Trivial Pursuit
Political chaos: Recent recall efforts will do more harm than good in Wisconsin +OPINION, page 5
Ariel learns she might not have what it takes to be a member of UW’s Quiz Bowl team + PAGE TWO
University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Classrooms, dorms to cool off in two weeks By Sam Cusick The Daily Cardinal
Few students complain about the warmer than average midMarch temperatures outside, but the temperatures inside UW-Madison buildings are a different story. “From the moment we got there to pretty much the end of class, the heat was unbearable,” UW freshman Monica Ruppert said of the Social Science building. “There was no fan and no
windows to open or anything.” But according to Faramarz Vakili, Associate Director of UW’s Physical Plant Department, students will have to wait another two weeks to cool down because the campus cooling system takes three to four weeks to fully kick in. He said the system cools priority buildings, like the UW Hospital, research labs and buildings with animals, first, reaching other campus buildings later, especially those with
plenty of windows. Due to the unseasonably warm temperatures, UW Plant Maintenance staff is working overtime to start the chilling process weeks ahead of schedule, Vakili said. The cooling system for UW consists of an underground loop that runs across campus. Inside, cold water runs into coils to send cold air through vents
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Potential Mifflin party sponsor backs out, city to plan event The only potential sponsor for the Mifflin Street Block Party retracted its application to sponsor the event Tuesday, leaving Madison to plan the event on its own. City Alcohol Policy Coordinator Mark Woulf said All-Star Catering submitted a street-use permit application Monday, which would have made the company the party’s sponsor. At a city staff meeting Tuesday, the company withdrew its sponsorship plans. “We’re not exactly sure what that means for the city at this point other than we know we’re
kind of on our own,” Woulf said. Sponsors typically secure a street-use permit, which the city needs to close Mifflin street off from traffic and allow vendors and port-a-potties on city streets and sidewalks. Now, Woulf said the city will continue preparing for the inevitable block party on May 5 without a sponsor’s help. “Due to the timing and the fact that we’re less than two months away from the event itself ... we’re assuming there won’t be an official sponsor,” Woulf said. Although there is currently not a sponsor, according to
Woulf, Mayor Paul Soglin said food vendors and port-a-potties are necessary at the event. According to Woulf, Soglin encouraged the Mifflin planning group, comprised of students, city officials and neighborhood residents, to minimize the focus of alcohol consumption by creating a theme and planning activities at the event. “I will continue to work on behalf of the mayor with that group to try and develop [themes and activities] in the lead-up to the event whether or not there’s a sponsor,” Woulf said. —Abby Becker
Teaching assistants’ union withholds recall endorsement Despite her popularity with organized labor, UW-Madison’s teaching assistant’s union decided not to endorse former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk Tuesday, at least for the time being. The UW-Madison Teaching Assistants’ Association voted against two gubernatorial recallrelated resolutions at its general membership meeting Tuesday: one to establish the terms of endorsement, and a second on endorsing Falk. The first vote rescinded a resolution stipulating that any candidate endorsed would have to support the unconditional reversal of Gov. Scott Walker’s 2011-2013 state budget. According to TAA co-president Alex Hanna, keeping those endorsement conditions would “limit” the TAA and the ability of the 3000-member union to participate in the recall election. “[The resolution] would effec-
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stephanie daher/cardinal file photo
The TAA, which was active in last spring’s budget protests, decided against endorsing a recall candidate Tuesday.
on campus
Journey north
Don Bartletti, Pulitzer Prize winner and photographer for this year’s Go Big Read book, “Enrique’s Journey,” spoke Tuesday about documenting the immigration of Central American children to the United States. + Photo by Mark Kauzlarich
Chancellor vetoes student government budget rulings By Anna Duffin The Daily Cardinal
UW-Madison Chancellor David Ward overruled several of the Student Services Finance Committee’s rulings from this fiscal year Tuesday in a memo sent to committee Chair Sarah Neibart. While the committee ruled in February not to increase the Wisconsin Union and Recreational Sports budgets as the groups had requested, Ward overruled the committee’s recommendation and opted to fund the groups’ requested budgets. Neibart said her committee denied the groups’ requests because they did not provide all the information SSFC requested regarding how segregated fees are spent. Neibart said since students pay for these programs, they should know exactly where their money is going. “Student segregated fees are supposed to be paid by students and given right back to students,” she said. “You’re supposed to realize where the money is going and be able to reap the benefits of that.” But Ward said the groups presented SSFC with all of the information necessary. By not increasing the Rec Sports budget, he said the group would have to reduce expenses by about $245,000 to cover
building renovations. Additionally, he said the Union complied with an agreement ASM and SSFC signed in 2007 regarding how much information groups need to provide about how they use segregated fees. Ward also eliminated from the budget SSFC’s recommendations to allot additional money for Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán to find offcampus space if to find space on
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Budget alterations Chancellor David Ward overruled four of the Student Services Finance Committee’s budget recommendations Tuesday.
Ward’s plans affect the following: MEChA remove funding for off-campus rental space
WISPIRG remove funding for non-university professional staff
Rec Sports increase student segregated fees to cover construction, maintenance cost
Wisconsin Union increase student segregated fees to cover maintenance assessment
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”