'Reclaiming Relevance' - Volume 56 Issue 4

STUDENT MEDIA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2024 · VOL 56, ISSUE 4 · BADGERHERALD.COM

RECLAIMING RELEVANCE:

UW humanities departments combat national narrative of decline

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Claims of irregularities in mail-in ballots spark debate over election integrity, voter confidence

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Checking in with former Badgers eight weeks into the NFL season.

Emmet O’Connor

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December 3, 2024 • badgerherald.com • 3

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Voting rights advocates urge Eric Hovde to retract vote-counting claims Claims of irregularities in mail-in ballots spark debate over election integrity, voter confidence

by Shannon Hare Reporter

BRODY KILLOREN. THE BADGER HERALD.

Eric Hovde listens to a speaker at University of Wisconsin College Republicans event. October 29, 2024.

Voting rights advocates are calling on Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde to withdraw allegations of vote-counting irregularities in Wisconsin’s Senate race, according to the Wisconsin Examiner.

Hovde lost to Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., in November and has been widely criticized for his claims of election fraud — particularly concerning a late batch of mail-in ballots in Milwaukee that were primarily liberal, according to previous reporting from The Badger Herald.

In a Nov. 12 video shared on X, Hovde expressed concerns that mail-in ballots may have compromised the election’s integrity.

“It appeared I would win the Senate race,” Hovde said in the video. “Then at 4 a.m., Milwaukee reported approximately 108,000 absentee 4 • badgerherald.com • December 3, 2024

ballots with Sen. Baldwin receiving nearly 90% of those ballots.”

But, supporters and election officials maintain that mail-in voting is secure and essential for ensuring accessibility, according to Wisconsin’s recount manual.

A Better Wisconsin Together Communications Director Lucy Ripp rebuked Hovde’s comments.

“The absentee ballot process is extensive and secure, even though it may take longer than some power-hungry politicians would like,” Ripp said. “But just because they’re antsy for results or didn’t like the outcome doesn’t mean they should sow doubt in our voting processes.”

Strategies aimed to create doubt or mistrust in our elections are often intended to weaken voter confidence and suppress voter expression,

Ripp said.

Ripp said claims of voter fraud can have broad consequences on the nation’s democracy.

“This is harmful because for democracy to work, voters [must] pick our leaders, not the other way around,” Ripp said.

Hovde’s accusations are part of a larger, ongoing national conversation about election integrity, according to the Wisconsin Examiner.

While critics of mail-in voting often raise concerns about potential fraud, evidence from multiple elections has consistently shown that such claims lack merit, according to the Wisconsin Examiner.

University of Wisconsin political science professor Barry Burden said Wisconsin’s election results were consistent with previous election results.

“There was very little daylight between the

presidential and Senate races in Wisconsin,” Burden said. “Elections are driven more by fundamental forces rather than events.”

Fundamental forces like voters’ demographics, party loyalty and economic factors influenced the election outcomes, Burden said.

State and local election officials have reiterated their confidence in the transparency and integrity of Wisconsin’s election process, according to an analysis of Wisconsin’s statewide election recounts.

Despite rebuttals from experts and election officials, Hovde’s comments have left a lasting mark on the election narrative. Baseless claims of voter fraud can significantly influence public perception and decrease trust in the democratic process, according to the Wisconsin Examiner.

“It’s extremely important that Wisconsinites feel confident and empowered to participate in elections,” Ripp said. “Voting gives our communities the power to shape our future and help make important decisions on the issues that matter most to us.”

Experts warn that unfounded allegations can dissuade voters from participating in future elections — particularly if they perceive the process as unfair or insecure, according to the Wisconsin Examiner.

Ripp said such rhetoric is not only harmful but also undermines the foundational principles of democracy.

“Politicians ought to be helping, not hindering, our ability to make our voices heard in our elections,” Ripp said. “For democracy to thrive, trust in our elections is non-negotiable.”

The state employs rigorous measures to verify and count ballots accurately, including multiple layers of verification and security — particularly for mail-in and absentee ballots — which are often scrutinized more heavily, according to Wisconsin’s recount manual.

Hovde has since conceded the race, but his claims have fueled ongoing discussions about election integrity and the role of misinformation in shaping public opinion, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.

Burden said these discussions on election fraud, even if unproven, can have longterm implications for voter confidence and engagement.

“The outcomes of the election will shape decisions and policies moving forward,” Burden said.

Advocates and officials remain committed to rebuilding trust in the electoral process through education, transparency and accountability, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.

As the conversation around election integrity evolves, it is clear that preserving public trust in democratic institutions will require a collective effort, Ripp said.

“The integrity of our elections is not just about counting votes—it’s about ensuring every voter feels their voice matters,” Ripp said.

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Multicultural Student Achievement Network reflects on legacy of advocacy, looks to future MSAN looks forward to further collaborations with School of Education

by Amy Ji Reporter

The Multicultural Student Achievement Network celebrated its 25th anniversary from November 13-16 with a milestone conference that brought together students and educators from across the country. With the theme “Leaving Our Legacy,” the event focused on exploring how school improvement and social justice efforts can lead to lasting, systemic change, according to the Wisconsin Center for Education Research.

MSAN, a coalition of multiracial school districts, was founded in 1999 to address racial achievement gaps and expand opportunities for students of color. Over its lifetime, MSAN has grown to include over 20 member districts committed to its mission of equity and inclusion.

Since 2007, MSAN has been headquartered at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, a part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education.

Executive Director of MSAN Latoya Holiday said the goal of the network is to bring school districts together to do research and participate in professional learning.

“Our mission is to learn together and learn from each other how to best overcome the challenges of serving students of color in our districts,” Holiday said.

MSAN’s connection to the School of Education reflects the principles of the Wisconsin Idea — a belief that education should influence lives beyond the classroom.

Through MSAN, UW’s reach can extend beyond state borders, connecting educators across the nation in their shared pursuit of equity.

MSAN project manager Connie Showalter spoke on the intersection of MSAN’s mission and the Wisconsin Idea, a driving philosophy for UW. “The Wisconsin Idea is all about learning here at the University and taking that out into the world,” Showalter said. “With MSAN, it’s really up beyond that because we’re in nine states. So I feel fortunate that my work here at the university actually reaches across the United States.”

At the heart of MSAN’s mission is student empowerment. Each year, the annual conference serves as a platform for high school students to explore issues of race, identity and leadership while collaborating on actionable plans to implement in their schools.

Upon returning to their schools, the expectation is that students will further develop and implement this plan. The process involves presenting students presenting their plans to key stakeholders, such as principals, superintendents and school boards, as well as sharing it with their broader communities.

Through ongoing refinement and collaboration, districts aim to sustain and build upon these initiatives over time.

“The whole conference itself is about partnering with students, elevating youth

The Education Building. November 24, 2024.

voices, so that right there is an equity strategy,” Holiday said. “We believe in order to improve schools, we have to integrate the voices and the perspectives of the people we’re actually serving, which are youth.”

This year’s theme, “Leaving Our Legacy,” highlighted the role of students as changemakers in their communities. Workshops

covered topics like combating racial bias, addressing systemic inequities and developing strategies for activism.

Holiday said that mentorship emerged as a recurring focus during the conference, adding

GABE GERMAIN. THE BADGER HERALD.

that youth teams participated in brainstorming ideas surrounding mentorship programs for middle school students, specifically those of color.

The brainstormed programs were generally on the topic of how to acclimate students to high school, preparing them for time management and a more demanding class load,

Holiday said.

For many students, the conference offered a transformative experience of solidarity.

It fostered a sense of belonging and empowerment as students engaged in discussions that emphasized their voices and power in shaping change.

“It’s really powerful to come together in a room of people who look like you, who say, ‘Yes, we’re experiencing the same things — let’s talk about how we can make it better,” Showalter said.

The 25th anniversary marked a turning point for MSAN as its leaders focused the conference on what will come next for the program. The network leadership is in the middle of creating a strategic plan hoping to increase membership and diversify funding streams.

Showalter outlined several long-term goals for MSAN, emphasizing the importance of expanding its reach to include more school districts, strengthening research collaborations and fostering youth leadership in social justice advocacy.

She explained that as a dues-based organization, MSAN relies on contributions from member school districts, but these fees don’t fully cover programming costs. To address this, the network actively pursues sponsorships and grants to sustain and grow its initiatives.

“We hope that connecting with researchers will also help in that fund stream area,” Showalter said.

There is not a direct collaboration between MSAN and the School of Education, Holiday said. It is the students themselves and their local advisors who take the responsibility of working on MSAN’s project both before and after the conference every year.

Both leaders expressed hope to see a more in-depth collaboration between MSAN’s work and UW. “We do hope to build a partnership with some researchers here at UW and WCER to further build out the action planning part of this,” Holiday said. “But right now the students just work with the staff in their districts.”

Holiday added that she and Showalter, as executive director and project manager, respectively, are essentially UW employees.

Still, there aren’t any other WCER staff that are working directly with their districts, she said.

Showalter said that MSAN is actively in the process of creating a Research Practice Partnership with researchers at UW. “Any research that shows an increase in achievement and increase in graduation rates for school districts would be a win for MSAN, a win for the school districts, and a win for the UW Madison School of Education,” Showalter said.

December 3, 2024 • badgerherald.com • 5

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UW professors encourage action amidst Trump’s anti-trans rights rhetoric ‘We are seeing many of the things that make our lives possible being taken away,’ UW LGBTQ+ studies certificate program director says

by Anja Breiehagen News Associate Editor

CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of suicide and/or self-harm. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, dial 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

View options for mental health services on campus through University Health Services.

President-elect Donald Trump has appeared to oppose transgender rights in the days leading up to Election Day through his demeaning language, misrepresentations and pledging to dismantle civil rights protections for transgender students, according to AP News.

The Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention efforts for LGBTQ+ people, reported an overall increase of nearly 700% in calls and chats to its mental health crisis services Nov. 6, the day after the 2024 election, according to the organization’s website.

University of Wisconsin Professor of Southeast Asian Studies and chair of the LGBTQ+ Committee Tyrell Haberkorn said Trump’s rhetoric has a strong and dangerous effect on the trans community.

“Trump’s election is a danger to everyone in the country and everyone in the world, full stop,” Haberkorn said. “But I think it’s profoundly concerning and dangerous for trans people — especially young trans people.”

Trump said he would ask Congress to pass a bill stating there are “only two genders” and banning hormonal or surgical intervention for transgender youth in the entire U.S., according to AP News.

In the U.S., 3.3% of high school students identify as transgender and 2.2% question their gender, according to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey released in October.

UW professor and director of the undergraduate LGBTQ+ studies certificate program Finn Enke said the Trump campaign’s rhetoric and actions surrounding trans people make hateful rhetoric and questioning whether trans and non-binary people should exist seem acceptable — when it is unacceptable and misinformed.

“This last election cycle put a continuous stream of misinformed, hateful anti-trans discourse into the airwaves, spreading fear and hatred and inaccuracy,” Enke said in a follow-up email. “We are seeing many of the things that make our lives possible being taken away.”

Enke said trans people are being 6 • badgerherald.com • December 3, 2024

targeted as never seen before regarding basic health care and well-being.

Enke said Trump’s efforts against the trans community are especially dangerous to young people and said it is not clear how trans youth will be able to continue to learn and thrive at this important stage in

expression or gender identity.”

Trump’s upcoming presidency should not be a time for UW to be neutral on this topic, and it is essential for the university to be visibly supportive of trans students and of queer students generally, Haberkorn said.

YONAH DAVIS. THE BADGER HERALD.

Badger Herald archival photo of an individual marching with a transgender pride flag. their development. “[Anti-trans rhetoric] doesn’t only affect people who are currently identifying as trans or non-binary,” Enke said. “It affects everybody and makes everybody feel very cautious about expressing any kind of question or complexity around gender

Haberkorn said she is concerned about how UW’s new guidelines on political expression will play out during Trump’s upcoming presidency. According to the UW System’s interim policy, institutional statements issued by university leaders should maintain viewpoint neutrality in

any reference to any matter of political or social controversy.

“We [campus community] have to be explicitly supportive and explicitly loud, to say over and over again to trans students that they are welcome here and we will do what we can to keep you safe,” Haberkorn said.

Enke said UW provides teach-ins that educate people who are not transgender about the impact of anti-trans bills, measures, rhetoric and how to provide support to trans peers. UW has good healthcare resources for trans and nonbinary students, and they need to be protected and expanded, Enke said.

Enke said they hope UW and allies will push back against any efforts to shut down gender-affirming health care and other resources.

“I want to really be able to trust that the university is going to come through and say, ‘no, these things are not up for questioning, they’re not up for challenging, we will protect our students,’” Enke said.

Enke and Haberkorn both commented on the significance of allies in the fight to preserve the rights and safety of queer and transgender people.

Haberkorn said despite the increased hateful rhetoric and efforts against the queer community, she feels a strong sense of community, and many people are going to push back against hate and fear.

Enke said it is important for allies to support trans people through advocating for trans rights — like donating to support people’s legal name changes or attending educational teach-ins, but also checking up on friends who are transgender.

“We are faced daily with hateful rhetoric, and it’s important to be reminded that there are also allies who are paying attention, who care, and who will not allow voices or policies of hate and exclusion to have the last word,” Enke said in an email statement.

In conversations with colleagues and students after Trump’s election, Haberkorn said she felt a sense that people have realized the reality of the situation, and are now preparing to fight back. She sees hope in that fight and said the next four years will be survived through action and hope.

Enke said they are consistently amazed by the diversity and tenacity of the students at UW. “Some things can be suppressed, but you can’t suppress the creativity of trans and non-binary people to continue to support one another and continue to find ways to thrive, and to continue to bring themselves to the world and continue to

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Alcohol sales at Camp Randall see decrease in citations

NEWS

New data shows 25% decrease in citations, ejections, UW emphasizes responsible consumption, support for non-drinking students

by Zindzi Frederick News Associate Editor

The 2024 football season was the first time the University of Wisconsin allowed alcohol sales at Camp Randall Stadium. But, despite introducing more alcohol to game days, data from the University of Wisconsin Police Department shows a surprising outcome.

Executive Director of Communications for UWPD Marc Lovicott said that the department has seen a decrease in the number of citations and ejections from the stadium, which tend to be alcohol-related, in comparison to previous years.

“Looking at the data so far this year, comparing it with last year, we’ve seen about a 25% decrease in the number of citations that we’ve issued,” Lovicott said.

This trend was not entirely unexpected by the UWPD. Lovicott said UW reached out to other Big Ten partners to ask what they’d observed since introducing alcohol to their large venues.

“All of them told us, surprisingly, that the number of incidents and police contacts and citations actually went down,” Lovicott said.

One potential reason for the decrease, according to Lovicott, is that fans may be choosing not to overindulge in alcohol before the game since they can now purchase drinks inside the stadium.

This shift in drinking behavior has had a noticeable impact on the level of intoxication at Camp Randall.

“We also have seen a decrease in the intoxication level of individuals that we contact,” said Lovicott. “Five, six or seven years ago, it wasn’t uncommon for us to send four or five or more people to detox during a game. Now we’re seeing one, maybe two per game.”

While the overall number of alcohol-related incidents has decreased, UWPD is still closely monitoring and will try to take a closer look at underage drinking at the games.

UWPD’s enforcement strategy at Camp Randall focuses on behavior, rather than just age, according to Lovicott.

“We’re looking for people who are exhibiting behavior that could be a danger to themselves, to others or just being disruptive,” said Lovicott.

Law enforcement’s role is to ensure game attendees have a positive game day experience, and only step in when someone is visibly intoxicated and causing a disturbance, Lovicott said.

When UWPD sends a student to detox, it usually results in an underage alcohol citation, Lovicott said.

But, in some cases, medical amnesty might apply. In such situations, UWPD issues a citation but holds it, provided the student

fulfills the requirements for medical amnesty, Lovicott said.

The introduction of alcohol sales at Camp Randall was a long-planned process, with the

Prevention at UHS Jenny Damask discussed college students’ drinking habits.

“Our data shows that more and more students are coming to campus as non-

Student holds a can of alcohol purchased at Camp Randall stadium. October 26, 2024.

UWPD having a seat at the table throughout the discussions. Overall, the introduction of alcohol sales at Camp Randall hasn’t appeared to have any negative impacts, but Lovicott said UWPD and UW Athletics will continue to monitor the situation and make any necessary adjustments for future seasons.

Assistant Director for High-Risk Drinking

LIZZY LARSON. THE BADGER HERALD.

drinkers, and they’re maintaining that status into their first semester,” Damask said “This is a national trend, and it’s really exciting to see.”

Damask said this data was collected from AlcoholEdu. Damask attributed this change to a variety of factors, including the potential impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the current

generation of college students.

Damask emphasized the importance for UW to adapt its programming to meet the needs of non-drinking students by providing them with opportunities to engage and connect in social settings where alcohol is not present.

As for the potential health impacts of alcohol use, both in the short and long term, Damask highlighted issues such as impaired decision-making, memory problems, disrupted sleep patterns and the risk of developing dependencies or chronic health conditions like heart disease and cancer.

“The short-term effects can definitely have an impact on how well students perform academically,” Damask said. “That’s why we encourage them to stay within what we call the ‘social zone,’ keeping their blood alcohol content below 0.06.”

This helps students remain physically and mentally present, which is crucial for their studies and overall well-being, Damask said.

Associate Vice Chancellor for Health and Well-being and the Executive Director of UHS Jake Baggott addressed the recent policy change that permits alcohol sales at Badger games. He said the university has implemented a comprehensive approach to ensure responsible consumption and a positive fan experience.

“We really thought through the infrastructure and policies to support those who want to enjoy a beverage in a responsible way,” Baggott said.

He attributed the 25% decrease in arrests to things like mandatory training for servers, strict ID checking and a text line for reporting concerning behavior.

The revenue generated from alcohol sales is not being used to boost the university’s revenue. Instead, much of these funds are being reinvested to enhance alcohol-free programming and support services for students in recovery, Baggot said.

“This isn’t about making money,” Baggott said. “It’s about providing a good fan experience, but also using those resources to help students in positive ways.”

Both Damask and Baggott stressed the importance of destigmatizing alcohol use and mental health issues on campus. They highlighted the university’s Badger Recovery program, a community that offers a supportive environment for students navigating sobriety.

UHS wants to make it easy for students to seek help and support when they need it and destigmatize these issues, Damask said.

“By providing accessible resources, we can empower students to make healthy choices and prioritize their well-being,” Damask said.

December 3, 2024 • badgerherald.com • 7

SCIENCE NEWS

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Wisconsin’s bats start to fend off White-Nose Syndrome UW experts say bats recovery will be long, but encouraging signs are emerging

by Kiran Mistry Science News Associate Editor

MIA HOMAN. THE BADGER HERALD.

A bat sits in a tree in Nebraska. May 26, 2023.

Wisconsin’s bats are seeing a slight resurgence after White-Nose Syndrome depleted populations across the country. The Wisconsin DNR found that bat populations in caves had begun to increase after being devastated when WNS came to Wisconsin in 2014.

WNS is caused by the fungus, “Psuedogymnoascus destuctans,” that infects the bats’ wings and noses, giving it its name. It was originally discovered in the U.S. in 2006 among bats in a cave outside Albany, New York. It has now spread throughout the U.S. and Canada, reaching 45 of the 48 contiguous states and 10 of 13 Canadian provinces and territories.

Professor of Forest and Wildlife Ecology in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Anna 6 • badgerherald.com • December 3, 2024

Pidgeon, said the fungus was likely spread from cave explorers in Europe who brought it to the United States.

“The fungus exists in Eurasia, but the bats in Eurasia do not react to [the fungus] in the way that bats in North America do,” Pidgeon said.

“The suspicion is that people who explore caves, spelunkers, in Europe brought it over on their equipment or shoes to North America.”

Pidgeon said the reason for the fast spread is because bats live in multiple caves during their lives and hibernate very close to each other and the fungus spreads between them.

WNS affects bats that hibernate during the winter, Pidgeon said. In Wisconsin, that means the tricolored bat, northern long-eared bat, big brown

bat and little brown bat.

Migratory bats are not known to be affected by the fungus. These bats often roost in trees and spaced apart from each other, limiting the chance for spread.

Professor and Extension Wildlife Specialist in CALS, David Drake, said the main danger WNS poses to bats is waking them from their hibernation.

“Bats are true hibernators, so they’re into a deep torpor,” Drake said. “When they wake up it costs them a lot of energy for them to go from torpor to an active level.”

This waking uses up the energy reserves stored in fat that the bats pack on during the summer and fall before hibernating for the winter. After they

wake up, the bats are often disoriented, Drake said. If the bats leave the cave, they move from the controlled climate of the cave and into the cold of winter. The fungus ends up killing them through exhaustion, hypothermia from leaving the cave or dehydration.

The Center for Biological Diversity says damage to bats’ wing tissue can cause bats to wake but it is not known exactly what causes this.

Pidgeon said cave conditions actually favor the fungus’s growth, preferring colder temperatures, which makes things even worse for cavehibernating bats.

“50 degrees and slightly humid environment of the cave is exactly the conditions that the fungus likes,” Pidgeon said.

Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center partnered with the Wisconsin DNR to field test a WNS vaccine.

The study lasted from 2019 to 2022 and showed that vaccinated bats had lower fungal loads than bats given a placebo.

Researchers additionally observed that both vaccinated and unvaccinated bats seemed to improve, both with lower loads of the fungus and emerging later from their winter Wisconsin caves. The observation has borne out in other bat populations in the eastern U.S. that were affected

by WNS earlier in its spread.

Drake said there are concerns about trying to kill fungus in caves preemptively because of the fragility of the cave ecosystem.

“Cave ecosystems are so fragile, that if you start pulling on this thread, what else are you going to unravel that may create bigger problems in the cave system,” Drake said.

But, the populations of western bats could still be affected as the fungus moves west and unexposed bats have to grapple with it. California detected the WNS in four new counties in the past year.

WNS is a danger not only to bats, but also to ecological balance. Killing large numbers of bats has a long-term effect due to bats’ slowreproducing nature. Pidgeon said this event threatens the long term stability of bat populations.

“Bats have one or two pups at a time, but it depends on species, so mostly one,” Pidgeon said.

“It can take decades and decades to rebuild the population, if that’s even possible.”

Bats play key ecological roles, from eating insects to pollination. A study published in Science found that counties that had bat die-offs had an increase in insecticide use by farmers. This increased insecticide use was then linked to an 8% increase in infant mortality.

The increase in populations may be a hopeful sign for Wisconsin’s bats because it may signal a true change in the bats’ fight against WNS. There is new hope for North America’s bats, but the fight to protect them will continue.

SCIENCE NEWS

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Pioneering emergency medicine: UW Health switches to whole blood transfusions Whole blood transfusions offer faster, more effective treatment for critically injured patients

by Kiesen Williams Video Director

UW Health has introduced Type O whole blood transfusions on medical flights as part of its Whole Blood initiative, launched in late October.

Whole blood is defined as the blood in its natural state, just as it flows through the body, with all its components intact and unseparated, according to the American Red Cross.

Whole blood transfusions combine all the components that are typically administered separately, such as saline, packed red blood cells, plasma, and platelets, into a single solution.

While convenient, whole blood is challenging to transport because of its fragility, according to the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center.

UW Health Med Flight assistant Medical Director and physician Ryan Newberry said UW’s whole blood has a shelf life of 21 days.

Blood on Med Flights are cycled every 14 days and return to UW so it’s able to be used before it is unusable.

Platelets in whole blood are less fragile and can travel safely on Med Flight helicopters to critically injured patients far from a trauma center, Newberry said.

This new procedure in UW Health’s toolbox is transforming trauma surgery, creating a more efficient process, Newberry said.

One in five critically injured patients involved in accidents will likely die within the first 24 hours in the United States, Newberry said.

“By giving patients not merely blood transfusions outside of the hospital, but whole blood transfusions, we think that buys us time,” Newberry said.

Since the implementation, UW Med Flight has treated six to seven patients with Type O whole blood, Newberry said.

In one instance, a patient was found far away from a trauma center bleeding to death from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. UW Med Flight gave them a whole blood transfusion and were able to stabilize and resuscitate the patient by the time they arrived at the trauma center, Newberry said.

Newberry said the use of whole blood in UW Med Flight gives trauma centers a head start in providing care for patients in critical condition.

Instead of starting at ground zero trying to stabilize and resuscitate a patient, patients arrive ready to head to the operating room, Newberry said.

Newberry highlighted rural Wisconsin as a unique challenge to emergency and trauma medicine services. Wisconsin has roughly 130 hospitals of which less than 10% are Level I or Level II trauma centers, Newberry said.

“There’s a lot of distance with a lot of people.

The clock is always running. [The Whole Blood Initiative] allows us to provide a higher level of care to patients that live further away from a trauma center,” Newberry said.

ABBY CIMA. THE BADGER HERALD.

Badger Herald archival photo of UW Health. Februray 23, 2021.

Acute care surgeon at UW Health and assistant professor for the Department of Surgery at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health Charles Shahan spoke on his participation in a hospital-wide coordinated team that brought whole blood to use at UW Health.

The transition has made the entire process seamless, from the moment Med Flight arrives to when the patient leaves the operating table, Shahan said.

Newberry said the switch to whole blood transfusions has been in development for decades, with research on its use dating back to World Wars I and II. Newberry said doctors in combat have historically administered whole blood

transfusions directly from one soldier to another.

This practice resurfaced in more recent conflicts, such as the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, Newberry said.

“We started noticing with all of the things we’ve learned from trauma, there’s platelets in that whole blood and the patients who are getting transfused with whole blood were having higher survival rates. They were doing much better,” Newberry said.

In the past six years, trauma centers have started using whole blood transfusions in civilian cases, adopting practices first seen in combat settings, Newberry said.

UW Health is an early adopter of whole blood transfusions which required hospital-wide

collaboration, Shahan said.

“This is a true team effort that goes all the way back to a dedicated group of blood donors who make this entire thing possible,” Shahan said.

Blood donors play a vital role in the life-saving process, as their contributions are essential to the success of the whole blood initiative, Shahan said “I’d especially like to thank the people who donate blood to make any of this possible. The donor pool is often an overlooked part of this equation, but without them, we wouldn’t have anything to start with.” Shahan said.

December 3, 2024 • badgerherald.com • 9

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People of UW: Wisconsin Alumni Student Board president talks finding community on campus Stories of students: Read about students making a difference on campus

by Sheng Lee Social Media and PR Associate

Tell us about yourself. Where are you from? What year are you in school and what is your major?

My name is Anna Staresinic. I am doing Information Science and data science as a double major, and then I have certificates in computer science and sustainability, and I’m from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

What is WASB? WASB stands for the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board. We are an extension of the Alumni Association and we’re also a Registered Student Organization. Our goal is to get people connected with the university and excited about being at this school. We have programming that we do each semester, a bunch of different events to engage students with alumni, engage students in professional development events, in community engagement events and that sort of thing. For example, we recently hosted an event where students could learn how to become financially independent and hear from a professional at UW Credit Union about how to manage their finances on their own. We also just did an event where students could attend a free dinner with an alumni or a professor to learn about whatever field they study in, or gain some sort of life advice. So we do a wide range of many different things, and we’re also just a really close-knit and fun community on campus that is a lot of fun to be a part of and the program is a lot of fun to put together.

How did you get involved with WASB? I applied at the beginning of my freshman year. So I had seen WASB on social media and stuff like that before even coming to this school. And I thought that just everyone in it looked super cool and it looked like something I wanted to be part of. So I applied my first semester and didn’t get in and then I applied again my second semester and got in then, and I’ve been a part of it ever since.

What inspired you to take on the role as president?

The people that I’ve met through the organization have just really changed my life for the better. It’s a really eclectic and passionate group of people, and I’ve met some of my closest friends at this school through WASB. So many of the people that I live with now are in WASB. It’s just a really incredible community, and I think that really drives my excitement and my passion for everything that I’m a part of — when the people that you’re around are constantly challenging you, but also supporting you in everything that you do. So getting to work with all these incredible people and get people excited about being at this school and being involved in what this university does I think really motivated me to 10 • badgerherald.com • December 3, 2024

want to be president and help lead that vision for the organization and the events that we put on to get students excited about being here.

What is your favorite thing about WASB? I love all of our events where we get to engage with people and make people’s day.

I feel like I’ve seen some of the stuff that we do really puts smiles on people’s faces, or gets people engaged in really interesting conversations and creates new connections.

I love getting to be a part of that and getting to see the way that I’ve made my own impact on our events that we have and just on the organization. That has been really fulfilling.

I’ve gotten to do a lot of different things that I never really thought I’d have an opportunity

semester on WASB. One of our events for that every year is Breakfast with Bucky where we get to hand out free breakfast to students all morning. We started preparing for this event at 6 AM, and to get ourselves hyped up for the day, we went to watch the sunrise on the dock of Memorial Union at 5 AM. I am not a morning person at all, but to get up and hang out with some of my favorite people and get ready for the crazy day we were about to have was well worth it. The president of WASB at the time jumped in the lake with one of our other members, and afterwards we all went to Gordon’s together to have breakfast. It was super silly and wholesome, and to me I think it perfectly showcases the beautiful friendship

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA STARESINIC

Anna Staresinic. to do while in college, or that I never really imagined myself doing. And also, like I’ve been saying, the people are just so incredible and so wonderful, and I love getting to go to meetings where I’m hanging out with a bunch of my friends and being on leadership with a bunch of my friends. So that I feel has made it really special for me as well.

What is the best memory you have from WASB? My favorite memory has to be from our 2023 All-Campus Party, a week-long celebration where we hosted several fun and free events for students during my second

and camaraderie members of WASB have with each other.

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned in your time with WASB? I’ve learned that I am capable of so much more than I thought I was. Whether that be through planning a new event, taking on a leadership role, or just receiving endless support to take on personal endeavors from my fellow WASBs, I feel so much more motivated and passionate about trying new things and tackling the goals I have in my life. WASB has set me up with the skills I feel I need to take on nearly any challenge, and

the support system I have gained through the organization will stay with me for the rest of my life.

What are some ways students can get involved with WASB? So we have our Instagram, where you can see posts about all of our events and updates about us, as they’re happening throughout the semester. We also have a really fantastic website, which is gowasb.org and through that too, we also have ways you can get on our email list and receive emails about our events as they’re happening as well.

Are there any specific events coming up that you’re excited for?

Something that I’m looking forward to in the spring is our magnum opus of our programming which is our All-Campus Party, which will be the second to last week of April where we have a bunch of events going on all week that are fun, free things for students to do. We hand out free breakfast. We have an event that’s like a big scavenger hunt. We throw a block party at the end of the week that has a bunch of bands and free food and games and there’s all these cool things that you can do. I’m definitely looking forward to that in the spring. And something else that we’re doing is looking to introduce some new programming, both during that event and just one of our general standalone events during the semester, and we’re planning that for next semester. I’m really excited to kind of see that getting rolled out and all that coming to fruition.

What are some post-grad goals you have?

I am currently on the job hunt. I have been working in software engineering with robotics my past two summers in my internships, and really enjoyed that a lot. I’m still waiting to hear back from some places, but hoping to embark on a full time role and hopefully move back out to the East Coast is my dream.

But of course I would never hate to dabble in still living in the Midwest for a little bit if something pops up for me in Chicago or Minneapolis.

Anything else you would like to share?

We’re always looking to collaborate with other student leaders and engage with what other student organizations are doing on this campus. So if anybody is interested in trying to partner with us for an event, or thinks that we could come up with something really interesting to make this school a better place for the student body, I would encourage those student leaders to reach out to me or us on our Instagram, or through our website. I also wanted to plug that we have applications for new members every semester. So if people want to ever apply, they should check our Instagram and our website regularly for more information on how to do that.

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Photos: Wisconsin Badgers vs. Minnesota Gophers

Photo

Badger Herald photographers capture Gopher’s 24-7 victory over Badgers

by Lizzy Larson & Kennedy Slater Photo Associates

LIZZY LARSON, THE BADGER HERALD

Badgers defender sacks Minnesota’s quarterback.

LIZZY LARSON, THE BADGER HERALD

Paul Bunyan’s axe, brought out before being given to Minnesota players.

KENNEDY SLATER THE BADGER HERALD

The Badgers defend a Gopher extra point attempt.

LIZZY LARSON, THE BADGER HERALD LIZZY LARSON, THE BADGER HERALD

Head coach Luke Fickell walks out of the tunnel onto the field, flanked by players.

Quarterback Locke throws the ball amidst defensive pressure.

December 3, 2024 • badgerherald.com • 11

FEATURES

Reclaiming Relevance

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UW humanities departments combat national narrative of decline

by Evan Randle Features Associate Editor

T

he humanities have served as the cornerstone of higher education since their very inception. As The National Humanities Center says, “the humanities help us understand and interpret the human experience, as individuals and societies.” This discipline includes the study of history, philosophy, religion, languages, literature, fine and performing arts, media and culture and much more.

The National Humanities Center also says the “humanities fields are under threat.” What does this mean? Is the University of Wisconsin an exception to this danger or another example of its pervasiveness?

The Badger Herald spoke with figures throughout the humanities disciplines to determine the answers to these questions.

The issue

Before analyzing UW’s role in the widespread “threat” against the humanities, one must first analyze the scope and nature of said threat. According to the National Humanities Center, funding for humanities programs have been cut across the country and are taught by underpaid, often temporary faculty.

Less than 10% of college graduates earned humanities degrees in 2020, a 25% drop from 2012, according to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. A 2013 article from The Hechinger Report, highlighted that public universities in particular are subject to attacks against less “strategic” majors found in the humanities.

These trends have continued and are not limited to public universities. According to an article by Inside Higher Ed, Boston University paused graduate admissions in a dozen humanities and social sciences programs, apparently due to a lack of funding available for such departments.

According to the National Endowment for the Humanities, appropriations to pursue research in humanities fields 12 • badgerherald.com • December 3, 2024

has largely declined since its peak in 1979 when adjusting for inflation.

Although funding has remained relatively stagnant over the past decade, it has not substantially increased during this time, according to the NEH. To explore the roots of these problems, it is important to explore an essential quality of the Humanities – literacy, and how one can be educated in it.

Literacy education humanities

and

the

The Badger Herald spoke with Kate Vieira of the UW School of Education regarding the relationship between literacy and interest in the humanities. According to Vieira, language departments have faced demands to increase class sizes or even complete shutdowns.

Vieira said many of the challenges posed to the humanities can be linked to their ability to challenge existing conditions of society.

“I think a lot of the pressure that the humanities are facing is not because of anything wrong with the humanities, but because it threatens the status quo,” Vieira said.

According to Vieira, increased control over education in schools — regardless of their level — can narrow approaches to inherently flexible subjects like reading and

writing.

Those who receive a more open education in literacy and the humanities can perform more effectively regardless of occupation, Vieira said.

Vieira, whose research concerns practical applications of writing, said language can support hatred but also peace and justice.

Writing can also help people process their own experiences, especially when taught to children, according to Vieira.

“The voice of sense within yourself and also communicating with others has been really powerful,” Vieira said.

Vieira said poetry written by children who had access to humanist education is often used to encourage peace in nations such as Colombia.

Professors weigh History Department

in:

the

Neil Kodesh, chair of UW’s history department, spoke about historians’ struggles and successes in recent years.

Kodesh said the difficulties faced by humanities departments include political challenges, management of resources within institutions of higher education and students’ waning interest in the fields. the The latter two were greatly influenced by the 2008 recession, which stirred greater interest in fields of higher income, Kodesh said.

“It’s in this context that there is a lot more attention placed on… the point of taking [a humanities] class, [and] what kind of job you’ll get in a major in history, english or philosophy,” Kodesh said.

According to Kodesh, history departments at other universities have been consolidated with other departments or even abandoned entirely. But, Kodesh said that UW’s humanities departments have remained relatively healthy despite the losses at other universities.

Kodesh said foreign language departments in particular have faced large funding cuts and challenges from education officials and politicians. Other humanities departments have experienced comparable degrees of difficulty in recent years, according to Kodesh.

Regarding enrollment in the history department, Kodesh said there was a large downturn in 2008, linked to the recession, but the number of history majors and certificate students have since reached a similar level. UW’s administration has also been generally supportive of the history department and allowed more faculty to be hired, according to Kodesh.

“I’d say the college as a whole has always been very supportive of the history department, and [the department] has taken a lot of measures to support [itself],” Kodesh said.

Some of these measures include hiring younger faculty, incorporating the history of science department into the history department, updating the history department’s website with syllabus information and especially the creation of

the history certificate, Kodesh said.

According to Kodesh, the certificate allows students from an array of disciplines to support their majors with the skills and knowledge gained from history courses.

“The skills you will develop in these classes will translate outside the classroom regardless of what kind of profession you pursue in the future,” Kodesh said.

Professors weigh in: the Religious Studies Department

Susan B. Ridgely, the director of UW’s religious studies program, spoke about her department’s challenges in the modern era. Similarly to Kodesh, Ridgely said the decline of interest in the humanities is linked to the 2008 recession as students began pursuing majors with clear career outcomes.

“A hurdle that we’ve had to think through [is how] more students are gravitating toward more clearly defined majors that lead to more clearly defined careers,” Ridgely said.

Ridgely said humanities departments generally face difficulties at a similar rate, though departments with substantial support before 2008, such as English or History departments, have been able to mitigate their losses more effectively than smaller programs.

According to Ridgely, an increasing rate of secularism in the US population may have influenced enrollment in Religious Studies programs, but many religious scholars are nonetheless personally secular.

Ridgely said interest in the Religious Studies program

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facebook.com/badgerherald peaked around 2001 after the September 11th attacks. According to Ridgely, enrollment has increased over the past few years.

“We’ve done a good job connecting Religious Studies with thinking about how to live in a diverse society and how to engage with people in a meaningful way across difference,” Ridgely said.

According to Ridgely, the Religious Studies department is recruiting new professors and looking forward to a new humanities building where the department can be more easily found. Ridgely said the favorability of UW’s curriculum to double majors and certificates has also benefited the program.

Professors weigh in: the Gender & Women’s Studies Department

Professor Judith Houck, chair of the department of gender and women’s studies, tied declining enrollment in the humanities over the past 10 to 15 years to an increased focus on income outcomes when students decide whether to study at college.

At UW, humanities departments have managed to rebound, according to Houck. Houck, who is also a professor in the History department, said Gender and Women’s Studies usually see full enrollment in its courses, an indication fields in the humanities remain relevant in the modern day.

“Humanities are about exploring the human experience, and certainly have not stopped being necessary and important work,” Houck said.

According to Houck, the Gender and Women’s Studies department was recently given permission by UW administration to launch a PhD program. Houck said growth can be attributed to strong faculty, the relevance of the courses taught and gender and women’s studies classes’ intersection with other majors.

Despite this success in Madison, other Universities

of Wisconsin system schools have cut humanities programs such as gender & women’s studies and there continues to be opposition to the field based on political grounds, Houck said.

“There are places where Gender & Women’s Studies is seen as a more political than intellectual or academic project, and in those states Gender & Women’s Studies is being targeted,” Houck said.

“I need[ed] to take humanities classes… [which were] actually really interesting…

I was able to essentially just say ‘what if I double major in [philosophy] and take extra classes in that?’ Ahmad said regarding his choice to study philosophy.

In addition, there are multiple organizations on campus that support the humanities.

According to the Fall 2024 Student

The Badger Herald also briefly spoke to professor Emily Fletcher, the chair of UW’s philosophy department, and professor Amy Quan Barry of the english — specifically creative writing — department.

According to Fletcher, the philosophy department is developing a new artificial intelligence and data ethics certificate and is hiring up to six new faculty members this year.

“We are growing in many respects,” Fletcher said.

Barry said the english department and UW more generally have supported the creative writing program in recent years.

Seven creative writing professors have been hired since 2019, many of them junior faculty, according to Barry.

“We’re fortunate that we’ve been able to rebuild our program after losing several faculty members to retirement and relocation,” Barry said.

Organization Fair‘s directory, there are 39 student organizations considered “arts and music,” alongside numerous others dedicated to fields of the humanities such as English or foreign languages.

Professors weigh in: Philosophy and Creative Writing

Student voices

UW Senior Kalin Ahmad, a double major in physics and philosophy, shared his thoughts about the current state of the humanities here at Madison. Kalin said while he knows many philosophy majors and has not seen significant changes during his time at UW, other students have expressed concerns about the humanities.

Some complaints include the relatively low pay of humanities faculty compared to professors in fields such as economics, as well as weaker career outcomes for students in the humanities, Ahmad said.

When regarding what current practices in the humanities should be continued, Ahmad said small class sizes for lectures and discussions are crucial.

“I’ve noticed philosophy discussions are way more interesting than any other discussion that I’ve had for any other class, [which is] a factor of material [and] structure,” Ahmad said.

Ahmad said homework for humanities classes, which usually includes reading analysis, while mandatory, is less stressful and more refreshing than work in other fields.

The requirement for all UW students to take courses in the humanities is also effective, Ahmad said. According to Ahmad, these requirements can help expose students to interesting fields they may not have considered prior.

What can students and faculty do?

Even if UW’s humanities departments have fared well compared to many others across the nation, students and professors can still advocate for its continued support on and off campus.

Academics in the humanities, especially younger ones, have turned toward community-based work to raise awareness and show the practical implications of their work, Professor Kodesh said. According to Kodesh, sharing one’s research in the humanities with a broader audience can cross the gap between academia and society.

“One of our [goals] is to go out and… be part of those multi-disciplinary conversations taking place about how to tackle pressing problems in the world today,” Kodesh said.

Professor Houck also said one of the aims of professors in the humanities is to present their findings to a larger audience to be seen as less insular.

One way students can encourage continued interest in the humanities is by taking courses or certificates that fit non-humanities fields, such as students interested in medicine who enroll in the health and humanities certificate, Houck said.

Professor Ridgely said the narrative of the “death of the humanities” is both inaccurate and can diminish confidence in students potentially interested in the humanities. Instead, students and faculty can gain support for the humanities by conveying its strengths, according to Ridgely.

“Emphasizing what’s actually happening in terms of the work that’s

being done, the thinking that’s being done, …the creative kinds of classes that are being taught, …can really help,” Ridgely said.

The purpose of the humanities

The ultimate purpose of the humanities, just like the subjects contained within its sphere, is abstract and difficult to define.

Kodesh said that, while studying the humanities may appear privileged at first due to the lack of focus on career outcomes, courses across humanities fields universally apply to the workforce.

Anyone can study history and english, but studying these subjects in a college setting is a special privilege, according to Kodesh. “[The humanities] help you think more critically about who you are and what you’re doing in the world,” Kodesh said.

Similarly, Professor Ridgely said the benefits of humanities classes — such as stronger reading and writing abilities — are essential regardless of one’s occupation.

The humanities also encourage creativity, which is heavily desired in most industries, Ridgely said.

Ahmad said UW’s flexible curriculum allows students to first take courses in humanities fields and then connect said fields to their other interests. According to Ahmad, many of his peers take STEM courses such as genetics or physics alongside classes in the humanities.

“It is worth taking [humanities] classes [of interest] just because you will learn something that you enjoy,” Ahmad said.

While being able to earn a double major in a humanities field makes the area more appealing, it is not necessary to still take a course and derive meaning from it, Ahmad said.

Professor Houck said the humanities provide valuable instruction in the human condition across different societies, connecting different fields together and inspiring interest in areas students may not have previously enjoyed by relating to one of their other interests.

“Even if you don’t think the humanities or reading novels or thinking about the past might be your cup of tea, college is a great time to explore things outside of your comfort zone,” Houck said.

December 3, 2024 • badgerherald.com • 13

OPINION

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Computer science student enrollment woes help department pull off miracle UW’s most popular degree struggles with overcrowding, stands out amongst peers for open-access model

by Aiden Mellon Opinion Editor

If you spend enough time around computer science majors, one of the things you’re likely to hear is a long series of complaints about course enrollment. That’s been my experience living with two CS majors, and after two years of hearing about the shortcomings of the course enrollment process in the CS department, I decided to take a closer look at the problem myself. Here’s what I learned: Difficulty with course enrollment is a common experience for CS students at UW. To better understand the enrollment problems facing UW’s CS students, I created a short survey and had a friend share it on two popular WhatsApp and Discord forums. The survey generated 10 responses and reflected a general sentiment of dissatisfaction, though most students stopped short of reporting that an inability to enroll in CS courses was directly impacting their degree path.

Eight out of 10 students either agreed or strongly agreed with the claim that they have more difficulty enrolling in CS courses than in other courses. Another eight out of 10 students also either agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that “course enrollment is a significant problem in the CS department.”

But, seven out of 10 students polled either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement that difficulty enrolling in the CS courses they want to take has changed their degree paths. Further, on average, CS students actually tend to graduate in less time than students in most other majors, according to CS Department Administrator for Academic Services Cindy Fendrick.

While overcrowding in CS is not unusual, UW’s open-access model is.

With high starting salaries, good job prospects and a cutting-edge skill set, CS has taken higher education by storm in the last 15 years. For instance, in the 2008-2009 academic year, the College of Letters and Science produced more Art History degrees — 62 — than Computer Science degrees — 60 — according to UW’s Repository of Administrative Data and Reports.

Since then, CS has become a campus juggernaut, producing 877 undergraduate degrees in the 2023-2024 academic year — more than Business and Biology degrees combined.

And this isn’t just a UW phenomenon.

Across the country, universities have been scrambling to meet the surge in demand for CS degrees, and many of UW’s peer schools have been forced to move to a closed-access model, meaning they independently restrict who can major in CS, according to Inside Higher Ed. In 2023, for instance, the University of 14 • badgerherald.com • December 3, 2024 Michigan

moved to a closed-access model, mandating that students apply directly to the major, according to the Michigan Daily. Hoping to minimize overcrowding and address equity concerns, the University of California San Diego instituted a lottery system in 2017, making the declaration of their CS major literally the luck of the draw, according to Inside Higher Ed. Nationwide, increased demand for computer science has forced university administrators

requirements,” Fendrick said in an email statement regarding UW’s open-degree model. “Many Computer Science departments nationwide have transitioned to a limitedaccess model, where only a specific number of students can complete the degree. While our open-degree model offers more flexibility, it does present challenges, one of which is course seat scheduling.”

Bottlenecks and prerequisites

GABE GERMAIN. THE BADGER HERALD.

The Computer Science Building. November 24, 2024. and computer science department leaders to make difficult decisions about who to grant access to the major and who to leave behind.

UW, though, has managed to maintain its opendegree model throughout — a point of pride within UW’s CS department.

“The Department of Computer Sciences is proud to offer an academic degree accessible to all students who meet the major declaration

The struggle to accommodate a rapidly growing degree-seeking population lies largely in finding the personnel to educate these students. Fendrick said that most departments at UW have research tenure-track faculty and academic staff faculty, sometimes called teaching faculty.

Teaching faculty, as the name suggests, specialize in instruction, and recently the CS

department has greatly increased its teaching faculty and to a lesser extent its research tenuretrack faculty. The department has also turned to local talent for lectures, extending offers to experts from Google, Microsoft and Epic.

The department has also taken measures to offset overcrowding by expanding the course catalog to include classes that don’t count towards degree progression but still offer valuable skills and help distribute the weight, as in their mobile applications class, according to Fendrick.

Despite this, many students report running into bottlenecks in their degree progression, sometimes having to wait multiple semesters to take required classes. Eight out of 10 students polled reported they were unable to take CS 354, a core requirement of the major, in the desired semester.

Another student left a comment stating that they couldn’t schedule Starfish meetings within the CS department as they were all booked. A second student reported that they were unable to enroll in any of the CS courses he wanted to take next semester due to small class sizes, TA shortages and the fact that some CS classes — like CS 407 — aren’t offered every semester.

I asked one student, sophomore Farhan Siddiqui, about his experience trying to enroll in CS 354, and he told me that he has tried and failed for two semesters now.

“You can’t graduate if you don’t take this class,” Siddiqui said. “I wanted to take it last semester, but I couldn’t — I couldn’t even waitlist myself because it was closed. I thought: ‘Alright, I’ll take it in my Sophomore Spring semester.’ I tried that, again it’s closed. I can’t even waitlist.”

CS 354 is currently facing reduced class sizes due to an instructor change, Fendrick said.

The Bottom Line UW’s CS department is packed — there’s no doubt about it. The department has had to adjust to a meteoric rise in popularity among undergraduates, and yet, unlike many of their peers, they have not instituted a limited-access model.

The obvious downside is that, even though students are not directly excluded from the degree program, competition for classes and resources nevertheless excludes students indirectly. On the other hand, any student who maintains a minimum 2.0 GPA can study CS, eliminating equity concerns about how the department would admit students in a closedaccess program.

Given that UW’s CS students, on average, finish their degrees in less time than their peers on campus, and that interest in CS appears to have peaked — the number of undergrads who completed a CS degree decreased in 2023-2024 for the first time in 14 years — UW’s openaccess model appears to have survived the worst.

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Badgers fire OC Phil Longo: It won’t make a difference

OPINION

Maladies in Badger’s 3-6 season point to deeper problems, Longo one of many flawed components

by Andreas Scocos Opinion Writer

The University of Wisconsin Badger football team suffered a gut-wrenching loss to No.1 Oregon on Nov. 16. Wisconsin, despite leading throughout the first three quarters, let Oregon slip away late in the game, giving up 10 points to the Ducks, while producing just 21 yards of total offense in the fourth quarter. This summed up the Badger season in big games — lead early and fall apart in the second half, whether to USC, Penn State or Oregon.

Just a day after this loss, the UW football team fired offensive coordinator Phil Longo, blaming him for Wisconsin’s consistently paltry offensive showings.

The current offense ranked 97th in scoring and 102nd in passing among Division 1 FBS programs. Wisconsin finished the season a mediocre 5-7, quite the opposite of the expectations by fans when head coach Luke Fickell was lured in on a lucrative contract worth up to $57 million.

In 2021, Fickell made a big splash leading Cincinnati to an undefeated regular season and became the first nonPower 5 program to make the College Football Playoff, falling to the University of Alabama there.

While the offense certainly wasn’t firing on all cylinders, firing Phil Longo doesn’t seem like an effective solution to this problem. The Badgers haven’t just been flat on offense, but on defense, too. The team gave up over 400 yards and 40 points to both Iowa and Nebraska, two teams that UW has consistently held to low scores and beaten in the past.

In September, the Badgers held USC to 10 points in the first half. But they exploded in the second half, scoring 28 unanswered points to win the game, as the Badger offense sputtered. The problem seems to extend beyond its paltry offense and into its lackluster defense.

Others may lament recruiting problems and simply boil it down to UW not having the talent to compete against big-name programs. But this doesn’t seem to make sense either, as UW has had a flurry of high-ranked recruits and transfers in Coach Fickell’s first two years, but these recruits haven’t seemed to change the team’s offensive or defensive firepower.

The Badgers brought in transfers CJ Williams, a 4-star and highest-ranked receiver recruit in Badgers’ history, 4-star Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke and 4-star Tanner Mordecai.

In fact, in Fickell’s first two years, the team averaged 23.8 points per game on

offense and gave up 21.6 on defense. In former coach Paul Chryst’s seven years — not including the shortened 2020 season

highly ranked transfers, the offense and defense have both been statistically worse.

And while the sample size is small — two

LIZZY LARSON. THE BADGER HERALD.

Head coach Luke Fickell walks out of the tunnel onto the field, flanked by players. November 29, 2024. and the 2022 season in which he was fired — UW averaged 29.6 points per game and gave up an average of 17.1 points.

So, while Fickell’s entrance brought in

seasons for Fickell compared to seven for Chryst — the results have not been promising so far.

Moreover, while UW may not have

always been the most exciting team to watch in Chryst’s years, they were winners with an identity — a strong running game, coupled with end-around, steady passing and a stout defense. When the Badgers lost, it was often close and the result of an offense that couldn’t keep pace, not a combined struggle fest on offense and defense. Under Chryst, the Badgers were winners of the Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl and made an appearance at the coveted Rose Bowl.

So far, Fickell’s two UW teams have seemed rudderless, lacking a true identity, a mish-mash of runs, screen passes and short yardage plays with the occasional deep shot. This offense has at times looked promising — see the first half of the USC game — but it has never been able to stay consisent, unlike the Badger teams of the Chryst era.

Last but not least, Chryst understood and was a part of the UW-Madison football culture. A former quarterback and tight end at UW, then assistant coach, Chryst was an insider of the football culture at UW. He brought in coaches, like vaunted defensive coordinator Jim Leonard, who also had experience at UW. While it’s good to bring in new faces and fresh ideas — admittedly, the UW offense could be downright difficult to watch rush on first, second and third downs, while Ohio State passed for 80 yards on first down — it seems as if Fickell came in and attempted to bring change to a place he knew little about, which is never a recipe for success.

Phil Longo’s firing likely won’t solve all of UW’s football problems. They seem to stem beyond the offense, into the coaching staff, and maybe into the athletic director ’s office, where its sweeping change was prioritized over cultural continuity with the hire of Fickell over Jim Leonard.

Perhaps we look back on the Chryst era with rose-colored glasses. After all, Chryst was never able to beat vaunted Big Ten programs like Ohio State and bring home a Big Ten Championship . But so far, the results haven’t been promising in the Fickell era, and fans are longing for the teams of the Chryst era..

Until then, fans will have to make do with a stellar band, Jump Around and a host of overpriced drinking establishments. So maybe all isn’t lost after all.

December 3, 2024 • badgerherald.com • 15

OPINION

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Wisconsin must protect abortion rights in face of Urmanski lawsuits Sheboygan County District Attorney Joel Urmanski challenges abortion to shape public opinion on issue

by Ned Eggert Opinion Writer

Last week, a request was made to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to overturn the 2023 ruling to invalidate the state-wide abortion ban, according to PBS Wisconsin.

Sheboygan County District Attorney Joel Urmanski was behind the request in hopes of reinstating a state-mandated abortion ban.

The original abortion ban was in place for nearly 125 years until the 1973 Roe v. Wade court ruling granted federal protection of abortion rights. But, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the ruling in 2022, returning the right to ban abortion to individual states. It was only last year Wisconsin took the step forward to legalize abortion in the state when a Dane County Circuit Court judge ruled the ban did not apply to consensual abortions. A challenge to this re-legalization would revert women’s rights to where they were in 1849.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court is implicated in the potential implementation of a statewide abortion ban, and it currently has a 4-3 advantage to liberal-leaning judges.

These seven judges rarely deviate from ruling in alignment with their respective party’s values. In fact, liberal judges Rebecca Dallet and Jill Karofsky have already made comments to Urmanski’s attorney in opposition of his request.

A decision is likely to be made within a few weeks, and it looks unlikely that the 2023 ruling will be overturned given the 4-3 advantage for the liberal justices. This request effectively has no chance, but its approval may not be Urmanski’s ultimate goal.

So why bother asking the court to overturn something you know they aren’t likely to?

It is important to understand that in politics — specifically legislation — that setting a political precedent is incredibly important. Those who support or oppose Urmanski are not likely to drastically change their viewpoints on such a fundamentally controversial issue. Urmanski’s goal in challenging their previous decision is not to change the judges’ stances. Instead, it was to enforce the general public’s perception that jury is still out on the issue of abortion.

To get the general public on your side of an issue, you have to introduce them to the ideas you present and explain to them why those ideas align with their personal values. A single conversation with a voter on an issue will rarely change their position.

This is to say that making changes in the political world takes time and consistency.

Despite what “Schoolhouse Rock!” made it seem, no one person, idea or bill will get pushed up the chain or written into law without the support of many people and 16 • badgerherald.com • December 3, 2024 many

previous attempts at change.

Urmanski, proudly anti-abortion, wants to reinforce the public perception that abortion

It should be seen as a good sign that Urmanski is fighting a losing battle against abortion rights, because that means

KATIE HARDIE. THE BADGER HERALD.

Badger Herald archival photo of an abortion rights protest. May 5, 2022. is incredibly contested and people sit on both sides. If last year’s decision were to go years into the future without anybody stepping in to challenge it, it would become a norm for Wisconsin and become harder to challenge in the future. To combat this, Urmanski is continuing his push for anti-abortion legislation.

Wisconsin is on the right side of this issue.

The right to seek an abortion should be universal. Conversations can be had about the moral consequences of getting an abortion, or the stage of pregnancy in which it is ideal. No matter what your stance is on those aspects, however, one thing is certain — banning abortion restricts women’s rights.

It is baffling why debates on abortion often fail to consider the life and future of the pregnant individual. Having a child can be an immeasurable emotional, physical and financial burden for women, putting their lives and futures at risk.

Every year, at least 40 million women are likely to experience a long-term health problem caused by childbirth, according to a study published in medical journal The Lancet. Nearly a fourth of recently pregnant women cannot afford necessary health care, according to a study in the National Library of Medicine. It is these women who are abandoned by the anti-abortion agenda.

So, why are people anti-abortion to begin with? Eighty percent of people who said abortion should be illegal also said they have a certainty in their belief in God, according to Pew Research Center. Christianity, the most popular religion in the U.S., and the many denominations often condemn abortion in their interpretations of scripture, according to Pew Research Center. As such, strong opposition to legislation around reproductive rights from some members of that religious community is to be expected.

But, when you take away the freedom to do something previously established, people will still find a way to do it. Just take Prohibition as a precedent — when alcohol was banned in the 1900s, people made their own drinks without health and safety standards and made untaxed earnings from selling them.

Laws to prohibit abortion do not lower abortion rates, according to a study published in National Library of Medicine. Instead of using safe, regulated treatment, individuals will use unsafe methods to end pregnancies.

Until the socioeconomic hardships that pregnant individuals face are addressed, the demand for abortions will not lower. Anyone who considers themselves truly anti-abortion should understand that the lives of pregnant people are lives that deserve to be protected and prioritized over those of unborn children.

Even for those who disagree, it is still hard to ignore that fact that people like Donald Trump, Urmanski and some of their supporters, do not truly care about unborn children. If they did, they would support legislation that makes healthcare more accessible and efficient.

A request to reinstate Wisconsin’s abortion ban does nothing but hurt Wisconsin’s women and children. Urmanski knows it won’t happen, but by asking, he is trying to get everyone to consider that it might not be such a bad idea. The truth is it would be a disaster.

Ned Eggert (eveggert@wisc.edu) is a freshman majoring in political science.

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Football: Looking back on the 2024 season, is a new era of Badger football coming?

Badgers struggled in 2024, fired offensive coordinator Phil Longo, more changes to come

by Ryan Witt Sports Reporter

The 2024 Badger football season could easily be its own comedy, horror or any other movie genre that comes to mind.

But, this was the general plot: It starts with the traditional rising action, the Badgers hit a few bumps but start 2-0. Exciting transfer quarterback Tyler Van Dyke gets hurt in the first quarter against Alabama, Wisconsin loses.

Backup Braedyn Locke steps up as the new main character but leads them into a blown lead against USC. But, the Badgers bounced back with three straight dominant wins, moving to a 5-2 record. It only got worse from then on, as the Badgers would go on a 5 game-losing streak, mostly to Big Ten rivals. The question is, is this a tragedy? Or a thriller?

Well, for starters, the record isn’t great. Badgers fans watched the longest consecutive winning season streak in the country end, as well as a 22-year consecutive bowl appearance streak. With head coach Luke Fickell only being in year two of his tenure, the streak losses are a major stain on his resume.

Fickell fired offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Phil Longo Nov. 17 after the poor offensive showings in consecutive losses against Penn State, Iowa and Oregon. With Longo gone, Fickell ceded play-calling duties to tight ends coach, Nate Letton. Letton’s first game calling plays was on the road against rival Nebraska, in which the Badgers lost big time, 44-25. This was the first time the Cornhuskers had defeated the Badgers in 11 games, as the Badgers had to leave behind the Freedom Trophy.

The Badgers were then dominated at home against Minnesota 7-24, losing the Paul Bunyan Axe, which they brought back to Madison last year from Minneapolis.

The contest is now even all-time at 63 wins each.

Many might be asking, what will happen with recruiting? Or the transfer portal? It’s too early to really see results on the field from Fickell’s previous recruiting, but fans have seen flashes from guys like Xavier Lucas, one of the highest-graded true freshmen in the country, and Darrion Dupree. Fickell can also boast the 25th-best class in the country from 2024, the 23rdbest transfer class in the country from last year and currently the 21st best class of 2025, according to 247sports. Furthermore, Fickell has had an incredible “flip season,” which is roughly the last two months

before early national signing day for all prospects, falling on December 4th this year.

and number nine quarterback prospects, Bryce Underwood and Julian Lewis, in the class of 2025 flip schools, while Fickell has

LIZZY LARSON. THE BADGER HERALD.

Former offensive coordinator Phil Longo celebrates after quarterback Braedyn Locke performs well at Northwestern. October 19, 2024.

During the “flip season,” many prospects can be seen flipping to new schools after previously verbally committing to a different school. The nation has already seen the number one

flipped three class of 2025 prospects of his own.

So far, Fickell has flipped 4-star defensive lineman Jaylen Williams, the No. 26 defensive lineman in the Class of

2025, from Michigan, 3-star defensive end Drayden Pavey, the No. 120 defensive end, from Purdue and 3-star tight end Emmett Bork, the No. 48 tight end, from Michigan State.

Flipping a four-star from a program like Michigan two weeks before signing day is huge, and fans should be ecstatic that Fickell and the staff were able to pull this off, as Williams’ film is incredible and could be a playmaker in year one for the Badgers. He’s quick, strong and has a solid array of pass-rush moves that the Badgers could definitely use.

Fickell and company are still working hard. On Nov. 24, the Badgers received a verbal commitment from 4-star quarterback Carter Smith, the No. 20 quarterback in the Class of ‘25. Bringing in four star level talent at quarterback is massive, especially for a QB room that has struggled tremendously over the past few years.

The Badgers have also generated tons of interest from some big prospects in the class of 2026, being among the top two choices for 4-star running back Nasir Rankin and in the top 6 for 4-star linebacker Tristan Phillips. The Badgers also had a lot of successful visits during the Oregon game. Thanks to the fans, who play a much bigger role in recruiting than most think, many players fell in love with Madison, especially the atmosphere inside Camp Randall. These players include 4-star wideout Payton Cook, 3-star defensive back Nick Hankins, 3-star edge rusher Hunter Higgins, 3-star receiver Tayson Bardo, 4-star edge rusher McHale Blade and 3-star defensive lineman Blake Smythe.

So, did Wisconsin lose their consecutive winning seasons streak? Yes. Are the Badgers in trouble and about to hit a down period? No. Badgers fans should not be worried about the future, even if it looks bleak now. Fickell is a great recruiter and a player ’s coach.

Even though the product on the field is not what the Badgers have been known for, and hasn’t been awfully successful, Fickell is bringing in great recruits, has shown his ability to be successful in the transfer portal. Just look at roster staples like Tawee Walker, Will Pauling, Bryson Green, CJ Williams and John Pius, all of whom came from the portal. With a new play caller, new quarterbacks coach and hopefully a good offseason, the Badgers should be geared and ready to have a great season in 2025.

December 3, 2024 • badgerherald.com • 17

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Volleyball: Badgers wrap up their season, what’s next for the No. 7 squad?

Freshmen to fill the shoes of experienced seniors, step up to carry on the Badger legacy

by Taylor Kaufman Sports Associate Editor

SOREN GOLDSMITH. THE BADGER HERALD.

Badger Herald archival photo of UW women’s volleyball team. October 19, 2023.

The University of Wisconsin Badgers volleyball team is coming to the end of their season. With only one game left in their conference season, it will be a crucial moment for players to demonstrate their ability to rise to the occasion.

In the past several games, redshirt freshman Saige Damrow has shown her adaptability on the court. Her first starting game was Nov. 16th against No. 12 UCLA where she had the most digs of any player on the night with 15. She also was able to add two assists and an ace.

In her next match against No. 7 Minnesota 18 • badgerherald.com • December 3, 2024

she got 21 digs for the squad, and was diving for every ball possible.

Despite numerous digging errors, her efforts cannot go unnoticed. Damrow was redshirted from injuries last season and required two surgeries. There was a chance she wouldn’t be given the chance to play again. Given the opportunity to play again, she has embraced it wholeheartedly, showcasing unwavering dedication on the court.

With defensive specialist, junior Gulce Guctekin out with injuries, freshman Maile Chan came in as a replacement. During her

time in the UCLA match, she showed how reliable she can be for her team.

Given that Chan and Darrow are stepping up in these big matches against UCLA and Minnesota, it is safe to say that next season will have a good balance of new and returning players.

All four back-row specialists will be in back for the 2025 season, so there will be no shortage of experienced players, and will allow more time for Damrow and Chan to learn from Guctekin once healed.

As for the front row, freshman Charlie

Fuerbringer has been starting the entirety of this season as the squad’s setter. Her talent is shown in her numerous assists throughout the season. She recorded 32 assists Nov. 18 against No. 16 Iowa, followed by 38 assists the next day against No. 2 Penn State.

Fuerbringer hasn’t just been assisting though, coming alive on the defensive side with 25 digs Nov. 20 against Minnesota. Fuerbringer has also mastered the side set overkill, getting five on Sep. 2 against Stanford University.

On the season, Fuerbringer has gotten 987 assists, averaging out to 10.73 assists per set. As well as 54 total kills giving her a 0.308 hitting percentage.

She has shown her strength this season and it will be powerful to have her back next year covering the middle court.

Junior Carter Booth will also be returning to the squad next season as a middle blocker.

This season she has maintained a 0.320 hitting percentage with 126 total hits, 88 less hits than her previous season with the Badgers, though attributable to the priority that has been placed on outside hitters.

It would be to no surprise that without fifth years Sarah Franklin and Devyn Robinson, and seniors Anna Smrek and Julia Orzol as outside hitters, Booth will be a highlighted attacker.

Losing their star hitter, Franklin, will obviously be a hard hit, but being surrounded by underclassmen this season has been a great opportunity for her to relay her knowledge of the game onto them.

Freshman Una Vajagic, an outside hitter from Novi Sad, Serbia, is one example of a player who is getting the practice in with starting hitters like Franklin and Robinson. Although she’s seen no playing time as of this season, Vajagic has been able to spend the entire year practicing with these star upperclassmen.

There’s also freshman Trinity Shadd-Ceres, an outside hitter from Ontario, Canada, who has gotten minutes in four games this season.

Shadd-Ceres scored 4 kills for the Badgers Sep. 1 against Texas. The experience she got this season has been enough to show that she has real potential for the Badgers in her following seasons.

It is now up to head coach Kelly Sheffield to recruit a few more outside hitters who can begin to perform for Wisconsin. Defensively, the squad will not change much, but the offensive game will be hit hard from the loss of our great players Franklin, Orzol, Robinson, Smrek, Carly Anderson and CC Crawford. .

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UW art history alumni named 2026 Whitney Biennial Curators Visual studies professor Jill Casid discusses art exhibition’s importance

by Akhilesh Peddi ArtsEtc. Editor

Whitney Biennial, one of the most prestigious art exhibitions in the United States, announced its curators for the 2026 exhibition in early August — University of Wisconsin alumni Drew Sawyer and Marcela Guerrero.

Jill Casid, who is a professor of visual studies at UW and Guerrero’s mentor, commented on the specialty of the nomination.

“I don’t know of another Whitney Biennial that has had curators who were both trained, at least in part, at the same institution,” Casid said.

This is the first time a Whitney Biennial is being curated by two curators trained at the same institution, Casid said. This marks a notable achievement for the art history department, which is celebrating its centennial next year.

Sawyer is an art historian and curator who received a BA in art history at UW before pursuing an MA and PhD in art history at Columbia University. He was appointed Sondra Gilman Curator of Photography at the Whitney Museum of American Art in May of last year.

In the past, Sawyer has been responsible for curating exhibitions such as “Mark Armijo Mcknight: Decreation” in 2024, “Copy Machine Manifestos: Artists Who Make Zines” in 2023 and “Suneil Sanzgiri: Here the Earth Grows Gold” in 2023. He is know for curating “Jimmy DeSana: Submission” exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum which explored the late Jimmy DeSana’s work on surrealism, sexuality, identity and the power dynamics which go with it.

Guerrero is also an art historian and curator. Presently she is an assistant curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art. She received her PhD in art history from UW and later went on to work for the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Soon she would find her place at Whitney Museum as the first curator in the museum to focus solely on Latinx art.

She is famously known for curating the exhibit “no existe un mundo poshuracán: Puerto Rican Art in the Wake of Hurricane Maria” to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the devastating hurricane Helena which hit Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, 2017. Her other widely known exhibitions include “Vida Americana: Mexican Muralists Remake American Art, 1925-1945” and “Pacha, Llaqta, Wasichay: Indigenous Space, Modern Architecture, New Art.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALLISON MICHAEL ORENSTEIN

UW professor of visual studies Jill Casid.

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Together, the two curators can be expected to make a statement which reiterates the prominence of Whitney Biennial and its ability to draw the attention of the world, Casid said.

“I am imagining a Whitney Biennial that really makes a statement,” Casid said. “It is going to reinforce the importance of the Whitney Biennial as a statement-maker in the field.”

Sawyer and Guerrero are going to travel around the world as they begin their preparations, according to the New York Times. Climate change might be a subject included in the exhibition.

Casid explained the role a UW education might play in the way Sawyer and Guerrero define the 2026 Whitney Biennial. Art in the United States can be exclusive sometimes, according to Casid. The story of American art is sometimes native, exclusionary, sexist, imperialist and exclusionary in many other ways, making it really important to understand the various sources of beliefs and rethink the arts and cultures from time to time. “[Art] is often exclusionary in many ways. It is important to not only learn where we are but also to think where we must go and exhibitions are a powerful way of portraying that vision,” Casid said. “We train students to think where the field needs to go.”

Exhibitions are the perfect way to do this, and are sometimes more influential than other sources of media.

“The power of the exhibition lies in how it can really shift how we see and understand,” Casid said. “You are putting people in a full-bodied, deep sensory experience and allowing them to feel it.

It is this power to influence the world and make a statement that makes the Whitney Biennial as important and relevant as it is and gives strength to its curators. In the past, the Whitney Biennial has been a place where such boundaries of exclusion took the stage but also the place where they were broken down. Sawyer and Guerrero, as the curators of a Whitney Biennial, can be expected to do the latter.

As Sawyer and Guerrero set off to curate the 2026 Whitney Biennial and make their mark on the exhibit, they were invited by the UW Art History Department to a symposium in celebration of the department’s centennial year. Sawyer and Guerrero are expected to speak in Madison in February of 2025.

December 3, 2024 • badgerherald.com • 19

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The Game Awards 2024 nominees announced: Controversy surrounds DLC inclusion Inclusion of ‘Elden Ring: Shadow of Erdtree’ sparks debate as experts weigh in on role of DLC in gaming

by Evan Randle ArtsEtc. Associate Editor

The Game Awards announced its list of nominees for its awards, including the Game of the Year Award, Nov. 14.

Its 2024 nominees for Game of the Year include “Astro Bot,” “Balatro,” “Black Myth: Wukong,” “Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree,” “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth” and “Metaphor: ReFantazio.”

The inclusion of “Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree” has proved controversial online, according to video game blog Destructoid.

The Game Awards was founded in 2014 by its host and producer Geoff Keighley, a Canadian video game journalist and television presenter, according to their website.

Neil D’Souza, programming lead of game-developing club Gaming for Real at the University of Wisconsin, and alumnus Milo Koenig, former staff member of the Wisconsin Union Directorate Games, spoke about The Game Awards, the controversy surrounding “Shadow of the Erdtree” and downloadable content, or DLCs. D’Souza and Koenig said that the awards is an event comparable to other large award ceremonies such as the Oscars, though primarily concerned with games.

In recent years, The Game Awards have also become a large source of gaming advertisements and news, D’Souza and Koenig said.

While The Game Awards’ quality has dwindled over the years, it continues to be an enjoyable event people look forward to, according to Koenig.

D’Souza said that The Game Awards’ cultural relevance, though it has been increasing emphasis on advertisements, has weakened the effectiveness of the awards itself.

“The Game Awards ceremony is definitely cool for trying to bring a [largescale] ceremony … to the games industry … [but have focused on advertisements] as opposed to the actual game developers,” D’Souza said.

The controversy behind “Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree” rises partially from it being a DLC game.

DLC refers to additional video game content that players can download and add to a video game after its initial release.

DLC can be used by game developers to provide new characters, storylines, challenges and more to their products.

According to D’Souza and Koenig, the quality of DLC varies but the style of the 20 • badgerherald.com • December 3, 2024

product is not inherently harmful to the gaming industry. Factors influencing the quality of DLC include price, quality and

DLCs can be abused to make money in exchange for a weak product but also can support games with smaller communities

KENNEDY SLATER. THE BADGER HERALD.

Headphones and a controller on a PS5. November 21, 2024.

quantity of content, release date relative to the release of the full game and the developing conditions relating to the DLC’s release.

by providing developers with necessary income to continue their work.

They can also enable the creation of unique forms of content, such as very

short and low-priced video games.

According to Koenig, most DLC is executed well, especially when it adds enough content comparable to the “base release” of a game. DLC fails when it results from rushed deadlines on the behalf of a company or releases almost immediately after a game’s initial launch.

“If [developers] already have DLC the moment a game comes out, it’s pretty clear [they] couldn’t finish it in time,” Koenig said.

D’Souza and Koenig agree with the “Shadow of the Erdtree” DLC being included as a contender for the Game of the Year Award.

According to D’Souza, DLC like “Shadow of the Erdtree” should be included in Game of the Year Awards if they are heavy in content and heavily relevant in the year ’s gaming culture. He also suggested that DLC having its own category in The Game Awards would be welcomed but not a mandatory addition.

Critics of including “Shadow of the Erdtree” believe it is unfair for “Elden Ring” — which already received multiple Game of the Year awards — to receive yet another distinction through its DLC.These critics worry “Shadow of the Erdtree” winning the award could lead to a climate where the same developers win awards every year.

Regarding the future of DLC in the gaming industry, both D’Souza and Koenig said that it will likely remain an important fixture for years to come. Koenig said he was optimistic about DLC’s future as gamers hold it — and its developers — to a higher standard.

DLC is useful for developers who want to add to a product but lack the finances to do so. DLC also helps developers who hope to improve the game in response to feedback and criticism.

“No matter how you change [a game], you have to be conscious of the people who have already bought it and how [changing it] makes them feel.” D’Souza said.

As for how fans of video games can impact the trajectory of DLC, they can selectively engage with downloadable content they believe is of high quality.

The Game Awards will take place Dec. 12 at 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcasted on platforms such as YouTube, Twitch and X, according to The Game Awards website.

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What to put on your holiday wishlist A must-read for anyone unsure of what to ask for this winter

by Emma Kozina ArtsEtc. Editor

I could say I wish for all non-material things for gifts this holiday season, but that would just be a lie (oops). So, let’s cut to the chase and talk about some gifts you will want to see Santa bringing down your chimney this winter, organized by price!

Clothing and fashion To some, fashion may seem silly. But to us fashion-lovers, we know it isn’t just clothing, it’s how we express ourselves.

If you’re looking to invest in a warm winter coat, consider Aritzia’s classic “Super Puff” or a The North Face puffer?

These companies both have their bestsellers.

Check out The North Face’s Women’s 1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket, or the Women’s Nuptse Short Jacket for a cropped jacket.

For a cheaper option, opt for this Faux Leather Puffer Jacket from Levi’s.

These may keep you warm all winter, but for adventure seekers, Patagonia’s colorful Women’s Lightweight Synchilla® Snap-T® Fleece Pullover is perfect for your next hike. Patagonia also has an option to shop used pullovers on their website, so you can collect all the colors your heart desires while saving money. Pair these with an Owala water bottle and you’re all set for your next travel destination. If you plan on studying abroad, I suggest a crossbody bag to keep your belongings safe while you adjust to your new surroundings. This crossbody on Amazon would be stylish and affordable.

A big trend I’m loving that will continue into 2025 is funky, unique jewelry, my favorite being glass jewelry. On the pricier side, we have Struggle Glass, a company that sells everything from glass chains to rings. Take their Happy Rainbow Ring (don’t worry, there’s cheaper stuff on their website too), which has a tiny rainbow band made out of glass and an opal in the middle. Then, we have Ostrich Moon, a brand created by a lover of antiques who makes one-of-a-kind jewelry with vintage glass beads she’s collected.

For cheaper options, there are tons of individual sellers on Etsy with more than reasonable prices. SapphirelyStudio on Etsy sells lots of feminine and fun glass rings within the $20-30 range.

SarahDingwallGlass on Etsy sells wellpriced and oddly-formed glass rings that you just can’t look away from.

Finally, some everyday basics is something you can never go wrong with.

If you want cheaper clothing that is still quality, consider buying some going out

tops and basic tees from Princess Polly.

Electronics and gadgets I know a lot of us are in the grasp of Apple’s greedy hands, and guess what, they’ve given us another chance to spend money! From Nov. 29 through Dec. 2, at certain stores, when you buy Apple products, you can get up to a $200 gift card from Apple.

this for us. I’m not sure if unlimited likes are gonna help you if your Tinder consists of a grainy fishing photo and a photo of you and your ex, but it’s a start!

Books and hobbies The older I get, the more I realize how great it is to receive a book as a gift. It might collect dust for months until I actually pick it up, but it’s always a thoughtful present.

ABBY CIMA. THE BADGER HERALD.

Badger Herald archival photo of a storefront. December 3, 2024.

But if you’re looking for steals and deals, I recommend buying Apple products from third-party stores like Best Buy. They already offer deals on iPhones. If you want something big like an Xbox, I would suggest doing the same.

Finally, you may want to also look into subscriptions from platforms you can benefit from, like Chegg. Chegg for students includes perks like a Max with ads subscription, 5% back on Doordash, unlimited likes on Tinder and more. I love

One of my favorite books that I’ve been reading and rereading for almost a year now is Katy Hessel’s “The Story of Art Without Men.” I love how she goes into the inner lives of women and non genderconforming artists, talking about their passions and what it would be like to be an artist in their time. Find it on Amazon.

My sister is a major bookworm, and she suggested these books: “My Brilliant Friend” (series) by Elena Ferrante, “Intermezzo” by Sally Rooney, “The Seven

Year Slip” by Ashley Poston and any Emily Henry book. She also wrote a children’s book about the path to acceptance and success for a child with learning disabilities.

Although it’s mainly for children, this would be a great book for your living room table, and there’s something to be learned from it for all ages. Buy it on Amazon!

If books aren’t your style, one gift you can’t go wrong with is a Jellycat plush.

These stuffed animals are the cutest companions, and they even have holiday themed ones on their website. My favorite is Snowman Timmy Turtle. He looks so angry but why do I want to hug him?

For you artsy people, consider purchasing a new camera lens like a fisheye. One of my friends did this lately and the photos turned out really interesting! There’s one on Amazon from JINTU that suits some Canon cameras. My other sister, who is an artist, suggested the classic Prismacolor colored pencils or a HIMI Gouache paint set.

Beauty and self-care Self-care is all the buzz, but do we even understand what it means? Self-care can range from getting eight hours of sleep each night to a deep tissue massage, but here are some ways you can treat yourself that might make you feel and look good.

I’m all about makeup that accentuates your natural features. That’s why I’ve been dying to try Miracle Balm by Jones Road Beauty, which promises to serve as a versatile ‘miracle’ product for a wide range of skin tones. I’m also a fan of Kosas makeup products for this same reason.

They don’t dry your face out, and their Golden Glow DreamBeam SPF 40 is my go-to product for when I don’t want to wear makeup but still want to have glowy, tanned skin.

Yoga, pilates and any type of physical activity is another great form of self-care.

The best way to do this would be going to the free recreation facilities, or an accessible gym, and working out there. But if you need more structure, consider signing up for classes at Dragonfly Hot Yoga or purchasing a semester-long Group Fitness pass for the Nicholas Recreation Center and Bakke.

For skincare products, I recommend searching for your favorite brands on stores like Nordstrom, Macy’s and Bloomingdales because the sales are usually bigger than they are on the company’s website. For example, my mom and I have used the Clinique moisturizing lotion for as long as I can remember and it’s on sale right now on Bloomingdales’ website.

Happy shopping! I hope this helped you find something to wish for this holiday season.

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Mauree Childress’ s Expanding Perspectives gallery opens, champions unheard voices Milwaukee artist battles social problems, pays homage to unseen heroes through artwork

by Akhilesh Peddi ArtsEtc. Editor

Mauree Childress is a loving wife, mother, daughter, grandmother and painter.

Childress shares her story and that of so many others through her “Expanding Perspectives” gallery opened at Union South Nov. 15.

Through her gallery, Childress shares with us the things most important to her, and pays homage to those who are hidden, but true, to supporting and running our communities. Her work focuses on the feminist movement, disability and paying respect to those who serve our communities but whose contributions are unseen.

Childress began her career as an art teacher where she taught at an elementary school and later a high school.

“I had a thousand students and I had a cart,” Childress said. “I went from school to school and room to room.”

Childress would go on to work for television advertising for 30 years before shifting to work for nonprofits — including the American Red Cross and the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay where she helped with fundraising and marketing.

Childress currently works as a docent at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Childress was initially a textile artist until 2014 when she began painting, a form of art she had prior experience with since her time in university.

She started to focus on the things that were most important to her.

Her pieces on the feminist movement embodied the women’s struggle for suffrage, and more recently, the Equal Rights Amendment.

One of her most notable pieces on feminism included a painting of Women Air Service Pilots during World War II, an organization of 1,100 civilian women pilots whose contribution to the war effort was ignored by Congress until 2009. Childress discovered the story through her father who served as an air force pilot during the war.

“I discovered the story from my dad who was an air force pilot stationed in England in World War II,” Childress said. “He used to fly a bomber over Germany when he was 19 years old. Many years after, I could see the distress that came with participating in the war.”

Childress dedicated a painting to the WASP. The painting has a young girl in a pilot’s helmet holding a toy plane dreaming of becoming a pilot. In the background four WASP can be seen. It shows the inspiration the female pilots of WASP serve for young children today.

“They broke ground for women, another glass ceiling,” Childress said.

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Her pieces at Union South also spoke about her story and many lives similar

temporarily paraplegic. This would greatly influence the subject and medium of her art.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAUREE CHILDRESS

A piece of artwork from the gallery. December 1, 2024.

to hers. Childress was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called transverse myelitis in 2014 which made her

Soon, she was able to stand up and walk again. But, Childress noticed that people began to look at her differently.

“I learned to walk again, but I saw that people saw me differently and I wanted people to know how that felt,” Childress said.

Childress’ exhibit included a self-portrait of her in a wheelchair looking at a staircase, taken at an event that had occurred when she was invited to a party.

Another one of Childress’ paintings shows people with different disabilities with the words “we are here.”

“When you are below on a wheelchair, people don’t look at you necessarily,” Childress said. “I have people who met me later in life and told me I did not know we were supposed to look at them or talk to them. We are here.”

Childress explained that the younger generations and the nation as a whole is much better today than it was before and expresses her appreciation of how far we have come.

“The United States is much better than many countries, but we have a long way to go and we might never get there, but it is much better and I live a full life,” Childress said.

Her exhibit also holds a painting of dandelions included for their resilience.

“Dandelions are resilient and we can get very inspired by dandelions,” Childress said. “They find ways to grow and they are very useful.”

Other pieces in the exhibit include paintings of protesters fighting for equal rights, one regarding Roe v. Wade and a variety of groundscapes, patterns she has observed in the snow and manhole covers, amongst other things.

Her gallery paid homage to bus drivers, grocery workers and healthcare workers who stood on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown so people could receive treatment, acquire groceries and have accessible transportation. Childress cites the many difficulties that each of them face everyday in their jobs, which others overlook.

Through her art, Childress expresses the voice of some many that go unheard and by doing so, she expresses her own art.

Childress lives with her husband in Wauwatosa, outside of Milwaukee, and paints when she is not working at the Milwaukee Art Museum. She gives tours of the museum in her wheelchair and brings delight to young children as she did 30 years ago as an elementary art teacher.

Childress is a proud grandmother whose granddaughter wishes to someday work for nonprofits in the foreign service as Childress did and continues to do so.

ARTS

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Sweet talk: Spice cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting Your weekly escape into the world of desserts

by Jenna Innab ArtsEtc. Associate Editor

Typically, a cake would not be my ideal sweet treat for the week, but when it is your roommates’ birthday and you are crowned the baker of the apartment, duty calls. When scheming up her ideal perfect birthday cake, the first type that came to her mind was a carrot cake. With the recent recall on carrots impacting the only place I shop for groceries, my beloved Trader Joe’s, I figured the safer bet would be to stay away from carrots.

As I am scrolling through my Instagram feed to find a similar substitute for a carrot cake, I stumbled across Jenna Barnard’s page filled with no-bake cheesecakes, maple pumpkin cookies and salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars that truly make my mouth water like no other.

One of her most recent posts was this Spice Cake With Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting. It’s practically the same baseline recipe as a carrot cake, but minus the carrots. I decided to give it my best attempt and spoiler alert, it was the ultimate crowd pleaser!

The process Let’s get started with the recipe. To make the process easier on myself, I decided to make and bake the cakes the night before, allowing them to fully cool overnight and then sit in the fridge, leaving them firm and much easier to frost.

To begin, you will need to preheat your oven to 350 degrees, then butter your two eight-inch cake pans and line them with parchment paper.

Grab a large bowl and combine all of the following dry ingredients, whisking them together: 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, 1 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cardamom , 1 tsp ginger, ½ tsp nutmeg and ¼ tsp cloves.

Next, you will want to grab a second bowl for the wet ingredients. Start by hand whisking or using a handheld electric mixer to combine the following ingredients: 2 cups light brown sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil and 1 cup unsweetened applesauce.

Once combined, whisk in 4 room temperature eggs, one at a time. Then add in 3 tsp of vanilla extract. The mixture should be slightly lighter in color.

Lastly, you will need to combine the dry and wet ingredients. Beginning with the dry ingredients, pour about half of the dry mixture into the wet ingredients bowl and mix to combine. Follow that with three fourths cup of sour cream — room temperature, then the rest of the dry ingredients.

Finally, evenly split the batter amongst the two cake pans we prepared before. The pans should be around two thirds of the

way full.

Bake the cakes in the preheated oven for about 35 to 40 minutes. Mine baked for exactly 35 minutes. As always, you can use a toothpick or butterknife to check the centers

continuing to cook the bottoms of the cake.

The next morning, I flipped out the cakes from their pan, wrapped them in foil, though plastic wrap would have been better, and placed them in the fridge until I was

JENNA INNAB. THE BADGER HERALD.

A slice of the spice cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting. November 30, 2024. of the cake for doneness.

Once the cakes are baked and out of the oven, place them on a wire cooling rack, if you have one. Placing the cakes on a wire rack instead of on top of the oven to cool allows for full air circulation around the pans — preventing the metal from

ready to frost them.

Making the frosting To begin the frosting, I first browned 1 cup of unsalted butter. Browning butter can be a tedious process for new bakers, but patience is key. You will want to melt down the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

After 5 to 10 minutes, the butter should begin bubbling and creating a foam. At this point, you will want to stir continuously.

The milk solids from the butter will start to sit at the bottom of the pan and give off a nutty, amber fragrance. Once the milk solids have become toasted and browned, transfer the butter to a bowl to cool.

The butter will then need to solidify a bit before being mixed with the cream cheese for the frosting. The butter texture should be that of room temperature, softened butter.

If you are in a time crunch, you can put the bowl of butter into the freezer for a few minutes to solidify quicker. Just keep an eye on it so you don’t end up with frozen butter!

Next, you will need 16 oz of cream cheese, softened to room temperature. Once the cream cheese is softened and the butter is solidified, combine the two with a whisk.

Then, add one cup of powdered sugar at a time to the cream cheese and butter mixture.

The recipe calls for 5 cups of powdered sugar in total, but I ended up using 4 cups of powdered sugar instead. After the first cup of powdered sugar, you will also want to add in a half tsp of vanilla extract. Continue adding and mixing the powdered sugar until your desired consistency of frosting has been achieved, aiming for a set yet spreadable consistency.

The assembly of the cake Finally, we have reached the fun part!

Before beginning to stack and frost the cakes, we will want to level off the tops of the cakes and slice them in half to make 4 layers. Slicing the cakes in half are completely optional, but it gives a better distribution of the frosting. Plus, the more layers the more impressive you look!

To level off the tops of the cake, I used a large knife and attempted to get as much of a flat surface as possible — it obviously does not need to be perfect. Using the same knife I sliced the cake in half.

Once the cakes are leveled and sliced in half, you can begin frosting and stacking.

For an easy cleanup I placed a piece of parchment paper under the cake to keep my serving display clean.

Starting with the base layer, spread an even amount of frosting between each layer until all 4 layers are stacked. After this, you’ll want to frost a “crumb coat” on the outside of the cake layers. A crumb coat is exactly what it sounds like, a coating of frosting to seal in the crumbs of the cake.

Usually after the crumb coat, it’s a good idea to set the cake in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before the last layer of frosting. By giving the cake time to solidify, you’ll find the final frosting layer goes on more smoothly.

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