House is just different. It may be the addition of a full fan section bringing in energy every night, or it could simply be whatever they’re putting in the water in Madison. Overall, this Badger team looks well pressed to carry on a tradition of excellence that has spoiled fans for almost a decade.

September 14, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 21

BANTER

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Back to ‘normal:’ It’s everything we dreamed of... for the most part

No more Zoom, but students dreaming of in-person classes are quickly reminded of the realities of time managment by Hallie Humbert Banter Editor

It’s what we all dreamed of for months... but this sucks. The time has come. We’ve all heard it, “I am NEVER saying no to another party again. I will be the first one there, and the last to leave.” The voice of the post pandemic motivation that was at an all time high when we were sitting in our four-day old pajama bottoms and business attire top combo, staring at our screen for hours a day, accidentally unmuting yourself at uh, ~inconvenient~ times. But reality check — In-person classes are back and better than ever, with our masks, social distancing and hand sanitizer awkwardly being passed around the lecture hall. But here’s the ugly truth — 9:30 a.m. lectures now means a true, brutal, actual eight a.m. wake up. No more rolling out of bed with mere minutes to spare. Coffee needs to be pre-brewed, breakfast fully

eaten before class, shoes tied and backpack packed. Even waking up at 8:30 is pushing it. Students from Mifflin to Lakeshore are being reminded of the solemn and brutal reality of time management. Things we now have to budget time for that every student totally forgot about amidst online learning: 1) The elevator that stops at EVERY floor, even if no one is waiting for it. 2) Saying hi to people in the street, then engaging in obligatory small talk. “Omg but where are YOU living this year!? No way! The James?” 3) Crossing the street to avoid last Thursday’s drunken hookup. 4) Having to cross the street back again because that’s actually the building you need to get into . 5) Getting your acting skills on to pretend

you for sure remember where your lecture is — this not your first semester here (but internally you have to hide the panic of not remember where to go after three semesters away) 6) More elevator lines. 7) Or, if you’re especially unlucky, stairs. At least four flights (wtf). 8)Time between walking up the stairs and entering your class, because you don’t want people to hear how loudly you’re panting under your mask from just walking up those four flights. 9) Assessing where you are going to sit in your lecture hall. Not next to that guy, he’ll think you’re in love with him. Not too far back, you need to see but can’t wear your glasses without having them fog up from your mask. But not too close to the front, where you can make direct eye contact with the professor while they wait for people to answer their questions.

This is the 30-minute charade we had all completely forgotten about as we bitched and moaned about the effort it took to roll out of bed to log into zoom 12 seconds before the start of class. Now I have to actually put on pants. And keep them on all day. It’s TERRIBLE. Not to mention, I have to kiss my midlecture snack breaks goodbye — pray for me as I attempt to make it through my afternoon power lecture with out a single goldfish cracker. The trials and tribulations of in person learning are now flooding back to each student. For as isolating, depressing and mentally straining spending hours on your computer for online school was, at least we could do it without having to put (and keep) a bra on. So welcome back everyone — I hope your sleep schedule is in better shape than mine is. As long as we all get on the same page that our back-to-school outfits are going to be a little subpar this year, I think we can make it through.

BANTER

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Cheating! We did it last year, let’s keep it going this semester in person Gone are days of dual monitor cheating set-ups, here come days of actually having to study... or is there another way? by Lorenzo Reyes Banter Editor

Photo · Sneaky UW student pulls out phone during exam (thumbs down) Katie Hardie The Badger Herald

Okay, boom, new school year — but for real this time. Unlike last year, this semester we actually have to do work. I know you’re about to say — “C’mon bro I worked so hard last year!” You know what? That’s true! When we were “studying,” we were working VERY hard to hold back tears as we questioned our life choices that led to us taking chemistry in the midst of a pandemic. This year is going to require a whole different type of work — school work. Don’t act so surprised, literally everyone cheated last year. And if you were one of the six total people on campus who cared about “academic honesty,” congratulations! You got fucked by the curve and now your parents hate you. For the other 30,000 people who attend this university, things are going to go back to normal. The days of foolish professors trusting their students and deciding not to use Honorlock are over. It’s time for inperson tests and no more cheating. Or is it? While many people have spent the last few weeks dreading the upcoming midterm cycle, I’ve been hard at work coming up with a few ways to scam my way through this semester. This first method came to mind when

I heard that podcast host (and all around dumbass) Joe Rogan got COVID-19. This man posted a video Sept. 1 and confidently claimed he took a horse de-worming drug, ivermectin, to help shed the virus in his body. When those words came out of his mouth, I audibly said “I don’t even want to look at this guy right now.” And then I thought, “Wait, I genuinely don’t want to look at this guy right now! That’s it!” For this first scam, on exam day I recommend you bring a FAKE bottle of “ivermectin” into the exam room with you. And right before the test starts, you should announce to EVERYONE, “I am about to take ivermectin because it defends against COVID-19!” Everyone there should be so embarrassed to be around you they’ll stop looking at you altogether! This should give you the opportunity to access all electronic devices and cheat your way through class! This second scam is going to take a little bit of set up and probably some money too. First, you’ll need to find somebody with a large commanding voice, preferably someone as equivalent as possible to Gilbert Gottfried. You’ll probably have to negotiate a price, then, at some point during the testing period, Gilbert — sorry — the person of your choosing will come in and begin reciting “Love Story” by Taylor Swift at the top of their lungs in Victorian English.

You might be confused as to why this is so specific — that’s the point. Everyone in the class will be so distracted and confused you can use any notebook, cell phone, computer or smart person next to you to cheat on your exam! Of course, in order for them to keep their mouth shut you’re going to have to, “take care of them.” Wait — what the fuck? I don’t mean kill them you animal, I mean pay them! You really thought I’d get that dark in THIS article? Go to our News section for that. Alright, this last one is WICKED. I know the previous suggestions might be a bit risky, but this one is FOOLPROOF. There’s no way any proctor is going to catch you with this one. In the weeks leading up to the big exam, you’re going to want to look at ALL of the class material covered since the last midterm. Once you do that, knock yourself out and take a practice exam or two if you REALLY want to go all in on this cheating scheme. Then, when it comes to be exam time, you’re basically going to have a cheat sheet in your brain! It’s crazy! I did this method all throughout high school and it worked like a charm! The teachers never caught on! Good ole academic dishonesty — my bread and butter. If you give any of these options a shot, you’re bound to be successful later in life. If you opt for the “honorable” (dumb) route, good luck this semester, you’re going to need it.

A word from disappointed freshmen: What the hell is a certificate? Not calling it a minor isn’t quirky — it looks weird on my resume, LinkedIn and refridgerator AND it’s just annoying by Katie Hardie Banter Writer

Everyone remembers where they were when their adviser told them, “we call it a certificate here.” I sure remember where I was. It was in Signe Skott Cooper Hall, and my cool adviser Molly crushed my dreams and confused the hell out of me when she said the University of Wisconsin doesn’t offer a Spanish certificate. I thought to myself — okay, ouch, but also, what? I remember what happened after that, too. It was my first break back home, it was Thanksgiving and the possibilities were endless. I was in my friend’s living room, and we were trading our somewhat-unattainable college goals. But suddenly, someone asked me what my minor was. Before I could open my mouth to answer, my other friend said, “they call it a certificate there.” Have you ever felt cast aside? Have you ever felt different? Because in that moment I felt the pressure of Becky’s little hands forcing a uniqueness on me I didn’t ask for. Why that word, UW? Why? It’s not even better. The word certificate straight up does not sound college related. When people hear that word, they think of a piece of paper — like a

participation award, for like, I don’t know, Lego League. Fifteen to twenty credit hours spent on a field of study, reduced to the equivalent of what you get when you pass a level in swimming class. And for what? To be different? To be special? Women didn’t break the glass ceiling for this. Anyway, I should address the white elephant in the room. I’m not a freshman. But, I came up with all of these thoughts since I set foot on this campus — I just didn’t have the courage to say something at such a young age. But now I do. On behalf of all freshmen, I will say you need one thing at the beginning of college. It’s not stability. It’s the need to go to school at a better place than your high school friends. Oh, you go to Michigan and you’re minoring in dance? You go to Northwestern and minor in French? That’s so cool. I go to UW, and I have a certificate in wishing I could remove myself from this situation because it’s embarrassing. The audacity of whatever administration had this thought to not keep the idea in the confines of their own head astounds me. This is affecting thousands of students, and they don’t even know it. Like not in a big way obviously, but big enough, y’know? Obviously, the bigger implication of

using this term is setting a precedent for assigning unbalanced synonyms. The term “minor” has years of use — it draws the connotation of academia and respect, and it implies knowledge and skill. “Certificate” does not do the same thing, and that’s just a fact. Like any good journalist, I will address my biases explicitly right now — I genuinely don’t have any. So that’s it for listing the things that could potentially invalidate this argument, it’s unbreachable. How to fix this issue? Switch the name, simple as that. And that is my article on why we should make a change to a very small — but intensely annoying — feature of school. Thank you for your time, and please share this with your family and friends. They need to know we had no part in this decision and that we don’t like it either.

Photo · No, this is not a certificate — it is me with my very prestigious WNA award. Join the Herald! Maybe you’ll get a pretty plaque like this one :) Katie Hardie The Badger Herald September 14, 2021 • badgerherald.com • 23