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Editor-in-Chief Drake White-Bergey Managing Editor Tyler Katzenberger

Consider the Cardinal during your college experience

By Drake White-Bergey EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Crafting a resume, creating a portfolio, networking and building connections, and learning communication skills — you’ll quickly learn that these are all essential parts of beginning your professional career during your time at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Luckily, you can do all of these and more at The Daily Cardinal.

The Cardinal provides its reporters with a variety of real-world experiences they can’t find anywhere else.

On Badger gamedays, Cardinal reporters take to the press boxes, field and floor at Camp Randall Stadium, the Kohl Center and the Wisconsin Field House to do first-hand coverage of all Wisconsin athletics teams.

In the evenings, Cardinal reporters head to the Sylvee, High Noon Saloon and Majestic Theater to listen to their favorite touring and local artists perform.

During the day, Cardinal reporters

head to the Wisconsin State Capitol building to get one-on-one interviews with legislators and state politicians, including Gov. Tony Evers.

On special occasions, Cardinal reporters travel across the state to report on visits from President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and other highprofile political figures as they travel to the key swing state of Wisconsin.

At a moment’s notice, Cardinal reporters are on the ground reporting on breaking news as it happens — whether it be the collapse of the Memorial Union pier, gunshots fired on State Street or protests against university administration.

But what matters most to the Cardinal is our community. The Cardinal prides itself in its history of delving deep into the issues that plague UW-Madison students, showcasing the efforts of local businesses and organizations, and holding those in power accountable for their actions.

What matters most isn’t the voice

of those in power. It’s the voice of our collective community. And that’s what we highlight at the Cardinal.

The Cardinal has been an integral part of the UW-Madison community for over 130 years, providing community-oriented coverage that matters. In fact, the Cardinal has generations of living alumni across the entire world who dedicated their time to highlighting the efforts of the UW-Madison community during their time in college.

Over 20 Cardinal alumni have gone on to win the famed Pulitzer Prize, and others have gone on to become high-profile journalists in their respective fields. Big Ten basketball reporter Andy Katz, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anthony Shadid, former Madison Mayor Paul Soglin and The Onion co-founder Scott Dikkers all wrote for the Cardinal during their time at UW-Madison.

Currently, the Cardinal holds the two highest awards for student journalism in Wisconsin — the

Wisconsin Newspaper Association’s General Excellence award and the Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence award — something no other student paper in Wisconsin can claim.

Cardinal editors work hand-inhand with our writers to produce the best journalism at UW-Madison. Whether a writer is a seasoned journalist or has never written an article before, the Cardinal’s editors work carefully and diligently to train our reporters to be the best they can be.

News-writing and communication are invaluable skills, and the Cardinal can teach them to you. Whether you’re looking for a career in journalism, communications, marketing, public relations, publishing, screenwriting or none of the above, the skills you learn at the Cardinal will serve you throughout your career.

If you’re considering what to do with your time at UW-Madison, consider joining The Daily Cardinal.

Three UW-Madison news stories to watch this fall

By Tyler Katzenberger MANAGING EDITOR

WisconsinMadison and its surrounding community with a circulation of 10,000.

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Editorial Board

Graham Brown • Tyler Katzenberger

• Em-J Krigsman • Charlotte Relac •

Priyanka Vasavan • Drake White-Bergey • Ethan Wollins

Board of Directors

Scott Girard, President • Ishita

Chakraborty • Don Miner • Nancy Sandy

• Josh

• Phil Hands • Nathan Kalmoe

Klemons • Barbara Arnold • Jennifer Sereno

Protests. Pier collapses. New housing developments. And a tumultuous state budget season that left UW campuses tightening their belts.

It’s been a busy summer at the University of WisconsinMadison, and plenty of stories behind recent headlines will continue to impact campus throughout the upcoming semester.

Here are three news stories The Daily Cardinal is watching this fall:

How will UW-Madison absorb millions in budget cuts?

UW-Madison is facing a $7 million budget cut this year, the most of any UW campus.

It’s still unclear how UW-Madison will absorb budget cuts, though other universities already announced furloughs and layoffs.

Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, proposed a $305 million budget increase for the UW System in his initial two-year state budget plan earlier this year.

from UW officials to spend the money on workforce development programs.

Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, who co-chairs the budget-writing committee, told the Cardinal he is open to hearing the UW System’s plan.

But Vos has said the UW System won’t get more money until it cuts DEI programs, something the university opposes.

The Board of Regents will see a draft of the plan in October that will focus on engineering, data, science and nursing programs, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Can UW leaders balance free speech and belonging?

Republican lawmakers have attacked the UW System for years for what they see as suppression of conservative speech on college campuses.

UW System leaders in response have placed free speech at the forefront of campus messaging and conducted a student free speech survey last academic year.

Campus administrators, including Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, have met with Black student leaders since the protests to discuss concerns about long-standing racial bias and discrimination at UW-Madison.

city nationwide — driven in part by on- and off-campus housing shortages.

© 2023, The Daily Cardinal Media Corporation

ISSN 0011-5398

Republicans instead cut $32 million from the UW System budget and demanded campuses eliminate all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said the programs promoted indoctrination and were a waste of taxpayer money.

UW campuses could regain the $32 million lost to budget cuts later this year if the Legislature’s Republicancontrolled budget-writing committee approves a plan

Still, some student leaders say recent pushes to expand free expression empower acts of hate speech that jeopardize their sense of belonging and safety on campus.

UW-Madison last year saw antisemitic chalkings on the first day of classes, a protest over a transphobic, conservative speaker invited to Memorial Union and days of protests after video footage of a white UW-Madison student making violent racist remarks about Black people circulated on social media.

But Mnookin — who told student reporters last fall that “one person’s hate speech is another person’s idea” — maintains legal protections for free speech limit the university’s response to hate and bias incidents.

Will campus housing costs keep climbing amid shortages?

Last year’s scramble for student housing made headlines after some students braved cold fall air and waited in line for hours to get an apartment amid skyrocketing housing costs.

Average rents in Madison rose nearly 30% since March 2020 — faster than any other

Long lines and rent hikes are likely to happen this year, too. While UW-Madison said its current freshman class is slightly smaller than last year’s record-setting number of new freshmen, most of the roughly 8,000 students accepted this fall will join upperclassmen searching for housing later this fall.

Neighborhoods around campus are in the midst of a luxury student high-rise boom to address the housing shortage, with over a half-dozen such projects under construction or in planning and more likely on the way.

Still, affordable student housing advocates worry the luxury high-rise boom is slashing the number of low-cost units available to students, forcing those with lower incomes to accept poor housing conditions or move further away from campus.

The Daily Cardinal provides invaluable experiences for its reporters, setting up lifelong connections and giving reporters valuable career skills.

BRYCE RITCHER/COURTESY OF UW-MADISON

Why UW-Madison officials don’t light Lakeshore Path

By Tomer Ronen STAFF WRITER

On sunny days in Madison, hundreds of students, staff and community members traverse the Howard Temin Lakeshore Path.

However, when the sun goes down, the path empties. With minimal lighting on the path at night and news of incidents circulating, many Madison residents — especially women and minorities — fear the Lakeshore Path and avoid walking on it alone at night. The path has garnered such a notorious reputation that many have dubbed it the “Rapeshore Path.”

A University of Wisconsin-Madison student reported being called racial slurs and confronted by a man while on the path in July 2022. In October 2022, a woman reported being sexually

assaulted on the path.

As a direct route between downtown and the Lakeshore neighborhood, the path remains a popular way for many students to walk home. Yet many students avoid it due to its lack of lighting, especially in the evening.

“I generally feel safe if it’s light out,” sophomore Camber Walvoort said. “When it’s dark, I’m definitely scared, and I will have my flashlight on — or just not go on the path.”

Several groups — including the Associated Students of Madison (ASM), UW-Madison Police Department (UWPD), UW-Madison administration and students — all have different visions for the path.

Former ASM Budget Committee Chair and current District 8 Alder MGR Govindarajan has

said making everyone happy is a tough task.

“There are so many tiny groups that have a say over it,” Govindarajan said. “It’s impossible to please all of them, and that’s basically what the trouble is.”

While students want more lights along the path, environmental groups say adding lights will have a negative environmental impact on the Lakeshore Nature Preserve.

“Night lighting can impact wildlife,” the Lakeshore Nature Preserve said in a November 2020 email obtained by The Daily Cardinal. “We are especially concerned about the drop/negative impact on insects and the effect that has on so many species.”

Former Campus Planner Gary Brown indicated the path is left unlit for a different

UNION FIGHT CONTINUES

reason — to keep people off it.

The “Lightway” is a better-lit network of paths spanning from the Pyle Center to Rennebohm Hall, and SAFEwalk provides students with a litany of options to get home safely.

Brown said there are “few escape routes” for an individual under attack in between Tripp Hall and Memorial Union with “no place to run if a problem arises.”

“Our answer has always been that it is actually safer if the path is unlit than lit at night,” Brown said.

Leaving the path unlit also helps individuals see better at night, according to Brown. He explained that allowing eyes to adjust to

Unpredictable workloads, unlivable pay frustrate TAs

By Cormac LaLiberte COLLEGE NEWS EDITOR

Teaching assistants at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are demanding better working conditions and higher pay to address rising living costs and what they say is an unpredictable and burdensome workload.

Large universities like UW-Madison rely heavily on teaching assistant (TA) labor to provide education for tens of thousands of undergraduates, and TAs receive tuition remission and a monthly stipend for their labor in return. At UW-Madison, which employs approximately 2,700 faculty, there are over 2,300 graduate students working as TAs.

Madison’s TruStage union rallies for labor rights following 500 days of negotia tions

By Eliza Tool STAFF WRITER

Workers at Madison-based insurance company TruStage held a rally at the Wisconsin State Capitol building on July 29 in protest of the company’s alleged unfair labor practices and stalled contract negotiations.

TruStage — formerly known as CUNA Mutual Group — has been negotiating a new contract with the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 39 (OPEIU Local 39), which represents 450 TruStage employees.

Negotiations began in April 2022. OPEIU Local 39 representatives said during the rally that negotiations stalled despite union members going on strike earlier this year.

Union President Kathryn Bartlett-Mulvehill told rallygoers the union’s success hinges on community support.

“We need these strikes to be successful. We need the community to turn out when those employees are on strike,” Bartlett-Mulvehill said. “If they’re in pain, we all suffer as a community.”

OPEIU Local 39 conducted a three-week unfair labor strike late last spring outside TruStage’s office and filed unfair labor practice charges after negotiations beginning in 2022 failed.

TruStage began refusing to bargain with the union in January of 2023 and committed “multiple unfair labor practices” that union leaders filed with the National Labor Relations Board, OPEIU Local 39 Chief Steward Joe Evica said

in an email to The Daily Cardinal, noting that over 90% of the union members voted in favor of authorizing the strike.

TruStage said in a statement the company has been negotiating with the union in good faith.

“From the start of the bargaining process, TruStage has negotiated with our employees’ best interests in mind,” the company said. “We want our employees to have a fair and marketcompetitive contract. We intend to continue working with the union to complete a fair deal on behalf of the employees they represent.”

The rally on July 29 galvanized a large

support is about as high as it’s been in 50 years for workers having a voice in their workplace,” Pocan said, referencing recent negotiations between UPS and the Teamsters representing UPS workers. “All companies should look at their employees as their single best asset.”

July protest follows over 500 days of negotiations

Earlier this year, OPEIU Local 39 filed unfair labor practice charges against TruStage claiming the company illegally withheld information the union requested about TruStage’s decisions related to the rewarding or denial of bonuses for unionized employees.

After the union’s contract with TruStage expired in February 2022, TruStage and the union started negotiating a new contract. TruStage claims union representatives refused to communicate, the Cap Times reported in July. At the rally, TruStage employees told their side of the story.

Many TAs teach introductory-level courses within the department in which they study. At UW-Madison, these courses often have hundreds of students in lectures. A TA is responsible for grading and leading discussions for assigned sections, which also frequently number over a hundred students. They also assist with lectures, labs and other parts of the course as applicable.

For those pursuing graduate study, working as a teaching assistant in their field is a common avenue to tuition compensation. But as TAs at major universities across America demand better working conditions and higher pay, graduate student workers at UW-Madison say their pay doesn’t reflect their workload.

The annual total of the monthly stipend received by TAs is stated to be a minimum of $23,277 for all 50% graduate assistantship appointments this upcoming year. A 50% appointment means that the workload and compensation are proportional to half of a full “academic load,” or a 40-hour week.

group of union advocates, including TruStage employees and elected officials. State Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard, D-Madison, and U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., lent their support, denouncing any situation where big corporations may have harnessed their authority to exploit workers.

“It is not the case that all corporations in Wisconsin are lifting up and taking care of the people who are creating their profits,” Agard said.

“When you look across the board, public

TruStage IT analyst and member of the contract-action team Vernon Winters said despite the company’s claims to support financial freedom, it has been unwilling to raise workers’ wages to match inflation.

“If you visit the TruStage website, you will read the following: ‘We’re on a mission to make a brighter financial future accessible to everyone,’” Winters said. “For TruStage workers whose wages are not keeping pace with inflation, how will their futures look?”

In July, the National Labor Relations Board

However, Andy Jones, a geoscience doctoral degree candidate and TA, explained that many TAs do not make even half that. Lower appointments like one-fifth, onethird or 40% are common, and they come with a lower stipend.

This means the workload is “theoretically lower,” said Jones, but “you’re not getting enough money and life is much harder.”

“If you take up another job, that’s fine, but you have less time to do your research, and that’s what counts here,” Jones added.”

Fifth-year chemistry masters student Robin Morgenstern cited “skyrocketing” rent as a driver for rising discontent among graduate student workers.

JULIA WIESSING/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Kathryn Bartlett-Mulvehill President, OPEIU Local 39

“If they’re in pain, we all suffer as a community. ”

Graduate student workers say pay doesn’t reflect their workload

Lights

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darkness allows for better sight into wooded areas, while higher light levels would make it more difficult.

Keeping the path unlit discourages night time use and encourages use of better-lit paths between Lakeshore and downtown, said Jeff Kirchman, an officer and natural areas liaison for UW-Madison Police Department.

“I agree with a lot of what Gary is saying there,” Kirchman said. “There is a pathway that has been set up to be fully lighted, and that was what was determined to be the approved route that people get from the State Street area to the Lakeshore dorms as opposed to utilizing the Lakeshore Path.”

Still, some students feel the lack of lighting is a main concern.

“When the sun goes down, there’s literally no light at all,” senior Kat Schneider said. “It’s super heavily wooded, which I understand trying to preserve the nature aspect of it, but since it’s so heavily used by students who live over in the Lakeshore dorms, I think it would be nice to have some sort of soft lighting. Something is better than nothing.”

But Kirchman said he believes Lakeshore

Path is safe.

Records from the UWPD incident log between 2019 and December 2021 show a total of 847 instances where the police department was present on the path. Over 800 of these instances were routine checks. Sixteen instances were due to 911 calls — the log does not indicate whether any action was taken or the reason for the calls.

“The department as an organization is not enacting any actions at this point that are extra patrols or anything like that, just because we haven’t had any problems with it to speak of,” Kirchman explained. “I’ve been here for going on six years and I can’t think of — in my personal experience — a single situation where we’ve had what I would consider to be a truly dangerous situation on the Lakeshore Path.”

With lighting the path becoming a divisive issue, ASM has considered alternative safety measures, including increasing the number of emergency call boxes that are built along the path.

Currently, there is only one emergency call box on the roughly one-mile stretch of path from Memorial Union to Dejope Residence Hall, located at the base of an intersecting path to Waters Residence Hall. There are only two total emergency call boxes present on the 2.2-mile path.

UWPD previously said the emergency call

boxes are unnecessary, as they are outdated and costly. However, Kirchman dissented.

“Any time that people have access to means of communication for emergency purposes, I’m in favor,” Kirchman said. “I don’t think they’re a bad idea because I think there’s a deterrent effect to them.”

Kirchman said if he were to add another emergency call box, he would place it near Kronshage Residence Hall — the approximate middle point between Dejope and Waters.

“It definitely is sketchy to be out there alone and to know that you don’t have any resources if something were to happen,” UW-Madison Junior Mia Vaughan said. “If there’s more of those emergency stands throughout it and it’s more lit, that would help with the safety and [I would] be more comfortable walking on it.”

Vaughan said her friends have been approached on the path at night by an “older man” making racially insensitive and objectifying comments toward women.

“If he tried something, they didn’t have anybody,” she said. “Whenever I go on the trail, or I’m with my friends, usually we — especially as women — make sure we have one of our guy friends who’s there as a deterrent for predatory men.”

UW-Madison Junior Henry Hinchsliff under-

Analysis: A look at 2024

By Jasper Bernstein ASSOCIATES EDITOR

With over a year left on the clock, the 2024 election looms on the horizon like a marathon yet to begin. As the contenders stretch and limber up behind the scenes, the nation braces itself for another race to the White House.

In the key swing state of Wisconsin, the stakes are particularly high. The state has voted for the winning presidential candidate in every election since 2008 and is expected to play a decisive role in the 2024 race.

“[Wisconsin’s] role in the 2024 election is alongside two demographically similar states that have traditionally voted to the left of Wisconsin: Michigan and Pennsylvania,” said Galen Metzger, a self-described liberal “election watcher” and University of ColoradoDenver student. “Wisconsin now sits in an interesting position: a Democratic win in Wisconsin is almost certainly a knock-out punch to Republican chances on election night, a Republican win is a necessary but not sufficient condition for any Republican candidate.”

So, without wasting any more time, let’s delve into way-too-early insights of what’s brewing in this crucial battleground state.

Who will face off against Joe Biden?

On the Democratic presidential side, the race is everything but open. No incumbent president has debated a primary opponent since Gerald Ford, a streak all but guaranteed to continue as challengers Marianne Williamson and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. struggle to find traction.

For the GOP, former President Donald Trump has consistently led polls, and the latest polling from Ipsos gives the thrice-indicted former President 47% of the total vote, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis following with 13%.

Metzger said it’s hard to see how another Republican candidate would put together a coalition to beat Trump, but Trump’s legal troubles are an unpredictable liability that could shake up the race.

“The current runner-up has recently made headlines for retweeting a video with a Sonnerad, telling a little girl that her Icee had too much sugar, and failing to attract more than two dozen attendees in New Hampshire to a campaign event with almost-free beer,” Metzger said. “No one else is polling above ten percent right now.”

Can any candidate pose a threat to Biden?

Only ten presidents have lost in pursuit of a second term. In an Aug. 1 NYT/Siena Poll, Biden and Trump found themselves tied with 43 percent support each.

In 2016, Trump won Wisconsin by 0.77%. In 2020, Biden won Wisconsin by 0.68%.

“While polling shows a competitive race between Trump and Biden as of now, most

voters are still not actively considering their options — and independent voters swung hard to Democrats in 2022,” said Metzger.

How will the race play out in Wisconsin?

Like much of the country, Wisconsin Democrats need increased turnout in bluetrending urban and suburban centers to offset Republican gains in rural areas.

The GOP may want to seek the opposite, Metzger said.

“Rural trends that foresaw Democratic collapse in the Driftless and in the far north stalled out, whereas suburban blueshift in the Milwaukee suburbs has kicked into overdrive,” said Metzger. “For Republicans to win the state, they have to juice up the margins in the smaller cities… and keep suburban losses to a minimum.”

Still, Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, argues Democrats shouldn’t lose focus on rural communities.

“We haven’t been supporting our rural organizers enough,” said Hong. “I’m hopeful that the party will resource them properly.”

Rural trends did not hurt the Democrats last election — the spring 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election resulted in an 11-point win for liberal candidate Janet Protasiewicz.

But it’s not a guarantee of future success, Metzger warned.

“The persuasion levels… are ominous signs for the WIGOP, but these elections have had electorates that have higher education levels and social engagement than what will show up in 2024,” Metzger said. “These electorates, in addition to being slightly more overall dem than 2024 may be, also featured disproportionately many persuadable college-educated suburban Republicans to non-college Democrats.”

How is each party preparing?

On July 24th, the GOP chose Wisconsin as the first state for their national Bank Your Vote initiative. The initiative, touted by GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, encourages Republicans to vote early and by mail.

“Early voting is a priority for Wisconsin College Republicans — it’s convenient, hassle-free and more secure than ever thanks to the GOP,” said Ali Beneker, co-chair of the University of Wisconsin-Madison College Republicans.

The initiative runs contrary to previous doubts expressed by prominent Republicans about early voting.

“How come every time they count Mail-In ballot dumps they are so devastating?” Trump tweeted on Nov. 4th, 2020.

Attention from the GOP isn’t new to Wisconsin — conservative groups spent over $17 million for Republican-backed Dan Kelly in the off-year Supreme Court election, breaking spending records.

“It’s an honor to have so much attention on Wisconsin this election cycle — Republicans are well aware that the road to victory starts and ends in our great state,” Beneker said. “Wisconsin College Republicans see our party’s attention on Wisconsin as an opportunity to showcase everything our state has to offer.”

Meanwhile, Democrats are counting on younger voters to spearhead a victory.

“[We’re showing] up on college campuses, [making] sure that we’re going to youth-led events, talking in high schools… about the importance of getting involved early,” Hong said.

Democrats are also counting on the Dobbs ruling to energize pro-choice voters in the state, something Metzger said helped them mitigate losses to the GOP in the 2022 midterms.

“I see [Republicans] having weaknesses in reaching women, especially with their controversial stance on abortion,” Hong said. “They continue to rely on fear mongering and hate to mobilize communities.”

What else should Wisconsinites pay attention to?

Along with the presidential election, Sen. Tammy Balwin, D-Wis., is up for reelection, a race where Republicans face an uphill battle. No major GOP candidate has declared for the race as of yet.

“Baldwin has been able to grow a coalition amongst Wisconsinites all across the state… she is looking very strong and right now has no formal opponent,” Hong said.

However, Beneker believes Baldwin can be defeated.

“Tammy Baldwin’s Senate seat is not safe,” Beneker said. “Baldwin has moved in lockstep with Joe Biden’s failed administration, and that won’t be forgotten at the polls next November.”

And with a gerrymandering case coming up for the newly liberal Wisconsin Supreme Court, more could be at play.

New maps could unlock the state Senate and Assembly to create more favorable pickup opportunities for Democrats.

“We’re looking forward to uplifting progressive candidates across the state, making sure they know they have an elected ally and helping them with their campaigns,” Hong said. “I think if we have a diverse slate of candidates, we’re going to be looking even stronger for ‘24.”

The GOP isn’t backing down, however.

“We’ve learned from past elections that college students truly have the power to determine election results in battleground Wisconsin,” Beneker said. “We’re dedicating time in 2023 to build a team of students that will hit the ground running next year to mobilize the countless Republican voters here on campus.”

stands the path is less of a safety concern for male students. Despite this, he expressed an understanding of the frustration women face on the path.

“I could understand someone who doesn’t look or isn’t the same gender as me, being a little scared about that,” Hinchsliff said. “I’ve always been a man so I don’t know what it would be like to be a woman per se, but that’s not to take away from any woman who says that they feel threatened because it gets dark out there and I could totally understand that.”

Brown believes avoiding the path is the best course of action once the sun goes down.

“We have received requests to light the path in the past, but it really is safer left dark,” Brown said. “It discourages night time use of the Temin Path, [and] encourages use of the much safer Lightway on campus.”

For those who still insist on using the path, Kirchman recommends keeping their head on a swivel.

“The key for me is what we call situational awareness — be aware of what’s going on around you at all times. The Lakeshore is a great place to walk, to visit,” Kirchman said. “Have a phone handy, have a way to call for help, be in groups of two or more. These are things that are part of our standard safety presentations. Just be aware.”

TruStage

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ruled the union’s unfair labor charges had merit and allowed them to move forward.

Chief Steward Joe Evica said over 500 days of attempted negotiations led the union to file charges, lead a strike and ultimately hold the weekend rally.

“The strike was the culmination of TruStage’s illegal actions during bargaining, including retaliation against union leaders, refusal to turn over information, bargaining in bad faith, violating the collective bargaining agreement and other illegal activity,” Evica said in an email.

But earlier this month, a judge at the NLRB dismissed OPEIU Local 39’s charges on the basis that TruStage has since provided the information that it allegedly previously withheld. The union may appeal the dismissal before Aug. 17.

Bryan Barber, a member of the bargaining committee at TruStage highlighted the persistence of employees.

“I don’t think anyone imagined that this would drag on for almost 500 days and that the company would resort to retaliating against employees,” Barber said. “It’s inspiring to see how we’ve gone through a transformative change where we started out somewhat passive and complacent, and as the company acted with more and more insensitivity, we became more active and empowered.”

Bartlett-Mulvehill closed the rally, affirming the union will continue using their voices to attain a fair contract.

“These employees here want a deal, a fair and equitable deal,” Bartlett-Mulvehill said. “What we say to management is, ‘let’s get a fair and equitable deal that secures our future, not just for today, but forever.’”

Activists worry UW’s West Campus District plan not sustainable enough

By Liam Beran CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR

Environmental advocates at UW-Madison worry a 30-year plan to redevelop the university’s West Campus District lacks sustainability initiatives needed to combat the climate crisis.

The sweeping plan details a landscape overhaul for an area of “untapped potential” stretching from the Agricultural Engineering Laboratory to the University Hospital that includes new research, housing, dining and parking facilities.

Development will be done in partnership with University Research Park, a UW-Madison affiliate whose agreement with the UW System Board of Regents allows private development on state-owned land. The Board of Regents cannot typically approve projects without the state Legislature’s approval.

However, some students are concerned about the plan’s environmental accommodations. Winston Thompson, an intern with nonprofit climate organization 350 Wisconsin and a member of ASM, told The Daily Cardinal UW-Madison could be doing more for sustainability.

Thompson made posts on both 350 Wisconsin and ASM’s Instagram accounts advis

Diversity

Continued from page 2

otherwise would not have a voice on campus,” he told The Daily Cardinal.

UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin expressed that, by cutting DEI funding, the Legislature is hurting not only the UW System but the state of Wisconsin as a whole.

“Employers consistently tell us they want and expect students to have experience working with people from diverse backgrounds, and research also shows that diverse teams tend to make better decisions,” Mnookin said in a statement.

Did the cuts stay in the final state budget?

When the state budget passed in July, Evers took action to limit some of the effects of the cuts to DEI initiatives.

Evers issued a veto that prevented the removal of 188 DEIrelated system positions, saying that these positions could be used for any purpose by the UW System. The $32 million budget cut remained in the budget as a separate provision.

“Robin Vos has had it out for the UW System since he’s been in public office,” state Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, told The Daily Cardinal. “It’s particularly unconscionable at a time [when] we have a $7 billion surplus and a massive workforce shortage.”

When asked to comment on how DEI initiatives would be funded in the wake of the budget cut, multiple UW campuses said that comment would have to come from the UW System.

“We are working with chancellors to present a plan to the budget committee for use of the

ing students the West Campus District Plan (WCDP) “continues to apply the same unsustainable building practices used for decades in Wisconsin” and recommended students provide feedback to the university.

Thompson’s biggest worries are UW-Madison’s use of fossil fuels, the impact of demolitions on Lake Mendota and housing affordability.

“Historically, [UW-Madison] has shown a lack of commitment to sustainability,” Thompson said.

Thompson also singled out the lack of sustainability initiatives in university materials. In his view, UW-Madison would’ve marketed sustainability initiatives had they been included in the plan.

As of August 8, the WCDP website uses the word sustainability once — to describe the role of Affiliated Engineers Inc., the mechanical, electrical and plumbing and sustainability partner, in the plan.

Although a March 2023 presentation to the Board of Regents estimated “making district plan recommendations to the [Board] in July 2023,” John Lucas, vice chancellor of communications at UW-Madison, said the plan currently has “no set date for finalization.”

Lucas added the plan is still in

early stages, but it will be developed in conjunction with campus sustainability initiatives to minimize environmental impacts.

350 Wisconsin’s recommendations to increase sustainability in the West Campus plan include adding LEED sustainability certifications for buildings, heat pumps, solar panels and electric vehicle charging, Thompson said.

Lot 60, the university’s largest surface-level parking lot, poses a lingering question, with community feedback causing planning on the lot to shift to a later date.

Thompson proposed increased public transit in lieu of expansions to parking, but recognized many low-income workers rely on Lot 60 for parking. Without other parking solutions, Thompson said he wouldn’t support eliminating it or other lots.

District 8 Alder MGR Govindarajan, a member of the Joint Campus Area Committee composed of both Madison and UW System representatives, said UW-Madison is working with the committee to incorporate public concerns.

Thompson similarly said the university voiced intent to discuss suggestions with 350 Wisconsin.

UW-Madison officials held three open house events in

February to hear student and community feedback on the West Campus plan. But Thompson and Govindarajan worry about UW-Madison engaging in feedback conferences during the summer, when students may be less likely to be engaged in conversations about the plan’s future.

“There’s been a lot of frustration from students who don’t realize that there’s a major construction project, a 30-year plan, that’s going to be happening on a big part of campus,” Thompson said. “I think they’ve been frus-

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“We really can’t afford to not get organized — if we wait any longer, we won’t have anywhere to live,” they said.

With the nation’s highest yearover-year rises in rent, Madison is becoming an increasingly difficult place to live on a graduate’s worker stipend. A March report from Apartment List found Madison’s average rent increased 14.4% in 2022, a staggering figure compared to nearby Minneapolis (0.2%) and Milwaukee (3.2%).

Research is crucial to progression in graduate and doctoral programs, Jones explained, but teaching is not.

trated that they haven’t really had a say in it.”

And without a clear plan for sustainability strategies, Thompson worried the negative environmental impacts of the plan’s 30-year implementation could last well beyond 30 years.

“It’s crazy to think that 80 years from now, when people [currently] going to school have grandchildren, their grandchildren could be going to school with buildings not up to what they should be with the climate crisis.”

Examples Jones gave included TAs asked to rewrite the lab the night before the lab section so that it better matched the lecture their professor gave that morning or having to “make up labs from scratch.” That’s not how it’s supposed to work, Jones said — professors typically make content while TAs modify and present it.

“Some people have manageable workloads at full pay, other people unreasonable expectations at half pay,” Jones stated. “This is a big problem.”

$32 million they are holding in reserve. We remain committed to our efforts to ensure student success,” the emailed statement reads from Mark Pitsch.

How diverse are UW schools?

Data indicates a decrease in enrollment and retention of underrepresented and minority students, which includes students of color, first-generation students and those from low-income backgrounds. These students are typically supported by DEI efforts in educational settings.

Between 2012 and 2022, the amount of African American students enrolled as a percentage of total enrollment decreased from 3.1% to 2.9% across the system, according to the UW System’s Accountability Dashboard. This trend continued for nearly all students of color except Hispanic students, which saw a large increase in enrollment percentages.

Graduation retention rates for underrepresented students

have also declined. The rate of students that graduated in five years or less between 2007 and 2016 dropped by 8%, whereas it decreased by 6% for students who were not underrepresented in the same period.

These cuts to DEI programming and funding in UW System also come amongst possible campus closures and cuts to staffing due, in part, to budget shortfalls.

State support for the UW System has gone from over 40% of the UW budget to somewhere around 15% over the past 40 years, according to Roys. She said funding from the state budget is paramount for public universities, which usually lack the donor networks and private endowments of private universities.

“The UW has been trying to do more with less, especially in recent years, given the very deep cuts that were made under the previous Republican administration,” Roys said.

“Teaching is completely extra,” he said. “But your coursework and research expectations remain exactly the same.”

Jones described feeling like he was falling behind his peers while working as a TA for six semesters. He was initially excited to teach but frustrated to find that it held him back.

“If you’re a good TA and you put in a lot of time for your students, you see no benefit,” he said. “You go to your committee meeting and they ask about your research.”

Both Jones and Morgenstern attributed discontent amongst graduate student workers to feeling undervalued for their work and seeing little reward for a lot of effort. Although Jones’ experiences were with “nice professors who set clear expectations,” he knows the workload is “really high” for others.

Jones described instances where TAs were asked to go above and beyond normal expectations — which, for a contracted position like a TA appointment, draws no additional compensation.

Morgenstern, who teaches Introduction to Chemistry said TAs are responsible for grading, but also guiding students through their first experience with failure and helping them decouple their performance in a class from their identity. It’s emotional labor that often goes “100% unrecognized,” they said.

Morgenstern is contracted to spend 20 hours a week working as a TA, but they said that does not reflect the time they invest “thoughtfully” preparing for discussion and lab as well as giving thorough feedback while grading.

“I have to choose between working my contract hours and actually being the good teacher that my students deserve,” Morgenstern said.

The pressure to focus on research over students for career success makes them feel like “just a cog in the machine to the university” unable to use their experience and expertise while teaching in a way valued by their department.

“So many grad students that I’ve talked to love their work teaching and researching,” Morgenstern said. “But there is a growing understanding that we are the backbone to the way the university functions, and they should be paying us a wage that reflects that.”

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Stop playing chess with our education, Mr. Vos

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In the wake of the landmark Students for Fair Admissions, Inc v. President and Fellows of Harvard College case, racebased admissions within the bounds of affirmative action will cease to exist for colleges and programs around the country.

Yet, colleges and universities nationwide are stuck with a paradoxical problem: how can student bodies be diversified to enrich their cultural and ethnic prowess without the use of racial identity during the admissions process? With the undergraduate admissions season on the horizon this fall, there is no logical answer to this question without testing the bounds of this newly interpreted law, putting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) departments in the hot seat across the country.

Here in Wisconsin, the political battle over diversity is already in full swing. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos revealed his own personal vendetta against DEI programs on UW campuses as early as May of this year. Here, he claimed DEI increases the racial divide on campus, calling the presence of the programs “indoctrinating.”

Attacks on DEI are prominent at state-run entities around the country. Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis has effectively established himself as the “anti-woke” candidate, seemingly running on removing “wokeness” from American institutions. Vos embodies similar ideals, and his prominent position in state politics enables him to substantially disrupt Wisconsin’s legislative process.

As the state utilizes a biennial budget, a back-and-forth between the governor’s office and the Legislature ensues every two years. During the debate over the 2023-25 budget, the two bodies of government clashed rather fiercely over staffing and funding for DEI departments within the UW System.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers repeatedly denied a provision cutting nearly 200 positions from these DEI departments and proposed a $305 million spending increase for the UW System. But Vos and his Republican colleagues insisted on removing these jobs with a $32 million budget cut for the UW System despite a record-high budget surplus

of nearly $7 billion.

Vos could have put his ideological differences aside to fund state services for over eight million Wisconsinites. Instead, he wrongfully used our university system’s funding as a political pawn to progress his political agenda.

Even with Evers’ move to detach the funding cut from DEI programs with a partial veto, departments across UW System campuses still have less resources to work with. And with the recent uptick in discriminatory incidents — especially on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus — this lack of funding appears to be an antithesis to a solution to these violent acts.

Last semester, a UW-Madison student was shown saying racial slurs and violent remarks against Black people. UW-Madison claimed they could not discipline the student as the remarks were within her “First Amendment rights.” This incident came after a string of antisemitic displays where chalkings were written across campus falsely claiming Jewish student organizations are “racist” and “genocidal.”

Regardless of the DEI department’s true effectiveness, an educational void surrounding these current and future events will lead to a further uptick in discriminatory acts.

A looming change in admissions practices?

Since the recent affirmative action decision, UW-Madison has announced that race will no longer play a role in their admissions decisions to remain lawful. Although this decision will significantly impact UW-Madison as the university already struggles with minority student enrollment. As of the 2022 fall semester, about 25% of the undergraduate student body is made up of “students of color” per the 20222023 Data Digest.

Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin’s letter, which was sent out shortly after the Supreme Court decision was released, affirmed UW-Madison’s commitment to sustaining a diverse student body. However, it did not detail how they intend to do so. While these changes are still in the works and will not affect the 2023-24 admissions year, the entire UW System needs to find alternate ways to create diverse student bodies.

For Mr. Vos, the ruling seemed to benefit his political agenda.

The Speaker is looking into getting rid of educational grants that benefit minority students, and he said in a tweet last month he will “introduce legislation to correct the discriminatory laws on the books and pass repeals in the fall.” However, this will undoubtedly impact enrollment rates throughout the UW System as students of color will now have less resources to pay

cost-of-attendance rates.

Instead of getting rid of these grants, the UW System should look to enhance these programs and persuade students of color to apply to UW System campuses.

Cutting funding for DEI positions across the UW System can only hurt students’ education. The only things that will come from any UW funding cuts are campus closures, decreased enrollments and UW System graduates moving out of state.

Since Vos and his Republican colleagues pride themselves on the economic growth of the state, more of their political capital should be focused on supporting the state’s largest employer and source of college-educated adults instead of attacking the UW System for political points.

Vintage’s Future: Demolishing a Local Business won’t remedy the affordable housing problem

By Franchesca Reuter STAFF WRITER

With the proposal to demolish Vintage Spirits & Grill and build a 33-unit luxury apartment building in its place, the Madison community is losing a family-owned business without gaining new affordable housing.

Madison property developer The Carey Group submitted a proposal to build a 33-unit apartment building at the cost of demolishing the beloved local Vintage Spirits & Grill. Many UW-Madison students’ lamented the potential loss of the restaurant to the housing development as Vintage is a Madison staple. With the loss of the restaurant, there is one less place for students to come together on campus and a 12-story building on its grave.

Local businesses and restaurants are the heart of Madison. Community members gather in these places, and Madison loses a part of its beloved history without them.

Some Madison favorites have been around since seemingly forever. Since the 1930s, the Plaza Tavern & Grill has attracted many crowds and even two previous Wisconsin governors over the years. Mickies Dairy Bar has been around since 1947, but the building was previously a pharmacy before the restaurant took over the lot.

Brittany, Trent and Mark Kraemer opened Vintage in 2002. The building Vintage occupies, built in 1927, has seen multiple businesses come and go over its 96-year history,

but Vintage has become an essential for college students and the greater Madison community. This familyowned restaurant has garnered the support of the Madison community against the demolition of the building — a petition on Change.org to save Vintage has garnered over 4,700 signatures.

The apartment building would house around 110 students, but the proposal had no mention of making it affordable. According to the July data from the Apartment List National Rent Report, there was a 6.7% increase in rent across Madison and a 1.1% increase from month to month between July 2022 to July 2023. The rent in Madison has increased since March 2020 by 28.4%, with the median one bedroom apartment costing $1,364 per month.

With the housing shortage and rent increases, Core Spaces, a Chicago-based developer, proposed a 232-unit luxury apartment building near campus, which would replace the 10 houses that have around 72 units of more affordable housing. The proposal was rejected by the Madison City Council due to a lack of affordability, but the council reversed its decision weeks later and allowed for the rezoning of the apartment complex.

UW-Madison students are the target consumers for the apartment complex since it would be built with access on West Johnson, North Broom and North Bassett Streets. District 8 Alder MGR Govindarajan

argued it would not be affordable housing since the units would be sold at the market level rent. Despite this, Core Spaces will be allowed to move forward with the process of the development.

Core Spaces is currently in the construction process of another new apartment complex on Gorham and Broom Streets in downtown Madison. The building will be available starting in the fall of 2024, housing 386 units. These apartments will also be at market level rent, except 112 beds which will be at below-market level rent for low-income students. Only roughly 10% of the new housing in the complex Core Spaces is building will be affordable for lowincome students.

In addition to these two projects, Core Spaces also owns both The Hub

and The James, luxury apartment buildings which are infamous for their high rent costs. Several apartments had a dramatic rent increase over the last year, causing students to look elsewhere for more affordable housing. There was a reported 20% increase in the rent for the 2023-24 lease for The Hub by students currently residing there, way above the Madison average rent increase for the year.

Smaller single-family homes, complexes and local businesses are being replaced by luxury apartment buildings with little effort to make strides toward affordability. Madison developers and officials should be prioritizing affordability and lowering rent costs without the demolition of local favorite businesses that are essential to Madison’s community.

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Badgers sports: The places to be in 2023

By Seth Kruger and Maddie Sacks

SPORTS EDITORS

As an incoming student to UW-Madison, the campus of Wisconsin can be a daunting place. Downtown Madison, Lake Mendota, Bascom Hill and State Street dominate the initial scenery for new Badgers.

However, Big Ten athletics are also a major part of Wisconsin students’ experiences, beginning as early as the end of August. As the streets of Madison prepare to welcome thousands of new Badger students, the Daily Cardinal sports editors have taken it upon themselves to provide a helpful lay of the Madison sports scene.

Camp Randall

Whether you are a football fan or not, game days at Camp Randall are a highlight for many UW-Madison students. From the mass of fans wearing red and white, the student section race and the unity of friends and family all the way to the singing of the timehonored classic “Varsity,” Camp Randall Stadium encompasses the ideal game day for all to enjoy.

The historic stadium represents the idea of football being “more than just a game.” Students, family, alumni, community members and more gather in all types of weather conditions to support the Badgers throughout the season. Dubbed one of the rowdiest college stadiums by The New York Times with the “Jump Around” tradition, football is a pretty important sport for Badgers fans.

While this could be intimidating for new Badgers fans, it’s the Madison way to pass along the gameday traditions and memories from years before. Although Camp Randall is currently a symbol for football, it actually has a lot of non-football history.

The Camp Randall Memorial Arch is a significant landmark on campus. It memorializes the U.S. Civil War, when roughly 70,000 Wisconsin soldiers were trained

at the site. It marks the official entrance to Camp Randall, and it is now used by the UW-Madison marching band when entering the stadium on game days.

Wisconsin is in for an exciting season this year with new head coach Luke Fickell and quarterback Tanner Mordecai. All the excitement and anticipation for the upcoming season leads back to one place: Camp Randall.

LaBahn Arena

LaBahn Arena officially opened in 2012 and became home to the Wisconsin Women’s Hockey team.

Although the arena is smaller than the neighboring Kohl Center, it hosts the most exciting hockey games on campus due to being the home of the seven-time national champion women’s team.

The facility offers its own fair share of Badgers traditions, from the rowdy student section to the loyal fans chanting their own cheer saying, the number of goals scored followed by, “We want more”, each time the Badgers score.

Even if you’re new to hockey, LaBahn Arena will make you feel right at home as you cheer on the dominating Badgers.

The Kohl Center

Dayton Street is one of the most popular streets on campus. Headed by the Camp Randall Memorial Arch, the 80 bus route runs constantly along Dayton, dropping Madisonians off at Union South, apartments, the Nicholas Recreation Center and one of Madison’s hottest sporting locations: the Kohl Center.

Home to the Badgers men’s and women’s basketball teams as well as the men’s hockey team, the Kohl Center is considered one of the most difficult arenas for visiting teams to play in nationally.

AreaRED, the Wisconsin student section, dominates three levels of the south bleachers. Committed Badgers sports fans fill the rest of

the 17,000-seat arena.

Fans can find statues, plaques, trophies and other pieces of history scattered throughout the concourse. Former Badgers in professional leagues also appear on the walls and on banners.

AreaRED seating is first come, first serve. A general admission ticket will get you through the door, but your seat within the arena bowl depends on how early you enter. No matter if you’re front row or in the upper seats, every student is part of the game. Traditions command any game day event at the Kohl Center. The UW-Madison Band leads endless songs, chants, dances and more. Clapping your hands on free throws, chanting “sieve” at goalies and cheering on halftime performances are all part of the student experience at the Kohl Center.

Wisconsin Field House

The Wisconsin Field House, opened in 1930, is the second-oldest sporting venue at UW-Madison behind Camp Randall. Directly attached to the south side of Camp Randall, the Field House is home to the volleyball and wrestling teams.

The AreaRED student section dominates nearly a quarter of the seating in the Fieldhouse, with student section seats spanning from floor level to the rafters.

The Badgers volleyball team puts on a show every home game, and the Field House is subsequently packed in to support the nine-time Big Ten Champions. The team won the NCAA Tournament in 2021 and made a deep run last season, so there is no doubt the Fieldhouse will be rocking during the 2023 season.

On the flip side, head coach Chris Bono leads the wrestling team against some of the best college wrestling competition in the country as the Badgers host Big Ten duals throughout the season. Fans fill the Field House stands to get close-up views of Badgers wrestling at its finest.

Kohl Center, LaBahn Arena to begin serving alcohol

By Seth Kruger SPORTS EDITOR

Wisconsin Athletic Director

Chris McIntosh announced a commitment to an “enhanced customer journey and experience” at Wisconsin sporting events on Thursday, Aug. 3, by beginning to serve alcohol at the Kohl Center and LaBahn Arena.

Beginning this fall, the Kohl Center and LaBahn Arena will provide beer, wine, hard seltzers and other pre-packaged alcoholic beverages at Wisconsin hockey and basketball games.

The university plans to continue their increased alcoholfree programming and awareness for alcohol-related responsible behavior, according to the UW Athletics website.

Wisconsin will now become the 10th Big Ten school to

introduce similar options to basketball and hockey gameday environments, according to the announcement.

As more teams join the Big Ten — most recently USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington — Wisconsin continues to be surrounded by increasing amounts of alcohol sales at football games. Alcohol sales are permitted at all four of the joining schools’ football stadiums.

University athletics officials also announced a commitment to greater fan engagement through increased surveying and marketing efforts as well as improved in-venue gameday production, accomplished through a new partnership between UW Athletics and Van Wagner.

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I Just Think They’re Neat: Badgers

By Madelyn Anderson SCIENCE EDITOR

From sporting red and white overalls to screaming the lyrics to “Jump Around,” University of WisconsinMadison students have mastered the art of school spirit. While I’m guilty of participating in both these traditions, I derive the most joy from one particular UW-Madison trademark: Buckingham U. “Bucky” Badger.

Professor blends art, science in effort to depolarize climate change

ResearchersattheUniversityofWisconsin-Madisonfoundcombiningfields mayhelpbridgepoliticaldividesandinspireconversation

By Paige Stevenson STAFF WRITER

University of WisconsinMadison assistant professor and researcher Nan Li is helping to bridge the gap between scientific research and the creative arts by sparking conversations about the importance of visual representation in understanding scientific concepts.

Li worked with a team of professionals, including Isabel Villanueva, Thomas Jilk and Dominique Brossard from UW-Madison as well as Brianna Rae Van Matre from EcoAgriculture Partners —a nonprofit that develops solutions to more sustainable land management —to analyze the effects art has on people’s understanding of climate change. Li and her team surveyed 671 adults from around the U.S. about their reactions to a Diane Burke painting titled “Summer Heat, 2020” while also taking into account the political leanings of the participants.

Burke’s painting features shades of red and blue coming together to create abstract scenes of weather and nature over a graph of carbon dioxide levels globally. This piece, along with other data visuals, was compiled into four different Instagram posts for Li’s study. Each post got a different group of survey participants.

Li’s research focused on evaluating how art and discussion around the feelings a piece evokes affect prim-

ing —exposure to stimulating media to influence one’s perspective of a specific topic — and political polarization.

One of the sample groups was instructed to reflect on an Instagram post featuring only the painting. This group reported more positive, uplifting and optimistic emotions.

The second sample group’s post had the original painting and visuals related to climate change data as well as supporting information in the post’s caption. As a whole, this group viewed the post as credible, leading Li and her team to note the successes of sharing information on social media.

Access to educational content on social media platforms like Instagram has become increasingly popular. A 2020 Pew Research study found 18% of adults primarily get their news from social media. The percentage of young adults aged 18-24 who do the same was much greater at 48%.

As a researcher in visual representations and their impacts on scientific understanding, this is quite rewarding for Li, as social media tends to be a visual-centric platform. Unfortunately, these outlets can be a hub for misinformation, making it

vital to include statistics or additional research to ensure audiences are interacting with a credible source.

However, including such information can sometimes create distrust or increase polarization among political parties. This was found with the third and fourth research group, which were only shown the additional visuals and not the original painting, or saw both the painting and visuals but weren’t given time to reflect.

Li found these posts actually increased polarization among the survey participants. Historically speaking, 82% of adults identifying as Democrats view climate change as a “critical threat” where -

as only 16% of Republicanidentifying adults agree.

“In order for art to maximize its potential as a tool for public engagement, you really need to use it as a catalyst for triggering self-reflection,” Li said in an interview with UW-Madison Communications, emphasizing the need for art and discussions around climate change to mimic conversations with the first group.

For many, it’s hard to be motivated to understand an issue when it’s accompanied with

large, inconceivable numbers and scientific jargon. But art is a unifying, universal experience. A piece like Burke’s painting is open to interpretation, leaving room for conversation between different groups.

When discussions of art are applied to subjects like climate change, those discussions help different political parties visualize effects on others lives, careers and more, making them open to further solutions on the issue, according to Li.

However, Li acknowledges that her research has some limitations. For example, her team only used one painting, by one artist and in one style. She wants to better understand how artists of different backgrounds affect art and its ability to bridge conversations between political parties as well as how audiences around the world react to this concept.

Regardless, strategies like art and communication can inspire thought and empathy that isn’t always conveyable through scientific statistics and graphs.

“It actually engages people to explore the meaning themselves,” Li said.

Li and her team’s research proves that connecting both art and science limits the effects political party affiliation has on perceiving climate change as a threat. Thus, the future possibilities of art and communication can create inspiring, productive conversations that could lead to more political cooperation.

Outside of representing a ferocious football team and countless dining hall sweet treats, Bucky also represents an intriguing animal. The badger, which is part of the Mustelidae (weasel) family, consists of 17 species broken down into four main categories. These are classified as Arctonyx (hog badgers), Meles (regional badgers), Melogale (ferret badgers) and Mydaus (stink badgers).

When we picture Bucky, most of us think of an American badger (Taxidea Taxus) or honey badger (Mellivora capensis), both of which fall outside of the main groups and into individual subfamilies.

How can we describe Bucky using scientific terminology versus endearing adjectives like “cute?” To start, all badgers are nocturnal mammals with fur. They often display dark faces and bodies accompanied by lighter markings, such as their signature stripe.

Badgers can grow to be as tall as 35 inches and as heavy as 40 pounds. They also have adaptations for digging — such as relatively short, clawed legs — that are useful for catching prey and burrowing into dens.

Our furry carnivore friends eat a diet primarily composed of rodents, insects, reptiles and the occasional scavenging find. But the badger’s true mystique comes from their social habits, often referred to as the “secret life of badgers.”

A 2017 study from a team of University of Oxford and Cambridge researchers challenged the notion that badgers are introverted animals by using tags and an active-radiofrequency-identification system to track badger behaviors.

Results from the study proved it is not necessarily rare for them to move outside of their territories. Badgers even show signs of cooperation with other ‘setts,’ referring to a group of less than ten badgers participating in communal living. Notions of setts and community are often observed among badgers in the United Kingdom.

Besides mating in the summer season, the American badger typically exists alone. This is a contrast to the UW-Madison badger community, a network of students pushing each other onward.

I hope you stop and smile next time you see Bucky’s face now that you know a bit more about the science behind our beloved mascot.

COURTESY DIANE BURKE

GRAPHIC BY TOVA LINDBERG

Nan Li Assistant professor in the Life Sciences Communication department

“In order for art to maximize its potential as a tool for public engagement, you really need to use it as a catalyst for triggering self-reflection.”

It’s no mystery: University’s genderswapped Sherlock Holmes is remarkable

By Noah Fellinger ARTS EDITOR

The University of Wisconsin Madison’s Department of Theatre and Drama wrapped up a successful first run of their new production, “Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson, APT. 2B,” on Aug. 6.

Endlessly endearing and hilarious, this exciting reimagining of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved stories swaps the genders of classic characters Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson and thrusts them into a contemporary, postCOVID world.

“Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson, APT. 2B”, guest directed by Emily Rollie and written by award-winning playwright Kate Hamill, sees the American Dr. Joan Watson (Nora Wondra) move to London in the year 2021, directionless in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

When touring an apartment owned by the strungout Mrs. Hudson (Megan Tennessen), she meets the brilliant and eccentric Ms. Sherlock Holmes (Sophia Schmidt). The two become roommates destined to embark on many mysteries, aided by the somewhat dim Inspector Lestrade (Nicky Chier). As their odd friendship blossoms, the two cross paths with the alluring Irene Adler (Megan Tennessen) as well as a mysterious figure who seems to be secretly pulling the strings.

The play is the first in a series of four featuring female playwrights to be produced by the university theatre program throughout the 2023-24 season. As per the production’s playbill, Hamill’s work “celebrates theatricality, often features absurdity, and closely exam-

ines social and gender issues.” These themes are front-and-center throughout the play.

Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson remain utterly true to the spirit of the original characters, so much so that one might forget that these are different versions of the characters at all. However, that’s not to say that this alteration doesn’t change the story in fresh and intriguing ways.

While Sherlock and Watson are now women, the other characters remain untouched. Archetypal femme fatale Irene Addler, fawned after by Sherlock in the original novels, remains a woman. This casts the relationship between her and Ms. Sherlock in a new, more queer light.

This choice also transforms two characters — who in the novels were firmly rooted in the misogynistic culture of the 19th century — into a pair of empowered, modern women.

“There’s something about specifically making Sherlock Holmes a woman that sort of flips everything on its head,” Schmidt told The Daily Cardinal. “When you make a misogynistic male character into a woman, it has weight… there aren’t many female characters that have the level of power Sherlock Holmes has in this fictional universe without it being a sexual power.”

Schmidt’s exceptional performance in the role truly capitalizes on this, fully embodying the captivating presence of Sherlock on stage with energetic bouts of rapier-flourishing and witty repartee. And, does so without overshadowing fellow castmates.

Of course, the characters’ gender-swap isn’t the only update which Hamill makes to the classic material. This version of Sherlock Holmes takes place in a post-pandemic 2021, and although COVID-19 isn’t a frequent focus of the story, its ghostly presence continues to haunt apartment 2B. Most characters periodically reference the pandemic, though rarely engage with it directly.

That is, with the exception of Dr. Joan Watson.

Light spoilers ahead.

Throughout the play, Watson appears troubled and is unable to stomach others’ pain despite being a physician. It’s eventually revealed in a monologue delivered by Watson that the stress and anxiety of working during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic left

her traumatized. This is what led Watson to give up on medicine and move to London for a new start.

This monologue was the highlight of a skilled performance delivered by Wondra, and it’s one which invites the audience to reflect on one of the most uncertain and frightening periods in recent memory.

“I know that when I do that monologue, everybody knows what I’m talking about. There’s no question. They can imagine it, they can see it; they’ve seen the news and they’ve read the articles,” Wondra said. “That’s a huge part that can help people relate to Watson’s character.”

The rest of the cast gave phenomenal performances as well. Megan Tennessen had the daunting task of juggling multiple distinct characters throughout the play’s duration. Tennessen suc-

ceeded with apparent ease, aided by a multitude of seamless costume and makeup changes. When Tennessen first switched from playing Mrs. Hudson to Lucy Drebber — one of her many roles — I was convinced that a different actor had taken the stage.

Likewise, Nicky Chier, who also plays multiple characters, was a clear delight for the audience. Chier’s performance as Inspector Lestrade was particularly entertaining. Chier’s impeccable comedic timing, gracefully over-the-top performance and clear vocal talent really stood out.

“Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson, APT. 2B” is a fresh and intelligent play which transforms a familiar premise into something exhilarating and new, aided by an exceptionally talented cast. Props must also be given to the production team, who assembled some truly exceptional lighting, soundwork and costume design for this production as well as a cleverly intricate set. I can’t recommend enough that you see this play when it picks up again on September 14th.

“It’s just so fun, and there are so many twists. There’s also so many jokes. So many, it’s hard to catch all of them…and for freshmen, I think it’s a good, light-hearted first place to introduce yourself to the theatre department,” Wondra said.

“What I would say to people who are even moderately interested in theater is to give it a chance, especially if you haven’t been involved in theater before college,” Schmidt said. “It’s not too late to explore your interests.”

By Gabriella Hartlaub STAFF WRITER

At long last, a film has arrived that answers some of the greatest questions of our time: Who is Barbie? What is she about? Can she really do everything? And most importantly, what ever happened to the Barbie whose hair I cut off and whose face I drew on?

The new hit film “Barbie” answers all these questions and many more in a fun and refreshingly subversive way.

“Barbie” is a film that can be described using words like “pinkalicious,” beach and inescapablethoughts-of-death. It’s safe to say those looking for a soulless IP film meant to advertise Barbie dolls, or parents preparing themselves for a 90-minute singing extravaganza a la “Frozen” may find this film is not what they thought it was.

The film, directed by Greta Gerwig and co-written with her partner Noah Baumbach, follows a Barbie doll as she leaves the safety of Barbie Land and travels to the real world in order to seal a rift between the two universes.

For those of us who subscribe to the church of Greta Gerwig, the surprisingly heavy themes of the movie should be no surprise. Gerwig is known for her examinations of womanhood. She’s also known for her show-stopping third act monologues

which manage to animate the audience through either clapping or tears.

Gloria (America Ferrera), a Mattel employee and Barbie enthusiast, delivers a similar monologue during the film. Ferrera had a standout performance that contributes a uniquely human perspective to the plastic world of Barbie.

Gloria delivers a rousing speech on the experience of being a woman — complete with some intro to feminism lessons — in a way that makes you feel like you’re being talked to instead of talked at. Gloria’s relationship with her daughter Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt) secures her a place in Gerwig’s fictional mothers hall of fame alongside Laura Dern from “Little Women”, and Laurie Metcalf from “Lady Bird”.

If you hadn’t picked up on it

already, “Barbie” is a film about womanhood. But the Barbie doll itself is a conundrum.

Barbie is supposed to represent all women, but she only looked a certain way for a long time. She could do anything, but only within reason. She’s independent, but somehow she always ends up looking after all of her friends and eventual younger siblings.

In Gerwig’s Barbie Land, none of those contradictions exist. Barbie can truly be anything, and by some miracle, she’s respected as such no matter if her job is astronaut, construction worker or Nobel Prize-winning physicist (take that Oppenhiemer!). Though the film focuses on “Stereotypical Barbie” (Margot Robbie), it asserts Barbie can be anyone and features disabled Barbies, Barbies of all races and transgender Barbies.

In my opinion, the film didn’t need to focus on a stereotypical Barbie, but I’ll be the first to admit the world is not quite ready for that yet.

Still, in Barbie Land, the Kens are treated as an afterthought. In a twist from our reality, it’s the Kens who cheer for the Barbies as they play volleyball. Ryan Gosling’s “Stereotypical Ken” has a job that he describes as “beach… just beach,” and simply looks cool while the Barbies do their thing.

I won’t lie, plenty of films have tried to critique sexism and misogyny through thinly veiled metaphors, or in this case a reverse of the issue itself. But Gerwig’s script makes the concept feel fresh. In the real world, a Mattel intern asks the CEO, “I’m a man with no power, does that make me a woman?”. As the Kens rebel against their treatment in the second half of the film, we find that statement is untrue.

This reveals another layer of the film’s take on womanhood. When the Barbies were in charge, the Kens were simply out of mind and powerless, but not made to do anything they didn’t want to. In the new “Kendom,” women are subjected like they are in the real world. They’re made to be less than Kens and forced to lose their homes and careers in favor of service to the Kens’ every need. Gerwig’s point is clear: Women are not men with no

power. Rather, they are actively subjugated in both Kendom and in the real world.

Our journey into this film runs parallel to Barbie’s journey into the real world. Stereotypical Barbie is disheartened to find that the real world wasn’t what she’d been told and that Barbie hadn’t fixed everything for women. “The real world isn’t what I thought it was,” she laments to Barbie creator Ruth Handler (Rhea Perlman).

Perlman’s character smiles, and offers her a hidden piece of hope, “Isn’t that wonderful?”

The real world isn’t what Barbie thought it was, and this movie isn’t what many thought it was going to be. But throughout the film, which clocks in at a glorious hour and 45 minutes, it proves to be all the more wonderful for it.

With Barbie, everything comes together: the writing, the acting, the amazing costume and set design and even the film’s soundtrack—the standout being Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” that underscores a touching montage near the end of the film.

“Who is Barbie?” is a question that becomes uniquely intertwined with another one by the end of the film: Who are we as women and as humans? Maybe it’s for the better that this particular question remains unanswered.

‘Barbie’ shows what it means to live in a woman’s world

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Study abroad: What I missed in Madison

By Sylvia Miller STAFF WRITER

I studied abroad this past spring semester in Seoul, South Korea. It was unbelievable, magnificent, delicious and every other positive praiseworthy adjective you can think of. I could spend this entire article recounting the semester and rambling about the people I met, the places I saw and the things I learned.

But, that sounds a bit obnoxious, so I want to focus on how a semester abroad in Seoul made me more grateful for our perfect mid-sized college town of Madison, Wisconsin.

I knew I was going to miss my family and friends tremendously as this was the furthest away from them I could possibly have gone. But I did not expect to miss all the minuscule and notso-miniscule elements that make Madison precisely what it is — the people that make up the city, the highly anticipated reunions with my closest college friends I’ve known since my first month in Madison, the new friends I made along the way, the smiles people exchange on the street for no reason other than the fact that we are in the Midwest and so much more.

So here is everything I missed, packed full of recommendations:

• The walks and runs on the lakeshore path with a picturesque view of Lake Mendota right over my shoulder. The vibrant summer green of the Arboretum. The darling homes I pass on the Monona Bay loop, and the conversation, giggles and gossip I share with my favorite running buddy.

• I missed the Saturday farmers market at the Capitol, from which I continuously returned home with a tote bag piled to the top with fresh produce, flowers and little treats.

• Picnics and catching up on reading at James Madison park.

• Sunsets at the Memorial Union terrace, where you can share a pitcher, play

cards and watch generations of Madison alumni and folks in the area gather with their own loved ones. A place where you catch prospective students whispering to their parents they want to go here and old groups of college friends revisiting their cherished college town, knowing you were once the former and one day will be the latter.

• Eating at my favorite restaurants. And just because I missed them so much, I will list them by name. At my number one spot, Ha Long Bay on Willy Street. The Thai bubble tea, fried tofu dumplings and pad see ew are my go-to dishes. The Japanese stir fry at the Globe on N. Henry Street is mouth-watering, along with the rest of the menu. The So-Cal Grain Bowl at Everly on Monroe Street and the Ziti Reginella at Naples 15 on N. Butler Street are must-try restaurants. Breakfast at Marigold Kitchen, Monty’s Blue Plate Diner and Ancora are all delicious choices as well.

• This list wouldn’t be complete without acknowledging the iced chais with oat milk I missed with a burning passion. However, this thirst was quickly quenched by my favorite spots. If you’re looking for the best-iced chai, it can be found at Michelangelo’s Coffee House and Fair Trade Coffee, both on State Street.

Honorable mentions include but are not limited to: the State Street Brat’s patio, anything and everything from Batch Bakehouse, ice cold water, hummus, riding a BCycle, the seaweed in Lake Mendota, country music and avocado toast.

Leaving Madison for a semester was the best and hardest choice I made, and I feel immensely grateful that it made returning all the more sweeter.

Don’t live next to a bike repair shop? You might.

By Erin Mercuri LIFE & STYLE EDITOR

Does everyone have an underused bicycle in dire need of a tune up collecting dust in their basement? You may not, but I certainly do. Nonetheless, my bike remains broken and unused, and my excuses for not getting it fixed continue to pile up.

However, my inability to take the necessary steps to fix my own bike doesn’t mean there aren’t options available around Madison. Local, affordable and convenient bike repair shops don’t need to be a hassle — in fact, there may be one just down your street.

Curbside Bicycles is a fully mobile pop-up bike repair shop founded in Madison that brings same day tune-ups to your neighborhood.

When Curbside’s founder, Ian Oestreich, found himself unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he began doing bike repair house calls. Being outside was a welcome escape from home offices and social bubbles during the pandemic, and Oestreich saw an opportunity to meet the needs of hundreds of people flocking outdoors.

And with bike shops taking weeks for tune ups, the idea for Curbside Bicycles was born.

“I thought, ‘Oh, I’ll just do a pop-up for the neighborhood that way everyone can bring their bikes and they can get their bikes done that day,’ and it was a huge hit,” Oestreich said. “Basically, wherever people post ‘I would like to borrow a cup of sugar,’ or ‘I lost my dog,’ we say, “Hey, we’re doing bike repair.’”

Oestreich, a University of Wisconsin-Madison alumnus and 10-year Madison resident, said he understands the importance of biking infrastructure to the campus and the greater Madison area.

“The neighborhoods kind of know me at this point. I’m the friendly neighborhood bike mechanic but for many different neighborhoods,” Oestrich said. “Madison, by virtue of being, [is just an] everyone-wants-tolend-the-other-person-a-cup-

of-sugar type of town.”

Walking and bussing are options for UW-Madison students. But with cold winters and the city bus system’s redesign challenges, biking cements its spot as a top transportation option for students.

Madison ranks as one of the top five bike-friendly cities in the nation with over 200 miles of bike paths, according to the League of American Bicyclists. Curbside’s goal is to make biking affordable, convenient and accessible to those “who can’t afford timewise to leave their bike [in a] shop for three weeks when they commute on it every single day,” said Oestreich.

Curbside, now operating in three main locations, continues to grow in popularity, with pop-ups appearing across the country in places like Chicago and Arizona. But expansion to new cities doesn’t come without challenges, Oestreich said.

Madison and Chicago, similarly, are both neighborhood centric, with pop-ups happening in communities who have established identities. Whereas Arizona is “not neighborhoods, because everyone is snowbirds [who] all flocked down there.

There’s not a good sense of community, so it was hard for me to crack that nut. But what I do is I partner with all of the master-condo associations,” said Oestreich.

Curbside is in its fourth year of business and, according to Oestreich, they’re expected to do 1,500 tune ups this year. Oestrich hopes to continue expanding his company while keeping up with bandwidth in already successful neighborhoods. His next step is a Twin Cities branch, with potential talks of franchising as Oestreich plans a strong future vision for Curbside.

Whether you’re a routine biker, a newcomer or just unsure of what to do about that broken bike in your basement that won’t fix itself, then you’ve stumbled into the right place. Oestreich and his Curbside team are your friendly neighborhood bike experts who care about you and your bike’s general health and safety, he said.

So, grab that bike from wherever you store your broken household items (we all have that one room) and find a Curbside Bicycles pop-up shop near you. I might even see you there.

Nothing quite like home: Seoul, South Korea to Madison, Wisconsin.

SYLVIA MILLER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Ian Oestreich works with clients to repair a bike at a local Curbside Bicycle pop-up shop.

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Four years and going strong, Curbside is ready for what's next.

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