University of Wisconsin-Madison
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one man’s journey
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sexual assault: personal context on a campus-wide problem +OPINION, page 5
UWPD launches identity theft investigation By Negassi Tesfamichael The Daily Cardinal
The UW-Madison Police Department has begun an investigation into a string of identity thefts, which compromised the credit card information of UW staff members and other customers at local businesses. UWPD spokesperson Marc Lovicott explained the department’s involvement in the investigation Tuesday, saying the breach affected employees working at 333 East Campus Mall. “Because there were a handful of UW employees involved, we decided to launch an investigation to find out what has been going on and to see how the information was stolen,” Lovicott said. Police do not know exactly what businesses were involved, though CoffeeBytes owner
John Wilson acknowledged his shop suffered a data breach in mid-August. “We immediately called our credit card processor,” Wilson said, whose own card information was also stolen. The hackers installed malware on the shop’s computers to extract customers’ credit card numbers, Wilson said. The software company TransForm, which provides sales software for CoffeeBytes, is currently investigating the incident independently of UWPD. TransForm also noticed other area businesses had similar virus attacks. Jeff Maurer, owner of Fresh Madison Market located down the block from CoffeeBytes, declined to comment when asked if any customer credit card information was compro-
mised recently. UW Credit Union initially told Wilson 12 cards had been compromised at CoffeeBytes, though more customers have since contacted him directly with complaints. “There are maybe 20 or so cards at this point,” Wilson said, noting the scale of the breach makes it difficult to know how many people were affected and how much money the hackers charged on the cards. Wilson said he has upgraded CoffeeBytes’ security software to the recommended level, making the computer system safe to use now. “We take all security seriously at the shop and have been completely compliant,” Wilson said. “We extend our apologies to any of our customers.”
will chizek/the daily cardinal
CoffeeBytes is one of several local businesses affected by a breach into customers’ credit card information in recent weeks.
Emails: Vos pushed for open records bill By Andrew Bahl The Daily Cardinal
photo courtesy of badger volunteers
More than 500 students signed up for Badger Volunteers during the first 24 hours of registration.
Badger Volunteers draws record numbers By Jessica Dorsky The Daily Cardinal
UW-Madison students flooded Badger Volunteers registration this weekend, with more than 500 students signing up within the first 24 hours. Badger Volunteers is a semester-long program that matches student volunteers with a site in the Madison community, like an elementary school or a food bank, where they give part of their time on a weekly basis. “Through B a d ge r Volunteers, students are using their time, their talents, their skills and their energy to contribute to local community outside of our campus bubble,”
volunteer coordinator Kari Temkin said. Temkin and Steph Harrill make up the program’s professional staff, and their presence in the organization has made it possible to accommodate more student volunteers as well as provide leadership training for returning members. “I was able to have one-onone meetings with 60 Badger Volunteer leaders last semester,” Temkin said. “Simply with my role added, we have capacity to support more students.” Re t u r n i n g B ad ge r Volunteers, or leaders, are essential to the organization’s continued growth and success, Temkin said. Each site has a
leader who serves as a resource to the new program participants, as well as volunteers alongside them. The Badger Volunteer executive board started the New Leader Network to facilitate check-ins and socials, and they will be working to set up a support system that they previously have not had, Temkin said. In addition to the roles of leader and executive board member, Badger Volunteers also offers specialized internships to former volunteers. Rae Monte, the group’s educational programming intern and senior at UW-Madison,
volunteers page 3
Records released by a liberal advocacy group Tuesday show Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, continued to pursue controversial changes to the state’s open records law even after they were struck from the state’s budget. The proposal would allow the legislature to set its own open records protocol and to make changes without holding a public hearing or consultation with the governor. It would also prevent any record that conflicts with
a legislative rule or policy from becoming public. On July 23, an aide to Vos requested a legislative draft for a bill that would exempt state legislators from key provisions of the state’s open records law, according to documents released by the Center for Media and Democracy, A spokesperson for Vos said the request was a way to continue the discussion on the issue. “Before the Speaker’s legal counsel left for a new position,
records page 3
Madison man arrested for Langdon Street sexual assault over weekend Madison police arrested a 28-year-old Madison man on sexual assault charges Saturday night, according to an incident report released Tuesday. The suspect, Brandon D. Williams, followed a 20-year-old female victim into her apartment building on the 200 block of Langdon Street shortly after 11 p.m. Saturday night, Madison Police Department Public Information Officer Joel Despain wrote in the report. The victim told police Williams made inappropriate comments and grabbed her sexu-
ally. Williams remained in the area when police arrived shortly after to arrest him. Williams was arrested for fourth-degree sexual assault and has a hold on his probation, meaning he is not allowed any bail. Though unrelated to a previous sexual assault in a UW-Madison residence hall early Sunday morning, the incident is the second known campus-area sexual assault this school year. In compliance with the Clery Act, the UW-Madison Police Department emailed a crime notice to students for the campus assault case Sunday.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”