University of Wisconsin-Madison
‘ONE, WE WANT MORE’
Wisconsin men’s hockey traditions have shaped the program for more than five decades.
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Thursday, October 9, 2025
The world is ignoring the eradication of the Palestinian people. As students, we must not.
+ OPINION, PAGE 5
UW-Madison to keep ethnic studies requirement
By Alaina Walsh ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
University of Wisconsin-Madison o cials said the university’s ethnic studies requirement will remain in place Wednesday, as a plan to standardize required courses across the University of Wisconsin System left the requirement in ambiguity.
The proposal, tied to reforms approved in the state’s 2025-27 biennial budget, created six broad categories of courses shared across the system’s universities aiming to ease transferring between UW System schools. While an ethnic or cultural studies requirement does not fit under any of the categories, UW-Madison leaders said they will preserve theirs.
“The Draft Regent Policy Document does not change or require changes to UW-Madison’s general education, school/college or major
requirements,” John Lucas, UW-Madison spokesperson said in a statement to The Daily Cardinal. “We have heard the concerns about the future of the ethnic studies requirement. There is no current plan to change it from UW-Madison; it’s been an important part of the education we provide.”
The UW System does not have a systemwide ethnic studies requirement because of policies the Board of Regents approved in 2011, though all UW campuses independently o er a similar requirement.
UW-Madison first adopted a formal requirement in 1989 at the request of students after a report into minority a airs.
Much of the recent worry stemmed from incomplete interpretations of the FAQ circulated by the Associated Students of Madison and The Badger Herald. Both suggested
UW-Madison could be forced to drop its ethnic studies requirement, sparking outrage from students and faculty who saw the change as a rollback of hard-fought gains.
When asked why ASM believed the requirement would end under Act 15, ASM Chair Landis Varughese told the Cardinal a FAQ posted by the UW System indicated ethnic studies would not fit under the new core requirements.
“While courses that were previously considered under these initiatives may be mapped to one of the six broad categories, there will not be an ethnic studies or diversity course requirement,” the FAQ read.
United Faculty and Academic Sta (UFAS) urged members to share their “outrage” and voice their contempt with the decision in an Instagram post Sunday.
New Dane County budget freezes hiring, cuts spending
By Zoey Elwood COPY CHIEF
Dane County Executive Melissa Agard announced plans to institute a hiring freeze on non-essential vacancies and cut spending in her first Executive Budget on Oct. 1. The budget totals $903.6 million — a 3% decrease from 2025.
The budget aims to close a $31 million structural deficit caused by increased costs and declining or flat revenues, according to a statement from Agard. The budget includes an operating budget of $825.1 million and a capital budget of $78.5 million, a 30% decrease from the previous year.
“Certainly, this is not the budget that I dreamed of putting together as I was a candidate… thinking about $31 million worth of cuts,” Agard told The Daily Cardinal. “At the end of the day, it’s about delivering high quality services to people in Dane County and ensuring that people can be very proud of their government at a time when there’s a lot of skepticism about government.”
This is the second year in a row the
county has proposed a downturn in spending, after a more than $300 million increase from 2019 to 2025.
“I was elected to make hard choices, and that truly was a reality with this budget,” Agard told The Daily Cardinal.
“My goals were to make sure that we continue to protect and deliver high quality core services, that we preserve the jobs of county employees and that we ensure that Dane County continues to be strong.”
To address the deficit, the budget combines spending cuts with strategic revenue growth.
County departments were directed to reduce their budgets by 4%, saving nearly $14 million. Additionally, the county predicts savings of around $1 million by eliminating more than 50 vacant positions, implementing a temporary 1% wage reduction in 2026 and instituting a hiring freeze, while offering voluntary unpaid leave and an early retiring incentive program.
Agard has already publicly announced the hiring freeze. By statute, she will go
before the County Board in October to inform them of her plans to implement it.
“With the amount of growth that we have seen in the county when it comes to positions that people hold — and with the uncertainty at the federal level — it is important that we continue to hold ourselves accountable and are good stewards of the tax dollars that are entrusted to us to invest back into Dane County,” Agard told the Cardinal.
Agard emphasized the hiring freeze is especially important going forward, given the uncertainty of the next three years under the Donald Trump Administration. She said thoughtful constrictions and management of the budget are crucial, citing that roughly 10% of the revenue Dane County depends on is from federal funding.
The budget does increase funding and support in some areas.
It would increase revenue for Badger Prairie operations, a health care center offering services and care to individuals with disabilities, by $4.2 million.
Continue reading @ dailycardinal.com
The African American Studies Department at UW-Madison sent out a newsletter on Tuesday asking supporters of the ethnic studies requirement to fill out a testimonial to be considered in decision making.
“We know how important it is for all students to have access to representative and complex histories of the United States and its people. We therefore ask you to stand by us in protecting the Ethnic Studies requirement,” the department said in the newsletter.
Administrators clarified the draft does not eliminate the requirement at UW-Madison, and the Board of Regents does not prohibit campuses from keeping such courses.
Mark Pitsch, director of media relations for the UW System, said the proposal is designed to improve transferability across campuses.
Continuereading@dailycardinal.com
Government shutdown impacts UW
By Adelyn Benzinger STAFF WRITER
Some University of WisconsinMadison research will be affected due to the federal government shutdown, according to a message from both the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration and of Research.
UW-Madison ranked sixth nationally for research expenditure in 2024 and is at risk for delayed research project funding after the shutdown.
Federally sponsored or funded research projects in progress have been told to “continue with their research, unless they receive other directives or their granting agencies issue stopwork orders requiring that they pause their work,” Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Rob Cramer and Vice Chancellor for Research Dorota Grejner-Brzezinska said in the message.
Although research will continue, federal employees are typically unpaid during government shutdowns, so federal employees who assist may be unable, leading to potentially delayed renewals, limited phone calls and paused grant approvals and contracts.
The university said it has been preparing for the possibility of a shutdown and has “planned for multiple scenarios, including the risk that the shutdown lasts for multiple weeks,” according to Cramer and Grejner-Brzezinska.
Scholarships and student loans will be disbursed with no disruptions, and student loan borrowers will still be required to make payments on their debt, according to The National Conference of State Legislatures. Overall, students shouldn’t see any differences when it comes to tuition funding and financial aid as this funding is typically disbursed in the summer, so the timing of the shutdown means the funding will remain untouched.
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“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”
COURTESTY OF MELISSA AGARD
Madison increases budget by $20 million
By Sonia Bendre SCIENCE EDITOR
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway
released the City of Madison’s 2026 executive operating budget Tuesday, highlighting a 4.6%, or $20 million, spending increase from last year.
The $452.5 million budget funds salaries, community-based organizations and supplies and equipment including “police, fire, emergency medical services, library and park programs, garbage and recycling collection, snow and ice removal and more,” according to the budget overview.
The largest items include $1.7 million for the Bartillon homeless shelter and $320,000 in sta ng for the new Imagination Center library. The budget also includes a tax rate increase of 2.7%, or $30 annually for average Madison homeowners — the lowest tax rate increase in 40 years.
The budget includes a blanket 3% salary increase for general municipal employees and protective service staff, who comprise the majority of city employees. The announcement follows a negotiation process between Metro Transit and unionized transportation workers that resulted in a new contract and a 3% increase in salaries to cover cost-of-living last month.
About 22% of the total budget, totaling $98.5 million, is dedicated to the Madison Police Department (MPD). $405,300 is allocated for the O ce of the Independent Monitor
(OIM), an MPD oversight position whose previous o ceholder, Robin Copley, resigned on Oct. 6.
“Whether Madison wishes to fully pay the legally required minimum of the OIM’s nonexecutive sta will drastically impact its e ectiveness,” Copley said in her resignation letter.
Copley’s salary started at $122,000 annually, meaning that if the O ce hires a new OIM at the same rate, the o ce will still be able to support several sta members.
$76.8 million is dedicated to fire and emergency medical services agencies. The budget would add an ambulance to Madison’s paramedics fleet with nine paramedics, comprising $250,000 in total. Rhodes-Conway said there were over 200 times last year that all ambulances were deployed, and adding another ambulance will place less stress on emergency services agents.
A significant portion of the operating budget — 15.8% or $71.7 million — is classified as General Fund Debt Service, which is necessary to “pay back borrowing in the capital budget” according to the budget overview.
Additionally, 12.0% or $54.4 million of the budget is dedicated to public works, including personnel and equipment costs.
The budget represents an overall spending increase of $20 million made possible by a 2024 referendum raising property taxes higher than the previous limit. The referendum filled a $22 million budget shortfall, and were it to have failed, the city
estimated they would have faced $6 million in budget cuts.
Investing in public projects: Imagination Center Library, Bartillon homeless shelter
Wisconsin’s Demographic Services Center estimated in 2024 that Madison would have a population of 304,407 in 2030, an increase of around 30,000 from the current population of 269,840.
“Madison is adding close to 5,000 new residents every year, and that is expected to continue through 2030,” Rhodes-Conway said at a press conference for the operating budget on Oct. 6.
The operating budget allocates su cient funds for sta for the Imagination Center, a new library which will be constructed at Reindahl Park, without pulling funding from other sources as pre-
viously envisioned.
The Imagination Center library will be Madison’s 10th library.
Though $1.7 million is dedicated to the Bartillon men’s homeless shelter, expected to finish construction in early 2026, a funding deficit of $3.3 million still exists before the shelter can function for 24/7 operation. Rhodes-Conway has called on other cities to fill the gap.
“This shelter will address a critical need for Madison and its neighboring communities,” Rhodes-Conway said at the press conference.
Historically, municipalities have not provided financial support for shelters, according to a City of Madison page.
The operating budget will need to be approved by the Common Council over the next month to be instated alongside Madison’s 2026 capital budget on July 1, 2026, the beginning of the state fiscal year.
Faculty Senate discusses new computing school, ethnic studies
By Alaina Walsh ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
A University of WisconsinMadison Faculty Senate meeting Monday centered on two hot-button issues on campus: a proposal for a new college of computing and data sciences and systemwide reforms on the university’s general education requirements, including rumored threats to the ethnic studies requirement.
New college in computing and data sciences
Interim Provost for Academic
A airs John Zumbrunnen outlined ideas to create a new college for the Computer, Data and Information Sciences (CDIS) degrees currently under Letters & Sciences. The new college would make CDIS — created in 2019 as an administrative unit — a permanent, standalone division.
Zumbrunnen called the initiative a response to the “AI moment” reshaping scholarship and student demand.
“The goal here is not to create a new silo on campus,” Zumbrunnen said, “but instead create a hub of scholarly expertise in computing, data and information sciences that can, yes, educate students in those spaces but also to serve as a convener and connector for enriched collaborations across campus.”
Zumbrunnen and Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin pointed to the growing presence of big data in medicine and public health, the role of artifi-
cial intelligence in engineering and human-centered design and the ethical and political questions explored in philosophy, as examples of crosscampus connections.
Senators at the meeting also raised concerns about sta ng and resources for the new school. Zumbrunnen acknowledged state-imposed hiring caps and budget pressures, saying the university would rely on philanthropic and corporate support. “We want this to be additive and not take away from other parts of our university,” he said.
Morgridge Hall, the university’s new home for CDIS, was funded entirely by private donors.
The timeline for a final decision on creating this new school has not yet been announced.
System reforms not to threaten ethnic studies
The Faculty Senate also discussed UW System administrators’ proposal to standardize general education requirements across the system’s 13 universities. The plan, tied to reforms approved in Wisconsin’s 2025-2027 budget, could have eliminated a dedicated ethnic or cultural studies course requirement.
The proposal sparked strong pushback from Madison students and faculty, who argued it would erase decades of progress in diversity and inclusion. A UW-Madison spokesperson confirmed Wednesday the requirement will not be removed.
UW-Madison first adopted the
ethnic studies requirement in 1989 after student advocacy and the release of the Holley Report, which also led to the creation of the Multicultural Student Center.
Zumbrunnen told the Senate the campus intends to maintain its ethnic studies requirement, slotting it into one of the six new categories the UW System is developing.
“Barring some unforeseen change … we’ll continue to have the ethnic studies requirement, and students who start at UW-Madison will be required to take it,” Zumbrunnen said.
Faculty concerns about governance
Faculty senators pressed administrators in attendance on how much autonomy UW-Madison would have under the new UW System plan, especially as diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives face cuts across campus and the Trump administration pushes a national “higher ed compact” tying federal funding support to acquiescence on curricular, admissions, hiring and campus speech reforms.
UW-Madison was not one of the nine schools who received a “compact” from the Trump administration. Mnookin promised to defend shared governance in any changes. “Any higher ed compact must include a commitment to shared governance,” she said.
JAKE PIPER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF MADISON
Law experts criticize ‘fundamentally flawed’ political spending
By Jake Piper & Grace Carlson SENIOR STAFF WRITER & STAFF WRITER
Law experts from across the country condemned the nation’s campaign finance system as “fundamentally flawed” during a panel Friday at the University of WisconsinMadison Law School.
The discussion, part of the First Amendment Election Matters event, highlighted skyrocketing political spending, deadlock at the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the growing role of dark money in elections — especially on social media. Panelists agreed the system has failed but split over whether reforms should target donor influence, party funding caps or the FEC’s structure.
“Really only one eternal truth that both the pro-regulation side and the anti-regulation side agree on, and that is that the current system ain’t working,” Benjamin Ginsberg, a visiting fellow from the Hoover Institution said.
Other concerns included the bipartisan deadlock at the FEC’s head, funding caps for candidate and party spending and the influence of small donors vs. political action committees (PACs).
In recent years, campaign spending has increased significantly for federal and state elections. During the Wisconsin Supreme Court election last spring, candidates spent more than $100 million, while in 2023 that total amount spent was $51 million, making both the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history at their time.
Nationally, political fundraising hit $19.2 billion in 2024. More than $1 billion of that came from “dark money” groups, which are not required to disclose donors.
“Dark money is, and continues to be one of the biggest problems of our campaign finance system and of our elections generally,” said Saurav Ghosh, an attorney at the Campaign Legal Center.
Dark money is often spent on ads. While the FEC regulates certain avenues, such as requiring disclaimers on political ads, they haven’t regulated political promotion or sponsored disclaimers for influencers.
In the 2024 presidential election, $1.3 billion — or nearly 70% — of the total spending of dark money groups went towards funding super PACs like the Democrat-led Future Forward PAC, the largest single candi-
date PAC in America.
Ghosh also warned of a fast-growing, loosely regulated frontier: political spending on social media influencers. The FEC requires disclaimers on traditional ads but has not set rules for paid influencer content. “Influencing is already garnering a tremendous amount of political ad spending,” Ghosh said.
Panelists pointed to the FEC itself as a source of dysfunction. Since 2008, Republican commissioners have frequently voted as a bloc, creating regulatory deadlock. With only two of the six bipartisan commissioner seats filled — four are needed for quorum — the agency cannot take substantive action on regulatory issues.
The problem has worsened in recent years, with President Donald Trump pressuring former Commissioner Ellen Weintraub to leave the position, leading to other commissioners resigning in protest.
Split issues
Every panelist agreed the FEC’s current system was flawed, but few saw eye-toeye on what changes should
look like or what reforms are most urgent.
While Ghosh and the other panelists agreed the FEC was a “wildly ineffective regulator,” they were largely split between funding caps for campaigns, small donor versus PAC funding and a bipartisan quorum as the three largest issues the FEC needed to address.
Ginsberg argued that outdated limits on party spending leave political parties weaker than super PACs and outside groups. Federal law caps party contributions to state candidates at $62,000, which he said “hasn’t kept pace with modern campaigns at all.”
In the past year alone, more than four times the amount of money has been raised by PACs than individual candidates.
According to Ginsberg, spending caps are “hobbling” parties that are meant to integrate “different factions,” such as PACs, individual donors and political interest groups.
The split between small donor and PAC-based funding was a contentious point for panelist Raymond La Raja. He believes that by relying on individual donations, candidates would be beholden to
Republican gubernatorial candidate criticizes UW campus visit
By Mia Warren & Ava Diener
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Republican gubernatorial candidate Josh Schoemann discussed education policy, criticizing the University of Wisconsin System for excessively focusing on money and their lack of conservative faculty in a campus visit Tuesday hosted by the GOP Badgers.
Schoemann, the current Washington County Executive, announced his campaign May 4 and said he has since worked to engage younger conservative audiences with his vision for Wisconsin. Schoemann believes the UW System created a “bureaucracy” and thinks it will take a significant cultural change to fix the system.
“I think we have to be willing to change the process, challenge the status quo, because the status quo has gotten us to a state where you have two and a half conservative professors,” Schoemann said, adding that this discrepancy is “unfair” to students and the state.
Wisconsin College Republicans — not a liated with GOP Badgers — endorsed Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Ti any’s campaign for governor. GOP Badgers co-President Benjamin Rothove said they do not endorse primary candidates.
Schoemann said the Wisconsin Idea — the principle that the UW System’s education should influence life beyond the classroom — is on “life support” because the university is too focused on money.
Schoemann criticized “burearacracy” in both K-12 schools and the UW System, a topic he feels passionate about after serving as president of Hartford Union High Schools’ School Board from 2014-2018.
He pointed to teachers unions as an example of bureaucracy in K-12 education, saying they “pull the rest of the kids down instead of pulling everybody up,” and said he wants public schools to be focused on outcomes instead of administrators and finances.
Schoemann pointed to the reading proficien-
cy gap between white and Black students in Wisconsin, the largest in the country. In 2024, 38% of white students in Wisconsin tested “proficient” or better in math and reading, compared to 8% of Black students, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“Making teachers merit-based — I don’t think it works. Teachers aren’t motivated by money. You don’t go into teaching because you want to make money. They’re motivated by what is happening with their students,” he said. “So I think we’ve got to treat teachers a lot better and stop worrying about all the damn administration.”
Schoemann clarified “teacher-bashing” is not his goal, and conservatives should change their tone on educators.
“We as conservatives need to do a better job [to stop] the teacher-bashing and stop talking… about how much we hate teachers’ unions. I get the union bureaucracy is a disaster, but we do have a lot of really good teachers,” he said.
Homeownership and Lowering Taxes
One of Schoemann’s primary goals is to strengthen homeownership for Wisconsinites, aiming to drive homeowners and businesses back into Wisconsin by counteracting students and retirees who leave the state due to “out of control” taxes.
Schoemann specifically pointed to the issue of “snowbirding” — when Wisconsinites move to warmer climates during the winter months — and said it’s motivated by high income tax rates in Wisconsin.
Schoemann touted his goal of making homeownership more accessible for younger generations.
He said his hope is to help the next generation of college graduates be able to build the generational wealth that comes with homeownership and “encourage everybody” to keep their heels in the state of Wisconsin.
Schoemann proposed o ering down payment incentives from the state. The plan includes a down payment program for houses under $420,000 and credits from volunteering to pay o their mortgage.
Schoemann claimed homeowners could pay o this mortgage in about five years.
Conservative Engagement in
Dane County
Schoemann’s primary issue this election season is peeling away more voters in urban areas like Madison and Milwaukee, which are key Democratic strongholds.
His campaign’s sole focus is to “get 30% [of votes] in Dane County,” he said. “[If] we overcome shenanigans in the election process… Democrats cannot win Wisconsin.”
Schoemann said Democrats are so focused on Madison and Milwaukee, they “have all their eggs in two baskets” while Republicans have theirs “spread all over Wisconsin.”
“People are excited for the next generation of conservative leadership in Wisconsin, and that’s exactly what we’re going to bring,” Schoemann said.
the “political extremes” of those individuals.
“Small donors are not representative of the broader electorate. Research shows that they are disproportionately older, wealthier, whiter and more educated than the average American,” La Raja said. “And more importantly, they are more partisan and more ideological.”
La Raja cited data showing Trump, U.S Senator Bernie Sanders and U.S Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene as candidates who draw high percentages of small donors in America, while being what he called “polarizing” candidates.
Contrary to La Raja’s view, data has shown independent and small donors often have indistinguishable donation patterns when compared to their larger counterparts, while also contributing less overall than private, big-money donors.
While experts disagree on the impact of donor money, the political turmoil endemic to the FEC’s regulations was obvious to all the panelists.
“This is a system that was flawed from the very beginning. It has not worked for 50 years,” Ginsberg said.
Shutdown
Continued from page 1
However, “there may be impacts to application submission, award processing, no-cost extensions, and other tasks that require federal sponsor interaction,” the UW-Madison Research and Sponsored Programs said.
Further interferences depend on the length of the shutdown, and the university claims to be in a strong financial position despite federal funding cuts. In March, Congress passed a bill to keep the government running. However, the bill’s deadline was in September, so the university took care to support funds to keep programs and projects running in the chance of a possible shutdown.
These funds that would provide stability in case of a shutdown would help to “...protect our research enterprise, to maintain and enhance the student experience, and to provide continued support for faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students,” Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, Provost Charles Isbell Jr. and Cramer said.
UW-Madison also advised campus on the impacts of immigration services and international travel during the shutdown, saying in a memo there could be limitations for these resources.
The longest government shutdown in the nation’s history was the most recent one, from December 2018 to January 2019, lasting 35 days during President Donald Trump’s last term. In other cases, it is typical for the government pauses to not last much longer than a few days. There is uncertainty with what to expect as far as negative impacts from this shutdown without having knowledge of its longevity.
UW-Madison will continue updating students and faculty on the university’s relationship with the federal administration on their Federal Relations website.
By Clara Strecker STATE NEWS EDITOR
Timeless traditions define Wisconsin hockey games
Wisconsin men’s hockey has been a national name since the 1970s, bringing home six national championships. While legendary players and coaches have come and gone, the traditions that make the program unique have stood the test of time.
When Michael Leckrone — the former University of Wisconsin Marching Band director who served the Badger community for 50 years — expanded performances to basketball games, the hockey team wanted in on the action. Seeing the excitement the band brought to games, then-hockey coach Bob Johnson requested they start playing at hockey games too.
In 1970, Leckrone’s first year, he was convinced to play a few times at Saturday hockey games. Soon, the band was a fixture at every Saturday night and eventually, the Friday night games after fans complained, Leckrone told The Daily Cardinal.
“Part of the reason I was
hooked [was] because the crowd was so reactionary to what we did,” Leckrone said. “The [fans were] very vehement in what they cheered. The band started leading a lot of cheers that sort of became staples with the crowd and it just kept going on and on.”
The tipping point was in 1973, when Wisconsin won their first NCAA national championship.
Johnson insisted the band play at the Boston Garden for the championship game, and after defeating Denver University 4-2, declared the band was an important element to hockey games.
“When we came back, the band was a fixture. I mean, I don’t think we could have said ‘no we’re not going to play,’” Leckrone said.
Before video boards and in-stadium promotions provided entertainment for fans, Leckrone recalled the leadership role the band had. A band member would stand up on the stage at the North side of the Dane County Coliseum, the Badgers former hockey venue and lead the crowd in chants. Leckrone said he
couldn’t even explain how “wild” the crowd would get when the band started playing.
In the 1970s, the band was the main source of sound in the venue. The drum beat they developed to fill silences in the ‘70’s is now used when the hockey team has a power play.
“The crowd was so reactionary that I kept trying to increase what the band was doing. As I got more involved, I think the band got involved and that then fed over into the crowd,” Leckrone said.
In 1983, when Wisconsin secured their fourth national championship in 10 years, they gave Leckrone a ring, and he’s received one every championship since. He said he felt a “kinship” with the band, team and coaches. The hockey team regularly came over to Leckrone’s house for a sandwich buffet, and he would often go to Johnson’s house after games.
“I was made to feel like I was really part of that team, which of course, was very gratifying,” Leckrone said. “The good thing about it [was] the
band felt the same thing. The band felt that we were being appreciated by the hockey team.”
The atmosphere of Badger hockey games is also shaped by noteworthy fans, including Phil Dzick, dubbed “the sweater guy.” Known for his iconic “One, we want more” chant, Dzick helped shape chants and traditions at games.
Dzick led the chants for four decades before Curt Tungsten — otherwise known as “Uncle Curt” — took over, following in Dzick’s footsteps. Tungsten loves to hype up the band, student section and whole arena. A season ticket holder for over 30 years and friend of
Leckrone, his self-proclaimed job is to keep the rich Wisconsin hockey traditions going.
“I love to cheer on the Badgers, and keep the traditions going,” Tungsten said. “It just helps to get the people energized, which helps the players too.”
Tungsten has even spread his influence and cheers across campus to Badger softball games. After being recognized as the “one, two, three guy” at women’s sports day, the softball team asked him to cheer at their games.
“It’s truly a Badger family, it doesn’t matter what sport it is,” Tungsten said.
Students criticize elimination of UW-Eau Claire DEI director
By Zoey Jiang STAFF WRITER
Students are calling out the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s decision to dismiss their Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and eliminate the position.
UW-Eau Claire’s Dean of Students, Gregg Heinselman, and Interim Chancellor, Dr. Michael Carney, dismissed Dr. Christopher J. Jorgensen on Sept. 16 and terminated the role of Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, a position Jorgensen held since 2022. Jorgensen was a strong advocate for student inclusion, particularly around the LGBTQ+ community at UW-Eau Claire. He served on several inclusivity committees on campus and visited institutions across the country navigating social justice.
He oversaw the Gender and Sexuality Research Center (GSRC), an inclusive place on campus for queer students. For students active in the GSRC, Jorgensen’s termination has been a punch in the gut.
“The majority of the decisions being made reek of cowardice and pre-compliance,” said Max Davis, a current UW-Eau Claire student and intern at GRSC. “It honestly makes me both disheartened and furious.”
When Davis first heard about Jorgensen’s dismissal, they quickly circulated a petition calling UW-Eau Claire’s decision “abhorrent.”
Without Jorgensen, students are worried that programs such as the annual trip to San Francisco Pride in the Q-Fest program and the Fire Ball, a drag show that raises money for the GSRC as well as a campus food pantry, will “indefinitely cease.”
The Fire Ball currently funds most of GSRC’s budget. With the status of the Fire Ball up in the air, Davis said GSRC’s maximum intern hours have been reduced from 10 to five hours per week. “[It’s] to preserve our resources as best as we can … finances are one of the biggest concerns [now],” Davis said.
Money raised for GSRC funds various programs across campus that help marginalized students at UW-Eau Claire. Alongside advising and counseling resources, one example is Fostering Success, a program that provides resources and support for students who were or are unhoused, were in the foster care system prior to college or may lack family support.
“With Chris’s termination, these programs
are going to struggle. I’m not saying go away, but definitely have financial support cut back and withdrawn,” Jay Pischke, another student intern at the GSRC, said. “It’s going to be hard to provide resources and support for students who are in need of these programs.”
UW-Eau Claire is known for its inclusivity and support for marginalized communities, being repeatedly named one of the best LGBTQ+ inclusive schools, according to the Campus Pride index. Cory Quinn, GSRC intern and Q-Fest Programmer, said he applied to UW-Eau Claire because of the university’s historic outspoken support for the LGBTQ+ community.
“I think those in positions of power…don’t understand just how much money is provided in tuition from queer students and students of color,” Quinn said. “I love my job, and I love the queer community we have built on campus, but I am angry.”
The reason for Jorgensen’s termination is still unknown, but GSRC interns say Carney told them it was due to “position reconstruction.”
UW-Eau Claire did not respond to a request to comment on Jorgensen’s dismissal or GSRC financial concerns.
Davis’s petition gained encouragement since its publication with more than 1700 signatures. Davis said they hope the petition will educate people on what’s happening at the university despite knowing it may not provide immediate changes.
“When institutions take away DEI, their goal is to isolate and silence the marginalized,” Quinn said in an open-mic night on Sept. 25 at UW-Eau Claire. “We must remember the vitality of community…We need to help each other
carry the weight of these changes so we can start making our own. If you are as heartbroken and angry as I am, let them hear it.”
Jorgensen was not able to be reached for a comment.
Quinn drew comparisons to the elimination of Jorgensen’s position to the reversal of several other diversity positions and departments across the UW System, mentioning the deal the UW Board of Regents approved with the state legislature in 2023 to freeze DEI positions in order to receive funding for building projects and wages across the system.
The deal also eliminated diversity statements in application processes and featured a required freeze on hiring DEI administrators and employees for three years. The Trump Administration has also attacked DEI in higher education, attempting to dismantle the Department of Education with an executive order that states any education system seeking federal financial assistance should discontinue programs that fall under DEI.
According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, more than 400 universities, programs and centers that promote DEI, including the University of Wisconsin System, have been eliminated or rebranded.
Downsizing DEI across the UW-System
The elimination of Jorgensen’s position is far from the first threat to DEI-related programming across the UW-System.
In January, University of Wisconsin-Madison Chief Diversity O cer Dr. LaVar Charleston was demoted to his previous position as a clini-
cal professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis after an audit revealed financial mismanagement in the Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement (DDEEA), which he oversaw.
Later, on July 5, UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin announced the DDEEA would close and have its resources and sta transferred to the Division for Teaching and Learning.
The DDEEA had previously served around 5% of the student population with its scholarship-linked student support programs, Mnookin said in an all-campus email. “Students in these programs will continue to have access to robust support,” she said.
Most recently, on Oct. 3, UW-Madison spokesperson John Lucas announced in a statement provided to Madison365 that the Department of Equity, Inclusion and Employee Wellbeing (EIEW) has ceased operations.
EIEW was established in 2021 in recognition of a bridge between DEI and sta wellbeing. The programs the department provided helped certain sta members from traditionally marginalized communities, including people of color and LGBTQ+ members.
“This change reflects UW-Madison’s commitment to reimagining employee support frameworks to make them more integrated with other programs and services and accessible to all,” Lucas said.
Lucas attributed the closures to the duplication of resources in other divisions and programs, similar to the explanation given for “sunsetting” DDEEA. Lucas told The Daily Cardinal this decision was entirely unrelated to the closure of DDEEA.
In its now archived website, EIEW was described as prioritizing “equity, inclusion and well-being in all policies, systems, environments, practices, procedures, services and programs to transform and improve the employee experience.” The discontinuation of EIEW follows the termination of BIPOC Network gatherings intended to aid retention of sta and faculty members of color, which had been facilitated by EIEW since 2022.
Despite these changes, Lucas said diversity is still an important aspect to UW-Madison. “I can share that diversity of all kinds, including diversity of viewpoint and diversity of identity and background, remains a core value of our university.”
MEGHAN SPIRITO/THE DAILY CARDINAL
MEGHAN SPIRITO/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Pro-Palestine is not anti-Israel. It’s pro-human opinion
By Safa Razvi OPINION EDITOR
Dating back over a century, the Palestine-Israel conflict is not new. Some may believe this war sparked in October 2023 following Hamas’ attack on Israel. In reality, this scene began to unravel far before that.
Hamas is a Palestinian Islamist militant group, established in 1987, in response to the First Intifada. Despite this group’s activities, Palestine does not have an established military compared to Israel. Titled the Nakba in Arabic, or “Catastrophe” in English, the term refers to the mass displacement of the Palestinian people following a series of wars that ended up moving thousands of Palestinians out of their homes.
While the devastation in Gaza is undeniable, it is equally important to recognize the loss of innocent lives in Israel. Every death in this conflict, whether they are Israeli or Palestinian, is a tragedy, and the hope for a lasting ceasefire remains a shared plea for humanity.
For the past two years, this devastating war has reached a fever pitch, where over 67,000 Palestinians and 2,000 Israelis have been killed. This war has resulted in mass genocide, widespread starvation and numerous war crimes against humanity. The four mass atrocity crimes have been continuing, including genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes
and crimes against humanity.
The bombing of hospitals and residential areas, the murder of children and newborns as well as the condemnation by the United Nations, proves that Israel’s actions have
Police Department to raid the protest divulged a gross overstep to suppress student voices and eliminate peaceful protest. Mnookin defended her decision, saying if “Anti-Black Lives Matter” groups wanted
someone entrusted with our care chooses to so blatantly disregard our very right to live. Because being pro-Palestine doesn’t negate Israeli people. It does not mean we are anti-Israel. It simply means we would like to live with
crossed an irrefutable line.
As a nation, as a campus, we must be implored to support the right of people to live, to live fully and by all means to live in a safe environment.
In the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s attempts to silence Palestinian voices, such as detaining students during the encampment in late April and May of 2024, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin’s decision to authorize the University of Wisconsin
to protest, they would have to be prepared to allow that as well. However, this is simply untrue. As the chief representative of this university, of our collective belief in the right to live peacefully, if you choose violence to combat violence, what is left? If you cannot stand to choose the right side, the peaceful side of history, what is the point?
Although Mnookin shared her views as an administrator, it’s hard to accept the fact that
the same breadth of freedom and choice as they do — that we would like an equal platform that supports our right to be alive. When we confuse a pleading voice for violent rhetoric, that is when we have lost humanity. Confusing the right of Palestinian people to live safe from conflict for anti-Israeli propaganda is the wrong idea. This is not a Jewish versus Muslim argument, or an Israeli versus Palestinian op-ed. It is a human and human equity
How to find peace in solitude
argument, a plea more like, to respect your neighbors — your fellow human beings. It’s to speak up for the destruction that we as a population of people are enduring.
As students, we have the power and privilege of speaking out. While we may not carry weapons of war or authorities of government, we are the future generation of changemakers, leaders and thinkers. This starts here. We must spread awareness of the harsh realities many in Gaza are facing. Children scrape burnt, old food out of the bottom of rusted pans for a morsel of nutrients. Children losing limbs in the crossfire before reaching puberty.
Then, turn this awareness into action, and mobilize groups to come together and speak out. Speak for those who have been silenced. Organize peaceful demonstrations, and hold this administration accountable for its complicity. Most importantly, we must support the plight of the Palestinian students on campus who are being directly targeted by this conflict. Overall, we must speak out, stay informed and lead with empathy. This is the very purpose of higher education: to develop ourselves as strong beings so we can lead ourselves into the world with integrity, honesty and immutable compassion. The hope for a ceasefire and lasting peace is not a political stance, it is a human one.
Being alone doesn’t mean being lonely. It’s the chance to meet yourself fully.
By Shreya Bhargava STAFF WRITER
I recently finished the “it year” — my freshman year of college. Lots of nights to remember — laughter shared, experiences gained. At first, it felt like being placed in a setting with constant stimulation. There was always something going on — late night Taco Bell runs, gossip, football games, wine Wednesdays, going out for three-day benders — you name it. It sounds exciting at first, and honestly, it was. But after a while, I felt like something was o It never was anything obvious. More like a soft static in the background of every moment. A quiet question that kept asking, ‘Why doesn’t this feel like enough?’ I brushed it off for a while, convincing myself I was just tired or overstimulated. However, the feeling didn’t go away, it just lingered. It wasn’t until I started spending more time by myself that things began to shift. I initially would go on long walks to explore different parts of campus. Go on coffee runs alone. Study alone. Wander around aimlessly in stores alone. Sit by the lake, just enjoying the presence of Earth. I wasn’t lonely, not in the conventional sense at least. I was surrounded by people constantly. I was genuinely happy too. I felt alone in a different way. The kind that sneaks in during the loudest
moments. The kind that doesn’t necessarily feel sad, just a little heavy.
Slowly, I began to realize that maybe this wasn’t something to fix. This was the start of something. Solitude didn’t come with fireworks. It came quietly, like an old friend I hadn’t seen in a while. As I leaned into it more, I realized solitude wasn’t just something I tolerated, it was something I craved. It grounded me. It gave me the space to think, like really think. It helped me sort through the mental chaos I didn’t even realize I had been carrying.
Being alone didn’t make me less, it made me whole. I could finally hear my own voice. I could actually understand what I believed, what I valued and what I wanted. Solitude taught me how to emotionally regulate. How to pause before reacting. How to sit with my thoughts instead of scrambling to fill the silence.
You know how a song hits the spot when it’s placed at the right place, right time and during the right mood, but then it can sound like an absolute headache to your ears other times? The actual song didn’t change. The way you responded to it did. People are like songs. Sometimes they aren’t the problem. Solitude gave me the clarity to realize that. Some of the people I once thought were too much or not enough weren’t necessarily wrong for me, they
just didn’t meet me at the right moment. And sometimes, neither did I. The peace of solitude isn’t always soft. Sometimes it’s gritty. You find out which of your thoughts are just echoes, and which ones are actually yours. You learn that solitude is not the absence of love, but instead, the presence of self.
Some people fear being alone because they’re afraid of what they’ll hear in the silence. But I think it’s that very silence where we come home to ourselves. You’ve heard it before but I’ll say it again: the only person you spend forever with is yourself. Might as well make it worthwhile.
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TY JAVIER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Wisconsin can’t hang with Michigan, falls 24-10
By Grace Cannizzo SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The Wisconsin Badgers hung with the No. 20 Michigan Wolverines for much of Saturday afternoon, but after a lackluster second half performance, ultimately fell 24-10 in Ann Arbor.
Hunter Simmons, the Badgers’ third-string quarterback and Southern Illinois senior transfer, got the start in front of a banged up Billy Edwards Jr. and a struggling, unproven Danny O’Neil.
Wisconsin’s dependable center, Jake Renfro, was also out with ongoing knee issues.
Wisconsin running back Dilin Jones had a fiery first drive, rushing in eight out of the Badgers’ 12 total plays on a nearly seven minute drive. He mustered a series of short to medium gains before scoring the first points of the day.
Simmons completed all three of his pass attempts on the drive — the first of his FBS career — totaling 36 passing yards.
This promising start gave Badger fans a glimmer of hope
after consecutive losses to Alabama and Maryland, which were disjointed from the start.
The Wolverines, led by running back Justice Haynes, took just over two minutes and six plays to even the score at 7-7. Haynes was part of four plays, accounting for a total of 54 yards, including a 43-yard run. He ultimately punched the ball into the endzone on the one yard line.
Defensive dominance from both squads forced quiet offenses. Michigan held Wisconsin to three three-andouts as well as a four play and five play drive in the Badgers’ scoreless second quarter. Wisconsin also held their own defensively, allowing the Wolverines just 66 yards and 3 points in the second quarter.
The half ended with Michigan leading 10-7.
Despite a solid first half performance, Wisconsin proved unable to hold on in the second half. Over the final two quarters, the Badgers put up a meager 100 yards to the Wolverines’ dominating 303 yards in the
second half. Wisconsin also struggled on third down, converting just 28.6 percent of their opportunities.
With just 1:03 left in the third quarter, Michigan’s Donaven McCulley scored a touchdown off a 29 yard reception, which added to a career-high 270 passing yards for his quarterback, Bryce Underwood.
Haynes’ continued relentlessness on the ground resulted in a fourth quarter touchdown with 9:24 on the clock, extending the Michigan lead to 24-7.
The Badgers answered, with Simmons marshalling a marathon seven minute drive before stalling out in the redzone. Vakos connected on a 39-yard field goal, cutting the score to 24-10 with 2:43 left in the game.
The Badgers attempted an onside kick, which was recovered by the Wolverines.
Down by just two scores, head coach Luke Fickell decided to keep his three timeouts on the board, e ectively allowing the clock to wind down. The move has been widely criticized.
In the post-game press confer-
ence, Fickell defended his decision.
Haynes’ touchdown and Fickell’s questionable decision, coupled with the Badgers’ struggles on both sides of the ball, led Wisconsin to its downfall.
The 2-3 Badgers will return home to play the Iowa Hawkeyes (3-2) next Saturday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. at Camp Randall.
“I said ‘guys, if we get a stop, if we get them to a third down situation where maybe they have to throw the football to keep the ball, then we were going to call the timeouts,’” he said. “And then we’re going to give our offense shots with timeouts as opposed to putting ourselves in a situation where you call [the timeouts] and you can’t stop [Michigan].”
Column: Soccer fans lose as FIFA’s World Cup pricing scheme prioritizes profit over accessibility
By Brady Kamler STAFF WRITER
Madison soccer fans are frustrated at FIFA’s new dynamic pricing system for next summer’s World Cup. The world-renowned event returns to North America for the first time since 1994, but not without controversy as the ticketing strategy leaves fans wondering if they can a ord to experience the unforgettable spectacle.
“The World Cup is more important than just making business decisions. It’s about growing globally, but especially growing the game in its host nations,” Conor Caloia, president and COO of professional club Forward Madison FC, said.
The dynamic pricing system, first introduced at this year’s Club World Cup, will determine ticket prices based on factors including consumer demand, the significance of the match and general interest from fans. That means tickets for a knockout stage match between the United States and Brazil, for example, will cost much more than a group stage match between Jordan and Paraguay.
Students — already burdened by tuition, rent and other expenses — will face a deficit to attend the tournament. With ticket prices being so subject to change with dynamic pricing, students’ opportunities to attend a once in a lifetime event seem limited.
William Nicolau, a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said he was somewhat aware of the ticket process, and that he “signed up for the Visa cardholder presale, but [he] didn’t know [the tickets] were this expensive” when told the starting ticket costs for the final.
FIFA said “fans will be able to secure group-stage tickets for just $60, while the most exclusive seats will reach
up to $6,730 for the final,” in a press release explaining their ticketing system. Compare this to ticket prices at the previous edition of the World Cup in Qatar, where tickets started at $69 and peaked at a cost of $1,605 for the final. This steep price hike is indicative of FIFA’s focus on maximizing profit, while neglecting the importance of the fan experience.
Paul Thiel, a UW-Madison sophomore, said he has been a soccer fan for most of his life and was looking forward to the rare opportunity of seeing a World Cup match live.
He said the dynamic pricing system will “probably limit” the number of matches he goes to.
“I can’t spend any more than $300
on tickets. I have to balance paying for school,” Thiel said.
Freshman Eduardo Righetto shared a similar sentiment, adding that “soccer’s not about making money, soccer is about being inclusive.” In an age where soccer accessibility in the U.S. is becoming increasingly di cult, the sport faces a challenge in staying inclusive.
FIFA said their system deters scalpers and gives fans safer access to tickets. They also announced they are launching their own resale platform, which will allow tickets to be exchanged without “invalid or unauthorised resale.”
This will keep ticket prices from ballooning, but will also ensure FIFA maximizes their profit in an unchallenged system. By adjusting prices in
real time based on demand, FIFA is essentially taking the role of scalpers and doing it under the guise of claiming to be “fan-oriented.”
Caloia also spoke about the importance of growing the game of soccer over profit. He noted that “The World Cup is more important than just making business decisions. It’s about growing globally, but especially growing the game in its host nations.”
As an event that is expected to bring in 6.5 million visitors, Caloia said “there should be a lower barrier for entry for some fans who traveled a long way and have never been to a World Cup match before.”
The last time the World Cup was held in the U.S. in 1994, the event revitalized interest in soccer, with the general public viewing soccer in a positive light after decades of being considered a niche sport within the country. This upcoming World Cup has a similar opportunity.
“[The World Cup] has the potential to be transformational for the development of the game in our country. The hope is it connects with a younger generation and gets more kids out playing soccer in the state of Wisconsin,” Caloia said
For students that have grown up playing and watching soccer, having the sport’s most decorated tournament in their cities should be the culmination of a lifelong passion. Instead, it serves as a reminder of the increasing dictation of a grassroot sport by corporate interests.
The World Cup will kick o on June 11 next year at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, with matches commencing in the U.S. the next day at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Tournament matches will take place from June 11-19th, with the final held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
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MEGHAN SPIRITO/THE DAILY CARDINAL
science
What does science say about artificial food dyes?
By Rabea Richter STAFF WRITER
The Trump Administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) commission, led by Health and Human Services
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has aimed to restrict allegedly harmful additives like food dyes, especially for children, since January. Around 19% of packaged food and drinks in the United States contain artificial food dyes.
Although some studies have shown links between synthetic food dyes and health issues in children, Bradley Bolling, a professor in UW-Madison’s food science department, said results “have been highly debated.”
“Different scientific bodies have come to different conclusions, and we don’t yet have a clear consensus,” Bolling said.
In 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a scientific report noting certain synthetic food additives may have negative effects on children’s health, supporting calls for further research — especially related to long-term exposure.
A study from 2007 suggested links between synthetic food dyes and neurological behavior in children like hyperactivity. The European Food Safety Authority required warning labels after the study, while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded the evidence was insufficient to change regulations.
Are the changes needed?
Amid the national MAHA push, Rep. Clint Moses (R-Menomonie) and Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara
(R-Fox Valley) introduced a Wisconsin bill to restrict certain additives in school meals, including Red 3, a petroleumbased dye often used in sweets like candy and cookies.
Other states have done the same. California has enacted reforms to target dyes and is now advancing broader school meal measures. Virginia and West Virginia recently passed additive limits, and New York City has adopted standards to restrict artificial food dyes.
Some studies, like the 2007 study, found synthetic dyes have adverse e ects in children.
But scientific caution is only one side of the debate. While some research shows removing additives may improve food quality, the higher costs of dyefree products risk reinforcing inequities if they are not made accessible to all consumers.
Bolling said there is no strong biological mechanism yet that explains how synthetic dyes might influence behavior.
“I’m not aware of a strong mechanistic link in humans,” Bolling said. “That doesn’t mean it’s impossible. It’s just that the science isn’t well established.”
Bolling highlighted the need for more research into whether natural dye substitutes could function as effectively as synthetic dyes and provide health benefits that many assume they might.
Why not substitute synthetic dyes with natural colors?
Synthetic colors remain widespread partly because they are cheaper and more vibrant than natural alternatives. Stability and vibrancy in coloring products are
Bat Brigade aids national bat conservation
By Grace Bathery STAFF WRITER
A University of WisconsinMadison collective is working to establish a long-term data set of little brown bat populations on campus with national implications for conservation.
The UW-Madison Bat Brigade is a collaboration between students, professionals and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to monitor and study bats on campus. The Brigade is part of Biocore, an honors biology program.
Bat Brigade founder and advisor Seth McGee said the group gathers data on bat population sizes, migration patterns and habitat use, with a bat population located near Picnic Point. The group uses tools like echolocation recorders and thermal imaging cameras to capture information about bat size and location. The Brigade also collects data by conducting emergence surveys, counting bats as they leave their roosts and acoustic monitoring, recording animals’ calls for species identification.
Statewide and national bat monitoring efforts use the Brigade’s data, supporting nationwide bat recovery e orts.
important since consumers often base their choices on the appearance of food, and thus far, natural colors tend to fade more quickly and often do not deliver the same intensity as synthetic dyes.
“It’s really about consumer expectations,” Bolling said. “We expect brightly colored products, especially for kids, and synthetic dyes deliver that at a low cost.”
But natural dyes like beet juice, turmeric or black carrots are increasingly used in cereals, yogurts and snacks.
Researchers like Bolling are exploring how to stabilize natural pigments so they can match consumer expectations without sacrificing their nutritional benefits.
For parents who are worried about dyes, Bolling suggested “think about it holistically.”
“Unless a child has a known allergy or hypersensitivity, we are not that worried about toxicological e ects,” Bolling said. “What matters more is setting children up with healthy dietary patterns — more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, less added sugar.”
Whether it’s campaigns like MAHA, state laws or consumer choices, the debate over synthetic food dyes ultimately raises a larger question: how do we ensure all children — not just those with access to special products — can build healthy eating habits?
“Efforts to reduce synthetic dyes are really part of a larger push to reduce ultra-processed foods overall,” Bolling said. “That means less added sugar, more nutrient-dense foods and better long-term health patterns.”
the bat recording equipment and orient them to the Lakeshore survey route,” McGee said.
Bats are integral members of the statewide and global ecosystems they live in, providing services like pest control, seed pollination and seed dispersal. According to the United States Fish and Wildlife service, bats eat enough pests across all national agricultural production to save more than $3 billion annually.
Bats are also the lone pollinators for the agave plant, a main ingredient in tequila. Through their fruit consumption, they also account for nearly 95% of the seed dispersal responsible for early growth in recentlycleared rainforests.
In Wisconsin, bat populations and their ecosystem services are severely threatened by habitat destruction and climate change. Destruction and degradation of habitats used for bat roosting and reproduction are significant concerns for endangered bat populations. Additionally, severe weather events are becoming more frequent, which can disrupt the timing of bat migration, causing a mismatch between the bat population and food resources.
One of McGee’s favorite ways to collect data is through night hikes.
“You can’t beat a fun night hike,” McGee told The Daily Cardinal. “When you’re trekking through the Lakeshore Preserve after hours with a headlamp and a bat recorder, you can’t help but feel like you’re on a scientific adventure — kind of like Indiana Jones, or maybe Batman would be a more appropriate analogy.”
The Brigade’s next bat walk is Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m. along Picnic Point and is open to the public.
McGee said anyone is able to join the Bat Brigade, as their mission is centered on student engagement in bat conservation and research.
“We’re always happy to train new volunteers on how to use
Bats in Wisconsin are also threatened by White Nose Syndrome, a fungal infection that has killed millions of bats in the United States since its discovery in the early 2000s. The fungus is transmitted from bat to bat, cave to bat and cave to cave, as humans unintentionally carry the fungus on shoes or equipment when entering. Many bats hibernate in the same caves over the winter, meaning the fungus has the potential to exterminate an entire bat colony once introduced.
“Bats are in trouble in Wisconsin, and the UW Bat Brigade is working to provide boots-on-the-ground data collection, research support and public education to contribute to their survival and recovery,” McGee said.
MAILE LIANOS/THE DAILY CARDINAL
ISABELLA BARAJAS/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Taylor Swift stages dazzles with ‘The Life of a Showgirl’
By Alaina Walsh ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
Taylor Swift has built her career and reputation on turning life into performance. On “The Life of a Showgirl,” her 12th studio album, she asks a harder question: what happens when the performance becomes life?
The record is grand, glitzy and unapologetically theatrical — but beneath the sequins are some of Swift’s most biting critiques of fame, love and the expectations placed on her.
The album begins with “The Fate of Ophelia,” a striking opener that frames Swift as both narrator and character. It’s an audacious start, positioning her alongside Shakespeare’s tragic heroine — but instead of drowning, Swift reclaims the narrative. The song is lush and symphonic, and it sets the stage for an album where metaphor and melo-
drama are on center stage.
“Elizabeth Taylor” follows, a smoky ballad where Swift compares herself to one of Hollywood’s most scrutinized stars. She doesn’t just borrow the glamour; she studies the weight of being both adored and condemned. Her delivery is less wistful than defiant, as though daring listeners to acknowledge the costs of mythmaking.
“Opalite” provides a brief reprieve, sparkling with sincerity and lightness. Swift uses this song as a way to forgive herself for how she got to where she is. While a lot of her songs are implicitly dedicated toward another person or her fans, this one is directed at herself. It’s a simple love song, but placed here it acts as a palate cleanser — a moment of clarity between the heavy theatrics.
“Father Figure” pushes Swift into thornier territory. The interpolation
of George Michael’s classic isn’t a gimmick; it’s a power move. Swift reframes the original’s sensuality into a confrontation with authority, exploring how her early career was shaped by men making decisions for her. The production is bold, but the subtext is bolder — she’s questioning the very structures that put her on stage in the first place.
“Eldest Daughter” strips things down to strings. It’s a raw confessional, examining the crushing responsibility of being first in line, first in expectation, first in criticism. It is a track five classic, continuing the legacy of being devastatingly heartbreaking while making listeners feel seen. Swift has always been strongest when she marries personal and universal emotions, and here she delivers one of her most resonant metaphors yet.
“Ruin the Friendship” marks a tonal shift. The song is cheeky but
Glam rock ballet ‘Puppet Master’ opens
By Ryan Kim STAFF WRITER
Choreographed by Robert E. Cleary, “Puppet Master” is a single-narrative dance where Mohawk Man (Edward Salas) is ensnared by the Puppet Master (Alex Trofka) and the mime-like China Dolls, who hold Mohawk Man captive. As the 90-minute Oct. 2 debut of the 2025 - 2026 season for Kanopy Dance Company, this glam rock ballet was an intricate, enchanting dance with a narrative as complex as their movements.
The dance concert featured costumes designed by David Quinn, which ranged from intricately patterned and sparkling outfits to black dresses that flowed like rivers. Kanopy has performed Puppet Master three times since 2000, but this month’s showings were their first performance of the remastered version.
The concert’s story takes a twisted inspiration from the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, as Mowhawk Man is trapped in the underworld presided over by the Puppet Master, where he is in control of the China Dolls, the Shrouds and the Souls.
Among the China Dolls, there are four different colors: red (Hannah King), blue (Miye Bishop), gold (Carolyn Fitzgibbons) and green (Stormy Gaylord). Each brings something different to the story. King conspires with the Puppet Master, Bishop is the elegant one, Fitzgibbons is the graceful one, prancing everywhere. The most impor-
tant is Gaylord, who falls in love with Mowhawk Man.
The concert opened with the Puppet Master cackling over those in his power, as every dancer stepped away from the stage, slowly from his control. Then, the music began. Through the songs of the Finnish symphonic metal band Apocalyptica, all the dancers rocked on to metal cellos with feet as light as air. Each movement felt true to the theme of rock, as they incorporated many iconic movements, like Pete Townshend’s windmill and Angus Young’s “spasm.”
As the story continues, Mohawk Man is swept up in the experience of being in the underworld, from dancing with the China Dolls and the Spirits to resisting the Puppet Master’s control. Throughout the performance, the Puppet Master breaks the fourth wall, joining the audience in the front row and watching after commanding Mohawk Man to perform a solo dance, who gets enthralled by the applause for his dance.
The play ends with Mohawk’s heart getting eaten and the China Dolls helping him to a boat headed to the River Styx, where the Puppet Master does the iconic Titanic pose, as Rose, while the Mohawk Man recreates the pose of Adam from the painting “The Creation of Adam.”
As the lights darkened, the audience gave a standing ovation, cheering for the elaborate dance of a Greek-inspired story the cast executed.
melancholy and nostalgic. Swift goes back to what got her on the big stage in the first place: singing about highschool. She grapples with intimacy and blurred boundaries. There’s a hint of playfulness in the chorus, but the verses carry a lingering regret.
The final track is the title track, “The Life of a Showgirl,” featuring Sabrina Carpenter. It’s not just a duet; it’s a dialogue between generations of performers. Carpenter’s voice mirrors the hunger and optimism Swift once embodied, while Swift’s verses carry the weight of someone who knows the cost of the spotlight. Together, they create a layered finale that’s both celebratory and sobering.
At its best, “The Life of a Showgirl” is exhilarating — a maximalist pop record that still finds room for knife-edge intimacy. At its weakest, it occasionally buckles under its own ambition, with pro-
duction so elaborate that the lyrics struggle to cut through. But even those moments feel intentional, as if Swift is daring listeners to question whether excess undermines or enhances meaning.
More importantly, this album magnifies the paradox of Taylor Swift. She’s expected to bare her soul yet scolded when her honesty cuts too deep. She’s praised for ambition but accused of vanity when she stages it too loudly. With Showgirl, she confronts those contradictions headon, crafting an album that is both armor and confession. It’s fearless. Swift doesn’t just deliver another chapter in her discography. She delivers a critique of the very industry she dominates. She’s at the top of her game, but she’s also asking: ‘what does the top even mean when the spotlight never turns o ?’
Read a full track-by-track analysisatdailycardinal.com
Greg Zelek joins UW-Madison concert choir
By Kayla Northway STAFF WRITER
The Overture Concert Organ Series opened on Oct. 2 with a performance by Madison Symphony Orchestra Principal Organist Greg Zelek and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Concert Choir, conducted by Director of Choral Studies Dr. Mariana Farah.
At 31, Zelek is an organ prodigy and has played all over the world. He is one of a handful of full-time symphony organists in the US and has the privilege of performing on the Overture Center’s own stunning, custom-made organ.
Opening in the great French tradition with Louis Vierne’s “Kyrie from Messe solennelle, Op. 16,” Zelek began playing a powerful organ passage and was soon joined by the choir in harmony. As Zelek and the choir held a long, drawn out note to close the song, they were met with roaring applause from the packed audience.
Before the next song, Farah took the stage to say a few words about the performance and her experience collaborating with Zelek. “So many things have excited me about this concert,” Farah said. She said performing with Zelek was “such a joy,” and the audience was “in for a treat.”
This is the first time the UW Concert Choir has been part of the Organ Season Series. Farah and the choir spent the days leading up to the concert practicing with Zelek, and if the performance may open the door to future collaborations and more opportunities for students.
One highlight from the performance was when Zelek took the stage alone to play a solo piece on the organ — Leon Boellmann’s “Suite Gothique, Op. 25.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, Zelek played the piece over Zoom and decided to bring the arrangement back to give the audience an opportunity to hear it in-person.
Leaning toward the organ, Zelek’s
hands bounced across the keys as his feet danced between the foot pedals, fingers hammering the notes until the final major chord.
Joining Zelek for the next song, the UW Concert Choir returned to the stage along with several other UW-Madison musicians to perform Eriks Ešenvalds’ “Trinity Te Deum.” Written for Trinity College in Cambridge, England, Ešenvald added unique instrumentation such as trumpets, trombones, percussion and harp.
Opening with brass fanfare that created a sense of anticipation and hope, the musicians then shifted as all instruments worked in tandem. From soprano melodies to soft harp plucking to light trumpet bursts, the song moved to a dramatic fanfare that ended with a wave from Farah’s baton.
To close the performance, Zelek and the choir played a set of three Brazilian folk tunes. Both Zelek and the choir took the stage individually to perform Rufino Alfonso Jr. ‘s “Siriri” and Zelek’s own fun, spritely arrangement of Zequinha de Abreu’s “TicoTico no Fubá.” Alfonso Jr. ‘s “Fui no Itororó,” which was commissioned by the UW-Madison Concert Choir, was the last song of the night. Filled with singing, clapping, maracas and infectious energy, the song was performed as a humorous call and answer between the choir and organ, ending with a crescendo to finish.
As Zelek and Farah took their bows, the audience erupted in applause and a standing ovation until the pair returned to the stage for the encore, “Amazing Grace.” Standing next to Zelek, who was seated at the organ, UW-Madison choir alto Rach Misner performed a deep, angelic solo to begin the traditional hymn. The song ended in a crescendo and sustained “amazing grace,” sending the audience into another round of applause and standing ovation.
