Thursday, November 2, 2023

University of Wisconsin-Madison

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UW-Madison continues sustainability initiatives amid student calls for greater progress UW-Madison continues to make efforts toward a more sustainable campus, students call for more action.

MAILE LLANOS/THE DAILY CARDINAL

By Ellie Bourdo FEATURES EDITOR

The University of WisconsinMadison continues to make efforts toward a more sustainable campus, though students believe there is more progress to be made.

UW-Madison was rated silver in campus sustainability in a 2022 report from the Sustainability Tracking Assessment & Rating System (STARS). Since then, the UW-Madison Office of Sustainability has continued efforts toward a more sustainable campus.

According to Nathan Jandl, the associate director of sustainability at the Office of Sustainability, UW-Madison has made various efforts to improve the university’s sustainability performance.

These efforts include solar panels, campus sustainability events and more. As of 2022, 16% of the campus’s total energy came from renewable sources.

“UW-Madison has integrated sustainability into many facets of campus, from reducing the environmental impact of our campus operations and incorporating sustainability into coursework to providing green certification services for campus offices and events,” Jandl said. “You can see what, and where, UW-Madison is doing by

using our Campus Sustainability Map and exploring the Office of Sustainability website.”

Christina Treacy, the sustainability chair of the Associated Students of Madison, said efforts led by the Office of Sustainability are valuable for the future of the university’s sustainability. She also said Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin’s priorities for sustainability have been beneficial as well.

“We have a really good Office of Sustainability, and they have a good partnership with our chancellor’s office,” Treacy said. “That’s going to give us a lot of momentum moving forward. I think we’re on a good trajectory.”

While UW-Madison continues to make efforts toward a more sustainable campus, Hannah Stahmann and Emily Valentine, the campus and systems executives at environmental advocacy group CLEAN UW, explained there is always room for improvement. They want the university to reach 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and 100% renewable energy by 2035.

“We hope that, in the future, the university will prioritize research in renewable energy sources such as geothermal, hydropower, solar, etc,” Stahmann and Valentine said.

“These technologies have been

advanced and access to them is widespread, so it would be to the university’s benefit to invest in UW-Madison’s sustainable future.”

Although UW-Madison has numerous efforts to improve its overall sustainability, Jandl said sustainability is a process that continues to have room for improvement.

“Sustainability is a process, not an endpoint, which means that there is always room to improve,” Jandl said. “UW-Madison has earned multiple [STARS] silver ratings, is a platinum-rated bike friendly university, and is Bee Campus certified, among other accolades — but there is certainly more progress to be made.”

Treacy also noted there are various actions the university can take to continue to improve its overall sustainability. She said improving the sustainability plan for the West Campus District, increasing solar panels and decreasing food waste are important areas of focus.

Stahmann and Valentine also had various improvements that they felt the university could make, including the incorporation of more sustainable ground management practices, prioritizing research in renewable energy sources and more.

According to Stahmann and

Valentine, CLEAN has voiced these concerns and is currently working with the Office of Sustainability and the ASM Sustainability Committee to implement new practices and engage in discussions with administrators regarding goals proposed by students.

Treacy noted ASM has voiced their sustainability concerns to the Office of Sustainability and the Chancellor’s Office, where Mnookin has expressed interest in helping to progress these goals.

“We are continuing to bring those concerns and raise our voices,” Treacy said. “And that’s essentially our role as student government, being able to say things that the Office of Sustainability themselves can’t necessarily say.”

When considering student concerns, Jandl said students have a high interest in sustainability on campus and continue to voice their concerns regarding actions made

by UW-Madison leaders.

“Students have shown strong interest in sustainability. As the inheritors of our shared planet, they are concerned about their futures and want to ensure that UW-Madison is playing its part in addressing climate change, reducing waste and incorporating social sustainability principles into campus life,” Jandl said.

Elizabeth Bautista, a UW-Madison senior and Office of Sustainability intern, said she continues to advocate for the improvement of sustainability efforts on campus. She also mentioned that students who feel passionately about these issues should express their concerns to campus leaders.

“Students should voice their concerns publicly to our campus leaders and think about these issues when casting their votes,” Bautista said. “Most action and change comes when large, collective voices speak out. Getting involved in student organizations and practicing good habits at home, such as reducing energy, recycling, eating with more conscious thought to environmental impacts, etc., [are] all small efforts that students can take daily to reduce the impact of our university.”

According to the Office of Sustainability, its goal is to incorporate sustainability into campus culture, educational and research initiatives and operational excellence. Jandl said these goals help to explain the overall importance of sustainability as a university.

“Sustainability principles directly support this mission of collective survival and quality of life,” Jandl said. “And at an immediate level, sustainability principles help to ensure that our campus is efficient, resilient, and fully supportive of teaching and learning.”

Stahmann and Valentine said UW-Madison’s sustainability efforts have a large impact on how other universities perceive the importance of sustainability, ultimately setting an example that can lead to greater changes. “[UW-Madison] is the biggest public school in Wisconsin and a Big Ten school, meaning the actions of this university influence those of other universities. If others see that UW-Madison prioritizes sustainability, then we hope other schools will follow suit,” Stahmann and Valentine said.

“Additionally, universities are a place of innovation and learning — the perfect environment to research and promote more sustainable practices. As a top research university, UW-Madison sets the precedent for what research looks like in the future and can change the face of sustainability with the correct priorities.”

“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”

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An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 133, Issue 13

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Madison schools alter class start times due to bus driver shortage

By Carter Burg STAFF WRITER

Madison schools will alter their start times due to a shortage of bus drivers, the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) announced on Oct. 23.

MMSD is grappling with a shortage of bus drivers that has left students with inconsistent pick-up and drop-off times.

The changes will begin Nov. 6 and will affect 28 schools across the district. The start changes will last at least through the 2023-24 school year, a spokesperson for MMSD told The Daily Cardinal.

Most schools affected by the decision will see start times shift by five minutes. However, Anana and Henderson Elementary Schools will see start times change by nearly an hour, from 7:40 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

The district found a change in start times to be the only viable solution after reports of students being picked up as much as 20 minutes late, arriving at school barely five minutes before classes start and, occasionally, not being picked up at all, the Cap Times reported.

MMSD previously dropped Badger Bus as the district’s bus provider in favor of First Student, a

larger national contractor. During the bidding phase, First Student pointed to their larger pool of bus drivers and promised to offer a “two-tier” route system as opposed to the school district’s previous “three-tier” system.

A “three-tier” route system requires some schools to start later as drivers run three routes in the mornings and afternoons instead of the two routes they would run in a “two-tier” system. But a “three-tier” system uses fewer drivers.

MMSD Senior Executive Director of Building and Auxiliary Services Cedric Hodo said in February that a “two tier” system was “the No. 1 priority” in any consideration of a contract.

Hodo expressed disapproval about the reversion to a “threetier” system.

“We believe that that’s a breach of contract if we need to go back to a ‘three-tier’ system,” Hodo said, according to the Cap Times.

In regard to Hodo’s opinion and the legal ramifications for Student First, an MMSD spokesperson told the Cardinal the district’s legal services team “is in the process of reviewing options with regard to the contract.”

Madison is not the only school district to be affected by the shortage

CHRISTOPHER HOVEL/THE DAILY CARDINAL

as schools around the country have faced a chronic lack of bus drivers.

In August, schools across Louisville, Kentucky had to temporarily shut down in response to the shortage, bringing the issue to the forefront of national education policy.

Schools have been experiencing bus driver deficits for years, experts said, but the pandemic exacerbated it as drivers switched to higher-paying industry jobs or dropped out of the workforce altogether.

The driver shortage can be traced back to a number of factors, including poor hours, an aging workforce and health concerns related to the pandemic. Bus drivers typically only work part-time, and the odd hours

inherent in the job — early morning and mid-afternoon, with a gap in the middle — often prevent drivers from seeking other jobs to fill the day.

“Today, people are looking for a solid amount of time. That middle break does not work for most people,” Molly McGee-Hewitt, CEO and executive director of the National Association for Pupil Transportation, told NPR. Additionally, low worker compensation has contributed to the shortages, but some school districts have resisted raising wages because personnel costs can often run over 80% of total school budgets.

First Student did not respond to a request for comment.

UW-Madison, Dane County orgs offer resources to sexual assault survivors as part of the Nelson Institute’s Jordahl Lecture Series

By Annika Bereny STAFF WRITER

Content warning: This article mentions rape and sexual assault. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted and is seeking help, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at (800) 656-4673.

As Thanksgiving break nears, so does the end of the “red zone,” the period of time at the beginning of the fall semester in which campus sexual assaults are most common.

While different campuses have different time periods classified as the red zone, the common consensus is that students are most vulnerable to sexual assault in the first weeks or months of the academic year. A 2007 study found students — specifically female freshmen — experience more unwanted sexual advances between August and November than at any other part of the year.

The Center for Women and Families similarly reports that more than 50% of campus sexual assaults occur in these first four months.

During their time on campus, about one in six students at UW-Madison will experience sexual assault, according to Director of Survivor Services Dr. Molly Caradonna. Most students will know someone who has experienced sexual assault or rape, Caradonna added.

UW-Madison requires all first-year students, whether they are undergraduates, transfers or graduates, to complete violence prevention programming prior to coming to campus as part of the university’s education and prevention measures.

“We know that sexual assault

CAROLYN BONNEMA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

is not only a concern for first-year undergraduate students but for all students on campus,” Caradonna said in a statement to The Daily Cardinal. “Reinforcing strategies for raising awareness, normalizing consent and promoting bystander intervention help promote a safer campus community.”

In the aftermath of a traumatizing event, however, many victims may be hesitant to report an assault or may not know who to turn to. According to the National Sexual Violence Research Center, more than 90% of campus sexual assaults will go unreported.

The stigma surrounding campus sexual assault is a major force behind this reticence that often leaves students forced to cope on their own. But the university, as well as other Dane County-area organizations offer resources and paths for survivors to take.

Caradonna’s Survivor Services exists within University Health Services (UHS) and is committed to supporting students who are victims

of sexual violence, domestic violence, exploitation or stalking.

UHS offers medical services to students on the fifth and sixth floor of 333 E. Campus Mall, including injury treatment, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, HIV testing and counseling, and screening and treatment of other STIs. UHS also offers forensic exams on the sixth floor through Dane County Multi-Agency Center (DaneMAC), a local organization that supports Dane County victims of gender-based violence.

Forensic exams, which include sexual assault evidence kits — often called “rape kits” — are performed to collect DNA evidence after an assault has occurred.

Currently, there is a bill under consideration in the Wisconsin Legislature that aims to quicken processing times for these kits. If passed, the bill intends to generate faster results and expedite the process of taking legal action against a perpetrator of gender-based violence.

Founded by nurse practitioner Kim Curran and lawyer Rachel Sattler, DaneMAC seeks to serve survivors and consolidate resources so that survivors are not required to relive their trauma more times than necessary to get help. DaneMAC offers forensic exams to students and works with local service providers to streamline the process of recovery and possible formal actions after an assault.

“Forensic care provides me the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life during a traumatic time,” reads Curran’s profile on the DaneMAC website. “The exam is a moment to give control back to a survivor.”

If a survivor wishes to take formal or legal action, it will become a nonconfidential resource.

With confidential sources, the name of a survivor will not be recorded. Crisis phone lines, the RCC and UHS Survivor Services are all included under this umbrella.

Non-confidential sources often include more formal ways of reporting, such as speaking to law enforcement or the school’s Title IX coordinator. UHS Survivor Services offers advocacy for students who choose to formally report their assault and can send staff to support students through the reporting process.

“While deciding to report to law enforcement or the university is always the choice of each victim/survivor,” Caradonna said in a statement, “we continue our work with campus and community partners to make these reporting processes accessible, transparent and trauma-informed.”

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Student journalism bill sparks debate over First Amendment, partisanship

By Francesca Pica and Ava Menkes CITY NEWS EDITOR AND STATE NEWS EDITOR

Wisconsin Assembly lawmakers held a hearing Oct. 26 to discuss Republican-led legislation which would guarantee certain rights and protections for K-12 and higher education student journalists.

The legislation, introduced on Oct. 23, would codify speech rights and protections for student journalists as well as create an appeals and review process for students to challenge editorial decisions from school-sponsored media at public K-12 schools, University of Wisconsin System schools and technical colleges.

The bill classifies school-sponsored media as “any material that is prepared, substantially written, published or broadcast” by student journalists “at a school, under the direction of a media adviser and distributed or generally made available to students enrolled in the school,” with the exception of material intended to be used solely for a course offered by the school.

“As young journalists gain their first real experience in reporting and editorializing, it's critical that the strong arm of the government does not stifle their speech even before they find their voice,” Michael Moscicke, a staff member representing Sen. Rachel Cabral-Guevara, R-Appleton, said during the hearing.

The bill would not protect speech deemed libelous, obscene, an unwarranted invasion of privacy in violation of state or federal law or inciting a violation of the law or lawful school policy.

Simon Mehring, the associate editor-in-chief of the Norse Star student newspaper at Stoughton High School, helped advance this bill by modeling it after the “New Voices” legislation passed in 17 states to provide student journalists freedom of speech protections.

Rep. Jodi Emerson, D-Eau Claire, told The Daily Cardinal she supports the legislation, call-

ing it a strong proactive measure to protect student journalists.

“I'm pretty happy with it,” Emerson said. “I think there's a few places we will probably work to tighten it up a little bit.”

Experts debate press protections for K-12 students While lawmakers from both parties endorsed expanding freedom of speech rights for student journalists, legal experts flagged concerns over removing the power of K-12 schools to exercise prior restraint — suppressing or censoring speech before it’s published — on younger student journalists.

Howard Schweber, a former UW-Madison political science professor, told the Cardinal the bill’s language does not clearly define the freedoms student newspapers hold but “appears to require that schools allow students to make [First Amendment] judgements themselves.”

Schweber raised concern about the bill’s extension of freedom of speech protections to grades six through 12, which would allow young students to publish pieces without prior restraint.

“I'm deeply concerned that the result would actually be that these student newspapers would close because schools and school districts and children's parents and children's parents’ insurers might not be willing to take the risks the legislators are willing to take in saying to a 12-yearold, ‘Do whatever you want and if you make a mistake in judgment, there could be a lawsuit,’” Schweber said.

In 1988, the Supreme Court ruled in Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier that school-sponsored high school student newspapers have fewer First Amendment protections than independent publications and allowed school administrators to exercise prior restraint over school-sponsored media if the censorship is “reasonably related” to legitimate educational concerns.

A 2005 decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit extended Hazelwood’s restrictions to higher education in Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.

Wisconsin is one of two states under which Hazelwood’s restrictions on school-sponsored media applies to universities and technical colleges, according to Joseph Cohn, legislative and policy director for nonprofit civil liberties group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).

Though the UW System has the right to restrict schoolsponsored speech, current UW policy places students in full control of what gets published in school-sponsored student newspapers and college radio stations, according to UW System Vice President for University Relations Jeff Buhrandt.

“I am all in favor of university student journalists having the full freedom of the journalists for the Wisconsin State Journal so long as they’re accompanied by requirement to have some training,” Schweber said.

Buhrandt testified that the creation of an appeals process would more extensively involve the Board of Regents than current university policy. He said the bill should instead be “more focused on empowering students rather than creating a clumsy appeal process.”

The bill does not specify what the appeals process must look like. This allows the Board of Regents discretion to create its own policy as long as it complies with the bill, Emerson said, while also ensuring student journalists have recourse if they believe their freedom of speech rights were violated.

Lawmakers consider expanding protections to private schools Rep. Alex Joers, D-Middleton, expressed uncertainty that the freedom of speech protections would not

HAILEY JOHNSON/THE DAILY CARDINAL

apply to private schools under this bill, even if those schools receive public funding.

“If they’re going to receive public dollars, they should be held to the same standard,” Joers said during the hearing.

Schweber said that private schools are not required to comply with the First Amendment.

But the Legislature is “perfectly free to create protections for freedom of expression that go beyond what the First Amendment requires.”

“The First Amendment is a minimum,” Schweber said. “The Constitution is concerned with securing rights and establishes minimums, [but] states and localities are free to go further.”

But expanding speech protections to private schools would stand on uncertain legal ground, Cohn said during the hearing, since it could create a conflict between the student journalist’s right to speech and private schools’ First Amendment rights as private entities.

“I would say tread extremely carefully if you choose to do that because this is a direct tension

between two different actors’ free speech rights when you're talking about private entities,” Cohn said. “There isn't a case law wealth of resources there for you to say that will be upheld, so it is certainly riskier for you to do.”

During the hearing, Republican lawmakers remained opposed to expanding freedom of speech protections to private schools that receive state funding.

“That's a bridge too far, to extend our reach into the private schools,” Michalski said.

Schweber voiced caution over attempts by both liberals and conservatives to frame free speech along the lines of their own ideological division.

“I fear for these to become partisan issues and for people to assume that something that sounds pretty good, like freedom of the press, must support their side in whatever the issue is,” Schweber said. “Actually, freedom means freedom. It precisely means the press can do things you don't like or do like or refrain from doing things that you want them to do.”

Sustainability symposium draws environmental leaders

By Mary Bosch STAFF WRITER

Environmental leaders at the University of WisconsinMadison hosted the second annual Sustainability Symposium at the Discovery Building on Oct. 25., bringing together students and faculty focused on areas of sustainability.

The event began with keynote speaker Dr. Weslynne Ashton of the Illinois Institute of Technology, who shared information about creating a sustainable, circular food system.

“Ashton was absolutely fantastic, and it was great to hear about her work in the field,” said Audrey Stanton, one of the event’s organizers and a project assistant with the UW-Madison Office of Sustainability.

One key takeaway: food insecurity and food waste are linked. To solve both problems, Ashton said, they

need to be solved at the same time.

“It outlined a problem that we have at this university that we don’t talk about very much,” said Hannah Stahmann, Associated Students of Madison (ASM) Sustainability co-campaign coordinator. “UW System sustainability [work] is mostly focused on energy and facilities.”

There was an open application for presenting either a talk or a poster, and final selections were made by a committee. Eighteen “lightning talks” from students and faculty covered a variety of issues from sustainable cleaning to how to talk to conservatives about climate change.

Stahmann cited “Working Towards a Fashionably Sustainable Future with Re-wear It” by Anna Staresinic as the most memorable lightning talk.

After presentations, attendees

explored through 30 different presentation posters and heard from presenters about their work.

Projects emphasize, empower sustainability Rory Tevlin, an intern at the Office of Sustainability, told The Daily Cardinal about the SustainUW Podcast. Interns host, run, edit and produce the podcast about sustainability on campus and in the broader environmental community.

They balance educational material with lighthearted and digestible content, Telvin said.

Some episodes might have interviews with professors while others review “Barbie” from a social sustainability perspective.

“Each listener and each guest we have on just makes sustainability a bit more accessible,” Tevlin said.

Arjun Muralikrishnan shared

a project on how to use weather data clustering, which is choosing specific weather data to represent larger patterns.

With only 3.2% of UW-Madison’s energy consumption coming from renewable energy sources, Muralikrishnan said there needs to be better data collection on weather data to make timely infrastructure decisions.

Muralikrishnan was excited to share his research with members of the Office of Sustainability and praised the diversity of the group.

“It’s just really cool to get the broader view of things,” he said.

Reactions to the event Attendees hoped events like this one will spur more interconnectedness between major stakeholders in sustainability.

“I always find it super interesting to go to these events where you’ve got all these disciplines

coming together,” said Bryn Scriver, outreach and volunteer coordinator for the Lakeshore Nature Preserve.

“It’s been an awesome opportunity to really leverage the amazing resources that our campus has to collaborate in more ways moving forward,” said Christina Treacy, ASM Sustainability chair.

Students also said the event was an important networking opportunity. Lauren Marzinski, a freshman studying environmental engineering, said the event helped her understand the different kinds of fields she could work in.

“I’m so happy with the turnout and the engagement,” Audrey Stanton, one of the event coordinators, said. “The conversations that are happening are really important. This is how sustainability work gets done.”

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What Wisconsin’s recent Tech Hub designation means for the state’s future

By Kaitlin Stifelman STAFF WRITER

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) designated Wisconsin as a Regional Tech Hub in late October, a move expected to spur innovation in the state’s biotech industry.

The Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program, known as the Tech Hub Program, designated 31 regions for greater technological investment based on their probability for “rapid technology-led economic growth.”

chosen consortium.

Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and Senate Appropriations Committee, helped establish the CHIPS and Science Act, allocating funds to form the Tech Hub Program.

“I was proud to have helped create the Tech Hub program and bring one to Wisconsin because it will spur innovation, help students get the skills they need to land good paying jobs in an emerging field, and create more opportunities for our businesses and workers,” Baldwin said. “The [Tech Hub

HENRY MOORE/THE DAILY CARDINAL

The application process The Biden-Harris Administration selected 31 Regional Tech Hub Designations from at least 370 applicants, providing the possibility of funding toward technological advancement. Five to 10 of the chosen regions will receive up to $75 million in federal grants in the second round of the Tech Hub Program, which will be announced in 2024.

Adopted from the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which provides approximately $280 billion to promote domestic semiconductor research, the program is designed to expand technological innovation beyond already booming regions.

To earn the bid, Wisconsin formed a consortium of 15 institutions, including the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), the University of Wisconsin System Administration, UW-Madison, GE HealthCare, BioForward Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Area Technical College.

Wisconsin then submitted a formal application, including an EDA-issued Request for Information (RFI) — information regarding the program design, agency, structures and selection process in terms of the

designation] is welcome news, reinforcing our state’s longstanding tradition of innovation and manufacturing, bolstering our economy and creating goodpaying jobs – all in the name of keeping people healthier for generations to come.”

UW-Madison also played a large role in the recent designation. As the eighth-ranked research institution in the country, UW-Madison’s biotech programs and research institutions were vital to the bid. “[The BioHealth] industry that has grown here, largely out of University of Wisconsin research, is competitive with the best in the country,” Kurt J. Zimmerman, Senior Director of Biohealth Industry Partnerships at UW-Madison, told The Daily Cardinal. “This means that for the university and its students, there is a heightened attention to the research we are doing and the importance of that research, more industry partnerships, and more opportunities for students to be involved in that research and engage with those companies.”

What Wisconsin is planning to do Wisconsin

possesses

the

potential for technological and economic growth with its leading role — spearheaded by members of the consortium — in the biohealth and personalized medicine industry.

The consortium plans on using the money for innovation in healthcare and the development of personalized medicine — a field focusing on individualistic treatment through genomics, theranostics, and emphasis on proactive and preventative care to reduce medical costs.

The Patient Advisory Group, a newly created council designed to close the gap between patients and researchers, speeds up the process of collaboration and improves innovation.

Wisconsin’s designation will open the door for the state to receive additional millions of dollars in funding, bolstering opportunities for private investments and promoting stakeholders to boost biohealth operations and research. The consortium plans to use additional funding for shared resources and the growth of a developed and modern workforce.

“As this sector continues to grow, it will mean more highpaying jobs and economic growth for our state, as well as innovations that will transform the future of medical care for people in Wisconsin and around the world,” said Gov. Tony Evers in a press release.

The Tech Hub-led collaboration will also lead to a stronger and more equitable workforce as well as the formation of what Evers says will be a “good-jobs” economy. This emphasis on workforce quality will develop an employer-driven workforce within the biohealth sphere, allowing employers to hire a proficient and diverse workforce.

Funds will be geared toward workforce training, expanding employee housing and expanding transportation opportunities for those in traditionally marginalized and underserved communities. Furthermore, due to the expansion of technical training, collaboration and innovation, the consortium will create new jobs with benefits and upward mobility.

“When it comes to bringing together the best in research and development, cutting-edge manufacturing, highly skilled and educated workers, and a commitment to relentless improvement, no state is better prepared to lead the way,” Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of WEDC, said about Wisconsin in a press release. “This is a huge win in creating an economy for all, where everyone has the opportunity to live healthy, prosperous lives.”

First WUD SoPo ‘Mythbuster Monday’ addresses accessibility at UW-Madison

By Gabriella Hartlaub ARTS EDITOR

WUD Society and Politics Committee discussed a troubling approach to accessibility for students at UW-Madison and other universities during its first “Mythbuster Monday’” event on Oct. 30.

Disability accommodations often don’t cross the minds of students who are not disabled. As the discussion outlined, though, most people will eventually need accommodations in their lifetime.

“Everyone becomes disabled if you live long enough,” said host Gabriela Puma, a special education PhD student.

This leaves a gap both for disabled students and those who become disabled temporarily.

While it may seem like an issue that only affects some, Puma said, increasing accessibility can have positive effects for everyone, and decreasing accessibility can have negative effects for everyone.

The discussion began by framing the issue of accessibility through its universal benefit to both those who are able-bodied and those who are disabled.

Throughout the talk, Puma asked the group to consider whether they found UW-Madison’s campus accessible or not.

“Many apartments around campus are not ADA accessible,” one student said. “It’s not something that you think about until you need it.”

Systemic issues across the university became apparent as the discussion turned to disability access. Schools like Madison use an accommodations system to support students with disabilities that requires them to provide documentation and apply to receive assistance.

Alternatively, universal design provides accommodations for all students regardless of need. This would include automatic captioning on class lectures and online content, more flexible attendance policies for everyone, access to

recorded lectures and alternate ways of accessing class content.

“There’s a lot of reliance on these traditional tests that I don’t think are a great representation of what students do,” Puma told The Daily Cardinal after the discussion. “Thinking about how to incorporate universal design would make college a more meaningful experience for all students.”

Puma also shared videos of disability advocates talking about many facets of accessibility, including how to describe images for those with vision issues, types of accommodations and experiences with universal design.

These videos, most of which were TikToks, showed real-life experiences of disabled students in higher education.

Participants also deconstructed aspects of education that appear normal when uninterrogated but are major barriers to accessibility for disabled students, like perfect attendance. For disabled students, the expectation of perfect attendance and consequences for missing class creates barriers to achievement, as some disabilities prevent consistent class attendance.

This has consequences for able-bodied students, too. The expectation of perfect attendance encourages people to come into class when sick and can further student burnout and mental health issues, according to Forbes.

The group agreed removing these barriers would make life better for all students, improving academic outcomes and student mental health overall. This collective benefit also applies to physical accommodations like more ramps and elevators in school buildings.

The experiences of disabled students are what’s missing from current disability policy, Puma said.

“Not hearing from disabled students specifically about the challenges they’re having will not lead to the best and most appropriate solutions,” Puma added.

GABRIELLA HARTLAUB/THE DAILY CARDINAL

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The only competition Taylor Swift faces is herself

By Franchesca Reuter and Ella Dunnigan OPINION EDITOR AND STAFF WRITER

LORENZO ZEMELLA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Area Red once again disappointed in the Badgers’ 24-10 loss against No. 3 Ohio State, what’s the best way to fix it?

5 ways to solve Wisconsin’s empty football student section

By Tomer Ronen STAFF WRITER

In the most highly anticipated matchup at Camp Randall post-COVID, the Wisconsin student section once again disappointed.

The stands were not full at kickoff against the No. 3 team in the country, and did not fill up until halftime. Not a good look, but not a new issue.

Former head coach and athletic director Barry Alvarez attempted to overhaul the entrance process in 2018, but the problem remains for Chirs McIntosh and new head coach Luke Fickell – who addressed the problem in August.

But Saturday’s game was at 6:30 p.m. There is no blaming early kickoffs for this one. Students had all day to prepare — and pregame — for the game.

If the problem is not limited to early games, what can be done?

Here are five solutions to get Camp Randall rocking at kickoff.

1. Quicken the trek to your seat Camp Randall has a capacity of 80,321, with 14,000 tickets being set aside for students. But of the 10 entrance gates, only one is for students. That means 17.4% of the fans are being packed into just 10% of the gates. An extra gate or two would allow for more students to enter the stadium at a smoother and more consistent stream.

As an added bonus, with less students per gate, security — now responsible for fewer people — will be more efficient, leading to a safer stadium.

Time from gate to seat also needs to be expedited. The long, often clogged trek to student seats is notoriously the main issue cited by those defending the empty student section, and with reported wait times of over 45 minutes this weekend, something needs to change.

Students are escorted in lines, one-by-one into sections, making security guards glorified babysitters.

Why can’t students walk themselves down?

Entrances into each section at Camp Randall are narrow and tight.

Students squeeze together as they enter shoulder-to-shoulder with their classmates.

While the architecture of the stadium can’t change, the process sure

can. At less populated games, students don’t need to be squeezed in as tightly as possible, which improves optics and comfort. Standing for three hours is already miserable for those who aren’t football fans, so getting rid of the lengthy walk-in time is worth it.

2. Make it harder to get tickets Freshmen line up outside of Gordon’s because there are no seats.

Students lined up 7 hours before a massive basketball matchup against Purdue in March 2022. Scarcity makes things feel special.

Right now, students can buy tickets online at a relatively low price, and resellers run rampant from the day of purchase, often selling tickets at more than double the price immediately after they acquire them.

Why sell tickets to those who don’t want them? Wisconsin football should make it more difficult for students who don’t actually want to use tickets to buy them. Whether it be prioritizing by class standing, giving tickets to those who attend the spring game or having an early morning box office, Badger athletics should be actively accommodating actual football fans rather than the entire campus if they want to fill their stadium.

Making it harder to resell tickets would also help. Currently, students can very easily transfer via email or screenshots of their ticket’s QR code.

If they made a limited timeframe in which students could transfer tickets, it would make them feel more valuable. The harder it is to get a ticket, the more people will want to go to the game.

3. Assign seats at the entrance The Kohl Center does it, why can’t Camp Randall?

Students already get assigned a section when they enter, surely a seat to go with it wouldn’t hurt. Not only would this get students to their seats in a more expedited manner, but it would allow for trips to the concession stand without the worry of losing your front row seat to a stranger. Seats and rows are already numbered, and security would thank the athletic department for making their job easier.

The added bonus of being able to go to the bathroom without having to worry about your spot being taken

would surely entice quite a few students to both listen to their bladders and stick around post Jump Around.

4. A better pregame show With all due respect to the UW Marching Band’s “If You Want to be a Badger” and the Bucky Wagon, experiencing them for the fifth time this season and the fifteenth time in my tenure as a student simply does not excite me anymore. Change it up a little!

The homecoming committee does an excellent job putting on a pregame show that is simply unmatched to any other game of the season. Yet at Saturday’s important night game against Ohio State, the most exciting part of waiting for kickoff was listening to a couple argue next to me.

A t-shirt cannon, some new covers from the band or even music from DJay Mando would be a welcome addition to the pregame show.

Establishing some sort of pregame tradition like Virginia Tech’s “Enter Sandman,” would be even better (sorry pregame video). Many students aren’t there for the game, but they are there for “Jump Around.”

If you give them a reason to show up early, they just might.

5. WE WANT MORE…BEER! This one is self-explanatory.

Every Badger loves themselves a silly little drink, and no drink is sillier at a football game than a beer.

As if the student section wasn’t already full of shooters and feral little monsters, I can guarantee that this will keep them louder for longer.

Obviously, the university doesn’t want students drinking underage, but we all know it happens regardless, so keep a strict ID policy and charge exorbitant amounts for the product. In August, the university announced it would sell alcohol at both the Kohl Center and LaBahn Arena. In February, it was reported that the University of Tennessee sold over $3.3 million in beer during the 2022 season. It’s a no brainer for the UW and for its pockets.

So give the student section what they’ve been requesting for years: BEER. Tomer Ronen is a junior studying journalism and economics. Do you agree the Athletics Department needs to rethink Camp Randall’s student section? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

Taylor Swift earned her spot at the top as an honorary NYU doctorate holder, 12-time Grammy award winner, Primetime Emmy award winner, 40-time American Music Award winner, 29-time Billboard Music award winner, 23-time MTV video music award winner and record holder in the charts.

Swift is in a league of her own, breaking records left and right. The only competition left is herself.

Last Friday, Swift dropped a re-recorded version of her fifth studio album, “1989 (Taylor’s Version).” The long-awaited album was a massive hit when it was originally released in 2014, ushering Swift from country music into the pop music realm.

Within the first 24 hours of its release, “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” became the moststreamed album in one day so far in 2023 on Spotify. The last album to achieve such a feat was Swift’s tenth studio album, “Midnights,” which was released in October 2022.

Swift’s decision to rerecord her first six albums came after the label she initially signed with in 2005, Big Machine Records, was sold to Ithaca Holdings, a private equity group owned by music manager Scooter Braun. Braun ended up selling Swift’s master recordings to Shamrock Holdings for $300 million without allowing Swift to make an offer to purchase them herself.

Swift took to Tumblr in 2019 to condemn the sale to Braun and promised to rerecord her albums and bury the past. Swift’s version ended up becoming more successful than the old masters would ever be able to amount to, and her catalog is now worth about $500 million. Bruce Springsteen is one of the only other artists to have their work at such a high value.

Swift is now a reported billionaire, becoming the first-ever musician to earn billionaire status from her catalog and performances.

Additionally, she took home $190 million from the first leg of her Eras Tour and $35 million from the first two weeks of profits from her blockbuster film, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” after taxes.

Her new version of “1989” is the fourth of her albums to be re-recorded. In February 2021, Swift took to Instagram to announce her first rerecording, “Fearless (Taylor’s Version).” The re-recorded album had 143 million streams one week following its release, becoming Swift’s ninth album to go No. 1.

Record labels are hurrying to change contracts to prevent artists from re-recording albums in response to Swift’s

massive success. Swift only had to wait five years after a record was released for her to be able to re-record it. Her new label, UMG, has changed all of their artist contracts to make artists wait at least double the time.

Swift would not have been able to reach the amount of success and support for her rerecordings without her fans.

She has curated an incredibly devoted and invested fan base.

She has built a parasocial relationship, inviting fans into her home for listening parties for her new albums and surprising fans with new albums, meetand-greets and more.

It is no surprise her beloved fans track her every move, scrounging the internet for hints at what she plans to do next. Her official second account that posts updates and information, Taylor Nation, has 7.1 million followers.

The event of the summer, the Eras Tour, took center stage at 20 stadiums across the United States. The tour is on track to be one of the highest-grossing tours ever, and she hasn’t even finished her international tour yet. The tour brought mass amounts of revenue to each city she visited, bringing in $780 million in ticket sales. Philadelphia in particular saw a rise in tourism brought to the city in part thanks to Swift, according to the Federal Reserve.

The scope of her influence stretches beyond the music industry into the entire entertainment industry. Travis Kelce, a star NFL tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, has been continuously seen with Swift in recent weeks.

After she attended one of his games, Kelce gained 1.1 million Instagram followers and saw a 400% increase in jersey sales.

Moving beyond the music industry, Swift released her “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” movie on Oct. 13th. Before the movie’s release, the movie earned $100 million in advance ticket sales, making it the most profitable concert movie in history. After its release, the movie reached No. 1 at the box office, solidifying Swift’s legacy as an icon throughout the entire entertainment industry.

Swift still has plans to rerelease “Reputation” and her debut album, “Taylor Swift,” to finally personally own all her work, original masters or not.

Whether or not you like her music, it’s impossible to deny Swift’s massive and positive nationwide impact.

Franchesca Reuter is an Opinion Editor. She is a junior studying journalism and communication arts. Ella Dunnigan is a junior studying political science and community and nonprofit leadership. Do you agree that Taylor Swift is drastically changing the music industry? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com

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Badgers men’s soccer ties Wisconsin legend discuss1-1 against Penn State

By Enrique Murguia STAFF WRITER

Wisconsin men’s soccer tied 1-1 against Big Ten opponent Penn State on Sunday after a second-half goal by the Nittany Lions erased the Badgers lead and prevented them from a win in their final regular season game.

Wisconsin came into the game with a 6-4-5 record after a 2-1 win against in-state rivals UW-Milwaukee.

Sunday marked senior night, and Wisconsin started off strong in the first half. Badgers defender Birgir Baldvinsson booted a corner kick into the net to score in the 14th minute.

The rest of the first half was a defensive endeavor where both teams could not score.

The Badgers had one more shot on goal than Penn State in the first half.

Penn State came into the second half strong and started to outpace Wisconsin, proving to be troublesome for Wisconsin goalkeeper Nate Crockford.

Crockford had to defend against nine Penn State shots in the sec-

ond half compared to the two shots the Badgers had in the first half.

Despite Penn State’s offensive onslaught, Crockford held his ground in the second half and saved five shots. Crockford had a total of six saves for the game — two of them came from back-to-back shots at the 59th and 60th minute.

Crockford and the Wisconsin defense came short of a shutout when the Penn State frontline put on a passing exhibition that led to a 67th minute goal by Penn State midfielder Van Danielson, assisted by forwards Peter Mangione and Samson Kpardeh.

Wisconsin remained scoreless in the second half despite good opportunities from forward Thomas Raimbault and defender Ryan Quintos, eventually seeing the game out to a 1-1 draw.

The Badgers moved to 6-4-6 on the season, an improvement on last year’s 6-6-4 regular season record, Wisconsin improved overall.

The Badgers start Big Ten tournament play in Bloomington on Nov. 3 against Indiana.

es Badger football and the Wisconsin community

MEGHAN SPIRITO/THE DAILY CARDINAL

By John Ernst STAFF WRITER

PHOTOS BY MEGHAN SPIRITO/THE DAILY CARDINAL

With the Ohio State Buckeyes rolling into Madison last Saturday for a highly anticipated matchup, former Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne also made his way back to his old stomping grounds as a guest of DirecTV’s Big Ten Fall College Football Tour.

The 1999 Heisman winner and 2013 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame was the tour’s “local legend,” interacting with fans on gameday.

The matchup provided some nostalgia for Dayne, who enjoyed success in the Badger-Buckeye rivalry. Wisconsin t r ave l e d to Columbus to take on No. 12 Ohio State in October 1999, facing a similarly daunting Buckeye team. With the Buckeyes leading 17-6 at halftime, the Badgers took over and scored 36 unanswered points to take the matchup 42-17. Dayne rushed for 161 yards and four touchdowns, silencing the Ohio State crowd.

“It was quiet, like a home game,” he joked in an interview with The Daily Cardinal Friday. “I had a lot of fun when we played against Ohio State.”

Since his departure from the program, Dayne has maintained a connection with the football program, specifically running backs hailing from his home state of New Jersey.

“We’re a tight-knit group,” he said. “All the guys from Jersey really make sure we all do outreach and check on each other.”

Among Wisconsin running backs from New Jersey is Jonathan Taylor, who Dayne keeps in close contact with and occasionally calls after Taylor’s NFL games.

Dayne has also met and spoken with current Wisconsin running backs a few times since the season began but said he’s found difficulty offering advice.

“You [have to] get your own experience… it depends

smaller running backs that can go in the flat and… flex and play wide receiver,” Dayne explained.

“A lot of big guys can’t do that, so that’s why you’re seeing a lot of guys not getting paid.”

For example, Jonathan Taylor, who has traditionally been utilized as a rusher as opposed to a pass-catcher, was forced to hold out for the beginning of the 2023 NFL season before earning a contract from the Indianapolis Colts.

Dayne has also stayed involved with the program as a university ambassador, working with recruits for a variety of sports. He focuses on making sure the athletes feel supported and brings the parents on board as well. “[I] make the parents feel comfortable.

Let them know that we [have] a good program here,” he said.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, Dayne has assisted UW-Madison by speaking to donors and raising money for the university and its athletic THE DAILY CARDINAL FILE PHOTO programs, and he on the situation you put in,” praised the school’s growth since he explained. With a case like his time as a student.

Braelon Allen, who has strug“The whole area [that] used to gled when lacking touches, be my stomping grounds doesn’t Dayne thinks a balanced rush even exist anymore,” he said. and pass attack is required for a “Being able to see things like that modern running game to thrive. is neat.””

Offense in college football has Ron Dayne will always have a changed dramatically since the home in Madison with his #33 age of the “ground-and-pound” retired and never to be worn again offense that running backs like by a Badger football player. The Dayne thrived in, reflected by Badgers will look to channel some the lack of power running backs of his magic in the coming weeks as in the NFL. they continue to push for the Big “[NFL teams are] looking for Ten West title.

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Indigenous actors praise depiction in new film ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’

By Anna Kleiber SENIOR STAFF WRITER

“Killers of the Flower Moon” depicts a haunting narrative known all too well by Indigenous tribes across the country.

Based on a 2017 nonfiction book of the same name, Martin Scorcese’s film “Killers of the Flower Moon” unravels a deeply unsettling chapter of American history in painstaking detail, leaving audiences reflecting on the numerous atrocities depicted in the three-and-a-half hour film.

The film depicts the dark and complex history of the Osage Nation and the gruesome murders of their people at the hands of white outsiders who sought to gain the Osage’s newfound wealth after the discovery of oil on their reservation.

Lily Gladstone (Mollie Kyle) stars alongside Leonardo DiCaprio (Ernest Burkhart) and Robert De Niro (William “King” Hale) to bring this haunting story to life.

The film introduces viewers to the Osage Nation through the eyes of an outsider, Ernest Burkhart, who moved in with his uncle William “King” Hale after serving in World War I. Ernest’s relationship with Mollie Kyle, an Osage woman whose family owns oil headrights, slowly introduces the audience to the Osage people and their ways of life.

Gladstone’s performance dazzled the audience. Her way of speech was careful and deliberate, relying on facial expressions to convey what was left unsaid.

Throughout the film, Mollie’s voice-over narration gives the audience real and raw insight into her anguish as, one by one, she loses family members at the hands of greedy and corrupt forces outside of her control.

“Evil crowds my heart,” she narrates at one point in the film as she prepares to bury yet another family member. “They say I ought to kill these white men who killed my family.”

ANNA KLEIBER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Mollie’s voice-over narrations tell a story Mollie dares not speak aloud. As the film progresses, Mollie’s narration communicates her fear and anxiety as those around her continue to be murdered in brutal and deeply unsettling ways, taking her sense of safety in her home and community.

Ernest’s one instance of voiceover narration in the film stands in stark contrast to Mollie’s. He recites some lines from a book about Osage culture over a montage that depicts him and other white men robbing an Osage couple at gunpoint.

“Can you spot the wolves in this picture?” the narration closes out, hinting at what is to come later on in the movie.

By the end of the film, the audience feels as though they witnessed Mollie’s melancholy and pain firsthand, almost as if they knew her and her struggles on an intimate level.

While the film closes with an aerial shot of the Osage today, dancing in their traditional attire to the beat of a drum, this bright and colorful scene reminds the audience of the strength and resilience of the Osage people and other Indigenous tribes across the country.

Law firm Quarles and Brady sponsored a premiere of the film in Sun Prairie on Oct. 26 to celebrate Wisconsin’s Indigenous tribes.

Most of the guests at the screening were of tribal descent, enrolled tribal clientele of the firm and elected tribal leaders. Also in attendance were special guests Memphis Belle Cleveland and Tommo Grass, who acted as extras in the film.

Grass said it was important to have Indigenous people “from anywhere and everywhere” in the film.

“I think it meant the world to a lot of us,” Grass said.

As someone from Oklahoma with family members who are a

part of the Osage tribe, Grass said being in the film meant a lot to him because he knew how important it was to tell this story.

Grass said there are a lot of people who still share the same last names of some of the victims depicted in the film and many Osage people of his generation knew of people directly impacted by the “real-life horrible things” that happened during the Osage Reign of Terror — which refers to the nearly two-decade-long string of brutal murders depicted in the film.

“I think it carried a lot of weight for a lot of us,” Grass said.

There was “a heaviness” at times while filming due to many of the background actors having lineage that traced back to Osage family members who witnessed the atrocities depicted in the film firsthand, Cleveland said.

“Not only were we over there portraying these people, but we’re

also almost having to relive what they had to go through as well,” Cleveland said.

Cleveland said it meant a lot to be able to tell this story on the big screen alongside big-name actors, people she said were genuine and “respected our Native American values” on and off set.

Although there were a lot of hurdles she had to overcome, Cleveland said she was glad she took the jump to be a part of this film.

“I knew what this movie was going to mean for Indigenous people,” Cleveland said. “It’s not every day that you get a story being told about the atrocities that have happened in many tribes, not just Osage.”

Though many of the guests at the screening were from Wisconsin, some traveled quite far to attend.

Charmaine McDarment, a general counselor for the Tule River Indian Tribe of California, caught a red-eye flight from California to attend the premiere.

McDarment said she was unfamiliar with the Osage tribe and the atrocities they endured before reading the book a year ago.

“I mean, every tribe has their stories of what happened to them.

It didn’t surprise me, but it was so tragic and hard for me to read,” McDarment said.

“Killers of the Flower Moon” is eye-opening for people who don’t know a lot about Native American tribes and the hardships they have faced throughout American history, McDarment added.

“It’s hard to find Native American historical stories if you’re not informed because they are not common knowledge,” McDarment said. “The film makes you think about what [Native Americans] have been through and what we had to do to survive.”

“Killers of the Flower Moon” was released in theaters on Oct. 20 and is also available to stream on Apple TV.

‘Fall of the House of Usher’ is an instant Halloween classic

By Rebekah Irby

to destroy their family.

The newly crowned king of horror strikes again! Mike Flanagan’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” is turning heads this Halloween season.

The show, featuring several returning actors and actresses from Flanagan’s “Haunting of Hill House,” brings a modern twist to Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” and other stories.

Set in 2023, Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood) is a billionaire businessman who created a pharmaceutical empire. With six children to carry on his legacy, Roderick seems to be at the height of success. However, his children are dying in droves, often quite traumatically. Roderick and his sister, COO Madelyn Usher (Mary McDonnell), must figure out who is trying

Spoilers ahead for “Fall of the House of Usher.”

STAFF WRITER

The show flashes from past to present as Roderick unveils his own history to detective and reoccurring Poe character Auguste Dupin (Carl Lumbly) to piece together what is happening. In fabulously gory and dramatic scenes, one of the Usher children is killed each episode as the story unfolds.

The bold cinematography and directorial choices made

by Flanegan give this show an unforgettable edge. From an orgy ending in a shower of acid rain to a chimpanzee mauling someone’s face off, Flanagan experiments with new horror techniques and expands on classic tropes.

Even the storytelling challenges the usual expecta-

tions of the horror genre.

Verna (Carla Gugino), who is revealed to be the story’s central antagonist, is ambiguous.

Her vague and nuanced characterization makes it unclear how audiences are supposed to perceive her.

However, the members of the Usher clan are revealed to be selfish, greedy and awful, which begs the question: who really is this story’s villain, anyway? Viewers are left to decide that for themselves.

In usual Flanaverse fashion, the series is more than just horror. It is a critique of the pharmaceutical industry as well as the greed and selfishness of the insanely rich and powerful. It toys with ideas about values, morality and how much people are willing to sacrifice for success.

If you’re looking for a good scare this Halloween season,

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Science on the square event takes to State Street to blend art, science

MEG TAYLOR/THE DAILY CARDINAL

By Meg Taylor STAFF WRITER

The sixth annual Science on the Square festival, hosted by Wisconsin Science Fest, took place on Oct. 19 outside the Wisconsin State Capitol building.

In partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and the Morgridge Institute of Research, this was the most anticipated event among the week-long celebration of science and innovation with many opportunities in the greater Madison area to participate.

The festival is marked by a theme each year. This year’s theme was “time” and its influence on science, art and technology. Highlights included once an hour demonstrations by The Wonder of Physics outreach pro-

gram, the city of Madison Office of Sustainability’s awareness booth and an interactive Science Brite display.

The Daily Cardinal spoke with the UW-Madison Biophysical Society, which takes an interdisciplinary approach to science.

Michael O’Connor and Archishman Dakua, UW-Madison students and members of the Biophysical Society, taught others about properties of milk fat and light during the event, including an experiment called “Tie Dye Your Milk.”

“The kids… have a plate of milk.

They put some food coloring in it, and then they dip a Q-tip with soap into the food dye and watch it spread out across the milk,” O’Connor said.

This phenomena happens because soap molecules have one hydrophilic end that is attracted to water and a

hydrophobic end that is repelled by water. The hydrophobic end of the soap molecules move toward the water-based dye while the hydrophilic end stays in the milk. ”The soap is actually disrupting the surface tension of the milk,” O’Connor said. This happens when the soap molecules wedge themselves between the water molecules at the milk’s surface.

Because the surface tension is broken, Dakua explained, the process “collects all the fats together, and then the water molecules start moving across and then it causes the dye to mix and we see these pretty colors” in the milk.

O’Connor said his favorite part of the festival was “seeing the joy of the children as they watched the tie dye spread apart over the milk.”

O’Connor and Dakua also demonstrated the concept of optical birefringence, or the double refraction of light in a transparent material. To make the transparent material become colored, scientists make use of “differently polarized light,” which are light waves wiggling in different directions up and down or side to side.

“When differentially polarized light passes through a crystal, due to differences in the refractive indices of the polarized light, they refract differently, and we can see the different colors,” Dakua said.

In this way, the light acts like a secret code, revealing different colors based on how the material is moved.

While this concept does not have a direct time component, it is still related to time as differentially polarized light can change with time as the light waves move and interact with different materials. The polarization of light can be constant or can change over time, depending on what it encounters.

Closer to the Capitol, campus biochemistry group The Romero Lab took the theme of time to the molecular level and examined chemical reaction speeds. Their booth, located inside Ian’s Pizza on State Street, explored how baker’s yeast, a common ingredient in pizza dough, contains a special protein known as catalase.

Catalase is a type of enzyme that converts hydrogen peroxide, which is harmful to yeast, into safer molecules like oxygen and water.

“The enzymes in our bodies all want to work at different rates depending on what their functions are,” Mark Mahnke, one of the lab’s PhD students, explained to participants. “but catalase specifically works so fast that it can pretty much eat

up any [hydrogen peroxide] molecule that can reach it.”

He said this makes the reaction “diffusion-limited,” meaning the rate of reaction is controlled by how fast molecules move and bump into each other. In yeasts, the molecules involved in the reaction may have trouble finding each other quickly because they are scattered or spread out, so the reaction takes a long time to happen or results in only a small bubbling over.

He then demonstrated how a purified catalase, or catalase isolated from the yeast and concentrated into its own tube, could make the reaction go even quicker with oxygen bubbles shooting out of the tube “like a volcano.” In this case, the reaction was no longer diffusion limited.

One participant compared the bubbling-over reaction to him burping after eating pizza — which Mahnke said is a similar reaction with different proteins instead of catalase.

The diverse array of booths at the science festival were excited about partnering with the Madison Night Market.

The partnership with the Madison Night Market created “a unique way to explore hands-on science activities while also supporting local businesses and vendors,” the Wisconsin Science Festival website read.

O’Connor, the Biophysical Society member, agreed.

“It’s great seeing outreach of the UW-Madison programs interacting with the community and it’s a great way to merge the two events,” he said.

Interested in attending this event in the future? The 2024 Wisconsin Science Festival will be hosted October 7-13, 2024.

See this website for more information!

Science sit down: Nan Li explains how art helps us understand research

By Laila Smith STAFF WRITER

Have you ever tried explaining something to a friend, family member or coworker who just doesn’t understand what you’re talking about?

Well, you’re not alone.

Even scientists struggle to explain their research to people who aren’t also experts in that field.

Nan Li is an assistant professor and researcher with the University of WisconsinMadison Department of Life Sciences Communication.

She said scientists often think the best way to communicate their research is to explain concepts in thorough, unbiased ways.

But that’s not always the case, according to Li. She said when scientists simply talk about knowledge, “people either don’t understand what’s going on, or, if they do understand, they’re very selective about what they listen to based on their personal values.”

When certain information clashes with someone’s existing beliefs, they choose not

to accept that information regardless of whether they understand it or not.

Li refers to this as “valuedriven information processing.” In a population of individuals with wide ranges of beliefs, this can make science communication very difficult.

However, Li said there is a way to reach a diverse audience: visual communication.

“Visuals are often seen as supplemental or decorative — secondary to the key information that [scientists] want others to learn,” says Li. “Based on my research, that’s not true.

I think visuals usually play a much larger role than people think, in terms of helping people understand science.”

But visual communication isn’t limited to strictly informational depictions. Li said her research shows artistic depictions of science tell “a more holistic story about science.” Beautiful art pieces can pique interests in scientific topics and communicate across the diverse backgrounds, values, and beliefs of the general public.

For example, climate change has relied heavily on visual communication.

“There’s a lot of research on the visual representations surrounding climate change, and you definitely see a change in [those representations] over time,” Li said.

She explained pictures of polar bears and melting glaciers were popular when people first started discussing climate change, but the effectiveness of those images has become watered down over time. People struggled to see how climate change impacted them thousands of miles from the nearest polar bear.

Now, Li is researching the effectiveness of more artistic representations depicting climate change. These art pieces combine “traditional” images like melting glaciers with maps, graphs and fine paintings.

“Everything is blended in a very visually pleasing way,” Li said. “The purpose is to revamp the visual language of climate change.”

Li is also studying how visual communication affects

engagement with COVID19 information, specifically when information is presented artistically versus g r a p h i c a l l y.

So far, her team has concluded that artistic depictions of the virus often prompt more emotional responses, which i n c r e a s es public engagement with the information.

“The gist of that particular study is that the power of art can go beyond the confines of galleries and museums,” Li said. “Art has a broader reach than we ever imagined.”

“We’re entering this ‘visual culture’ where everybody is getting information

COURTESY OF UW-MADISON

through memes, comics and videos,” Li said. “It’s the right time for science communicators to study how people are responding to these new forms of visual communication and how to reach the audiences that are using these technologies.”