'Behind the Game' - Volume 54, Issue 7

BEHIND THE GAME

Science, sport team up to improve athletes’ wellbeing

Design by CAITLIN THIES

Herald Editorial Herald Business

Editor-in-Chief Janani Sundar

Managing Editors Audrey Thibert

Print News Editors

Digital News Editors

Caroline Crowley

Cat Carroll

Sophia Scolman

Ben Cadigan

Lucy Wentink

Science News Editors Lydia Larsen

Sarah Matysiak

Science News Associate Ave Vystrcil

Campus News Associates

Clare Brogan

Ian Auger

City News Associate Allie Serterides

State News Associates

Features Editors

Opinion Editors

Opinion Associates

Sports Editors

Sports Associate

ArtsEtc. Editors

Banter Editors

Copy Chiefs

Aashna Sheth

Allison Courtright

Elise Fjelstad

Maggie Degnan

Celia Hiorns

Fiona Hatch

Emily Otten

Jack Rogers

Ian Patton

Mike Hall

Spencer Shapiro

Abigail Leavins

Katherine Lyons

Scott McInerney

Phoenix Pham

Amalia Laskaris

Samantha Klepfer

Photo Editor Abby Cima

Design Director

Video Director

Podcast Director

Charlotte Bellamy

Lucas Mair

Jeffrey Deiss

Publisher Logan Hash

Herald Public Relations

Public Relations Director Madison Hibner

Herald Advertising

Advertising Director Parker Johnson

Board of Directors

Chair Katie Hardie

Members

CHILDREN’S BOOK CENTER 4 PROTECTING WISCONSIN’S BATS 10

CCBC works to provide informational assistance for educators and librarians amid increasing censorship

As white nose syndrome endangers bats across the country, researchers are working to protect the vital animals

Janani Sundar

Audrey Thibert

Caroline Crowley

Logan Hash

Madison Hibner

Parker Johnson

Anne Isman

Erin Gretzinger

Elise Fjelstad

Maggie Degnan

Phoenix Pham

Sophia Scolman

Ben Cadigan

Celia Hiorns

Sydney Triplett

NEW

Minnesota governor signs new law offering driving privileges to unauthorized immigrants — how can Wisconsin follow in its footsteps?

LOW

Children’s Book Center supports educators amid book bans

by Allison Courtright State News Associate Editor

Three Republican senators introduced a bill which would require public schools and libraries to remove any book considered harmful or offensive to minors at the end of January.

According to WORT 89.9, the bill would also require teachers to publish their curriculum so parents could remove their children from a course presenting objectionable material.

The University of Wisconsin campus is home to the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, an organization dedicated to promoting strong works of literature for children and young adults.

One core service the CCBC provides is their intellectual freedom information services. They provide free and confidential resources to educators and librarians in Wisconsin that are dealing with book challenges, CCBC Director Tessa Michaelson Schmidt said.

These challenges vary but often have to do with literature being reconsidered and challenged to be in classrooms and libraries across the nation. The CCBC provides statewide resources to share with those that need information on specific titles, according to Schmidt.

The CCBC is also nationally recognized for its diversity statistics, which are calculated when cataloging and reading new literature.

CCBC staff collects data on who is publishing, writing, illustrating and translating stories, as well as the book’s subject matter. The staff looks for characteristics in this data relevant to race, ethnicity, LGBTQIA identities and religion and publish their findings annually, Schmidt said.

Operated by the UW School of Education, the CCBC also provides literary recommendations for individuals, instructors and institutions across Wisconsin and the U.S.

The center was established in 1963 as a joint venture between Wisconsin and UW, according to Schmidt.

“The intention was that it would be an examination center based on the university but available for anyone around the state to study the latest in books published for children and young adults,” Schmidt said.

CCBC staff reads and reviews recently published literature that they receive from publishers of all sizes or books that deserve review. Of the books, they curate a list of recommendations — called CCBC Choices.

The CCBC curates this list from a

significant sample of books published in the most recent year. The most recently released CCBC Choices list featured 211 titles that were selected from a sample of over 4,000 books, according to Schmidt.

The CCBC then recommends many of

choices in our book talks with librarians and educators in the field.”

In addition to organizing collections of children’s and young adult literature, the CCBC staff provides on-site outreach and education presentations to classes on the UW

The CCBC is also nationally recognized for their Charlotte Zolotow Award.

Charlotte Zolotow, a UW graduate, was an author and editor of over 70 picture books at Harper Junior Books, according to the CCBC website. To honor her dedication to literature, her editor got in touch with the CCBC and together, they came up with the award in her name and honor in 1998.

The CCBC staff looks for works that provide a new way of thinking about our lives as human beings, CCBC librarian Merri Lindgren said.

Lindgren said the Charlotte Zolotow Award is given to an author every January for a picture book published in the past 12 months.

A five-person committee, consisting of librarians, teachers and early childhood professionals, nominates 25-35 books to be considered for the award. In January, the same committee will meet and choose a winner.

“We send out information to publishers in the U.S. and Canada, which we started including last year,” Lindgren said. “We let them know who’s on the committee and encourage them to submit physical books.”

Books do not have to be submitted by authors themselves to be considered for this award as the committee searches for potential candidates, which is not the case for all awards. Most recently, the CCBC awarded author Michelle Edwards the award for her book “Me and the Boss: A Story about Mending and Love,” according to a press release.

Though the CCBC is operated by the School of Education, Schmidt encourages students of all majors to come to the CCBC to see how the center can help support them in their studies at UW.

“We have books that go to any aspect of study,” Schmidt said. “Whether it’s astrophysics, physics or dance, or really anything, we have books related to that topic that are really engaging and accessible and sometimes a lot more accessible than the textbooks.”

The CCBC is a unique and trusted resource that makes Wisconsin and UW stand out across the nation, according to Schmidt.

these books to librarians and educators in the field during monthly book discussions, Schmidt said.

“Reading and selecting those books is the bulk of what we do,” Schmidt said. “We are always recommending books from the current year’s choices as well as past year’s

campus and across the state of Wisconsin.

The CCBC also works with people interested in researching children’s literature or those interested in illustrating or writing children’s books, receiving funding from both UW and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Schmidt said.

It is the longest-standing institution that adequately provides resources for state educators and librarians during book challenges, which have become quite an issue in recent years, according to Schmidt.

“As far as we know, we’re the only longstanding institution that provides these services in the way that we do,” Schmidt said.

‘We’re the only long-standing institution that provides these services in the way that we do,’ CCBC director says

The CCBC curates a list of book recommendations for educators each year called CCBC Choices.

JANANI SUNDAR.. THE BADGER HERALD.

Students express concerns amid tuition increase

by Allie Serterides City News Associate Editor

University of Wisconsin System President Jay Rothman proposed a new budget plan in early March, detailing an increase in tuition and fees for undergraduate students across each of the 13 UW System institutions.

The Board of Regents voted March 30 to increase tuition for UW-Madison students that are residents of Wisconsin by 4%. Tuition for out-of-state students will increase by 3%, according to the decision.

Additionally, differential charges for enrolling in certain programs such as engineering, nursing and business will increase under the board’s decision.

This is the first tuition increase for in-state undergraduate students in 10 years, and the exact increases in tuition and segregated fees will vary at each institution, according to the decision.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Gov. Tony Evers’ past two budget proposals have included money to continue funding this freeze, which has made it

difficult for campuses to balance their budgets when cost continues increasing but revenue doesn’t.

Because of this, Evers didn’t include the freeze in his proposal this year. Instead, his plan provides the UW System with significant funding to balance its budgets, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

An August 2022 UW System affordability review revealed the UW System’s education is the best value in the Midwest, UW System Director of Media Relations Mark Pitsch said in an email statement to The Badger Herald.

This review included a comparison to national averages, peers and other Midwestern universities, according to the UW System.

“As President Rothman has noted, a decades-long tuition freeze is not sustainable to deliver the kind of education students deserve and parents expect — especially as costs have increased and inflation has accelerated. We also need state investment

while seeking efficiencies across the UW System,” Pitsch said in the email. “The UW System is Wisconsin’s Talent Generator, and we need stable funding sources to help Wisconsin win the war for talent.”

In February, Evers proposed a $305 million increase for the UW System over the next two years. This spending boost in higher education is meant to help address rising costs and create a more affordable tuition for low-income students.

Though the UW System asked for $435 million to support their budgets, UW leaders believe Evers’ proposal will still help schools educate the state’s future workforce, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

In the state of Wisconsin, budgets are structured in many different ways, and the governor has the responsibility as a chief executive officer of the state to present the budget for Wisconsin, UW professor emeritus of political science and public affairs John Witte said.

“There’s always a core budget and that core budget for these universities is based primarily on last year’s budget,” Witte said. “They work toward increasing that [budget] in the areas they think they want to increase. And sometimes they actually will reduce some things, but usually they’re kind of building their budgets up on the individual campuses basis.”

The increase in nonresident tuition at UW will fund need-based financial aid, new positions for faculty and staff to support

growing enrollment, salary increases — especially in the science and business programs — and more, according to the UW System.

With more money for budgeting, class sizes can remain low, more faculty can be hired, programs can advance and students can continue to get an education that benefits them in the long run, Witte said.

Though tuition for students receiving Bucky’s Tuition Promise or the Pell Pathway won’t increase, this increase will likely affect low-income students from out-of-state or students in other scholarship programs, Associated Students of Madison Student Activity Center Governing Board Chair Kevin Jacobson said.

“Student tuition increases always just raise the barrier for students to be able to come to this university,” Jacobson said. “With every increase, it’s going to work out for fewer and fewer people. It will work out for some people, and it’s not going to stop people from coming to UW, but it really raises a barrier for people to be able to come and especially for those who are receiving those larger increases.”

When looking at tuition in the long run, Witte said that a couple $100 increases in tuition won’t matter five years from now.

But with more and more increases, it might be more difficult for low-income students to continue their education at UW without the stress of a financial burden in the future, Jacobson said.

In-state residents at UW-Madison face a 4% tuition raise, and out-of-state students will face a 3% increase, raising concerns for low-income students at the university.

AINA MOHD NASER. THE BADGER HERALD.

Hillel’s Student Leadership Delegation visits Israeli, Palestinian territories

Students emphasize importance of togetherness amid differing views

by Aashna Sheth State News Associate Editor

The Student Leadership Delegation from the University of Wisconsin Hillel Foundation visited Israeli and Palestinian territories over spring break, according to UW sophomore Jehona Zeneli, who went on the trip.

The goal of the trip was to bring a diverse group of students from UW to witness the complexities and contrasts of lives in Israel and Palestine, fellow attendee and Hillel Rabbi Judy Greenberg said.

Much of the trip was focused on creating

dialogue about the complex conflict between Israel and Palestine, Zeneli said. Zeneli went on the trip in order to gain a better understanding of the situation in the region without the biases of local media and communities.

UW sophomore Wyatt Cirbo had similar motivations for going on this trip, saying he appreciated being around people with different ideas on the topic. According to Cirbo, there were four Jewish students on the

Israeli territories like Jerusalem and Kfar Azza, according to Zeneli.

Students also had the opportunity to hear from a variety of Palestinian and Israeli professionals at numerous stops on their trip, including a journalist and a teacher, according to Greenberg.

The trip had significant moments for students outside of planned activities as well, according to Cirbo. The most powerful moment of the trip for Cirbo was sitting in a park with other members of the trip and singing songs together in Hebrew and Arabic — emphasizing togetherness regardless of differing views.

This experience of powerful meaning being derived from a seemingly casual interaction was part of why the Student Leadership Delegation’s trip to Israeli and Palestinian territories differs from other study abroad programs that UW offers, Cirbo said.

“There wasn’t a ton about this trip that was super casual,” Cirbo said. “There’s a lot of fun, but it was hard topics all day long going from place to place.”

The application process for this trip is fairly selective and includes an online application and in-person interview, Zeneli said.

According to Greenberg, the biggest traits Hillel was looking for from potential candidates for this trip were openmindedness and being leaders within their communities.

“Some people came on the trip knowing a lot about Israel and Palestine, and some people knew almost nothing,” Greenberg said. “The common thing between everyone was that they’re open minded, willing to learn and willing to be challenged.”

The majority of this trip was funded by Maccabee Task Force, an organization created to fight antisemitism on college campuses, according to Greenberg. But Hillel is still very involved with planning the trip, and Hillel’s leaders conduct interviews with students, pre-travel orientations and post-trip debriefs with faculty, Greenberg said.

trip and 15 non-Jewish students.

“I think we can all be in our own bubble sometimes and going with people who may not have the same viewpoints as me was a big reason to go,” Cirbo said. “I think often, people shut off whenever this topic comes up, so to be in an environment where it’s encouraged to discuss it was probably the chief reason I wanted to go.”

Students on the trip visited Palestinian territories like Ramallah and Bethlehem and

Hillel is planning on organizing another trip to Israeli and Palestinian territories next year, though they are unsure if it will happen over winter, spring or summer break, Greenberg said. Information about this upcoming trip will be sent out as it is finalized.

In the meantime, Greenberg said, students are welcome to get involved with Hillel on Instagram or by coming to events. Shabbat is held every Friday and is open to everyone. Students can get more information from Hillel’s Instagram, @uwhillel.

Hillel’s Student Leadership Delegation encourages dialogue among students.

CAT CARROLL, THE BADGER HERALD.

Tax Increment Financing will draw investments for South Madison

by Clare Brogan Campus News Associate Editor

The city of Madison approved the plan for a Tax Increment Financing district in the South Madison area March 20, according to a Tweet from the city.

The TIF district, called TID 51, is estimated to provide a total of $115 million in financial support, with $99 million of the funding to be allocated for the development of South

Madison, according to a press release from the city of Madison.

A TIF district is an area where property tax revenue generated by increases in value of real estate can be used to fund city developments, TIF expert and University of Illinois Chicago professor David Merriman said.

According to the press release, the district’s geographic boundaries will be set at Fish Hatchery Road, Wingra Creek, John Nolen

Drive and the Beltline Highway.

The city will use the funding provided by this district to invest in South Madison housing, small business support and community assistance. The TIF district plans to provide $22 million towards affordable housing, $6 million to small businesses and $34.9 million towards other revitalization and community support projects, according to the press release.

The funding produced by TID 51 will also go toward building improvement grants, affordable owner-occupied housing, singlefamily rehab programs, rental rehab programs and first-time home buyer assistance programs, city of Madison Community Development Project Manager Daniel Rolfs said.

The plan will also fund a 10-year study that will assess the impact of city investment on the residents living in TIF districts, according to the city’s website.

“Tax incremental financing is one of the most powerful tools that municipalities in the state of Wisconsin have to make public investments into both public projects and private projects,” Rolfs said. “It is the single largest investment in our program’s history, by double the amount, and it’s something that we’ve never done in this form or fashion before.”

Residents living inside TID 51 or any TIF district will not see any change in the money that they pay to the city in taxes, Rolfs said.

“It has no impact upon your tax bill,” Rolfs said. “It does not impact how much you pay, you’ll never see a difference. The only thing that changes internally on our side is how those funds are allocated.”

The use of TIF districts allows for the city to make substantial investments in specifically targeted parts of the city. In the case of TID 51, the city will be dedicating excess funds from districts that are economically successful to other parts of Madison that are not, Rolfs said.

“What we’re doing here is, as one of my coworkers says, we’re effectively moving money through time and space from parts of the city that have done very well to parts of the city that have maybe had more challenges,” Rolfs said.

According to Rolfs, the city has plans to continue acquiring property for infrastructure redevelopment, as well as to fund pedestrian and biking route improvements and the Commercial Ownership Assistance Program intended for business assistance.

The TIF district funding intends to help address some of the longstanding inequities that South Madison has seen in its development when compared to the rest of the city. Rolfs believes the underdevelopment seen in the South Side was a product of a lack of investment and effort put into the area. The city has a history of using the area as a place to push ethnic minority communities that were often ignored, Rolfs said.

“They [previous leadership] did nothing to make any investments or improvements, so we are having to not only pay for the sense of our past of the city, but also the sins of other jurisdictions who did nothing as well,” Rolfs said.

Read more online at badgerherald.com.

TID 51 will dedicate property tax revenue generated by city to South Madison development projects

Salvation Army, city of Madison plan new permanent homeless shelters

by Sophia Scolman Print News Editor

The Salvation Army of Dane County secured $4 million in federal funding for a new shelter for women and families experiencing homelessness March 20, according to a press release from Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway.

“This is something that will impact Madison for, literally, many generations,” Salvation Army Advisory Chairman Jim Pope said.

The new campus will allow the Salvation Army to serve more women and families and will remedy current issues surrounding long wait times, as well as facilitate the expansion of other critical services, Pope said.

The new campus will include two buildings — the first, a temporary shelter, will begin construction when the Salvation Army reaches 80% of its $30 million funding goal, which is expected to occur in the next 60 days, Pope said. It will contain a shelter, medical respite center and community center. The second, called the Shield Apartments, will provide longer-term housing for guests and is expected to open in March of 2024.

The shelter, which will be located on East Washington Street, will provide space for 42 families and 82 single women, Salvation Army of Dane County Executive Director of Philanthropy Steve Heck said.

The Shield is currently under construction and will include 44 units, 37 of which will qualify as low-income housing, Heck said.

“We’ll be able to hopefully take people as they come through the shelter, and they can potentially move to an apartment [at the Shield], then stay there for a while while they stabilize and then move on someplace else,” Heck said.

In both buildings, guests will receive wraparound services, including dental care, case management and access to training and community spaces, Heck said.

Despite difficulties arising during COVID-19 and a lack of physical space, the Salvation Army’s current efforts are extremely successful, Heck said. One hundred percent of guests who passed through Holly House, one of the Army’s rapid rehousing efforts, are still stably housed as of last year, Heck said.

Further, 83% of families who received assistance from the Dane County Assists With New Starts program are still in their homes, Heck said. Though this program does not utilize housing owned by the Salvation Army, the Army provides case work and move-in costs for users, according to the Salvation Army website.

The new men’s shelter on Bartillon Drive, which is currently under construction, will also be a critical aspect of addressing the homelessness crisis in Madison, according to the press release.

City of Madison Community Development Director Jim O’Keefe said the existing men’s shelter is operated by a local nonprofit called

says

Porchlight and was located in the basement of a church on Capitol Square. The shelter was temporarily relocated to Zeier Road in October 2022.

The new men’s shelter, which will be owned by the city but operated by Porchlight, is expected to open mid-2025, O’Keefe said. The new building will accommodate around 250 men experiencing homelessness, compared to the current shelter which houses 200.

Though the capacity of guests will increase, the men’s shelter plans to double down on efforts to connect men experiencing homelessness with housing, O’Keefe said.

O’Keefe said University of Wisconsin students are aware of the housing crisis in Madison,

not only because of their interactions with the homeless population, but because of their own struggles to find affordable housing.

Though the work currently being done to support Madison’s homeless population is essential, the construction of both the men’s and women’s permanent shelters is the first concerted effort to provide people without housing a dignified space, O’Keefe said.

“Any of us are just one domestic violence incident or catastrophic, catastrophic health event away from being without housing ourselves,” O’Keefe said. “How our community supports its most vulnerable residents says a lot about that community. And so, again, I think, we feel as a city that we can do better and need to do better and

that’s a big part of what these projects are about.”

Heck urged UW students to volunteer as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army during their upcoming campaign from July 8 through July 22, which not only raises funds but brings the mission of the Army into the public eye.

According to the Salvation Army’s website, kettles that are manned by a volunteer raise $50 more dollars per hour than one that is unattended. Volunteers can also begin registering online to ring bells for the 2023 holiday season in fall, according to the website.

Students are also welcome to volunteer to run Activity Nights, where families and children are invited to participate in crafts, games and more, Heck said.

‘We need to do better by this population,’ Madison Director of Community Development

New permanent homeless shelters will serve people experiencing homelessness.

JANANI SUNDAR. THE BADGER HERALD.

Springing into Sinkholes: How spring sets stage for sinkhole formation

Sinkholes alter landscapes, pose threat to groundwater quality through contamination

by Sarah Matysiak Science News Editor

With the spring equinox on March 20, Wisconsin’s rainy season began, along with rising temperatures and the final days of snow. The warming temperatures of spring, melting snow and precipitation prime much of Southern Wisconsin for sinkholes, according to University of Wisconsin hydrogeologist Maureen Muldoon.

In fact, a sinkhole opened up in January at Indianford County Park, just south of Edgerton, which required up to $425,500 in repairs.

Sinkholes are part of a karst landscape that forms when soft, soluble rocks, such as limestone or dolomite, dissolve with water. The soluble limestone and dolomitic rocks, combined with melting snow and rain showers, make spring a particularly vulnerable time of year for sinkholes to form, Muldoon said.

Karst landscapes include features such as cave components and sinkholes, UW geoscience

program coordinator and researcher Ian Orland said. One example is not too far from Madison, Wisconsin — Cave of the Mounds.

Karst landscapes have existed for around 500 million years, long before humans could impact the landscape. Wisconsin was once a shallow ocean, and the sea levels fell, exposing limestone rocks and calcifying, or hardening, them, Muldoon said.

Cemeteries are often provide a good example of this when limestone gravestones become fuzzy and develop visible dissolution after so many years — a process humans are not a part of.

Just west of Madison was once an ice sheet that sat atop Madison and stretched to the North Pole, Orland said. When that ice sheet melted away, it left behind a slurry of soil, boulders and cobble, or what’s called glacial drift. The drift blanket covered some of the limestone rocks hundreds

of feet below the surface, allowing the blanket to absorb any changes and making a big sinkhole opening at the surface less likely.

“So in that way, campus is a little bit shielded from some of those more dramatic sinkhole opening events that you might see in other karst areas right in the southwestern part of the state where the ice sheet didn’t reach,” Orland said.

In Southern Wisconsin, limestone and dolomitic rocks are very common, making the landscape more susceptible to sinkholes. Known as a “driftless area,” this is where limestone is much closer to the surface, which is why sinkholes are easier to see and more common at the surface, Orland said.

Besides the damage sinkholes make to the aboveground landscapes across the southern part of the state, they also impact the groundwater system and quality, Muldoon said. Specifically,

the melted snowpack that makes its way below the surface is in part what causes sinkholes to form and leads to some groundwater contamination.

“It’s also [a time] where you can flush a lot of stuff into the groundwater system because it’s getting into the soil, and it’s going straight on down because it’s not getting used by plants and trees and crops,” Muldoon said.

During spring, an especially vulnerable time for sinkhole formation and groundwater contamination, there is seasonal spreading of manure on fields, which can get into the groundwater system. This can lead to “brown water events,” in which the water out of someone’s faucet turns brown because of the manure. The karst landscape, which underlies sinkhole formation, plays into this as well.

To combat these brown water events, Muldoon said Northeastern Wisconsin has been progressive in changing the date farmers can spread manure on their fields to after April 15. This change comes with the hope that the manure will stay in the soil zone and not enter someone’s well.

“Hydrogeologically, it makes the most sense to put your manure on when you have a growing crop — like do it in June, July, August where we have almost no groundwater recharge,” Muldoon said.

In some instances, there are “manmade,” or fake, sinkholes in which changing the drainage pattern of a natural karst landscape through construction can open up a sinkhole and lead to water main breaks, Muldoon said.

But, in most cases, sinkholes are caused by depressions in the landscape that humans have no control over. These sinkholes become problematic when that depression is located under something important, like a road, which makes it dangerous for cars.

The challenge with sinkholes, though, is the difficulty that comes with locating and mapping their location before constructing a building. Geophysics deals with seismic waves and electrical currents to image the subsurface, but this is tricky for small features far below the surface, Muldoon said.

Though sinkholes are natural and nonrandom, there are ways to treat the land so it is less susceptible to their formation.

“What you want to try to do is provide a pathway for the water where you’re not continuing to lose sediment,” Muldoon said. “And so there’s engineering studies and best management practice as to how to fill a sinkhole … gradually [decreasing] in size from bigger particles to little pebbles to sand to kind of give enough support that the water can move through it.”

Heavy rain in spring sets the stage for sinkholes, especially in Southern Wisconsin.

AINA MOHAD NASAR. THE BADGER HERALD.

UW researchers awarded grant to study cure for devastating bat disease

Vaccine, drug research reveals promising treatment methods for white nose syndrome

by Lydia Larsen Science News Editor

In the past decade, the fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome has decimated bat populations in Wisconsin and across the country. March 22, University of Wisconsin researchers, in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S Geological

disease progression, bats wake up every three to five days instead of the normal 15 to 20 day cycle.

This accelerated cycle causes the bats to burn up the fat reserves they built up over the summer. The bats also leave their hibernation caves, which maintain a warmer, steadier temperature through the winter. When the bats

different fungus that causes blastomycosis, a rare disease that’s caused by breathing in the fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis.

While Klein’s lab was studying how B. dermatitidis interacts with mammalian cells, they found a component of the fungus that helps it infect mammals. After developing a vaccine for B. dermatitidis, they then identified

at other sites.

Klein and Marcos Isidoro-Ayza, a graduate student in his lab, will collaborate with scientists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S Geological Survey on the newly awarded grant. Isidoro-Ayza developed a model system that mimics how cells in bat skin tissue behave during hibernation to

research epidemiologist Tonie Rocke said.

“[White-nose syndrome] first hit Wisconsin in 2014, so our bats are quite naive to this disease,” Rocke said. “They’re very much affected by it.”

White-nose syndrome also causes behavioral changes in the bats, which are often fatal. Normally, cave bats spend six to eight months of the year underground. Infected bats wake up from hibernation earlier and with greater frequency. White said early in the

develop some coping mechanisms against the disease, it’s still important to stop the spread. People shouldn’t enter caves where bats are hibernating during the winter months. When traveling between sites where bats hibernate, people shouldn’t wear the same clothes or use the same equipment, White said.

While stopping the spread is important, researchers are also developing a vaccine against white-nose syndrome. Klein didn’t set out to find a cure, but his lab was studying a

Health Center, and they worked to develop a vaccine for white-nose syndrome, Klein said.

They tested the vaccine in laboratory trials and found that the vaccinated bats developed white-nose syndrome at lower rates than nonvaccinated bats, Rocke said.

These results were promising enough that in 2019 they started vaccinating bats in the wild. While Rocke is still analyzing the results of the field study, she said the study outcomes are positive, and the team is now vaccinating bats

equipment. White attributes the high levels of interest in bats to how ubiquitous they are in so many environments. At White’s presentations, people always seem to have a bat story to share.

“It just seemed like it didn’t matter whether you were red, blue, purple,” White said. “There was definitely an understanding that bats did something on the landscape, and the people were appreciative of it.”

DESIGN BY CAROLINE CROWLEY. SOURCE: WISCONSIN DNR.

UW students row toward more equitable gym equipment

Team works to design wheelchair-accessible rowing machine

by Annalise Sommer Science News Reporter

A team of University of Wisconsin engineering students are working to break barriers to allow for wheelchair accessibility in the gym. The students are redesigning the rowing machine, a fitness device, so those in wheelchairs can utilize the machine as well.

But, instead of making separate machines, they are working toward a dual machine that can be rotated between standard users and wheelchair users alike, according to the College of Engineering.

The team is made up of five biomedical engineering students — Tim Tran, Annabel Frake, Roxi Reuter, Josh Andreatta and Sam Skirpan.

This design initiative is the students’ senior capstone project. At the beginning of biomedical engineering students’ senior year, they must choose a project from a list of design ideas from clients and apply for one. Skirpan said after their team was accepted into the rowing machine project, they met with the client to hear the design pitch. The client, Johnson Health Tech, came in with a rowing machine and asked if they could

adapt it for wheelchair use.

“One of the big things that is unique between our project, in our design, compared to other designs that allow for wheelchair users, is that it retains the functionality of a traditional rower to use it from a standard side but also allows for someone who requires a wheelchair to use it on the adaptive side,” Skirpan said.

A rowing machine is an exercise machine commonly found at most gyms. According to Mayo Clinic, they normally consist of a seat, a handlebar, foot pedals, a tracking console and a flywheel, which moves the pulley system.

A user will sit in the seat and reach to grab the handlebar with both hands. Their arms should be in a straight line at their chest as they pull the handlebar toward them. In some machines, the seat is non-moving, while some seats slide with the user, according to Mayo Clinic.

Skirpan said the team’s client and fitness manufacturer, Johnson Health Tech, has machines that can adapt to a wheelchair already. But, they can’t be converted from a standard machine to an

adapted machine. The team has been designing a prototype that will allow the rowing machine to be convertible rather than a separate machine.

Andreatta said his team kept the seat from the original machine on one side but made the machine itself double-sided. One side is designed for standard use. On the other side, there is a rollercoaster-like lap bar for wheelchair users to strap into the rowing machine.

Frake primarily focuses on the project’s electronics. Frake said in order for the rowing machine to be usable on both sides, shared parts must be able to rotate back and forth. The team is currently working on designing the data console to turn from one side to the other automatically. This gives both users the opportunity to track their progress.

Frake said rowing machine users can choose different resistance levels to make the workout more or less intense. The team is currently working to alter the machine, so both users can change the resistance level on their side.

“We opened up the mechanics of the inside of the machine and altered them using a separate motor and some more electronics so that we could try to hijack the system [and] so that we can alter that [resistance level] from both sides of the machine,” Frake said.

Andreatta said there are two main parts of the project design — modeling and electronics. The first step is modeling. Reuter is the team’s main sketcher, incorporating her interests in art by using sketches to help design abstract ideas into models.

Andreatta said to start the modeling process,

Reuter usually sketches out their ideas to visualize the concepts. There may be multiple sketches and many changes throughout the process. When the team is satisfied with the sketches, they move on to 3D models.

The team used a computer-aided program to make 3D models of their original sketches. Once satisfied with the computer models, they use 3D printers to print physical models and test whether the modifications will actually fit on the rowing machine, according to Andreatta. Trial and error is a significant aspect of the process.

Frake said the concept of modeling is the same for the electronics aspect of the prototype. But, electronics starts with abstract coding. Frake tests ideas with the coding system to figure out what exactly they want the program to do.

Once they figure out the exact instructions, the team makes a schematic — a pictorial guide indicating how to put the components together, Frake said. This is used to assist in making prototype circuits. Once the design is perfected, a project member solders the electric wires together.

While some of the team members have specific roles like communications, electronics or modeling, Andreatta said all of the members contribute equally across the board. The team has been able to develop their individual skills to create an innovative design that can be used to improve others’ lives. Communication, teamwork and collaboration are just some of the skills these students can take to their future careers.

The team will present a demo of this machine Friday, April 28 from 12-2 p.m. in the atrium of the Engineering Centers Building at UW.

Senior engineering majors designed a rowing machine that can be converted for a user with a wheelchair. Left to right – Tim Tran, Annabel Frake, Roxie Reuter, Josh Andreatta, Sam Skirpan.

JOSH ANDREATTA. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING.

behind the game Science, sport join hands to improve athletes’ wellbeing

by Scott McInerney Science News Reporter

The roar of the crowd on a beautiful fall Saturday, the thumping of “Jump Around,” students counting Bucky’s pushups and Badger fans joining in arms to sing Varsity are all staples to a quintessential game day at Camp Randall.

The thrill of the game draws people from across the country to the University of Wisconsin, the home of Badger Athletics and the epitome of the Wisconsin Idea.

But, behind the scenes is a conglomeration of special people dedicating their lives to Bucky’s success.

School of Education professor Peter Miller has dedicated his career to the nuances of sportsmanship, wearing several hats within the athletics realm at UW. Miller understands the implications of athletics beyond the game itself.

“Athletics are a point of durable connections for kids and durable connections for families — even as maybe some other things are not always going as we want them,” Miller said.

Miller has served on the UW Athletics Board for almost 10 years and is currently the faculty director of the sports leadership masters program. Miller is also involved in a newer initiative at UW aimed at merging the worlds of sports and science entitled Badger Inquiry on Sport.

BIOS follows “the three C’s” — connect, catalyze and communicate. BIOS aims to connect with researchers on campus, conduct their own research and communicate UW research throughout Wisconsin, associate director of BIOS Maria Dehnert said.

BIOS associates researchers in areas such as nutrition, psychology, social sciences and medicine with the UW Athletics Department. The fruitful intersection of academics and athletics provides a rich body of data for research that

allows for a better-informed athletic department.

“Our goal really is to bring together campus and athletics in meaningful and purposeful ways. So this has been a really great experience to tie in both my passion for higher education and athletics and being the connector between the two,” Dehnert said.

The unique status of world class academics and top-tier athletics empowers UW to be at the forefront of research in sports science. Researchers in kinesiology, sports psychology and various other scientific fields all collaborate with UW Athletics, serving the goal of improving physical and mental health for all.

The Physical Game

From day one on the football team, sophomore Grover Bortolotti noticed the athletic staff’s emphasis on physical fitness. The football team works five days a week with strength trainers who tailor exercise routines for the athletes.

“Ever since I stepped foot on campus, the staff kind of ingrained [fitness] in your head,” Bortolottii said. “You need to get a routine and take care of your body so that you can perform at your highest level day in and day out.”

Concurrently, researchers at UW dedicate their time to understanding the science of the human body to serve the goal of universal physical activity.

Director of Research in the UW Badger Athletic Performance Lab Bryan Heiderscheit uses his background in physical therapy and sports medicine to research how athletic performance is connected to injury.

BAP runs a battery of tests on athletes in the preseason. Heiderscheit said athletes sprint, jump and balance to measure running mechanics, joint motion, force outputs and body control. These tests provide both data for research and a benchmark for returning from injury.

Injury is a common occurrence in sports. In fact, 3.2 million Americans had sports related injuries treated in the emergency room in

2021 and more than 3.5 million injuries occur each year in youth sports.

When a student-athlete gets injured, Heiderscheit said the lab will conduct tests more frequently to measure the pace of their recovery to their preseason status. In doing this, the lab supplies important data on the recovery process for a plethora of injuries and best practices for avoiding reinjury.

Some of this data gives researchers muchneeded information regarding risk factors for injuries. One study found less steps per minute in cross country runners increased risk of bone stress injury, and other studies found that factors in the preseason such as lower aerobic capacity — the bodies capacity for oxygen — or decreased sleep can lead to a greater risk of in-season injury.

Other studies look at progression of injury recovery, so researchers can determine the ideal time for an athlete to return to action — one study analyzed athletes running on a treadmill at four, six, eight and 12 months after ACL reconstruction surgeries to determine that running mechanics do not return to pre-injury levels within the first year.

“If you help somebody recover, that benchmark for recovering is dependent on what sport they play and what level they need to get back to,” Heiderscheit said. “So it makes a real interesting question and puzzle about how you go back to [preinjury status].”

Jennifer Sanfilippo is an athletic trainer and has worked in UW Athletics for 11 years. She works in BAP, where she aims to improve athletic health and welfare, both long- and short-term.

Sanfilippo said she has collaborated with Wisconsin Sleep, the Osteoporosis Research Center and many other research areas not traditionally linked to sports. These collaborations allow researchers to study more specific factors which might affect athletic performance or injury.

In this spirit, Heiderscheit continues to be amazed at how eager people at UW are to collaborate, even after spending over 20 years at the university.

“We do have an amazing sports program

here with our student athletes, but on the other side of the road, we have an incredible group of academic minds, scientific minds, who can really take on just about any questions we put to them and come up with some unique solutions to it,” Heiderscheit said.

BAP and UW Athletics collect their data from Division I athletes at peak performance, but the data can be used for anyone engaging in physical activity.

Heiderscheit said other programs like BAP translate sports research to high school athletics programs, community athletes and just about anyone in the general public so they can minimize risk of injury across all sports and maximize recovery from injuries.

“By making sure that we can help individuals at [the D-I level] return to that high-end sport performance, we can definitely do better for the general population in their daily lives,” Heiderscheit said. “So it’s almost like we’re trying to study the best of the best with a goal of applying that information to everyone.”

Similarly, master’s students in the Athletic Training program are able to obtain field experience at all levels, from D-I athletes to youth sports and medical clinics, according to associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology David Bell. Bell teaches in the Athletic Training program and is the director of the Wisconsin Injury in Sport Laboratory.

A key point of interest in the Wisconsin Injury in Sport Laboratory is the link between injury and sports specialization, or selecting one sport to play year-round.

Bell said the current landscape of youth sports is different than it was 20 to 30 years ago. Today, more athletes are being forced to specialize in one sport at younger ages, leading to greater risk of injury and burnout. And injury at a young age could affect them down the line.

“We see injuries that occurred when kids were younger and in older populations and [we see] how that affects their long-term health and well-being,” Bell said. “They just want to lay on the ground and play with their grandkids, and they can’t do that because they have this injury.”

Bell said more athletes are arriving at college programs “broken” because of their injury history — a cause of concern for college coaches.

To address this, Wisconsin Injury in Sport

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provides guidelines to support the health and wellbeing of children in youth sports. They recommend delaying specializing in a sport as long as possible, dedicating no more hours per week than one’s age in years and spending no more than eight months per year in one sport among others.

Both Wisconsin Injury in Sport and BAP apply various fields of sciences to conduct sports research, and it’s all rooted in the same goal — protecting healthy physical activity for everybody.

“I personally like to see people be active throughout their life,” Sanfilippo said. “But, inevitably, things do still happen in sport, and I don’t think we’re going to be able to prevent everything. So I also like to help make sure that their long term health outcomes go well for them.”

Athletes of all sorts know the importance of training the body. But when the stress of competition settles in, even the best athletes struggle to remain focused and resilient.

The Mental Game

Junior soccer player Rachel Dallet reminds herself of the mental game every day in practice, focusing on the game and not letting mistakes phase her.

“I think a lot of people need to think about the physical aspect, but a lot of it is mental,” Dallet said. “If you make a mistake, you’ve got to be able to just get over it quickly. Otherwise, the next play will go on and you’ll be far behind.”

UW has dedicated staff to research and training in sports psychology — a field that trains athletes’ minds to improve performance and ensure mental wellbeing.

Dr. David Lacoque has served as the director of Mental Health & Sport Psychology in UW Athletics for six years.

“I am somebody who truly finds his job meaningful… I look forward to it,” Lacoque said. “These are individuals who are trying to be excellent, and they’re trying very hard in a difficult context. And so to be a part of helping them along that journey is an opportunity that I feel grateful for.”

Because of the unique challenges, stressors and opportunities in the life of a studentathlete, Lacoque is using his role to destigmatize mental health conversations and make mental health resources more accessible and understandable for student athletes.

Lacoque runs a team of six mental health professionals serving as team liaisons who attend training and meetings and interact with student-athletes daily.

Sports psychology plays a huge role in athletic performance by training athletes with mental skills like self-talk — one’s inner voice

— or controlling mental imagery, which is mental perceptions not triggered by sensory input, Lacoque said. These skills are valuable in all facets of life but can be particularly useful to an athlete in competitive settings.

Lacoque said a basketball player at the free throw line must not focus on their thoughts as it can be distracting to their routine. But, a tennis player in between points might want to focus on their thoughts and give themself positive self-talk.

Lacoque relies on decades of psychology research to ensure the best outcomes.

“You could call [working with an individual] an art in terms of the application, but it’s also very much a science because a conversation with a mental health professional should be guided by things that have been shown to work,” Lacoque said.

Another facet of sports psychology is meditation, an emerging field in athletics. Chad McGehee is the director of meditation training at UW Athletics, a unique position UW spearheaded about three years ago. UW is the first major collegiate sports program to dedicate a position to applying meditation to athletics.

The position includes leading meditation training with teams, coaches and individuals as well as conducting research on successful meditation practices from existing datasets collected by the Athletics Department.

Meditation training is similar to strength conditioning for the mind, McGehee said. Rather than waiting for problems to arise, he equips athletes with mental skills through the practice of meditation. If an athlete does not engage in meditation training, they are leaving gains on the table, McGehee said.

“No athlete would ever take the field of competition without training their bodies, yet they do it all the time without training their mind,” McGehee said. “They talk about the importance of the mental game, but they don’t set aside time to train for high quality mental games.”

As someone who has experience leading meditation with FBI SWAT teams, Tier 1 tactical teams and C suite executives, McGehee brings a vibrant background of practical experience to his training sessions.

Amishi Jha from the University of Miami conducted a study that showed military personnel who engaged in a four-week training improved their attention and working memory over time compared to those who didn’t partake in any training.

When training the athletes, McGehee first discusses with them what skills they would like to develop. Once he shares the science behind his meditation techniques, he leads meditation sessions to help develop those skills and creates at-home training plans.

Bortolotti had weekly training sessions

with McGehee last year. He learned about the importance of mindfulness and how he can implement it in his life and football career. In his sessions with McGehee, Bortolotti started practicing Qigong — a martial art consisting of coordinated movements and breathing — which he found very useful in his performance.

In his first-ever game at Camp Randall, Bortolotti recalled being overwhelmed by the immense crowd. He employed a breathing technique he learned from McGehee to focus his mind and get through the play.

“I was standing right in the middle of the field and kind of just looked around [and] was like ‘woah, there’s a lot of people watching,’” Bortolotti said.

Besides training athletes, McGehee’s position aims to see how measurable outcomes such as performance and injuries are affected by meditation training. McGehee said he can apply his research findings to the athletes he trains within minutes.

“It’s not just science in the ivory tower,” McGehee said. “It’s science in the training room, on the practice field.”

Still in its early years, McGehee hopes the position will lead to discovery in how meditation contributes to and complements the field of sports psychology as well as pave the way for other universities to implement meditation training into their athletics programs.

Just as weightlifting became embedded in athletics over the last 50 to 60 years, meditation and mindfulness training could become an imperative part to a successful athlete’s training regimen in the future, McGegee said.

“I do feel with a lot of confidence that this work is just at the very beginning stages, and we’re going to see tremendous growth in the coming years,” McGehee said. “We have an opportunity here at the UW to really impact the way sport is trained for future generations.”

The good of the game

The abundance of sports-science initiatives come from the unique connection between UW’s athletics and academics. Whether it be fitness or mental health, research projects support the broader goal of improving sport and physical activity for people everywhere, not just Badger athletes.

BIOS emerged from a recognition of this special collaboration and its potential impacts.

“In concert with the Wisconsin Idea, we take what we’ve learned

about sport research and innovation, and we share it out with everybody,” Dehnert said. “People should know about it.”

BIOS has spent a lot of time over the past year focusing on youth sports. According to Dehnert, over 43 million young people participate in organized athletics in America. As a result, researchers want to use their data to ensure positive experiences at a young age which can lead to a brighter future — Project Play is one initiative aimed at furthering this goal.

Project Play hopes to ensure physical literacy for every child in America by age 12. Whether they go on to play college sports or recreational sports, young athletes will be equipped with good life skills for staying physically active and healthy.

Project Play details that participation in youth sports like baseball, basketball, football and softball are all trending down and, as a result, children are less physically active. The playbook advises families to encourage children to sample other sports, allow children to play on their own terms and encourage fun in their physical activity.

Hundreds of organizations across the country have used the project to structure their youth sports programs. Information from the program is available to coaches, children and parents alike.

BIOS translates sports science data, publishes commentary and provides resources, such as Project Play, for coaches, parents and everyone to access. These communication efforts are imperative to making the research at groups such as WIS, BAP and BIOS strive toward a brighter, healthier future.

Planting the seeds of healthy physical activity through youth sports is important for ensuring long-term health outcomes, but the positive impacts of sports, young or old, extends far beyond the game.

“The lessons that [sports] give kids and adults alike haven’t changed,” Dehnert said. “What it means to be a part of a team, what it means to be competitive, to exhibit skills of grit and resilience … [Sports] do good. It’s not only a health thing, but what it does for you mentally and physically, I think is unmatched.” DESIGN BY CAITLIN THIES AND CAROLINE CROWLEY.

‘Driver’s licenses for all’ is necessary for broader immigration reform

by Celia Hiorns Opinion Editor

The morning of Tuesday, March 7, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota signed the Driver’s Licenses for All bill into law, surrounded by supportive activists and lawmakers. As only the most recent state to offer driving privileges to unauthorized immigrants, Minnesota’s efforts have reignited similar movements here in Wisconsin.

Conversations about “driver’s licenses for all” cannot be had without understanding the implications of RealID. Passed on a federal level in 2005, the RealID Act establishes minimum security standards for issuing driver’s licenses, which allow people to enter certain federal buildings, nuclear power plants and board commercial airplanes.

Intentionally or not, the RealID Act places undue burdens on certain populations, like many other pieces of legislation that have emerged in the years following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

For example, obtaining a RealID requires disclosure of a full legal name, date of birth,

social security number, two proofs of address and lawful status.

As a result of not being able to satisfy these prerequisites, unauthorized immigrants are particularly impacted by RealID. According to the Migration Policy Institute, there are about 70,000 unauthorized people in Wisconsin, the vast majority of whom are from Central America. For this reason, Latinx leaders have been at the forefront of “driver’s licenses for all,” arguing the provision is a necessary step forward.

Just like any other Wisconsin residents, unauthorized immigrants have work and school obligations. In Wisconsin in particular, this is becoming increasingly difficult without a personal vehicle as public transportation is deteriorating, becoming less reliable for those who need to get to places like work on time.

But for many unauthorized immigrants, driving to work every day is dreadful, as they fear legal consequences for driving without

a license. The situation is even worse in eight Wisconsin counties, which allow regular sheriffs to act as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in certain circumstances, according to Wisconsin Watch.

Another argument for driver’s licenses for all is rooted in the need for labor. According to Wisconsin Watch, undocumented immigrants are the “backbone” of Wisconsin dairy farms. Family farmers have come to rely on this labor. Despite the Republican political affiliation of most of these farmers, many advocate for driver’s licenses for all so their employees can reliably get to work.

Evidently, implementation of “driver’s licenses for all” policies has the potential to create broad social benefits across the political spectrum.

Additionally, some advocates posit that creating pathways for unauthorized immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses would create safer roads for all drivers. In a February budget

address, Gov. Tony Evers appealed to this argument, as well as to the needs of Wisconsin dairy farmers and workers.

Republicans have dismissed Evers’ calls for driver’s licenses for all in his recent budget proposal, explaining that they won’t discuss “non-fiscal” issues in budget negotiations. But this response represents years of putting this issue on the back burner. According to Wisconsin Watch, Wisconsin used to provide a pathway for unauthorized immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses until 2007. At that point, the Republicancontrolled Wisconsin Legislature passed its own RealID law that prevented anyone who entered the country illegally from obtaining a driver’s license.

Today, Wisconsin law allows people to obtain identification cards that are not RealIDcompliant, which have some limited use outside of federal purposes. But these cards also require proof of legal residence, leaving them out of reach for many.

For the sake of humane, equitable treatment of unauthorized immigrants, supporting the labor market on dairy farms and promoting safer roads, creating pathways for “driver’s licenses for all” is a necessary provision. But it’s important to caution those who believe this is a sufficient measure.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, states around the country are enacting more inclusive policies, perhaps reflecting a change in attitudes toward unauthorized immigrants. In addition to “driver’s licenses for all,” the Wisconsin Legislature must increase access to educational financial aid, fortify workers’ rights, expand health care access, offer legal representation and, most fundamentally, simplify the path to legal citizenship.

“Driver’s licenses for all” is just one small part of ensuring fair treatment of unauthorized immigrants, but systemic change can’t be achieved without broader immigration reform.

That being said, “driver’s licenses for all” is a tangible place to start in creating equitable living standards for unauthorized immigrants. Despite public unwillingness to discuss the provision, some Wisconsin lawmakers say Republicans have been willing to talk about the issue privately, according to Wisconsin Watch.

America’s conscience is changing. Increasingly, unauthorized immigrants are contributing to American labor markets, society and culture. The era of ostracizing people for their legal status must come to an end. As a viable step forward, “driver’s licenses for all” policies may be the kind of legislation we need to encourage broader immigration reform in Wisconsin and beyond.

Celia Hiorns (hiorns@wisc.edu) is a sophomore studying journalism and political science.

Amidst calls to expand driver’s licenses pathways, Wisconsin must adopt progressive “driver’s license for all,” other progressive immigration reforms

The Driver’s Licences for All bill in Minnesota raises questions for the future of Wisconsin residents who are unauthorized immigrants.

AINA MOHD NASER THE BADGER HERALD.

Decison to appoint new Wisconsin secretary of state

Point: Appointment is acceptable, Republican backlash is political Counterpoint: Evers must listen to will of the people, call special election

by Emily Otten Opinion Associate Editor

Evers’ decision to appoint Godlewski without a special election has been met with criticism from Republicans.

A Wisconsin statute states that the governor of Wisconsin can call a special election to fill a cabinet position if they choose, but simply appointing a cabinet member to this position poses no legal problems. Republicans in the legislature are criticizing the move claiming that Evers must hold a special election to fill the position in order to best suit the needs of the people.

Since Evers was elected in the most recent election by the people, and the appointment of Godlewski is perfectly legal. According to Wisconsin Public Radio, Evers should not have to hold a special election for the secretary of state position. Republicans posit that the people were not able to choose who they wanted for the Secretary of State position because of the appointment.

But the people elected a Democratic governor with appointment power, so in a sense, they gave delegated cabinet decisions to Evers.

Contrary to Republican criticisms, Evers is not being undemocratic by not holding a special election. A special election for such a role would likely take a lot of time and resources to complete, so the role would be empty for some time. Evers was acting

within the law in his appointment and filled the role in the most efficient manner.

The complaints Republicans are making are not necessarily genuine. The main reason Republicans would benefit from a special election is the chance that a Republican could be elected into the position. Over the course of LaFollette’s tenure, the Republican legislature has stripped the Secretary of State of most of its power. So currently, the party of the person in the office has little importance.

Therefore, the argument that the people should decide is in the interest of the Republican Party, not in the people’s interest.

Critically, Republicans are starting discussions about delegating more election administration responsibilities to the Secretary of State. This would likely only occur if a Republican was elected to the position, which raises valid concerns, considering the efforts of some Wisconsin Republicans to decertify the 2020 presidential election results.

Ultimately, Evers should not have to host a special election to fill the position of Wisconsin Secretary of State because his appointment is legal and the people chose to elect a Democratic governor and cabinet.

Emily Otten (elotten@wisc.edu) is a junior studying journalism.

by Jack Rogers Opinion Associate Editor

La Follette has held the position of Secretary of State for nearly 50 years. In his resignation letter, La Follette cited his frustration at the resources and powers that have waned over the years as why he chose to step down. The office used to hold more robust powers, yet now is relegated to a cramped office in the basement of the Capitol.

Evers’ new appointment is highly controversial, especially among state Republicans. Under Wisconsin law, Governor Evers can make an appointment under such circumstances, but he could call for a special election to allow voters to elect a new Secretary instead.

So, when Evers appointed a Democrat — who failed in her bid for U.S. Senate last year — to fill an elected cabinet position so quickly after the beginning of a term, voters have a right to feel disgruntled.

Godlewski, the new Secretary, did not make it out of the partisan primary last Senate election. Wisconsin Republicans see this recent appointment as a quid pro quo in which Evers offered Godlewski a “soft landing” in return for conceding to Mandela Barnes.

La Follette barely won his own election. The race between La Follette and his Republican opponent, Amy Loudenbeck, came down to 7,442 votes. Given the highly competitive nature of the election for Secretary of State, Evers’ choice to appoint a new Secretary that Wisconsin

voters did not vote for instead of holding a special election is an undemocratic move that ignores the will of the people.

Yes, Wisconsin Republicans have openly talked about eliminating the bipartisan Wisconsin Election Commission that oversees elections and giving the power to the Secretary of State. Doing so would place Wisconsin election results directly in partisan hands.

Though the Republican majority in the legislature could push such a move through, it has not happened yet because of La Follette’s Democratic occupation of the office. The Republican motivation to hold a special election is quite clear — replacing La Follette with a Republican who has no problem bending to the GOP’s will.

Yet even with this understanding, Evers’ choice not to call a special election to maintain Democratic control over the office of the secretary of state remains offensive to the Wisconsin electorate. Voters simply didn’t choose Godlewski.

This early into the term, Godlewski will remain in office for over three more years — without consent from the people of Wisconsin. Given the increasingly polarized battles over power in government, the time to let voters decide — rather than the political establishment — must be restored.

Jack Rogers (jkrogers3@wisc.edu) is a freshman studying economics and Chinese.

AHMAD HAMID THE BADGER HERALD.

After longtime Wisconsin Secretary of State Doug LaFollette stepped down from his position, Gov. Tony Evers appointed Sarah Godlewski, the former State Treasurer to the position. This controversial move has drawn questions about whether Evers should have held a special election, which is allowed by state law. Is concern over the appointment merely political, or would a special election be the most democratic move?

The hard reality about legalizing sports betting in Wisconsin

Wisconsin must consider benefits, risks to legalizing sports betting for casinos, residents, Native American tribes amid national push

by Fiona Hatch Opinion Editor

Wisconsin is home to many dedicated sports fans.

It is home to a Big Ten University and the Green Bay Packers, who have won more national championships than any other team in the National Football League, sports games are a common staple for household entertainment. While the Badgers didn’t make the cut for March Madness 2023, Wisconsinites still make up a decent portion of the sports-watching audience, whether in person or tuning in on TV.

Despite the popularity of the industry across the state, Wisconsin has yet to formally legalize a significant income-maker associated with sports games — sports betting.

Sports betting is the practice of predicting the results of a sports match and placing a monetary wager on the outcome. The national ban on the practice was lifted in 2018, when the Supreme Court struck down a 1992 federal law banning commercial sports betting in the U.S.

Since then, 33 states and the District of Columbia have legalized gambling on sports. With states bordering Wisconsin like Illinois and Iowa having legalized the practice, many in the Badger state are calling for their own government to follow suit.

As of 2023, the Oneida Casino in Green Bay is the only place in Wisconsin where retail sports betting is offered.

As demand for sports betting rises, Wisconsin faces a hard choice — whether or not to legalize the practice state-wide.

The biggest argument for legalizing sports betting is an economic one. Sports betting proponents often highlight the financial profits states could rake in by legalizing the practice. Research conducted by the American Gaming Association found that legalizing sports betting across all 50 states could bring in over $8 billion in local taxes, and over $22.4 billion to the national GDP.

The AGA’s report also found that legal sports betting operations bring in jobs as well, with the Association estimating over $11 billion in total labor income nationally.

It’s also crucial to consider who might benefit from these labor profits. Native American tribal casinos and their significance stem from a long history of tribal independence and state suppression of Native American sovereignty.

The land that most tribes were allocated in their reservations lacked decent arable soil or sufficient water sources, rendering forms of economic income such as farming unprofitable.

Since the 1990s, tribes in Wisconsin have established over two dozen Native Americanoperated casinos across the state that bring in over $1 billion dollars of net revenue annually. The state benefits economically from these profits as well — of this billion dollar profit, the Wisconsin government takes

working poor.

Legalizing sports betting for Native American casinos in Wisconsin could only increase these positive consequences for the state’s tribal population.

There are concerns about the consequences of sports betting, however. The most

It is proven that compulsive gambling can harm personal relationships, interfere with one’s daily life and lead to financial problems such as bankruptcy. As such, conerns about legalizing sports betting are warranted.

Like any addiction, compulsive behavior such as sports betting can debilitate gamblers. But it is important to put this knowledge into context.

There is no true way to ban all gambling, only regulated gambling. Ultimately, it might be safer to offer legal sports betting at established casinos, rather than run the risk of forcing gamblers underground.

For those concerned about promoting addiction, the best course of action is to increase and endorse rehabilitation centers and resources rather than shutting down the conversation entirely by prohibiting a practice that will continue to occur regardless.

Sports betting is a challenging topic to broach. By capitalizing on legalized gambling, the economic potential for the state could bring in a new avenue of funding for policies that need more of the state’s budget to get off the ground. Legalizing sports betting could also disproportionately help tribal governments, which have been historically reliant on casinos to bring in income.

This said, the potential social harm of promoting sports betting cannot be wholly avoided and should not be overlooked — but the solution to mitigating the risk of betting on sports is not to prohibit the practice and punish those that take part, particularly when several states across the U.S. have lifted their own respective bans.

At the end of the day, sports betting is officially legal in the United States. Whether or not Wisconsin is to legalize it at the state level, those who want to play the odds on matches have an avenue to do so in other states. And regulating betting at the individual level is near impossible regardless of whether retail sports betting is allowed.

The best option to maximize the benefits of sports betting while minimizing addiction is to raise awareness about the risk of gambling while funneling more funding into addiction rehabilitation centers.

Fiona Hatch (fhatch@badgerherald.com) is a senior studying political science and international studies.

in about $50-100 million.

For tribes, some positive impacts of casinos have been positive. Research shows that after four years of operation, tribes with working casinos saw a population increase of 11.5% in young adults, a 2.6% increase in adult employment and a 14% decline in the

prominent of these are moral questions of gambling addiction.

Gambling is classified by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as “persistent and recurrent problematic gambling behavior leading to clinically significant impairment or distress.”

Resources regarding problem gambling: National Problem Gambling Helpline: Call: 1-800-522-4700

Text: 1-800-522-4700

Chat: ncpgambling.org/chat

Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling: Call: 1-800-426-2535

Text: 850-888-4673

Sports betting can bring jobs and crucial revenue to Wisconsin.

JUSTIN MIELKE. THE BADGER HERALD.

Editorial Board: Issues to watch after Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election

by Badger Herald Editorial Board

Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election between liberal judge Janet Protasiewicz and conservative judge Daniel Kelly set high stakes for both parties. A liberalleaning Supreme Court could be the only way to counteract a reliably Republican legislature. But Kelly’s victory could insulate Republicans from any significant power challenges for years to come. Within the context of such a critical race, here are four issues to watch as election results unfold.

Recusal

As a side effect of a competitive election climate, interest group spending in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election has been exorbitant. According to WisPolitics data from mid-March, spending totals reached $27 million. The Brennan Center’s Buying Time 2023 database reveals outside groups alone have spent more than $7 million on television and radio ads that will run through election day. Further, campaign finance records show partisan and other interest groups have donated to both candidates’ campaigns.

Such contributions and expenditures raise concerns about interest groups holding influence over an election for a supposedly nonpartisan government office. Some of these groups may eventually be involved in cases before the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Current rules allow justices to decide when to recuse themselves, or abstain, from cases when personal interests may influence their ability to rule impartially.

This system lacks accountability for justices who have the discretion to reward their supporters or punish their critics. According to Wisconsin Public Radio, Kelly supports this system, arguing that adopting a standard would be too difficult. But this position is dismissive of the looming reality — Supreme Court elections are deeply political.

While Protasiewicz is unsure how to create a standard, she does advocate for a rule that takes the decision out of justices’ hands. Ultimately, adopting a recusal rule is the only way to maintain a sense of justice within the chaos of unfettered outside influence.

Abortion

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Wisconsin’s abortion policy defaulted an 1849 ban that criminalizes the provision of an abortion. In opposition to the ban, Attorney General Josh Kaul and Gov. Tony Evers filed a lawsuit, which is expected to stand before the Wisconsin

Supreme Court.

Protasiewicz has said her personal values reflect the right to choose. She added that any judicial decisions she makes will be rooted in constitutional law, not “right-wing partisan beliefs.”

Conversely, Kelly was endorsed by the Wisconsin Right to Life PAC, which doesn’t support abortion exceptions in cases of rape and incest. The group says it supports exceptions when the life of the mother is at risk. But Wisconsin’s current laws regarding this exception are too vague. As a result, some seeking miscarriage management are unable to access it because miscarriage treatment often involves a dilation and curettage procedure, which is also the standard for abortion. Thus, physicians are reluctant to treat miscarriages, according to Wisconsin Watch. If untreated, this can lead a person who is miscarrying to bleed to death or develop a life-threatening infection.

These bare-minimum exceptions tell Wisconsinites they don’t deserve a right to bodily autonomy, and Kelly’s victory would reinforce this belief. A conservative state Supreme Court could mean Wisconsinites may only be able to receive reproductive healthcare in circumstances deemed morally acceptable by conservatives.

Voter laws

Voting regulations are another issue that will touch the lives of thousands of eligible Wisconsin voters — regardless of the election outcome. Policies that affect the ability for eligible voters to participate in democracy include those regarding absentee ballots, ballot drop boxes, voter ID and registration laws — even being considered an eligible voter.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court recently banned the use of absentee ballot drop boxes and requiring a photo ID for voter registration. Both of these laws adversely affect marginalized communities, as absentee drop boxes increase voting access for disabled and low-income people who may not have transportation to polls. Similarly, photo ID laws create barriers for those who, again, don’t have access to reliable transportation since obtaining a photo ID requires getting to a DMV or other government office.

Protasiewicz said she will change the rules laid out in these rulings if elected. This would return voting abilities to many Wisconsin voters who lost them within the past few years. A victory by Kelly, however, would likely mean a continued streak of voter suppression by a majority conservative court.

Currently, individuals in Wisconsin convicted of felonies serving their sentence are not permitted to vote. With Black

adults making up 42% of the state’s prison population but only 6% of its overall population in 2021, this creates a disturbing racial disparity in who is allowed to vote in Wisconsin. Depending on the result of this election, this issue may improve or worsen — with Protasiewicz potentially granting voting rights to felons serving time, and Kelly potentially revoking voting rights from all convicted felons.

Whether it be further voter disenfranchisement or attempts to restore voting access to underserved communities, this election has much at stake for the future of democracy in Wisconsin.

Redistricting

Wisconsin’s political district maps have been described as the most gerrymandered in the country. The current political district maps were selected in 2021 after the Supreme Court decided to adopt maps submitted by Gov. Tony Evers and the Republican-controlled Legislature. The adopted maps were required to have minimal changes from the maps in 2011 in adherence to a methodology known as “least change.”

But, the maps drawn in 2011 were also drawn by Republicans to heavily favor their own political party, as evidenced by the GOP’s strong control of both houses of the legislature from 2011 to 2021, even in years when Democrats did well in statewide elections.

Kelly is in favor of the ‘‘least change’’ methodology and Wisconsin’s current political maps. Kelly has said during a candidate forum that courts must avoid the idea of fairness in political maps as it is a political question — not a legal one.

Protasiewicz has openly expressed her opposition to the current state of the political maps in Wisconsin, calling them rigged on several occasions. Protasiewicz said in an interview with the Cap Times she would reevaluate the maps if elected, as the dominant Republican majorities in the Legislature are not reflective of Wisconsin’s close statewide elections.

Having a conservative or a liberal majority within the Wisconsin Supreme Court has major implications for the 2024 presidential election. The outcome of the Supreme Court race will determine if gerrymandered political maps will be reassessed, which directly influences how Wisconsin will swing in the 2024 election.

The Badger Herald Editorial Board serves to represent the voice of the editorial department, distinct from the newsroom and does not necessarily reflect the views of each staff member.

Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election will decide ideological balance of court, policy implications for future

Abortion, voter laws and redistricting are all things that may face changes after the April 4 state Supreme Court election.

MAIZONG VANG. THE BADGER HERALD.

Drag performances bring positivity to local communities

Various states drafting legislation to ban drag shows threaten LGBTQ communities

by Julia Vetsch ArtsEtc. Reporter

Drag brunches are one of the most vivacious sources of entertainment sweeping bars and restaurants across the country. Performers in drag brunches host themed shows full of lip-syncing, extravagant costumes, positivity and audience engagement, all accompanied by delicious food and bottomless mimosas.

Oak Rowan Foodie describes drag brunches as events “where you can let loose and have a mimosa with strangers who pull you to the dance floor to go crazy.”

Drag brunches often feature dance, comedy performances and artists dressed up in bedazzled outfits and colorful wigs lip-syncing to your favorite pop song. These brunches are meant as a fun way to let loose and have fun. But these harmless events are being threatened by some U.S. politicians who fear their effects on children.

According to Time Magazine, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee recently signed into law a bill prohibiting “adult cabaret performances” in places where minors could be present. At least 14 other states, including Arizona, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas are introducing similar bills, inciting fear in the LGBTQ+ community and the institutions that host drag brunches and other drag performances.

Tennessee is the only state that has passed the law so far, but performers and affiliates of drag performances are concerned about the implications of these anti-drag bills.

Though not all of these proposed bills are explicitly banning drag, they are making performances less accessible, especially to minors and generally labeling drag as dangerous, provocative and inappropriate.

The writer of Nebraska’s proposed bill to ban anyone under the age of 19 from attending drag shows, Sen. Dave Murman, said these bills are meant to “protect children.”

“Perverted adults are obsessed with sexualizing young children,” Texas State Rep. Bryan Slaton said in a statement.

“These performers are, in my view, disgusting,” former Arizona State Sen. Vince Leach complained to NPR.

The personal views and biases of conservative politicians could criminalize and stigmatize an important art form, and these proposed bills would have serious consequences for drag performances.

According to the Arizona Mirror, Arizona’s proposed law would label institutions that include drag performances as “adult-oriented businesses,” which usually only applies to strip clubs. Additionally, under this law, artists that perform to minors under 15 years old would be forced to register as sex offenders and face up

to 10 years in prison. While Wisconsin’s state government has not yet introduced an anti-drag bill, the amount of criminalizing bills from other states threatens drag everywhere.

Of course, labeling drag as harmful is a false generalization — drag is a valuable art for the LGBTQ+ community and is appreciated by members and non-members of the community alike. It is meant for self-expression and entertainment, not for corrupting children.

“Drag actually saved my life… I don’t even want to imagine a life where I can’t be the person that I worked so hard to finally figure out who I am,” drag queen Timothy Sherwood said to CNN. “To have that fully ripped away, that would be soul crushing.”

Lots of drag performances, especially drag brunches, are not explicit or provocative and are sometimes even geared toward children. Some libraries host the national organization Drag Queen Story Hour, where drag queens read books to children while dressed in character. Madison’s Pinney Public Library and the Madison Children’s Museum have been known to occasionally host these storytelling events, and they can also be found at State Street’s Colectivo Coffee shop during Pride Month, along with other Colectivo locations.

Such events are also facing possible banishment through the new bills. These proposed bills insinuate drag itself is threatening to children when the reality is that many children who view or interact with drag queens are just excited to see someone dressed in sparkly outfits.

The kinds of bills being written are not only a threat to the businesses hosting drag performances and the performers themselves but to the LGBTQ+ community as a whole.

Drag is an important form of self-expression to many members of the community. For many, it allows for community building and a feeling of belonging. Many performers report finally feeling comfortable in their own skin and that they have found a familial connection through drag.

Drag brunches have become a well-known type of weekend entertainment in recent years and are only increasing in popularity.

If interested in attending a local drag brunch, some restaurants in Madison that host these events are Vintage Brewing Company and The Rigby Pub. Drag Bingo was at the Red Rooster March 29 and donated a portion of its proceeds to local LGBTQ+ charities. Another local drag opportunity can be found at the Sylvee when the Emmy Award-winning reality competition show, RuPaul’s Drag Race, comes to Madison Aug. 3.

Movies to watch for at 25th annual Wisconsin Film Festival

by Ethan Wright ArtsEtc. Reporter

The 25th Wisconsin Film Festival is coming to Madison from April 13-20 to display cinema from around the world as well as local films, offering a combination of newer and older works that promote art and creativity.

The festival started in 1999 with the hopes of unearthing films for students and the surrounding community that might not have had the chance of being shown in the area.

On campus, films will be shown at Memorial Union’s Shannon Hall, the Chazen Museum of Art, the University of Wisconsin Cinematheque and Marquee at Union South. Hilldale Cinemas 1, 5 and 6 will be hosting films off campus.

Every current UW student just has to show their Wiscard to attend any of the festival’s 150 available screenings for free, according to the festival’s website. General admission is $12 for each film.

Here is a list of some of the most exciting showings.

Thursday, April 13

“Luxembourg, Luxembourg” (2022) | 7:00 p.m. | Shannon Hall

April 13, the Wisconsin Film Festival kicks off with a showing of the comedy “Luxembourg, Luxembourg.” Released last fall, Ukrainian filmmaker Antonio Lukich’s second feature film follows twin brothers that live opposite lives. Vasya, a police officer and Kolya, a drug dealer, intend to find the father that abandoned them when they were children after hearing news that he is dying.

Friday, April 14

“The Connection” (1961) | 5:30 p.m. | Chazen Museum of Art York after only a couple of screenings due to its provocative subject matter and language. Following a legal battle, “The Connection” was put back into theaters and went on to achieve acclaim. Manohla Dargis, co-chief film critic of the New York Times, is scheduled to attend and discuss women and film following the screening.

“Next Door” (2022) | 8:30 p.m. | Shannon Hall

After a night of drinking, Chan-Woo, a student training to become a police officer, blacks out and wakes up in his next door neighbor’s apartment, forgetting everything about the night before. He also finds the corpse of a body in the middle of the room. The thriller-comedy is the directorial debut for South Korean filmmaker, Yeom-Ji Ho.

Secret Screening | 8:15 p.m. | Marquee at Union South

A secret screening is planned for the evening of April 14. The details have been kept hidden, but filmmakers are scheduled to attend.

Saturday, April 15

“Beyond Human Nature” (2023) | 4:00 p.m. | Marquee at Union South

Tom Monfils, a paper mill worker in Green Bay, Wisconsin, disappeared in 1992. A few days later, he was found murdered at the bottom of a paper pulp vat. This documentary directed by Wisconsin’s own, Michael Nelson, details the investigation of Monfils death in the hopes of bringing justice using personal accounts from people who lived through it.

“Showing Up” (2022) | 6:45 p.m. | Marquee at Union South

On the heels of critically acclaimed “First Cow,” Kelly Reichardt’s newest feature film follows an artist, played by Michelle Williams, with a fast-approaching and potentially career altering exhibition. This is the fourth film Williams and Reichardt have worked on together. The drama comedy focuses on the creation of art and the inspiration life has on it.

Sunday, April 16

“Joyland” (2022) | 5:00 p.m. | Marquee at Union South

The first Pakistani film to ever premiere at Cannes, Saim Sadiq’s feature debut, “Joyland,” went on to win the Jury Prize and the Queer Palm prize for best LGBTQ themed movie at the festival.

Haider, the youngest son of a family living in patriarchy, joins an exotic dance group. He hides this from his wife and family as he begins to fall for Biba, a trans woman who is the group’s lead dancer. The film details repression and desire where each character is fighting to be themselves.

“Army of Darkness” (1992) | 6:30 p.m. | Chazen Museum of Art

Tuesday, April 18

“Mother and Son” (2022) | 12:30 p.m. | Hilldale Cinema 6

French filmmaker Léonor Serraille’s “Mother and Son” tells the story of Rose and her two sons, Jean and Ernest, moving from the Ivory Coast to a suburb in Paris in the late 1980s. The film takes place over 20 years and highlights their happiest moments as well as the adversity they face.

“Chop & Steele” (2022) | 6:15 p.m. | Hilldale Cinema 6

This documentary stars Nick Prueher and Joe Pickett, life-long friends and professional comedians. One of their more popular stunts involves Chop and Steel, a fake strongman duo. The pair would go on morning news shows, pranking unsuspecting hosts. Their antics would go viral, but one news station didn’t find the joke very funny and decided to sue them in federal court. The impending lawsuit puts their comedic integrity and friendship to the test.

Pickett and Prueher will be in attendance and hold a Q&A after the screening.

Wednesday, April 19

“The Trial” (1962) | 5:15 p.m. | Hilldale Cinema 5

Directed by Orson Welles and starring Anthony Perkins (“Psycho”), “The Trial,” based on the novel by Franz Kafka, depicts the story of an office worker arrested and prosecuted without ever being made aware of the charges he is being accused of. A parody on the legal system and bureaucracy, the film is one of Welles’ most underrated pieces of work.

“Sick of Myself” (2022) | 8:15 p.m. | Hilldale Cinema 1

“Sick of Myself” is a

DESIGN BY CAROLINE CROWLEY.

comedy-drama film directed by Kristoffer Borgli that premiered at Cannes.

Bob Murawski is scheduled to attend a Q&A following the showing to discuss his career.

Monday, April 17

“I Like It Here” (2022) | 12:30 p.m. | Hilldale Cinema 5

“I Like It Here” follows filmmaker Ralph Arlyck as he visits friends and family to talk about life and aging. Carrying a comedic while serious tone, Arlyck explores the joy of living and taking advantage of the time that remains.

The experienced filmmaker is scheduled to attend and hold a Q&A session following the film.

“The Beasts” (2022) | 8:00 p.m. | Hilldale Cinema 6

Olga and Antoine, a well-off French couple living in a small village in Galicia, Spain butt heads with their neighbors over the economical impacts of a wind turbine project. Tensions rise as the locals begin to toy with their foreign counterparts leading to a severe tipping point.

The psychological thriller directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen won nine Goya Awards, Spain’s most prestigious trophy in film.

It portrays Signe and Thomas, a couple that is constantly competing with each other. After Thomas begins gaining some success as an artist, Signe decides to one-up her boyfriend by going to extreme and self-destructive lengths in order to reclaim the spotlight.

Thursday, April 20

“Sanctuary” (2022) | 6:15 p.m. | Hilldale Cinema 1

“Sanctuary” stars Christopher Abbott, heir to a hotel chain, and his dominatrix, Margaret Qualley, as he attempts to end their relationship. Set in a single night in only one location, the psychological bouts Qualley and Abbott go through provide intense twists and turns. Drawing comparisons to “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Zachary Wigon’s second feature film will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

“How to Blow up a Pipeline” (2022) | 8:15 p.m. | Hilldale Cinema 1

“Ocean’s Eleven” meets “A Man Escaped” in this crime-thriller directed by Daniel Goldhaber. “How to Blow up a Pipeline” details a group of young environmental activists plotting to disrupt an oil pipeline project. Praised for its cinematography, editing and score, the film has achieved acclaim from critics.

For a full schedule and description of all the films, check out the Wisconsin Film Festival Guide in the latest edition of the Isthmus.

Films will be free to students, shown at Memorial Union, Union South, Cinematheque, Hilldale Cinemas

Men’s Basketball: How to improve atmosphere during basketball games

We examine what contributed to season of low energy from Badger Faithful

by Brett Huser Sports Reporter

As the 2022-2023 college basketball season concludes, there seems to be a general consensus among fans, students and faculty that the overall atmosphere and energy from the crowd in the Kohl Center was subpar this season.

Aside from an impressive postseason tournament run in the NIT, the Wisconsin’s men’s basketball program had a rather underwhelming season. They were not selected in the field of 68 for the NCAA tournament and finished 11th in the Big Ten standings.

Some could point to the regular season performance as a culprit for the low energy, but considering how consistent and competitive the program is, coupled with how passionate of a college sports town Madison is, this should never be an excuse for lack of support.

Some blame alumni and regular admission, specifically in the lower bowl, for not bringing enough energy and support. Others argue that the “AreaRED” student section was lacking its usual liveliness.

Men’s Basketball Director, Ben McLenaghan, weighed in on the issue and what the main causes may be.

“It’s very easy to put the blame on one group

of people, but at the end of the day it’s a collective issue,” he said. “One thing I can pinpoint that would help all parties is for a culture shift to happen. Right now I would consider [Wisconsin] as more of a football school. We don’t have a culture that is strongly built around basketball, and that seems to be the biggest difference between us and other schools in the conference like Purdue or Michigan State.”

While there isn’t a solution to get fans to cheer louder or more passionately, one aspect that could be assessed is attendance. In the 17 games played at the Kohl Center this year, the average attendance per game was 13,288. This is a sizable drop-off from last year, where the average attendance per game was at 16,505.

A straightforward solution to get more seats filled would be to reduce the price of tickets. If the team is noticeably struggling, this is a sacrifice that could prove beneficial.

However, total attendance may not exist as a direct contributor to the lack of energy in the arena. There were a few instances throughout the season in which an abundance or shortage of fans seated in the lower and student sections is what determined the overall energy level.

“It’s a quality over quantity thing sometimes,” McLenaghan said. “Over the winter break games,

there was a large overall attendance but there were no students, making it a dry atmosphere. There was also the Rutgers game which directly conflicted with Lily’s Classic (an annual hockey tournament fundraiser), leaving AreaRED nearly empty.”

A contrary example would be the final home game of the year, in which the Badgers hosted the Liberty Flames in the second round of the NIT. Played on a Sunday morning during Spring break, tickets went for a season low, with lower bowl tickets going for roughly $30. This led to a packed lower bowl around the entire arena.

“The NIT game only had an attendance of about 10,000 and many say it was one of the best atmospheres we had all season, so I don’t think total attendance is always a direct contributor to a weak atmosphere,” McLenaghan said.

While the AreaRED student section performed well in terms of attendance, specifically in games where there was a promotion or student giveaway, there is ongoing buzz and concern that the section doesn’t have that strong of an impact compared to other schools throughout the country.

The student section, as it stands, consists of sections 114, 115 and 116, positioned on the lower bowl behind the basket on the East end of the arena. The rest of the student section is scattered above on the 2nd and 3rd levels. The students stranded in these upper sections have minimal impact on the game.

A solution to this problem would be to rearrange the layout of the student section, possibly wrapping it around the lower bowl to fit more students in an area closer to the court. Duke, one of the most prolific college basketball programs of the past 40 years, utilizes this approach. Their student section, known as the Cameron Crazies, wraps all the way around the lower level. This creates a very hostile environment for visiting teams and has helped give Duke a phenomenal home-court advantage.

While this would be rather ambitious to pull off, a simpler solution would be to put another student section behind the basket on the other end of the stadium.

McLenaghan sees this as a more realistic option if the section were to be rearranged.

“For the wrap-around concept, our physical space in the Kohl center may not be conducive for that type of setup, as I imagine it would block some views,” he said. “We saw students on opposite ends at the Kohl Center Classic volleyball game back in September, and that was a really cool arrangement. So that’s a more realistic and feasible solution that I feel could work really well.”

Regardless of what the underlying cause is or who is to blame for this problem, the Badger community and fanbase should come together to find a solution to strengthen the electric Kohl Center atmosphere.

The student section in the Kohl Center may not be as impressive as other student sections across the country.

JUSTIN MIELKE. THE BADGER HERALD.

Women’s Hockey: Roller coaster season ends in ecstasy for Badgers

In season of ups, downs, Badgers cap it off with 7th NCAA title

by Anthony Winker Sports Reporter

All year long, the University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team faced doubters and adversity. They were never ranked number one in the country and they finished third place in their own conference. And yet, the season ended victoriously for Wisconsin as they hoisted the national championship trophy in the season’s final game.

The Badgers (29-10-2) capped off a tumultuous season by going on a magical run in the NCAA Tournament, defeating the top-3 seeds in reverse order on the way to winning their NCAA-leading seventh national championship at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minnesota.

In doing so, the Badgers broke a tie with archrival Minnesota at the top of the list.

It was a rollercoaster of a season, defined by three main things.

Adversity all season

The Badgers faced adversity dating all the way back to the offseason.

Two-thirds of UW’s fabulous top line from last season, Daryl Watts, Casey O’Brien and Makenna Webster, were gone as was All-American defender Grace Bowlby. Watts and Bowlby each were fifthyear seniors, but Webster’s departure was a bit more unexpected – she transferred out of UW to rival Ohio State.

Despite the shift, the roster was infused with a talent to try and replace the former Badgers and other departures like Brette Petet, Caitlin Schneider and Delaney Drake.

With it not being an Olympic year, the Badgers were able to get back fifth-year senior defender Natalie Buchbinder and forwards Lacey Eden and Britta Curl. The three took the year away from the team to try to make the U.S. National Team. Eden, Buchbinder and Curl were joined by a deep and

talented freshman class looking to make an instant impact on a team lacking in depth last year.

Next came the in-season adversity. A 4-1 opening day setback against Penn State on the first official game of the NCAA season. A five-game losing streak at the beginning of the 2023 calendar year. Losing at home in front of over 14,000 fans by a 1-0 score in the Fill the Bowl game.

The biggest blow of all, though, was losing the alternate captain Buchbinder to a season-ending injury in warmups before a home game against Minnesota State.

Notwithstanding the roadblocks, the season had a distinct turning point. UW head coach Mark Johnson had “a good heart-to-heart talk” with the team before their penultimate regular season series at Minnesota.

“We’re capable of playing at a real high level,” Johnson said of the meeting. “We just got to figure out in this locker room what we want to do. Do you want to get on the same page? Do you want to be on the same boat pushing in the same direction? If you’re willing to do that, you have a chance.”

Message received.

The Badgers followed that up by taking five of six points from their rivals on the road in Ridder and then played two highly competitive games against Ohio State at home.

“We come away from that and the players get an understanding of what they’re capable of doing,” Johnson said. “They’re seeing it just like I’m seeing it and now they’re starting to buy into it a little bit more.”

The Badgers entered the postseason feeling good about themselves, but the adversity would continue. They were unseeded in the NCAA tournament and were forced to travel all the way to Hamilton, New

York to play in the regional. That turned out to be a big mistake by the committee.

Fabulous freshmen

How do you replace a duo with as many points as Watts (28-29-57) and Webster (23-30-53) had last year? For UW, it started with a phenomenal freshman class.

The headliner was the Olympian Caroline Harvey, but the class also featured Vivian Jungels, Laila Edwards, Claire Enright, Kirsten Simms and Chloe Baker. All but Baker, the third-string goaltender, would go on to win WCHA Rookie of the Week at least once. Their play was instrumental in turning what was UW’s biggest weakness last year into their biggest strength this year.

Harvey was UW’s only All-American of the season, named 2nd Team by the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA). It was a season where she was the only Badger to receive any national honors — the cardinal and white had zero top-10 finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Award for the first time since 2015.

The freshmen alone combined for 52 goals and 82 assists, more than adequately making up for the points left by Webster and Watts.

And once the NCAA Tournament began, the freshmen were the story.

After dispatching Long Island in the first round, the Badgers’ underdog story began. Facing thirdseeded Colgate, the Badgers dominated the game and outshot the Raiders 35-15 on the way to winning 4-2. Freshman Vivian Jungels scored the gamewinning goal.

The Badgers’ first game in the Frozen Four was against Minnesota, a team they would be playing for the sixth time that year. After falling behind early, the Badgers responded with two quick goals in the

third period but allowed the tying goal late. Once OT began, it seemed only fitting that another freshman scored the winner. This time, it was the All-American Caroline Harvey.

In the final, freshman Kirsten Simms scored the only goal in the championship game with the sole assist going to Claire Enright, another freshman. Couldn’t score on Cami

Simms may have had the only goal in that game, but this run does not happen without UW’s redshirt senior goaltender, Cami Kronish.

Oftentimes that’s all it takes to win a title in hockey — a goalie getting hot at the right time — and that’s exactly what Kronish did.

Kronish is a member of an exclusive club of Badgers to win three national championships.

Kronish entered this season with just 12 career games played and even began the year as part of a tandem with Jane Gervais. But once Gervais got hurt in the opening few minutes of UW’s second game against Minnesota Nov. 20, she took the starting role and ran with it.

She stopped 82 of 87 shots in the NCAA Tournament, including all 31 she saw in the title game. She also accomplished something no other player had done all year–shut out Ohio State.

“I’m just so happy for Cami,” Johnson said following the championship. “She spent a lot of time watching, improving, getting better and when she got on the big stage, she showed everyone that through hard work, determination, and waiting for her opportunity, good things can happen.”

Her four-year wait to start ended with being named to the NCAA all-tournament team and the Frozen Four’s Most Outstanding Player. She capped off the season with her eighth shutout of the year, too.

The team was well-aided by several impressive freshmen players.

DANIEL YUN. THE BADGER HERALD.

The women’s hockey team faced doubts from fans in the beginning of its season.

ABBY CIMA. THE BADGER HERALD.

Best April Fool’s pranks to use next year or all year long

Pranks to pull on your partner, your friends: it’s fun for everyone!

by Caroline Crowley Managing Editor

April Fool’s Day is long gone, but the pranks don’t have to end just because it’s later in the year. Pranks are for every day, and they always end up in a good laugh.

There’s no such thing as taking a prank too far, and it’s time to up your prank game. Check out the pranks we came up with for you, and be sure to try them out!

For your partner

Pranking your partner can be controversial — how can you establish trust when you’re constantly joking around, telling lies and being mean? The truth is, the trust probably wasn’t there to begin with. Real trust is established by knowing you can get through the worst of pranks — together. <3

Cheat on them (as a JOKE)

We’re starting off hot and heavy with this one, folks. While you might be all like, “no, I would never cheat on my partner,” we know. We wouldn’t do that either. But if it’s a prank, it doesn’t count. If you don’t mean it, it doesn’t count as cheating — it’s not what it looks like, amirite?

So, for this prank, muster up your courage and take your partner and one of your friends out this Saturday night. Make sure you both have a couple drinks before you excuse yourself to the “bathroom.” Here’s where the fun begins.

Find someone who looks exactly like your partner (maybe a little hotter if you think you

can pull them). Tell them your doctor called, and it’s serious. You need a kiss from the hottest person in the bar now or you’ll die.

That line is guaranteed to get you a smooch, trust me. This is where your friend comes in — they HAVE to be filming if your partner isn’t watching you. Then, they go up to show your partner the video.

Of course, your partner will be confused and disgruntled. After playing around for awhile — at this point, you can riff as you see fit — tell them it was a prank! If you feel like they won’t believe you (ugh), then film a clip beforehand saying you’re planning on pranking them.

Everything will go right back to how it was in your relationship before, but stronger. The trust between you and your partner will improve because they will know you would never actually cheat on them. Break up with them for the week before but reveal it was all a joke on April 1 (after telling them all their flaws and insulting them)

If cheating isn’t your style, we guess we can understand that. But then you HAVE to try this prank. If you think you and your partner will make it to next year (sorry if we just made anyone rethink their entire relationship, LOL), make sure to plan ahead for April Fool’s Day.

One week before April 1 (March 25), sit your partner down and break up with them. Tell them everything you would say if you were actually breaking up with them (how you always hated their weird shaving pattern for their pubes, how stupid all their friends are and that you don’t actually like their laugh).

While the next week might be hard, they will take the time to realize how much they need you in their life. So, when April 1 rolls around, celebrate and text them that the whole thing was a prank! They (and maybe you) will be so happy.

For your friends

Now, friends are meant to be pranked. They are not for emotional support, they are not for companionship — NO. So, take advantage of your friendships and really prank them this year.

Rope their significant other into cheating with you for a dual prank

Alright, so you want to kill two birds with one stone. We completely understand why you’re too lazy to do two pranks instead of one. So, let’s get started with the instructions. Invite your friend and their partner on a double date. If you don’t have a partner, you can probably pull this off with just your friend and their boo.

Before you all show up, text your friend’s partner and let them know your idea. They’ll surely agree with your plan!

When your friend and significant other are both upset, it will be so much bigger when you tell them it’s a prank! And, since you’re in a group, it’ll be a great inside joke for a long time to come.

Roofie them and form a Wolf Pack

You might think this is too far. But, you’re wrong. This one takes a lot of planning, but it will create the best prank of them all.

Wait for your friend to get married. Make sure you’re one of the groomsmen because

they have to make you one of the groomsmen. Now, the bachelor party has to be happening in Vegas at Caesars Palace — no exceptions.

On your way into Sin City, stop and buy some Jägermeister and try to get some ecstasy. But, oops! The dealer gave you roofies (but you don’t know they’re roofies).

So, slip the “ecstacy” into some shots of Jägermeister and have everyone take them on the hotel roof after reciting a wonderful, heartfelt speech about you being a lone wolf but your friends making you feel like you’re in their wolf pack.

The friend who’s getting married has to get locked out onto the roof as you make your way back to your hotel room.

When you wake up in the morning, none of you will remember a thing — including where your friend is on the roof! All you know is there’s a baby in your hotel room, along with Mike Tyson’s tiger, and you owe Leslie Chow 80 grand.

Anyway, you’ll pay him back and make sure everything is sorted out as a team. Finally, you’ll put the pieces together and find your friend on the roof just hours away from his wedding!

This will be such a fun story to tell everyone in the future, and you and your Wolf Pack will be bonded for life afterward.

So, there you have it. These are for sure the best pranks to pull on your friends and partner. Enjoy — we know they will!

Disclaimer: Do not participate in illegal activities such as taking drugs. Do not cheat on your partner (you piece of shit).

Pranks are a great way to get closer relationships with your friends.

April Fool’s doesn’t have to end on April 1 — pranks are acceptable year-round. AUDREY THIBERT. THE BADGER HERALD.

Say goodbye to letter ‘W’

Merriam-Webster dictionary decides to remove letter ‘w’ from English language

by Scott McInerney Banter Editor

W. A letter of paramount importance to Badgers. It defines our way of life. You pose for a photo, and you flash the W. Well, the Wisconsin way as we know it is no more.

Merriam-Webster dictionary, the governing body of the English language, recently announced that the letter W is redundant and is no longer needed in the English language. The former letter is now being replaced by a double U — literally spelled out UU, yes like the bar.

“UUe just don’t see any good use for the letter anymore. If anything it just makes our language more confusing,“ Merriam UUebster III said.

So you may be asking yourself, houu does this affect me? UUell, the ansuuer is simple, it hardly does. Besides changing your email to ending in @uuisc.edu and the occasional slip up on an essay, it uuill just be a minor nuisance for a uuhile then you’ll completely forget about it — kind of like Pluto.

Still, it doesn’t affect your conversational English uuhat so ever — every uuord uuill still use the same pronunciation. Though, after uuriting half an article on the subject, this reporter is actually finding the change a lot more annoying than he originally anticipated. It seems many more uuords use

the letter uu than one uuould think.

Of course, University of UUisconsin uuill have to go through some major branding changes. They are already uuorking on a neuu logo uuhich omits the former letter and introduces the double U, yet they are encountering trademark issues uuith The Double U bar.

In fact the uuhole state of UUisconsin, along uuith UUyoming and UUashington and many other states are outraged by the dictionary’s decision, uuhich uuill nouu require millions of taxpayer dollars to create neuu branding and signage across the nation. States have petitioned President Joe Biden himself, figuring he uuould stand up for the old English uuhich began uuhen he uuas a child, but he simply has no clue uuhat is going on.

Besides the outrage, Merriam UUebster is adamant that the change is for the better. And the letter itself is actually happy to bouu out of the alphabet.

“Im retiring. If they dont uuant me I dont uuant them. English is a stupid language anyuuays. Maybe I’ll try to become a number. The roman numerals never let me in — those gatekeeping snobs. Maybe they could use some help nouu,” W said.

Even memes uuill not be spared by the letter change.

Merriam-UUebster faced some backlash on Tuuiter follouuing their announcement.

UUU-Madison may face some issues with rebranding follouuing the changes to the English language announced by Merriam UUebster dictionary.