THEUWMPOST est. 1956
February 6, December 5, 2012 2011
Issue 13, 17, Volume 56 Issue
the student-run independent newspaper
Old Ideas page 13
Celebrate Black History Month page 2
Zeise runs into Hall of Fame page 6
Conflicting arena proposals Making emerge as fundraising falls short the cut University Committee concerned about budget cuts
Plans for U.S. Cellular Arena acquisition get poor reception By Steve Garrison News Editor news@uwmpost.com
Rumors that UW-Milwaukee is considering purchasing the U.S. Cellular Arena are overblown, Rick Costello said, although the athletic director admitted “a whole variety of people” have suggested purchasing the 12,700 seat arena instead of building one on campus. Costello said that the U.S. Cellular Arena has several weaknesses compared to an on campus arena, including its age, downtown location and seating capacity. “We have had different folks suggest [purchasing the U.S. Cellular arena] would be an alternative,” Costello said. “However, the chancellor really believes an on campus arena would be best.”
The arena may already have hit a financial hitch, however. The release of a project feasibility report has been pushed back four months because of complications with fundraising, Costello said. Student Association Speaker of the Senate Rick Banks said that projected fundraising has fallen short and students may have to decide, not for the first time, how much they are willing to invest in the project. “They want to build a $60 million arena,” Banks said. “Obviously, the bond from the students is only, like, $15 or $20 million, so there’s a huge shortfall. So they’re going to be looking for alternate sources of revenue including, possibly, more student dollars.” The men’s basketball team has called the U.S. Cellular Arena home intermittently since 1992, playing at
the Klotsche Center for five seasons beginning in 1997-98. The university signed a five-year agreement with the arena in 2007, which will be renegotiated at the end of the current season, Costello said. University of Detroit Mercy Athletic Director Keri Gaither first tweeted about a potential buyout of the U.S. Cellular Arena on Jan. 13. “UW-Milwaukee considering buying US Cellular Center & renovating or building a new $60M arena & athletic bldg on campus,” she tweeted. Gaither did not return phone calls regarding the rumor, but University of Illinois-Chicago Athletic Director Jim Schmidt said he had heard the rumors. He said that UWM clearly needed a new arena, but cautioned against buying an arena as large as the U.S. Cellular Arena.
“It is difficult to make money,” Schmidt said. “We have the pavilion, the UIC pavilion, and we host 117 events yearly and it is still tough to make money.” Alderman Terry L. Witkowski is a member of the Wisconsin Center District Board, which operates the U.S. Cellular Arena, the Frontier Airlines Center and the Milwaukee Theatre. Witkowski said he had not heard rumors of the university’s interest in U.S. Cellular, but the idea is worth exploring. “I think there is a need to be met here,” he said. The alderman said sale of the U.S. Cellular Arena would “provide progress” on building three new convention centers in the downtown area.
By Adam Milich Staff Writer news@uwmpost.com
Charter schools first came into existence in Wisconsin in 1993, when the state authorized local school boards to create schools that receive public money, but are given the flexibility to largely run themselves and employ experimental education strategies. In that way, they are meant to be “laboratories” of educational policy where strategies can be tested and maybe implemented into the rest of schools. “The heart of the whole charter idea is that you can introduce innovation into schools,” President of Urban Day School John Plantenberg said.
Governor Scott Walker’s administration announced its plan for balancing Wisconsin’s state budget right before the holidays, on Dec. 23, 2011. The additional cuts of $123.1 million in 2011-12 will affect a multitude of state programs, but the biggest cuts by far will be taken from the UW System - $46.1 million. The Walker administration has exempted some priorities from this latest round of cuts, including aid to local schools, health programs for the poor, technical colleges, child welfare programs, local prosecutors and financial aid for college students. However, even with these exemptions, over a third of the total cuts will be from the UW System. These cuts will add to the $250 million already made to the UW System in the two-year budget. In a Dec. 14 letter to Walker’s budget director, UW System President Kevin Reilly said UW System cuts were the largest in history and would affect the state’s economy and its families. He said that universities would have fewer and larger classes, current students would need more time and larger loans to graduate and future students would find it more difficult to get into UW System schools. “To put this in another perspective, $46 million is equivalent to a full year’s worth of state support for 11,360 UW students or 511 faculty and staff positions,” Reilly wrote. In addition, Reilly has called UW’s cuts “highly disproportionate,” noting that the system gets seven percent of state funding but is taking 38 percent of the cuts. All together, $174 million will be cut from the UW System’s general-purpose revenue (state dollars) from 2011-13. Nearly $9 million of that will be cut from UW-Milwaukee, UWM’s Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administrative Affairs Christy Brown said. “[Budget cuts are] frustrating when you know what you can do and you see what the lack of funds is keeping you from doing,” University Committee Chair Mark Schwartz said. “We’re part of the solution for the state and it’s frustrating what’s been going on that makes us feel like, we’re put below the prisons, really,” University Committee Chair Mark
See CHARTER page 5
See CUTS page 3
See ARENA page 2
Laboratories of education UWM develops charter schools that are changing education in Milwaukee
referred to the 11 charter schools in Milwaukee that he is responsible for overseeing, including Seeds of Health Elementary, Milwaukee College Preparatory School, Urban Day School, Tenor High School and others. For over 10 years, Kattman’s job has been to approve and develop charter schools in Milwaukee’s inner-city that will set children living in poverty on a course to go to college. “They’re all going to be dealing with urban students, and all of them need to be prepared to deal with students who come from backgrounds that aren’t conducive to educational achievement,” Kattman explained. “So, their job is essentially to figure out how to change that, and they do it by changing culture.” Beginning of charter schools
By Aaron Knapp Features Editor news@uwmpost.com
Post Photo by Sierra Riesberg
For Dr. Robert Kattman, it’s the little things that best demonstrate his success. On a routine visit to the Seeds of Health Elementary campus on 32nd and Greenfield Ave., Kattman ran into a fifth grader that was bawling
INDEX
NEWS SPORTS
inconsolably. “I stopped and asked him what’s wrong,” Kattman recalled. The boy responded “my RIT score went down!” Retelling the story, Kattman chuckled with pride, telling me how he calmed the boy down and discussed how he might improve his RIT score, a routine test that tracks a student’s
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achievements over a school year. “He was devastated that his score had gone down,” Kattman said. “When you see that in a school, [whereas] in many schools kids blow their tests off and they don’t care – but in these schools they do.” Kattman, director of UWMilwaukee’s Office of Charter Schools,
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REMAINING TRUE THROUGH CHANGING WINDS
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February 6, 2012
THEUWMPOST Editor in Chief Zach Erdmann
Production Editor Josh Evert
Managing Editor Mike La Count
Chief Copy Editor Brad Poling
News Editor Steve Garrison
Copy Editor Kara Petersen
Assistant News Editors John Parnon Zach Brooke
Distribution Mgr. Lucas Hubanks
Features Aaron Knapp Fringe Editor Steve Franz Assistant Fringe Editors Kevin Kaber Graham Marlowe Sports Editor Jeremy Lubus Assistant Sports Editor Tony Atkins Editorial Editor William Bornhoft Photo Editor Sierra Riesberg Comics Editor Andrew Megow
Off-Campus Distribution Alek Shumaker Business Mgr. Tyler Rembert Advertising Mgr. Stephanie Fisher Ad Designer Russell Pritchard Account Executive Zhanet Buchokova Ashley Haut Brody Hess Sr. Online Editor Kody Schafer Board of Directors Zach Erdmann Stephanie Fisher Mike La Count Tyler Rembert Kody Schafer
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An educated populace A day of voter’s rights and education By Stephanie Schmidt Staff Writer news@uwmpost.com
On Jan. 31 an event to increase voter education took place in UWMilwaukee’s Union Concourse between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The event, co-sponsored by Union Programming, the Student Association and the American Civil Liberties Union, included a table explaining the legal aspects of voting as well as one that allowed students, faculty and community members to register to vote on the spot. “We have noticed there are a lot of students who have either moved quickly or come from out of state and do not necessarily have the resources provided to them immediately on how to register to vote,” Kari Garon, UWM graduate student and a primary planner of the event, said.
This is the second such event to be held at UWM. Voter registration was offered during Constitution Day last September. Garon said it was very successful. “With the upcoming election in February, we thought it would be very valuable to get as many people registered as possible,” Garon said. ACLU officer Vi Nguyen said that the event was put together to try to get students more involved in the political process by helping them register as well as learn how to vote on election day itself. “We are trying to educate students on the voter ID legislation that just passed and how they can get a photo ID,” Nguyen said. “If anyone came with questions, we could answer them.” The new voter ID policy will be a huge factor in the upcoming election. The bill requires voters to show identification cards at the polls. Currently, student
IDs lacks the necessary information, such as a student’s current address. “We do have the ACLU of Wisconsin present to discuss the legal ramifications around voting, why voting is really important and how it impacts your life, as well as [helping with] the basic process of just going through and voting,” Garon said. There was not a very large turnout; however, all the cookies were gone by noon. Many community members were present as well. “I am hoping that students are really motivated [to vote],” Garon said. “I think that getting out and voting can always be troubling and problematic with different schedules. It’s a very busy day. We are just trying to make voting as accessible as possible, by registering students, allowing them to find out if their voting location had changed or even finding out who their representatives are.”
Shipping Address 2200 Kenwood Blvd. Suite EG80 Milwaukee, WI 53211 THE UWM POST has a circulation of 10,000 and is distributed on campus and throughout the surrounding communities. The first copy is free, additional copies $.75 each. The UWM Post, Inc. is an independent nonstock corporation. All submissions become property of The UWM Post, Inc. The UWM Post is written and edited by students of the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee and they are solely responsible for its editorial policy and content. The University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is not liable for debts incurred by the publisher. The UWM Post is not an official publication of UWM.
County Supervisor Charged
Criminal charges were filed against Milwaukee County Supervisor and UWM alumnus Johnny L. Thomas Jr. last week for accepting a bribe during a sting operation conducted by Milwaukee prosecutors. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm filed a felony count for accepting a bride and a felony count for misconduct in office against Thomas on Thursday. Prosecutors enlisted the help of Milwaukee County Director of Administrative Services Patrick Farley to record a conversation in which Thomas allegedly accepted $500 in cash from Farley to advance a county contract for financial advisory services. Thomas has since suspended his campaign for Milwaukee City Comptroller.
Walker Lawyers Up
Gov. Scott Walker said Friday that he had two prominent attorneys to represent him in an ongoing John Doe investigation. The announcement comes on the heels of news that Walker voluntarily met with Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm to discuss charges of two former staffers accused of embezzling funds from veterans programs. Walker said no public funds will be used to cover the costs of his legal representation.
Hate Crime Hoax
ARENA
Continued from page 1 Costello said in a previous interview with the Post that an oncampus arena would play a large role in redefining the university’s reputation. “We’ve got a great story to tell,” Costello said in November. “I started off with all those things that are going on – research, freshwater sciences, innovation park, public health, academics – and then you go into athletics, which can not only serve as a great leadership tool and a great aspect for our Panther pride and campus spirit, but really can generate our next generation of leaders.” Costello added that the current lease with the U.S. Cellular Arena is one of the most expensive in the Horizon League and occupancy issues have created scheduling conflicts. “The Cell could put Disney on Ice in there … and we’ve got to rearrange our schedule,” Costello said. Students had previously voted to approve $25 in student segregated fees for the next 25 years to build an arena on campus. If the arena is scrapped, the approximately $20 million will go toward servicing the athletics department’s approximately $10 million debt. Banks said that if fundraising falls short, students could be expected to pay three times as much, $75 for 25 years, to pay for the arena. If such a request was made, Banks said the decision would be put to referendum, allowing students to vote on paying more for the arena. “If they’re going to ask for an increase, they’re going to have to do a lot of campaigning to get it,” Banks said.
NEWS BRIEFS
Post Photo by Maxwell Larsen
Black History Month kicks off with “A Taste of Africa”
Students honor their heritage with UWM events By Matthew Karwoski Special to the Post news@uwmpost.com
A diverse crowd gathered in the Union’s Wisconsin Room Wednesday to kick off Black History Month with “A Taste of Africa,” which featured sampling of traditional African cuisine and a live musical performance. The event, a collaboration of the UWM Black Cultural Center, the Africology department and Union Sociocultural Programming, was the first of many this month. Dr. Ahmed Mbalia, a UW-Milwaukee Africology professor, began by addressing the audience with a short speech. “There are no black people or white people,” Mbalia said. “There are only Europeans and Africans. And we are all human.” Attendees enjoyed drums and dance by the local group Omo-Ana, which means “children of the spirit of the drum.” Two of the performers also participated in a stick dance, jumping
in between bamboo shafts while others clapped them together to form a synergy of rhythm and dance. Dr. Cecil Austin is the principal of the Kathryn T. Daniels University Preparatory Academy in Milwaukee and also the founder of Omo-Ana. Austin started the group while he was a music teacher at the Sherman Multicultural Arts School in 1995. Since then, the group has expanded and toured in eight different states. “I had no idea that it was going to develop into this. We ended up being probably the most in-demand school performing group in the state of Wisconsin,” Austin said. Jarvis McElrath has been with the group since 1996 and was a student of Austin’s. In traditional African culture, the drum is revered as a sacred instrument, and Austin made his pupils earn their instruments. “Before Mr. Austin came around, we were doing more classical stuff,” McElrath said. “Then he got us a bunch of drums. But he started us drumming on
books, saying that you have to work your way to a real drum.” In addition to song and dance, the event offered free bite-sized portions of various African foods and beverages. These included akara, plantain chips, Kenyan style greens, jollof rice and ginger beer. To some, Black History Month is more than a single month of celebration. Rick Banks is an undergraduate student and treasurer of the UWM Black Student Union, which is also planning several events this month. He said that learning about African heritage should extend far beyond February. “I had a karate class and the teacher told us we should all study AfricanAmerican history,” Banks said. “He said, ‘Know your history and you’ll know your greatness,’ and that’s something that really stuck with me.” McElrath shares the same sentiments, saying that “even though this is Black History Month, we have to look at every day as a chance to celebrate our culture.”
Police authorities reported that the recent alleged hate crimes at UW-Parkside were a hoax, created by a student who wanted to bring awareness to the issue. The suspect, whose name was withheld for her protection, created the “hit list” that called for the death of 13 black students because she was not satisfied with an initial response from resident assistants to a perceived racial threat. “There is absolutely no danger to the students at Parkside due to this threat,” according to a press release from the Kenosha County Sheriff ’s department on Friday. “Through investigation KSD’s detectives were able to determine that there never was a threat of harm to students at Parkside.”
Free college
The Milwaukee School of Engineering is offering free master’s degrees to their students, provided they finish their undergrad degree with a GPA of at least 3.25. Valued at $32,000, MSOE hopes the buy-one, get-one package will attract more students to the private engineering institution as well as provide an additional incentive to get shit done.
Roseanne for President
Actress-comedian Roseanne Barr announced she will be seeking the Green Party’s nomination for president this year, arguing that she will be the defender of average Americans in the 2012 election. “I will barnstorm American living rooms,” Barr declared in her candidate questionnaire submitted to the Green Party, calling on the 99 percent to help fuel her ascent to the presidency. The Green Party will be selecting its nominee at its national convention in July.
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Plans for Northwest Quadrant slow to materialize
Renovations needed before cramped campus can expand By John Parnon Assistant News Editor news@uwmpost.com
Almost two years after UWMilwaukee’s purchase of the Northwest Quadrant, only a small portion of the facilities are being used, with some plans still 15 years from completion, but administration is confident of the worth of the campus addition. The Northwest Quadrant, a 10.9 acre addition to campus, currently houses a Grind coffee shop, the Honors College and the School of Information Studies. UWM purchased the NWQ for $20,155,000 in 2010, and Chair of the NWQ Committee LeRoy Stoner said that he estimates only about 20 percent of the added space is currently in use. Stoner said this is partly because of the large amount of renovations
that need to take place in the NWQ buildings before they are ready for university use. “We’ve had to do a tremendous amount of IT infrastructure because the building did not have a strong backbone of internet and data connections,” Stoner said. “I don’t think we’ve done any demolition or taking out walls or anything of that sort, but for the next group of folks to move in, those kinds of changes need to happen.” The Campus Space Planning Committee, which handles space issues campus-wide and not just at the NWQ , is recommending that the College of Health Sciences also move to NWQ by fall 2012, specifically to accommodate the CHS’ Health Information Administration and Communication Sciences and Disorders division on the seventh and eighth floors of one of the
UWM Post: Crowdsource The Northwestern Quadrant Recently, UWM’s Space Planning Committee met to discuss among other things, the future of the Northwest Quadrant. Acquired in 2010 at a cost of $20 million, less than one-third of the former Columbia-St. Mary’s hosptial is currently in use. With that in mind, we asked students what they would like to see the remaining space used for.
Ethan Gasper, Junior, Graphic Design & Photography Ever been to the NWQ: “No.” What should go there: “I don’t see why they don’t use it as dorm halls. I’d rather see people living there then just see it empty.” Luke Deegan, Senior, Clinical Lab Sciences Ever been to the NWQ: “Yes.” What should go there: “Instead of everything being trapped in the Union, maybe just more of hang out spot for everything, just like a food court area or anything like that.” Briana Charlton, Sophomore, Psychology Ever been to the NWQ: “No.” What should go there: “Maybe more space to hang out. The Union is always so full at lunch.”
Luke Beckman, Sophomore, Music Ever been to the NWQ: “No.” What should go there: “Put a venue in. You should put some bands in there.”
Ayonna Edwards, Sophomore, Undecided Ever been to the NWQ: “Yes.” What do you think should go there: “More classrooms. We need more people here.”
Shavon Tucker, Freshman, Finance & Accounting Ever been to the NWQ: “Yeah, I just got done parking in there.” What should go there: “I can’t think of anything offhand. The best way to figure it out is for people to give some ideas and have the student body vote on it.”
NWQ buildings. Chair of the Space Planning Committee Phyllis King said that the CHS hopes to increase enrollment, and that because health sciences is such a growing field, it made sense to provide the college with more space in the NWQ. The Space Planning Committee met most recently on Feb. 1 and discussed a number of issues relating to the NWQ , including how space was going to be made available for the increased strain on the ESL program because of Lovell’s new CERNET agreement. The committee said that 25 new students were expected as a result of the agreement, and while moving to the NWQ was an option for the ESL program, ESL wanted to retain its “core courses” in Curtin. Stoner said that the NWQ could also help accommodate increased freshmen enrollment and UWM’s switch to a residential campus – another of the chancellor’s visions for campus. “It comes around the back side
[accommodations for increased enrollment]. One of the ongoing concerns is the congestion that the math program has in EMS. We understand that math is an important freshmen component because so many folks have to get through that math requirement,” Stoner said. The number of students in remedial math courses, most of them freshmen, has reached a five year high at UWM. “Will that [math requirement] be satisfied in NWQ? I don’t know, but it’s on the table of discussion at a pretty high level of priority trying to improve that situation,” Stoner said. As with all of the other projects at the NWQ , Stoner said the issue is the significant construction required to convert space to classroom sizes. Another priority in the renovation of the NWQ is to create surge space for schools and classes that need to move because of renovations taking place in their own buildings. “One of the things we know is that we want to reserve some space in the
NWQ for departments when work is being done on a building. We have major work that needs to be done on Mitchell, we have Garland and Green with major work that needs to be done,” Stoner said. “Out in the future, we need to have a space where we can take this group, move them over here, while we fix this space.” The overflow classrooms in planning for the NWQ have been termed “surge space” by the university, and several schools including UITS as well as several current occupants of Bolton are already being considered for its use. Stoner said the purchase of the NWQ was a worthwhile investment because “we are so landlocked. “There’s a different attitude on campus, it used to be with regard to space that it was hopeless and you could only benefit if you took something away from someone else. Columbia has made it possible to work together as a campus because it really does give some opportunity for some win/win situations.”
CUTS
Continued from page 1 Schwartz said. Schwartz and other UWM professors are trying to address these issues through the University Committee, the Faculty Senate’s Executive Committee. In a Jan. 24 letter to the Special Task Force on UW Restructuring and Operational Flexibilities, the UC outlined UWM’s unique mission in Wisconsin. UWM is a doctoral granting institution, “with scholars that are known nationally and internationally and who are heavily engaged in research and teaching,” according to the UC. It is also an “access” institution, meaning it provides a high quality education at an affordable price to more Wisconsin residents than any other institution in the UW System. The UC cites studies from the MIT Industrial Performance Center, which outline ways in which urban research institutions support the local economy, such as “attracting new human knowledge and financial resources to a region,” and “integrating previously separated areas of technological activity.” The letter also raises an alarm about the rate of resignations from UWM – two to three times the normal rate. Three examples are provided by the UC how this specifically affects UWM: A professor in the Peck School of the Arts left for a 35 percent increase in salary.
Post graphic by Sierra Riesberg A world-renowned professor left the School of Freshwater Sciences (along with his whole research team—about five people) for a new laboratory in another state because UWM lacked funds for infrastructure upgrades needed to support cutting-edge research on the health of yellow perch and lake trout populations. An associate professor of education, who specializes in the educational needs of struggling urban K-12 students, left for a 44 percent increase in salary plus
research support worth at least $50,000. The establishment of a separate UWM governing board is called for by the UC, given “UWM’s unique contribution to education and economic growth.” This new board would work with the existing UWS Board of Regents, but would give UWM some new flexibility, such as the ability to set compensation based on market rates and to set a tuition that is reflective of the cost of providing that education.
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Architecture students design Wausau’s new riverfront By Justin Jabs Special to the Post news@uwmpost.com
This week’s In-Word Solution axil axiom bail balm boil bola iamb lamb lima limb limbo limo loam mail maxi moil
This week’s Sudoku solution
A M M O
D O E R
A N N A
A F T E R
WL R I OO T N E S
B L I P
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M S O P U L N GE D U E E N E S T S I A M AM ON O R Y B D I E L R E
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This week’s Anagram Crackers Solutions
DATED haven USURP ounce NATURE terror THIRST ampere
Try your hand at this week’s puzzles, turn to page 19
This week’s crossword solution
“UNSATURATED” “European”
PUZZLE SOLUTIONS
A division of UW-Milwaukee’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning has finished designs for a riverfront property in Wausau, Wis. A team of students from Community Design Solutions presented their vision to the city during an open house on Jan. 16. “The designs were well received by the community,” Wausau City Planner Brad Lenz said. “People were saying how happy they would be if something like this was built here.” Lenz, a UWM graduate, chose CDS for the job because he was familiar with the group after being part of the School of Architecture. He described their work as “creative, cost effective and quality.” According to the Wausau Daily Herald, the city bought the 16 acre plot for $2.6 million last June. The acreage is currently a “wasteland,” Project Assistant Kristy Bokelman said. Abandoned buildings, old culverts and weed-ridden roads make up the landscape. The design proposed by CDS makes the Wisconsin River more accessible, connects with the city’s downtown area and preserves the natural look of the site. “We wanted our design to be part of the site, not something added on,” CDS team member Payman Sadeghi said. The design team has been working on the project since May 2011. The group was put together by Administrative Coordinator Susan Weistrop and is made up of six students, all of whom are either graduate students or Ph.D. candidates at UWM. To gather ideas and inspiration, the team held three design charrettes in Wausau on June 29, 2011. These roundtable-style meetings included community members, business owners and even high school students. Participants were able to share what they wanted the site to look like, an experience the team said was extremely valuable. One of the major aspects the community wanted was a green, ecofriendly concept. CDS responded with a design less dependent on mechanical systems. Additionally, natural resources are the primary source of energy throughout the project. The design calls for all water to be absorbed on-site as to avoid pollution and run off into the river. The design’s primary buildings feature a sloped green roof, which can be used
year-round for activities such as skiing and picnics. A road from the east becomes a promenade that cuts through the center of the area, extending over the river at the end. The residential buildings in the design were pushed back so the riverfront could act as “a public domain for the city,” project assistant Sara Khorshidifard said. Additional team members included Sahana Goswami and Neel Kamal Chapagain. The design’s intention is not just to improve the looks of a few run-down acres. The team recommended both technical as well as design ideas to city. With the new riverfront, they hope to make Wausau a more appealing destination. “One of the biggest problems is Wausau is a very small city. The younger population does not want to stay there because there is not much to do there,” Khorshidifard said. “We tried to come up with a design that could create a sense of place for the people who live in Wausau,” Sadeghi said. The riverfront design is one of CDS’s biggest yet. With such a grand endeavor, challenges were not scarce. Danny Conroy, another member of the design team, said it was difficult taking into account all the interests of the community. “We had to balance our ideal vision of a green suburban oasis with their economic development goals,” Conroy said. From here, the project is out of the hands of CDS. They have presented their vision and now it is up to the city of Wausau to see how feasible it is. If the design is approved, contractors will begin the building process. Now that the Wausau design is complete, CDS will continue to work on other projects, such as the Green Corridor in South Milwaukee. Conroy said working on a project like this could give students a huge advantage thanks to the real-world applications of the process. “The coolest thing about working for CDS is the client interaction and involvement from the beginning to the end,” Conroy said. “That’s something we probably won’t see again until we are 15 years into our careers.” The program offers hands on, real world experience for students and can even give students a chance to see the real world results of their work. “Our work is still important even if the project is not built. We already had our impact and educated the community about what we know,” Khorshidifard said.
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Milwaukee registers lowest black employment rate in the country
No improvement in the near future as unemployment reaches over 50 percent By Monika Janczuk Special to the Post news@uwmpost.com
In his latest research, UWMilwaukee Professor Marc Levine found that slightly more than half of Milwaukee’s black males in their prime working years in 2010 were employed. The results follow a trend observed by economists, who have seen a national decline in the employmentpopulation ratio for a generation, especially in large metropolitan areas. While employment rates are declining among all racial groups in Milwaukee, a sharp and wide racial disparity is evident when comparing the employment rates for black males. Milwaukee continues to have the biggest racial gap for employment in the nation. The latest report, released by Levine and the Center for Economic Development, says employment for black males in their prime working years (24-54-yearsold) has reached a new low of 52.7 percent in 2010, down from an employment high of 85 percent only 40 years ago. The employment rate in 2010 for white males in their prime working years was 85.1 percent and 72.6 percent for Hispanics. “It’s important for all Milwaukeeans to understand the extent of this [unemployment] crisis, the degree to which pervasive
CHARTER
Continued from page 1 Charter schools are still public schools that receive a set amount of state and federal money that is attached to every student in a district, but charter schools do not receive district money generated from property taxes like most public schools. They are nonsectarian, cannot charge tuition and must use a lottery system for accepting students if there are more applicants than seats at the school. On the other hand, charter schools do not have to pay for a large bureaucratic infrastructure such as that of MPS, and they have more authority over their own budget, not having to use the state accounting system and not having to give the same salaries to faculty and staff (who are not necessarily unionized at charter schools). “The difference between a charter school and a public school is that we have total autonomy over how we want to spend our money,” Principal of Milwaukee College Preparatory School Robert Rauh said. “We have autonomy over our budget and how we want to spend our money. We have autonomy over who works here.” With that autonomy is an increased demand for results by the authorizer. Failure to meet the standards set by the authorizer can result in the school being shut down, as UWM has done four times. “Autonomy for accountability,” is the charter school motto according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s website.
joblessness has become a basic fact of life in neighborhoods throughout the city,” Levine said. The report focused on black males due to the steady and sharp decline in employment rates over the past few decades and the complication of determining which women voluntarily stay at home to be mothers. Additionally, according to Levine, female unemployment rates do not exhibit big differences. However, it does not mean that black woman have an easier time finding jobs. Abby Obang, a 19-year-old freshman at UWM, said that she has submitted eight applications in the last year and has had only one call back despite having previous employment experience. Levine believes the most important result to come from the latest research is the general social trends - the possible negative impact of the cuts in MCTS services and the “War on Drugs” - and the degree to which a 40 year decline continues unabated. UWM sophomore Maryah Mack has submitted over 25 applications since 2011 and despite a few callbacks and interviews has been unable to find employment. Levine argues that there are not as many black males in Milwaukee’s labor force due to the rise of mass incarceration, the number of those who are counted as on disability
Becoming a charter authorizer The OCS opened in 1999, after the state legislature amended charter school law to allow state-approved organizations, such as UWM, as well as local school boards and districts to approve charter schools to open and then monitor how effectively the schools educate their students. That legislation opened the door for UWM, the Milwaukee Common Council and Milwaukee Area Technical College to authorize charter schools in Milwaukee along with MPS, as well as UW-Parkside in Racine alongside the Racine Unified School District. While some authorizers tend to let charter schools run their course until results are due, Kattman stays closely involved with every charter school, visiting each one at least once a month. “Some people think what they’re looking for in an authorizer is handsoff,” Plantenberg explained. “Others think that it ought to be more hands-on, not hands-on in the sense that you’re actually interfering with the school, but that you’re looking more closely… There are people who don’t like that and there are people that like that. We like it.” A charter school in transition Kattman’s “hands-on” approach was instrumental in transitioning Urban Day from a choice school into a charter school two years ago. Urban Day has its roots as a religious school, founded in 1913 as St. Benedict the Moor School. In 1967, the school closed and reopened as a non-religious community school where parents paid what they could while working within
rather than unemployment, an increase in “discouraged” workers who drop out of the labor force and the continuous loss of manufacturing jobs in the inner-city. About half of all black males in Milwaukee are in correctional facilities for the possession of drugs, not selling, Levine said. As a consequence of the 40-year “War on Drugs,” two-thirds of the drug offenses are no longer for hard narcotics such as cocaine and heroin, but for small marijuana possession. Levine said this rise in incarceration is problematic for two reasons: offenders are labeled as criminals and even felons for the rest of their life, possibly barring them from future employment, and those who are incarcerated are not counted in the unemployment rate. Author Tricia Rose, in her book The Hip Hop Wars, said that “the high levels of crime … drugs, and instability that define poor black communities are the direct result of chronic and high levels of concentrated joblessness, loss of affordable housing … and the incarceration strategies that have criminalized” black men. In order to combat the black male joblessness, Levine suggests that civic leaders set goals to increase the black male employment to meet the average of the country’s metropolitan areas and strive to achieve one of the highest employment rates in 10 years.
the school to keep it running, the first of its kind in the country according to Plantenberg. When the school reopened, it was named Urban Day School as a gesture of defiance towards its wealthier neighbor in Whitefish Bay, Milwaukee Country Day School, which had just recently merged to form University School of Milwaukee. “Urban Day School was a school for children living in poverty, and the message there was that we can provide as good of an education for these children in the inner-city of Milwaukee as the wealthy people can the suburbs,” Plantenberg said. Urban Day operated as a paywhat-you-can school supplemented by free labor from parents and donations until 1989, when Wisconsin initiated the first school choice program in the country. This program allowed lowincome families to choose to send their children to a private school using a voucher issued by the state. It also gave Urban Day a steadier revenue stream than before, allowing them to expand. “There was about 20 years in there where Urban Day School grew rather rapidly because there was enough funding so that you could grow the school, but it wasn’t enough money to offer the education that really was the Country Day School education that we had promised,” Plantenberg said. Plantenberg and the board that runs the school began shopping for charter school authorizers in the area who could not only hold Urban Day accountable for results, but also one that could provide experience and support in revamping the school. UWM seemed
by far to be the best choice. “We interviewed authorizers and we also interviewed schools in the various systems to see what they were getting from the program and how it was working for them,” Plantenberg said. “It was the accountability and you could tell that the accountability was working because you look at the schools that [UWM was] authorizing.” UWM approved Urban Day to become a charter for the 2010-2011 school year. To earn the charter, Urban Day proposed completely revamping their teaching model and hiring a new principal, Shandowlyon HendricksWilliams, who revamped the faculty. “[Urban Day] terminated all of their administrators, terminated 40 percent of their staff, hired all new, brought in a really dynamic [and] demanding principal, brought in our evaluation methodology, and now you go to the school and it’s orderly – people are teaching,” Kattman said. Part of Urban Day’s transition was the implementation of a program called “Success for All,” in which students break off into small groups for a couple hours each day. These groups are based on reading level and not on grade level, allowing for students in three different grades to be in one group together. Although Plantenberg and Kattman both describe the first few weeks as “chaotic,” especially breaking up over 500 students into 50 groups at the same time, but once students, faculty and staff adjusted to the program, the environment and the culture changed. “The learning environment here is much better, it’s much more positive than it was as a choice school,”
Plantenberg said. “I think that has to do with a new principal, real high-quality teachers and a well-defined program and well-defined expectations.” Now only half-way through its second year as a charter school, it is still bringing its standards up to Kattman’s comfort zone, but the school has been very successful so far. “Urban Day has made some really great jumps in year one and year two is even better,” Kattman said. “If they keep that up, they’re going to be one of these other really good schools.” Milwaukee College Preparatory School is one of those successful schools, with over 80 percent of its students scoring proficient for their grade levels in math and science, 20 percent higher than the MPS average according to the 2009-10 OCS report. In Principal Rauh’s eyes, the success of his and other urban charter schools demonstrates that students of impoverished areas have just as much ability as students from the suburbs and it comes down to teaching. “We believe not only all children can learn, but also all children will learn and it’s up to us to make sure that happens,” he said. Although Kattman will soon retire, with a search already under way to replace him, Plantenberg attributes much of the success of Urban Day and UWM’s other charter schools to Kattman. “There is a good model for a charter authorizer, right here in town,” Plantenberg said. “So, anybody who wants to be a good one, go visit Dr. Kattman.”
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February 6, 2012
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Zeise runs into Panthers swim team UWM Athletics demonstrates total aquatic domination over UWGB Hall of Fame MPS teacher gives back Panthers able to win last regular season By Nick Bornheimer Staff Writer sports@uwmpost.com
Keith Zeise has been running since he was 11 years old. Granted, an action packed bout of cops and robbers on Milwaukee’s south side is something that countless children took a hand in – an induction into the UW-Milwaukee Bud K. Haidet Athletics Hall of Fame, however, is an honor only a certain select few can say they’ve been graced with. Zeise can now say that he has. Along with David Marshall, Lindsey (Spoden) Vanden Burg and Timeka Walker, Zeise was honored as a part of the 2012 class. “It is a tremendous honor,” Zeise said. “It was unexpected and I was absolutely elated. To be part of something that will last much longer than yourself is pretty cool. I’m honored that coach [Pete] Corfeld nominated me.” A Milwaukee Bay View High School graduate and standout athlete in cross country and track and field, Zeise chose to attend UWM and pursue both sports. Zeise excelled in cross country (1993-97) and track (1994-98) during his time at UWM. In cross country, his team won the 1993 Mid-Continent Conference title and was the runner-up in the MCC in both 1995 and 1996. The Milwaukee squad finished 11th in the Great Lakes Region in 1997. Individually, he was a two-time allconference performer, winning the league title in 1996 and serving as a team captain for two seasons. In track, Zeise captained the team in 1997 and 1998, as the team won the indoor title in 1997 and both the indoor and outdoor crowns in 1998. Individually, he won two league titles and had three other topthree finishes. He finished his career as the record-holder in a number of events along with the 4x1600 relay, a record he set in 1994 which still stands today. “There really was no offseason with the two sports and I think that worked to my advantage,” Zeise said. “I’m a very habitual person and habits, both good and bad, are hard to break. Being forced to make a schedule and being forced to stick to it made it easy for me to stay dedicated in and out of the classroom.” Zeise was also a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee while at UWM before graduating Cum Laude with a degree in secondary education in 1999. He received his master’s from UWM in 2004, and decided to bring the knowledge he’d acquired just a few miles from UWM’s campus – Rufus King High School. “I’ve always had a passion for science and I wanted to bring that passion to others,” Zeise said. It wasn’t just his passion for science that he brought to Rufus King, though. He also brought his
passion for running. In 1999, Zeise’s first year as a cross country coach, the program had 13 runners – both boys and girls. To strengthen the team, Zeise recruited kids in his class and he helped convince track athletes to go out for cross county. Now the program is one of the top in the area and was able to take sixth place at last year’s state tournament. “We’ve been blessed with some great leaders and athletes in my 13 years at King,” Zeise said. “That being said, it was a little difficult in the beginning. I wasn’t ever worried about our performance. I was worried about our effort … and my effort. If I could convince myself we had done our best and I had prepared the best I could, I would be happy.” Zeise isn’t just your run of the mill teacher, either. In 2005, he was awarded the Teacher of the Year for the Milwaukee section of the American Chemical Society.
“It is a tremendous honor,” Zeise said. “It was unexpected and I was absolutely elated. To be part of something that will last much longer than yourself is pretty cool. I’m honored that coach [Pete] Corfeld nominated me.” Zeise has even been able to help former Rufus King students attend Ivy League schools throughout the years, but is a proud graduate of UWM and is more than thrilled when a student or athlete of his makes the choice to attend the university. “UWM is a great school with great people and a family like atmosphere,” Zeise said. “The prestige may not be there, but what you’ve learned and how you carry yourself is more important than where you got your degree. I’m proud to have helped get some of my students into prestigious schools, but I want all my students to know that what you know about yourself is more important than what others think they know about you.” Zeise was able to take two different aspects of life he was passionate about and build it into a career. Most collegiate athletes will not go pro, but Zeise’s advice is to acknowledge that there is not an expiration date on love and passion for sports, as there is for a career. “Never feel that you’re not good enough to keep going,” Zeise said. “The beautiful part of sports is that you can always work really hard at them. Our abilities may deteriorate, but our spirit never will.”
head to head meet in convincing fashion
By Eric Engelbart Staff Writer Sports@uwmpost.com
Last Saturday, the UWMilwaukee men’s and women’s swimming and diving team hosted the UW-Green Bay Phoenix in their final head-to-head swim meet of the regular season. The Panther men looked to protect their undefeated 9-0 season, while the Panther women
Photo Courtesy of Kurt Rahe looked to improve upon their 7-3 record while finishing the season on a high note against last year’s Horizon League Champion UW-Green Bay women’s swimming and diving team. Coach Kyle Clements had the Panthers performing at a masterful level during his sophomore campaign after instilling a winning pedigree and cementing the Panthers as
perennial contenders last season. The 2011-2012 swim campaign has seen the Panthers beat the Wisconsin Badgers for the first time in school history while winning every headto-head meet. The Panthers looked to build on the momentum of last weekend’s 130-90 victory at Western
See SWIM page 8
The Clements 15 With his strong senior class, Clements has given Milwaukee stability again in the swimming and diving arena. By Tony Atkins Assistant Sports Editor Sports@uwmpost.com
The UW-Milwaukee Panthers have thrived in pools across the nation this year under second year coach Kyle Clements. The men’s squad has achieved perfection after their win over UWGreen Bay, ending their regular season campaign with a unblemished 10-0 record. Meanwhile, the women’s team held their own as well, finishing off the regular season strong with an 8-3 winloss mark. Coach Kyle Clements has both of these teams primed and ready for the upcoming Horizon League Championships, in which they will be hosting starting Feb. 22. Clements has been coaching here at Milwaukee for four years, two as an assistant coach and two more at the helm of the program. Within those four seasons, although not as head coach, Clements has
watched this senior class of fifteen grow from timid freshmen to leaders in the pool and develop as people and leaders as they venture out into their careers and life after college. “We have a lot of seniors on this team and a lot of them are record holders. So it’s going to be a bummer to see them go,” said Clements. “Five minutes per person to recognize these seniors is not nearly enough time to honor what they have done over for great years. Clements feels that this year’s success stems from years of recruiting and keeping the swimmers and divers with the right work ethic in the pools and in the classrooms as well. “It’s just not good enough to be a good swimmer here at Milwaukee, you need to be a good student, you need to like to swim, you need to do all of the things necessary.” said Clemens. One of the seniors that came into the Milwaukee program with Clements was Kyle Trelka of Sturgeon Bay. He
gave a few thoughts about senior day and the team’s mentality as the wins piled on top of one another. “We didn’t really think about that at the beginning of the season,” said Trelka. “We just came in saying we’re gonna work hard and give our best effort and as the end of the season came along we were like ‘well, yeah, this is pretty awesome.” Sky Boggio, Danielle Chapman, Shane Connor, Jordan Diel, Evan Green, Morgan Hearn, Brady Huemann, Sam Keele, Heide Niespodzany, Maggie Pease, Nathan Rahe, Jennifer Schober, Kyle Trelka, Sarah Wardeke, and Greg Wise make up the “Clemens 15”. All have been a part of making this a winning program in recent years. The Horizon League tournament is right around the corner. Be sure to see these seniors give their all in their final encore with the black and gold.
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Injuries, free throw shooting threaten Panthers men’s season
Panther will need to overcome a plethora of injuries as the season drags on By Alex Wendland Staff Writer Sports@uwmpost.com
After a stellar 8-1 start, the Panthers have fallen to 15-10 (8-5 in Horizon League play) including losses in four out of their last six games. Once the leaders of the Horizon League, the Panthers have fallen back to fourth place and are searching for answers. To be fair to the Panthers, not all of their issues are in their control. The Horizon League is a very physical, defensiveminded conference and the Panthers head into the final third of the season with a significantly banged up squad. For the Jan. 26 game against Butler, the Panthers only suited up three guards. Junior Lonnie Boga is sitting out the season with a medical redshirt due to a shoulder injury and it appears junior Ja’Rob McCallum will do the same after aggravating a wrist injury he rehabbed over the summer. Freshman sharpshooter Evan Richard has been nursing a herniated disk but should return in the next week. Taken into context with the bumps and bruises that come with a grueling season and with senior Tony Meier still not having returned
to form from an Achilles tendon injury at the start of the season, the Panthers are relishing a six day break heading into the Feb. 10 game at Detroit. There is a major factor in the Panthers’ control, however, that they haven’t been able to fix since last season: free throw execution. On the season, the Panthers sit at a stunning 58 percent on shots from the charity stripe. Fifty-eight percent leaves the Panthers dead last in free throw percentage in the Horizon League, and a full four percent behind the ninth-place team. If the Panthers could get to the league average in free throw percentage (67.61), it would be reasonable to think the Panthers could turn a couple of those tough conference losses into wins and would currently be looking at second place in the league. Still, the Panthers have to be commended for their fantastic defense. The 2011-12 Panthers appear to be the most cohesive team that UWM has had in years, possibly in the duration of coach Rob Jeter’s tenure. The Panthers are tops in the league in field goal defense, with opponents converting on just 40 percent of their FGs, and second in the league in scoring defense. With the types of players the Panthers
have, a turnaround isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Kaylon Williams is much improved from last season and is the undisputed leader on the floor. Ryan Allen has a seemingly endless supply of both energy and highlights. Perhaps most notably, newcomers Paris Gulley and James Haarsma have been revelations on both ends of the court. Gulley, a lockdown defender, is making his mark on the offensive end with superb shooting during the conference season. The biggest surprise has been Haarsma’s emergence, though. The transfer from Evansville is second on the team in points, first in rebounds and was named the Horizon League Player of the Week in his first week in the conference. For filling the hole left by Anthony Hill’s departure and making such an impact so quickly, James Haarsma is the Panthers’ MVP at this point in the season. As for the future, the injuries aren’t going to get any easier to deal with and the free throws aren’t showing signs of improvement. Look for the Panthers to have a strong finish in the regular season, but ultimately fall to Cleveland State in the conference tournament finals.
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Keeping track
Track team heads to Norte Dame By Erika Hanson Special to the Post sports@uwmpost.com
The goal of every team is to win. I mean, we can say that there are other goals to make ourselves feel a
SWIM
Continued from page 6 Illinois against conference foe UWGB. The Panthers were able to dominate on both the men’s and women’s side as they protected their pool in convincing fashion, with the men winning the meet with a score of 184-59 and the women finishing with a score of 163-78. Two members of the Panther men’s team were able to contribute to multiple victories on the afternoon. Sophomore Samuel Niesen helped the Panthers win the 400 yard medley team relay, the 400 yard freestyle team relay, and took the 200 yard men’s backstroke. Freshman Kenny
little more wholesome, but let’s be honest: winning is on the forefront of every athlete’s mind. It’s why we’re out there working our butts off six days a week. To win. It may sound narcissistic, but I can handle that. It’s what wakes my teammates and me up every day to go put our muscles and lungs through the wringer over and over. It’s what our very own track and field squad has had a tradition of doing for years: winning. The team has 44 Horizon League championships, in fact, with four more coming this season, assumedly. Many of you realize the amount of success UW-Milwaukee sports have had in the past few years. Basketball, volleyball and soccer come to mind, I’m sure. Don’t get me wrong, they
definitely deserve that recognition. But it’s a little known fact that the track team sends several nationallyranked athletes across the country all spring semester in hopes of (once again) transforming them into AllAmericans. All we want is a little recognition for the blood, sweat and tears that we, too, leave at practice again and again. I’ve been granted the opportunity to keep you all up to date with the track team over the spring semester, in hopes of shedding some light on yet another UWM sports squad that carries on the Panther tradition of winning. I’ll provide more team stats as the season continues, but for now, I’m here to grab your attention. Did I get it? If not, let our talent speak for itself.
Stelpflug also partook in multiple events, winning the men’s 1000 yard freestyle by 4 seconds and the 500 yard freestyle by 8 seconds. It was a team-wide effort for the Panther men as they won all swim events and a dive event represented their only loss of the meet. The Panthers who won their individual events were Nathan Welchlin in the 100 yard freestyle, Brady Huemann in the men’s 200 yard breaststroke, Sky Boggio in the 200 yard butterfly and Sam Keele in the men’s 200 yard individual medley. The Panther women’s team was equally dominant, placing first in all but two events on the afternoon. Those two events were the 500 and 1000 yard freestyles, both won by phenomenal Phoenix sophomore Kendra Rottier. Outside of Rottier’s
performance, the Panther women won convincingly. Senior Heidi Niespodzany won the 100 and 200 yard freestyles in her last regular season event as a Panther. Sophomore Emily McClellan, who last year earned an appearance in the NCAA championships, helped her team win the 400 yard medley relay while also winning the individual 200 yard IM and 200 yard breaststroke. The Panthers swimming and diving teams will have two weeks off to prepare for the upcoming Horizon League Championships, which will take place Feb. 22 in Brown Deer, WI. The Panther men will look to protect last year’s Horizon League title while the Panther women will look to capture the championship coming off a win over defending champion Green Bay.
Post Photo by Maxwell Larsen
G-Vet and the Special Sauce Pole vault is in Vetesnik’s blood By Nolan Murphy Staff Writer sports@uwmpost.com
Garrett Vetesnik has something in common with his father, just like most sons. What is different than many father-son relationships is that his involves pole vaulting. Vetesnik, a redshirt junior on the UW-Milwaukee men’s track and field team, started learning as a young teenager from his father, Gregg Vetesnik, the art of pole vaulting. Gregg Vetesnik also competed in pole vaulting growing up and showed Garrett the way throughout his middle school and high school years as his coach and mentor at Richland Center High School. A highly touted track and field athlete in the state of Wisconsin during his career, Vetesnik came to Milwaukee with a state championship already under his belt from 2007 and the 6th highest jump ever recorded in pole-vaulting in WIAA history at 15 feet, 7 inches. Battling injuries throughout his UWM track and field career, Vetesnik did not get rattled and became one of the leaders of the team. Choosing UWM as a high school senior was not a difficult choice for Vetesnik due to the winning tradition in track and field. Currently, Vetesnik is the Horizon League record holder in outdoor pole-vaulting at 5 meters. As the 2012 track and field season has gotten underway, Vetesnik and his teammates have made winning the
2012 Horizon League track and field championship a goal of theirs. Teamed up with senior heptathlon athlete Ben Crogan, who last week at the Jack Jennett Invitational at Northern Iowa set the school record in pole vaulting by jumping 5.20 meters, expectations are flying high for the vaunted vaulting combo. When asked whom he models his skills and form off of, Vetesnik named Mark Hollis, former Olivet Nazarene University track and field national champion from Freeport, Illinois. Hollis is currently training fulltime to make the 2012 U.S. Olympic team in pole vaulting. Vetesnik met Hollis in high school while attending camps. “He is my role model now and is someone who I am in regular contact with bouncing ideas of mine by him and just trying to learn and get better,” Vetesnik said. Traveling to the Meyo Invitational hosted by Notre Dame University over the weekend, Vetesnik and a selective group of his teammates including Crogan and Courtney Fisher look to build on their previous success at the Jack Jennett Invitational. “I just hope to jump big on Friday night and get a personal record,” Vetesnik said. The Panthers will continue their 2012 track and field season with the Grand Valley State University Big Meet Feb. 10 and 11 in preparation for the Horizon League championships in Youngstown, Ohio Feb. 25 and 26.
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The Pabst, roasted Jeffrey Ross berates Thursday night’s crowd By Kevin Kaber Assistant Fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com
The Roastmaster General stunned the Pabst Thursday night. Photo by Erik Ljung.
In recent years, Comedy Central’s roast series has become one of the station’s most popular and memorable programs. From Pamela Anderson to Charlie Sheen, notorious celebrities have suffered an awful slew of roasts from numerous comics. Likely the most infamous of those comics, Jeffrey Ross, is now known as the Roastmaster General – a title only fitting for the most disrespectful. Fellow comic Tony Hinchcliffe opened for Ross. Hinchcliffe, a small-statured man, couldn’t catch the crowd’s attention quite well. Remarking that his bodily features categorize the comedian as “gay as fuck,” Hinchcliffe’s set hardly swayed from frat-boy humor with plenty of gay jokes (“I look like I could take a clobbering of dicks”), pot stories and the occasional riff at audience members (many of whom heckled continuously). After Hinchcliffe’s mediocre set, WLUM’s Kramp & Adler, who seemingly host every comedy show in the Milwaukee area, introduced Ross. Ross entered with an extreme mop-top that nearly reached his shoulders, and immediately proclaimed that Adler works for 102.1, and weighs 1002.1 pounds. And so the deprecation began. Immediately, Ross began taking shots at Milwaukee, the Pabst and Wisconsin in general. Like other visitors from Southern California, Ross was upset about the weather, but he was even more astounded by the amount of overweight Milwaukeeans (“Mil-walk-ee? No one walks here” and “I ordered a brat and they asked, ‘Would you like a brat with your brat?’”). Ross was also excited about the Pabst’s history, asking where Lincoln got shot and proclaiming that Francis Scott Key received oral sex in the balcony (“…and the rockets’ red glare!”). “I’m here to put the sin in Wisconsin,” Ross piped. “It took me four hours to think of that.” The raunchy comic went on with a number of written jokes – some of which appeared on Comedy Central specials and others that were fairly recent. Among them, stabs at Steve Jobs (“He was thinner than the iPad 2,” among others) and Don Cornelius’s “electric sui-slide.” It wasn’t long until Ross did what so many fans solely knew him for. Asking for volunteers to be roasted, a gaggle of fans instantly rushed to the stage. “This is the ugliest group of people I’ve ever seen,” Ross said. The Roastmaster went down the line, giving each member a piece of his mind. Among them, a Native American who stood in front of a man wearing a long sleeve American Flag denim shirt (“Watch out, he’s the enemy! Hoo-ah-hoo-ha Hooah-hoo-ha,” Ross chanted) and a peculiarly drunk woman that wouldn’t stop her highpitched giggling (Ross asked her, “How much do you charge to haunt the Pabst?” but later realized that she was “like the Forrest Gump of un-fuckable prostitutes.”) At least no one took him too seriously, although Ross often found himself being feebly kicked and slapped. Ross ended his set by asking crowd members to play piano while he recited some poems. Though one man began playing what he called “Ambien in C-minor,” a young woman stole the stage. Ross more or less asked her anything that would make any feminist cringe, and offered to show her his “Bronze Fonz.” After exiting to the lobby for a meet and greet, Ross escaped without any harassment charges.
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February 6, 2012
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Smith Westerns visit Milwaukee A packed Turner Hall hosted the indie rock band Saturday night By Patrice Vnuk Staff Writer fringe@uwmpost.com
Indie rock trio Smith Westerns received a warm welcome at Turner Hall Saturday night. Accompanied by two guest performers, the band played songs from their most recent album, Dye It Blonde, to deafening fan-girl screams after openers Bleached and Porcelain Raft left the stage. For reference, the Omori brothers Cullen and Cameron and guitarist Max Kakacek are factually “very attractive.” Many feeble-hearted fans attended to the band’s performance like fans of Hanson years prior. Lead singer Cullen managed to engage the crowd while still maintaining his effortless rock starcool image however much of a challenge it was considering there is no way the poor kid can see through all of the hair covering his face. At 22 years old, Omori plays with a style that oozes professionalism beyond his years and, perhaps conceit, and demonstrated it onstage. Kakacek, who also sings back-up vocals, was spot-on throughout the entire set and was a pretty impressive player. His glam-rock lead in the band’s hit song “Weekend” was unforgettable and impossible not to dance to.
While the band did a great job instrumentally, Cullen’s vocals were somewhat lost in the mix. He told the audience that his voice was shot, and that became apparent as his muddled words sounded more like background noise as the show went on. When he addressed the crowd, the only thing really discernable was that he liked Milwaukee and played a house show here once and even spoke something about The Matrix. All of which were met with high-pitched squeals and shrieks of “Oh my God, Cullen!” That aside, Smith Westerns’ retro sound translated well in Turner Hall’s Ballroom and they put on one hell of a show. Rumors about some of the band mates’ arrogant attitudes didn’t seem to be true, as each member appeared to genuinely enjoy playing and entertaining. Having as much hype surrounding them as they do, they were appreciative of the audience when many bands in the same position might methodically play a set and leave. After an encore song, the band left the stage in style, knocking over amps and shouting their thanks. Their heart-breaking good looks and irresistibly catchy music left many weak in the knees and wishing the show was longer. There’s always next time, right?
The heartthrobs in Smith Westerns warmed the Turner Hall Ballroom Saturday night. Post photo by Sierra Riesberg
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Coming to a (French) theater near you The Post highlights features of the Festival of Films in French
By Kevin Kaber Assistant Fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com
Film, as an artistic and/or entertainment medium has strong footholds in the French culture. Although film can arguably be traced back to early experiments by photographers and inventors, film will always have a place in French history. From the Brothers Lumière to Jean-Luc Godard, France (and subsequently its language and culture) will always be a profound influence on the cinema. Currently, the UW-Milwaukee Union Theatre is presenting one of its favorite programs, the Festival of Films in French – a fifteen year tradition on campus. The UWM Post will share a preview of this week’s French Film favorites. La femme de nuelle part (The Woman from Nowhere) (Tuesday, 7 p.m.) This 1922 French Impressionist film ranks high on the formal scale. Said to be the time’s greatest French film, Louis Delluc’s La femme de nuelle part is rarely seen due its scarcity (it’s believed that there are only a handful of prints of the film that have survived since the 1920s). Luckily and remarkably as well, UWM’s Festival of Films in French will show La femme, marking its United States’ premiere. The film’s psychological drama is an experiment of filmmaking as it examines reality and mental states of mind. Delluc’s masterpiece is a must-see for any high-cultured film buff. La mariée était en noir (The Bride Wore Black) (Thursday, 7 p.m.) For those who have seen Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill series, La mariée était en noir will bear a striking resemblance. Famed Nouvelle Vague filmmaker Francois Truffaut’s 1968
La mariée is the story of a newly married bride whose husband has been shot immediately following the wedding. The widow, Jeanne Moreau, then goes on to seek vengeance on her husband’s five murders in true callback to the style of Alfred Hitchcock. Though the film became a rather large success, Truffaut would later claim to dislike the movie. Tarantino claims to have never seen the film. Une vie de chat (A Cat in Paris) (Sunday, 1 p.m.)
Although it looks as if Une vie de chat has stepped out of a heartwarmingly animated children’s book, its plot would have it the other way. Our hero, Dino, a housecat with a double life, spends his day with Zoe, a young girl who hasn’t spoken since her father’s unsolved murder, and his nights with Nico, a Parisian burglar. Dino’s two separate lives will eventually come together as the mystery surrounding Zoe’s father’s death grows thicker and thicker. While a bit risqué at times, the Oscar nominated animated feature is certainly suitable for all. Potiche (Trophy Wife) (Saturday, 5 p.m. & Sunday, 4:30 p.m.) Gender issues in the 1970s are not typically a subject of comedy, but Potiche would have it otherwise. Suzanne Pujol is the definition of the term trophy wife – she cooks, cleans and provides care for her family while her husband, Robert, is away at work, operating a chain of factories that he owns. As the economy falters, Robert is left to close down a factory and subsequently finds himself kidnapped by his former employees. As the rest of the family declines to take over the family business, Suzanne is left no choice but to take it into her own motherly hands.
The cult-ish La femme de nulle part is just one of the many classics showing at the Festival of Films in French
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fringe
February 6, 2012
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Ancient greets the modern Old is new again East Side jazzers grease up old conventions By Graham Marlowe Assistant Fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com
With a name like Stellar Regions you’d expect either a shady party in the venue’s parking lot or a television special endorsed by astrophysicist Carl Sagan. The music leans in both directions on occasion, and to the appreciative nod of a small, wildly reverent audience. That kind of lostness was not in attendance Friday night at the Jazz Estate, for the Milwaukee quartet knew better than to merely recycle the materials of jazz and rock’s turbulent, decades-long marriage. Guided but not governed by the drifty, anything-goes style of a jam band, the group’s setlist came (as it typically does) without the predictable twists and turns of light and dark that adhere to such stereotypes. Instead Stellar Regions picked up pieces of American music that have been overlooked, forgotten, hung out to dry by changing popular tastes and then amplified them beyond belief. Boldly Dionysian, though with a healthy dollop of the Apollonian, a sense of orderly chaos drove the music forward to innumerable exotic places. No matter the content, four hours of anything from these four has proven a respectable draw for the band, fronted by East Side guitar marvel Steve Peplin and Jesse Lee Montijo on alto sax. All three sets burned with the slow, steady speed of a barrel fire stumbling upon surprise bursts of
fragrance along the way as the flames built and subsided with temperature change. In the blurred candlelight of the club, the interstellar jazz-rockers built consistently on a series of longdistance musical climaxes, some constructed from Wayne Shorter’s spicy straight-ahead swing (“Black Nile”), a Miles Davis jazz-funk gem from ‘82 (“Jean Pierre”) and a cleansing suite of John Coltrane: “Africa,” “India” and later “Giant Steps,” the last of which restored audience familiarity after the nervous energy of the previous two. The audience drifted in and out of the venue as the band journeyed on, bookending classic, deep jazz cuts with spontaneous, untitled compositions that examined rock and jazz rhythms at their primitive cores; the awe of it was hearing the musicians swipe moody riffs from ancient caverns and New York’s skronky downtown jazz scene selectively. To the unoriented, this music deadens without the pointed hooks of a three-minute pop song, so without a clear destination, traditional listeners may want to step off the [SR] spaceship to at least have a cigarette here and there. The long-form approach to jazz composition rewards this band even where it barely appears to try - like in its plentiful bass (Alan Linney) against drums (Maurice Liddell) duet segments. Peplin (guitar) and Montijo (alto sax) found a number of moments to step away from their crackly dubjazz excursions to let the other two
say their peace through improvised rhythms, and those moments were offered in earnest. Yet wherever the opportunity arose - roughly once every five minutes Peplin picked notes from the sky in the same fashion as Phish’s Trey Anastasio: instantly accessible to classic rock purists but whose instrumental detours may not reward the untrained ear. The guitarist pushed the music forcefully in transient, always purposeful directions, all sounding as if they’d been run through a circular saw - an effect that sparkled when Montijo toughened songs’ backbones with the blues-inflected honk of a harmonica. Conversely, mouths grew dry in the face of Peplin’s blistering delta blues themes, slide work topped off with a delay effect to remind you that you were still on planet Earth when things went too far ashore from the original center - that which drifted down the Mississippi River (geographically). The imagery darkened as the raft mulled southward, sometimes in circles, as if the inherent danger of the sonorities required evasion. By the time set three arrived, the foursome had stumbled into fragments of Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” playing the masterpiece in 5/4 time inside out so Montijo could spill over with laconic phrases. This deft foursome appears to narrate the loudest corners of American music, presumably to illustrate where we’ve gone wrong in music culture. On the off-chance that the band is right, it’s safe to say (for now) that they - like their audience - take pride in their stance as cosmic cowboys.
Leonard Cohen’s beautiful sadness
Leonard Cohen’s first studio album in eight years is a masterwork of poetic bitterness and self-reflection. By Steven Franz Fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com
The title of Leonard Cohen’s new Old Ideas is, predictably, multifaceted. Upon the influential singer/songwriter’s debut in the late 1960s, a Canadian making his music in the United States while being embraced mostly in England, Cohen has been defined by his dualities,
the shadows of meaning lingering behind the corners of his notes and in the spaces between his words. He’s a man of contradictions. His atonal groan of a wheeze would never be mistaken for a poor singing voice. His songs have entered the popular vernacular in a manner that most singers would kill for, but chances are you’ve never heard his music –
See COHEN page 15
fringe
5, 6, 2011 February 2012 14 December
the uwm post
Stuck out of time What to eat
Music trumps image on Lana Del Rey debut
The Post examines Oakland Avenue’s favorite restaurant stops
By Samantha Radle Staff Writer fringe@uwmpost.com
Lana Del Rey’s name precedes her. Ever since the self-produced video for “Video Games” went viral, the absurd amount of hype it inspired has focused a spotlight on everything about her - her wealthy roots, her appearance and most of all, her metamorphosis from singer-songwriter Lizzy Grant into pop femme fatale Lana Del Rey. In short, she’s been scrutinized for everything but what actually matters: her music. It’s unfortunate, and the media’s misguided attacks have left an ugly smear on the glass ceiling that so severely limits many female musicians who find their music tangled with their images. I, for one, can’t understand what crime Lana Del Rey has committed - her reinvention as a musician can hardly be perceived as selling out, as one must sell in the first place to become a sellout. It’s common knowledge and ancient history that the music industry manufactures images. Her appearance is irrelevant (but in any case, it’s lovely). And finally, her widely panned performance on Saturday Night Live doesn’t say much: musicians more established than she have bounced back from worse, and the burden to live up to expectations must be crippling. It’s frankly bizarre that music this uncomplicated and marketable has polarized people as much as it has. Hopefully, once the hype dies down, more people will recognize Born to Die for what it is: a striking and intelligent debut, and potentially the start of a wildly successful career, provided Lana Del Rey can withstand the pressure. The first track, “Born to Die,” shows what Del Rey is capable of - her rich voice with its air of detached weariness glides over smooth and refreshing string arrangements. It’s an air-conditioned
on Oakland By Joshua Deacon Special to the Post fringe@uwmpost.com
Punxsutawney Phil has once again spoken and the word is six more weeks of winter. So far it has felt like spring – all the more reason to get away from campus to get food that is better tasting, better valued and more nutritious. You may think that you only have time or money to shovel down the fast food slop from the Union and even enjoy eating food that contains ingredients which may
not even meet the USDA standards to qualify as meat. Well, this semester I refuse. Let’s stick to our New Year’s resolutions by enjoying this “winter” and walking down to all the restaurants on Oakland. If in a real rush there’s always the eateries by the Southwest Quad: Qdoba, Noodles & Co., Jimmy John’s and the newest addition, the East Side chapter of the West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe (I broke out of my normal routine to visit
See OAKLAND page 15
Minus the smokescreen of hype surrounding the record, Lana Del Rey has personality to spare on her recent debut. penthouse on a sweltering night in July, isolated and cool. “Off to the Races” is charming in its vanity and showcases Del Rey’s vocal talent and versatility. “Video Games” is painfully beautiful: It’s easy to see why the world would become so intrigued with Del Rey upon hearing this song. Her somnolent voice sucks all the sentimentality out of what’s really a basic love song, and what’s left is pure melancholy, the lingering scent of perfume in an empty room. The lyrical themes seem tailor-made for the music - they’re unabashedly selfinvolved, yet exude a sort of zen ennui. “Radio,” another highlight, laces sass with sweetness like a more apathetic Robyn, while pop ballad “Million Dollar Man” resembles Lady Gaga”s “Brown Eyes.”
It’s not a perfect album - there are a few throwaway tracks, and her slower songs can run together. The tonguein-cheek superficiality toes the line of cheapness in “National Anthem,” and it’s not especially daring. But the good songs easily overshadow the weaker ones, and Born to Die is the type of album that grows on you. Beneath her armor of lust, luxury and glamour, Lana Del Rey oozes sage resignation, a familiarity with the abyss and the tired hollowness of decadence. She’s a pop star version of Gatsby’s Daisy, glittery and tragic, whose flaws manage to be endearing and necessary. Maybe she belongs to a different era, but it’s a beautiful one.
Oakland Gyros stands out as Oakland Avenue’s late night oasis.
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OAKLAND
Continued from page 14 this throwback to traditional delis, and for someone who used to live in New York City, it was everything I could hope for). Where most places go horribly wrong, like the Dogg Haus and nearly all the sandwich offerings on campus, taking a decent set of meats, cheeses and toppings, and then ruining it with cheap bread, West Allis does completely differently. West Allis’ grilled roast beef sandwich is served on real French bread and is butter-toasted perfection. The light German potato salad and crisp dill pickle wedge that came with were perfect complements to the rich caramelized onions, blue cheese and garlic mayo. I’m so hooked on offerings like poutine (fries topped with cheese curds and gravy), lasagna, soups, homemade custards and “big dogs,” I’m going to have a hard time not walking that extra block past my old standby, Qdoba. While the prices do range from three dollars for the dogs and up to nine bucks for some of the fancier sandwiches that come with side
fringe deli salads, a small discount for students is available. With a little prior planning and that bus pass that you’ve paid for, anyone can make it further down Oakland and Locust faster than walking across campus. Once you get there, the world is your oyster. Got a craving for cheap junk food? Little Caesars has whole pizzas for five dollars and Cousin’s Subs has the two for five deals; also keep in mind that Subway is on the other corner. An obvious choice for any member of the college crowd would be Oakland Gyros, conveniently open till the wee hours, serving likely the best post-bar time foodstuffs. Have you a penchant for ethnic food? There’s a plethora of great choices along Oakland for Thai (Thai Kitchen), Persian (Shiraz) and Greek (Oakland Gyros, obviously) foods. Let’s not forget Oakland’s choices for pizza, the staple of the college diet. Of course there are several choices, but those in the know walk up to a bland white brick building with a sign for Lisa’s Pizzeria. Even if its quaint dining atmosphere sways away from those of other area restaurants, you’ll never find a better thin crust pizza in town.
COHEN
Continued from page 13 Jeff Buckley turned “Hallelujah” from a seething breakup song into a romantic croon fit for Shrek, another contradiction in and of itself. When he was younger, it never felt like he was writing songs from the perspective of a young man, and now that he’s 77 years old, his themes of love and loss seem out of place and time, though they’re identifiably from an old man’s perspective. It’s just that no old man should be going through what Leonard Cohen seems to. His voice barely more than a whisper now – one so low that it’s possible at the end of “Show Me the Place” to make out the brief gap in the audio mix when Cohen’s incredibly sensitive mic feed was cut to avoid white noise – Cohen’s bitterness hasn’t subsided, his inherently Jewish sense of mythologized self-loathing firmly intact. “Show me the place / Where you want your slave to go,” he sings, invoking Hebrew Biblical
December6,5,2012 2011 February history as he did with “Hallelujah’s” references to David and Samson. As with other Cohen releases, the connection between faith and consciousness is firm, as it is with disappointment, personal apocalypse and tragedy. In that regard, the ideas are as old as his career. These are the same themes and principles on which Cohen has dwelled with his famous obsessiveness for five decades, and it seems not much has changed. His women still mistreat him (“I know you have to hate me / But could you hate me less?”), the Lord is still vengeful (“Tell me again / When the filth of the butcher / Is washed in the blood of the lamb”) and he is still meek in the presence of uncaring beauty and sex (“By virtue of suffering I claim to have won”). His poetry is still gracefully fixated on the physical form of a once-loved woman, constantly at odds with the more guiltily orthodox shades of his consciousness. It’s why so often visions of apocalypse enter his mind’s eye, as they do on “Banjo.” But if Cohen seemed too tired, too acidic for a man his age when he was still on the better side of 50, here
15
his indiscretions, lovers and woeful self-loathing seem better suited for a man half his age, a man who still contradictorily had both the time and impatience for such things. And perhaps that’s the point. Because Old Ideas is also in reference to the ideas of an old man, one even more starkly aware of his own mortality than he was when he wrote “Death of a Ladies’ Man” at the age of 24; the subject of “Darkness” is as much the emptiness of death as it is the pain of a hateful woman. He’s also a man grappling with the idea of being Leonard Cohen (the album’s opener, “Going Home,” is innately about this conundrum) perhaps the young and ruthless and dogged Cohen that has become the principle subject of the song rather than its author, especially when his lyrics are so often recited by other artists. There lies the contradiction: The old, worn-out ideas of a man who uses those same ideas now as a measurement of his own age. It’s beautiful and tragic, like Leonard Cohen, the idea and the man.
Image courtesy of blogs.trailblazers.com
the uwm post
February5,6,2011 2012 16 December
EDITORIAL The following piece represents the views of the Editorial Board of THE UWM POST. The editorial board is not affiliated with the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee and these views do not represent the views of the university.
Targeting education Wisconsin’s leaders continue to unfairly target higher education for budget cuts
By Editorial Board editorial@uwmpost.com
In every level of government, from the federal to the state and local, the most consistently contentious question is what the fiscal budget should look like. The budget debates raise issues like how to raise revenue, where that revenue should be spent and an overall vision of what government’s role should be in society. Policy makers with different ideologies clash over the subject, arguing over what institutions and programs should take top priority. Some view the budget in a business-like fashion, a simple crunching the numbers game, investing money in some areas while trimming back in others, depending on its apparent productivity. Others argue that budgets are ‘moral documents,’ which should demonstrate how poor and vulnerable the ones society is most concerned about are. Regardless, the way policymakers write up the budget ultimately shape what kind of place their constituents live and work in. In the wake of a still fragile economy, the Wisconsin Legislature made tough but necessary cuts to state agencies in order to balance the budget with a diminishing revenue stream. The UW System was no exception, taking a 20.9 percent cut in funding between 2010 and 2011. The cuts to higher education in Wisconsin were high above the 7.6 percent national average. With continual low state revenue, the governor and his administration are again asking state agencies to prepare for another round of deep reductions in funding. In the next two years, up to 300 million dollars in cuts are
expected to take place, with about $65.6 million of that coming from the UW System. While state expenditures on Wisconsin’s public universities only make up about 7 percent of the overall budget, the UW System is expected to shoulder close to 38 percent of the expected additional cuts. While we understand that public funding for higher education is no less subject to cuts than other state programs, we believe that the recent and expected reductions financing to the UW System are unfair and inexplicable, as education needs to remain a top priority for the state.
As our changing economy demands more and more highly educated workers, these drastic cuts to education will put Wisconsin at a competitive disadvantage to neighboring states who do a better job at investing in their future workforce. As our changing economy demands more and more highly educated workers, these drastic cuts to education will put Wisconsin at a competitive disadvantage to neighboring states that do a better job at investing in their
future workforce. Minnesota reduced its funding by a much more feasible 7.1 percent, and Illinois actually increased its by 12.1 percent. Our future as a state is tied to our education. As experienced professors retire early or leave for private institutions, class sizes expand and schools have less money to operate with, the large cuts that seemed like a good remedy for the budget shortfall will severely hurt Wisconsin’s future workforce. UW chancellors are left scratching their heads wondering why their universities are expected to shoulder such a high percentage of funding reductions to solve the state’s budget shortfalls. Other cuts include $13.4 million to the Department of Corrections, $26.6 million from the Department of Health Services and $11.8 million from the Department of Children and Families. While public universities are not the only option for those seeking higher education, the vast majority of Wisconsinites could not afford a degree from Marquette, nor should they be expected to. The UW System provides a public good at an affordable price that gives people opportunities they otherwise wouldn’t have. Funding for institutions that improve the common good have been wrongfully vilified for causing the government’s current budget problems and they have been ones to take brunt of austerity measures. This is unfair and unacceptable, and is only damaging our future. To borrow a line from our current president, “Our success has never just been about survival of the fittest. It’s been about building a nation where we’re all better off.”
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All of us at THE UWM POST want to hear what you think and welcome your letters to the Editor. Feel free to comment about articles, opinions or anything you find in our weekly issues. Send your letters in an email to letters@uwmpost.com. In your submission indicate whether or not you wish to remain anonymous.
Respectfully disagree
True Grit
In response to: Senate fights over separation of powers
In response to: It’s time for girls to get a “Bro Code”
I would disagree with your statement that myself and several Senators that voted for President Lang now regard her as illegitimate. I respect President Lang and her position and continue to regard them as legitimate. The Senate voted to approve her, as is their right under shared governance and outlined in our procedures. Having said this, as an objective Senator I have the ability to openly disagree with the President, and would have voted to do so if my speech had not been censored by the President’s Executive Order that would have made me choose between two positions that I care for deeply, that both help reach out to the students in their own separate ways. As we can see with the recent meeting, in reference to the Integrity of the Student Voice Act that I cosponsored, by unanimous consent the Senate believes that the process for appointment and hirings should be changed; and it was voted to do so, again, by unanimous consent. In response to President Lang’s statement that this Act was an encroachment on the powers of the Executive Branch, it should be noted that the Act applies to both the Legislative and Executive Branches. I would caution President Lang that by vetoing the legislation she is ‘encroaching’ on the voice of the students, just as she ‘encroached’ on the voices of four Senators last night. Taylor Scott
It’s definitely a people thing. I am a fan of “How I Met Your Mother”, but I wouldn’t use any of the lives depicted on that show as guides for my own. If you need a “bro code” to conduct yourself with a semblance of personal honor, then your honor is false. Having lived in Milwaukee a while and been afforded the opportunity to do a bit of traveling these past few years, I do believe that there is a sense of “look out for number one” that is fairly prevalent in this city. My opinion? If you don’t want to deal with liars, back-stabbers and the like, then be a bit more choosy about your friends. Josh Voyles
Don’t let men fool you
In response to: It’s time for girls to get a “Bro Code” I think society puts to much pressure on women to outdo each other. Instead of sticking together, it seems like they are constantly competing. Don’t let men fool you though, they do the same thing, many times they’re just more subtle about it. They are more likely to point out if another “bro” does not have a car, or cannot bench 200 lbs. I think anyone who is secure with themselves doesn’t feel the need to belittle their fellow human being, period. Rob
Got problems? Who doesn’t? Send yours to: advice@uwmpost.com
Zeise (far right) walking with couches during a cross country meet. Zeise was inducted into the UWM Athletic Hall of Fame this month.
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February December6,5,2012 2011
The roommate debate Making the best of the roommate situation Just Thoughts By Jesse Anderson Staff Writer editorial@uwmpost.com
Roommates can be a bit of a challenge. I frequently hear friends complain about rent problems, cleanliness problems, noise problems, food problems... Ugh! So how do we make the best of the roommate situation? I asked my friends using Facebook’s polling feature. We voted and came up with some ideas to consider. First of all, understanding the idea of differences is important. We all come from different ways of living. When we move out of our parent’s house, we have the freedom to abolish or keep any of the living habits we had. Some prefer to free themselves of household responsibility while others prefer to keep things tip-top. Because of these differences, we thought the most important element of a good roommate situation is open communication. That is no surprise. When something is a bother and we just raise our eyebrow rather than politely saying something, we keep frustration alive. It can be difficult to confront someone and let them know they are doing something bothersome. However, if we just let it build up and never say anything, eventually the straw will break the camel’s back, so to speak. One friend responded: “don’t be a stupid bitch and leave notes.” Well, this is what happens when the camel’s back breaks; we get pissed off and leave passive-aggressive notes, which can obviously piss roommates off. Even worse, roommates blow up at each other. We can avoid all of this by kicking back and having a talk, while remembering our differences. “But my roommate is a complete jerkface, Jesse. They won’t listen.” Well, you have to open up and approach them in a neutral and respectful way. Talk with them, not at them. Just think about what the ideal roommate conversation is for you, and try to have it. The next thing most people voted for was “clean up after yourself as soon as possible.” As a neat freak, I try to clean up any of my messes right away.
That way, my roommate, our guests or I never have to look at them. All dishes must be washed. However, you never have to worry about doing a bunch of dishes if you quickly wash your plate/bowl/spoon right after using them and put them in a drying rack. All waste has to be thrown away or recycled so why not do it right away? There are exceptions, but there is no excuse for garbage lying around more than a day or so. The first step to making this an easy system is organization. When things have a place they belong, they won’t be laying around when not in use. The rest is easy maintenance, which I look at in three levels: picking up, light cleaning and deep cleaning. Picking up includes putting garbage, dirty dishes and/or personal items where they belong. Picking up is easy and should be done daily. Light cleaning is a little more involved. This includes wiping off the counters, taking out trash, washing putting away those dishes you washed up right away, etc. This should be done weekly. Then there is deep cleaning, which can suck. No one likes cleaning the shower, the toilet, mopping the floor, dusting, washing windows, etc., but you must do it if you prefer not to deal with filth. This can range from every month to once a semester. Other “golden rules of being a roommate” are paying rent and other shared expenses on time and asking before using something that doesn’t belong to you. One rule I have in regard to sharing is to never open anything of your roommate’s that is unopened, like a bag of chips, and never take the last of anything. One simple thing that encompasses all of this: being respectful of the place you live and the other people who live there. While it may not be easy, it’s simple. You are in it together and you have the choice whether to make it work smoothly or not. If you want to rant and rave about your roommate or share ideas, visit http:// www.uwmpost.com/category/editorial/ oped/ and leave a comment.
If it ain’t working, move on.
Three reasons why people stay in bad relationships. By Angela Schmitt Staff Writer editorial@uwmpost.com
Going through a break up was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I recently was in a long term relationship that just wasn’t working, and finally one day I realized that it
was time to be done, and we broke up. Letting go of someone you once loved is incredibly difficult, but what I learned when I had to do it is that you just have to face it and be done with it. The truth is, people stay in bad relationships all the time, and many times it is for one of the following reasons:
Read the rest online at uwmpost.com
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Education in state of emergency Walker’s draconian cuts towards education are reason enough for recall By Brian Holmes Staff Writer editorial@uwmpost.com
Wisconsin is in the process of recalling a sitting governor and his removal can’t come soon enough. Scott Walker, a college dropout, has waged war on public education, placing Wisconsin’s youth at an extreme disadvantage. Under the guise of balancing the budget, he has provided the most extensive cuts to education ever. The effects have not yet been fully absorbed, but if he stays in office, Walker will continue to drive our state off the right side of the cliff. According to a study released by the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Wisconsin had the largest cuts per student in the nation at 5.5 percent, resulting in an estimated $1.6 billion in the next two years of lost revenue authority for the state’s public schools. The conservative media insists that these cuts have been necessary in order to prevent even more layoffs. This, of course, is a bald faced lie. In reality the cuts are directly responsible for many of the layoffs in the first place. They also fail to mention the far-reaching erosion these cuts will put on schools in the coming years. Already, many schools are feeling the
effects of these cuts. In Milwaukee, 519 public school employees were laid off: 354 of these were teachers; only 89 were later called back. Walker also saw fit to refuse Title I funds from the federal government. These funds are based on a program that grants money to the schools with the highest number of low income students. This resulted in another $90 million loss for MPS. Public universities and technical colleges are also feeling Walker’s wrath towards public education. Cuts to the UW System totaled $250 million, and a 30 percent reduction was made in investments towards technical schools. Much of this money was used for scholarships and to help lower income students, as well as to keep tuition costs down. Again, it is hard to see how this is progress. Ten Milwaukee Public Schools were closed last year and 10 more are expected to close this year. This will result in larger class sizes and less instruction. The massive revenue loss will result in outdated textbooks and modes of teaching. While drastically cutting funds for public schools, Gov. Walker increased funding to so-called choice schools, including for-profit, corporate run schools controlled by the right-wing organization, American Federation for Children.
It should come as no surprise that the Wisconsin incarnation of the AFC is run by Walker’s associate and Republican operative, Scott Jensen. It also should come as no surprise that Walker received a direct campaign contribution of $70,000 from school “choice” promoters. Walker’s war on education and favoritism of the wealthy is contrary to the best interests of most Wisconsinites. The recall of a governor is an exceedingly rare event and with good reason. However, it becomes necessary when so many people are disenfranchised. This recall of Governor Walker is the real deal and snarky comments from the right won’t change that fact. The arrogance of conservatives has been astounding throughout this whole process and will likely become more obnoxious as the recall election looms closer. “People cannot say this is somehow worth the cost of these frivolous recalls. It’s a shame we’ve come to this,” ultra-Conservative, Rep. Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said. Well Mr. Vos, George Washington justifies it by saying, “whenever it is executed contrary to their interest, or not agreeable to their wishes, their servants can, and undoubtedly will be, recalled.” This is certainly a time expressed as such.
Separation of powers will make SA stronger Having three independent branches is key to an accountable student government By Matthew Rosner Special to the Post editorial@uwmpost.com
The Student Association is a microcosmic version of the U.S. government, thus we have three branches of student government. A few years after we won our independence from Great Britain, James Madison wrote in the Federalist Papers, “The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.” This is why our federal government is strictly
separated into three independent branches. So it should be a no-brainer to apply the same concept to SA. In order to be effective, the senate needs to be fully independent from the other free branches. The senate has the authority to regulate the executive branch and to hold it accountable, but if we have members from that branch in the senate, we can’t achieve one of our main responsibilities. Also, the senators are elected to represent their constituents and only their constituents. At times, members who are in both branches have the potential to be coerced into voting in favor of the executive branch instead of voting in the interests of the students. Yes, this move will force some
senators to make a hard choice whether to fight for the students in the senate or to work on initiatives for students in the executive branch. There is nothing stopping those members from lobbying the senate on behalf of the students, just as long as there’s no intimidation going on. I conclude with a response to this quote from one of my colleagues in the senate: “I do not support a corrupt executive branch.” I don’t support a corrupt executive branch either, but without separation of powers, a corrupt executive branch with seats in the senate can lead to a corrupt legislative branch too.
18 February 6, 2012
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Primal Urges
Andrew Megow
She Said, He Said
Kat Rodriguez
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PUZZLES
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THEUWMPOST CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Actor Sandler 5 Hindu teacher 10 Tangy 14 “Kissing disease” 15 Pie nut 16 Jacob’s twin 17 List of options 18 Casted weight to one side (var.) 19 Principal 20 Flavor of 39-Across (2 wds.) 23 Owed 24 Miracle-____ 25 Punching tool 28 Trap 32 Calendar abbr. 35 Fast food side dish 37 Certain nut 38 Highest point 39 “Three licks” candies (3 wds.) 42 Gas burner 43 ____ en place 44 Coral island 45 Legal matter 46 Pardon 48 Pod vegetable 49 Lennon’s mate 50 Diving seabird 52 Flavor of 39-Across (3 wds.) 61 Put down 62 Utopian 63 Challenge 64 Little landmass 65 Very slow 10-Down 66 Portent 67 Equal 68 Keyboard key 69 Wields a needle
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INSTRUCTIONS: Fill in the squares so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 exactly once.
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SUDOKU
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February 6, 2012
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Jonas Wittke, 2012
DOWN 1 Bullets, etc. 2 One who makes things happen 3 Ms. Kournikova 4 Pitcher’s place 5 Internal organ 6 Sob 7 Trendy berry 8 Musician Aimee 9 Essential to completeness 10 Musical time 11 Right away (abbr.) 12 Bar 13 Melody 21 Infer 22 Exist 25 Not before 26 Made letters 27 Big cats 29 Flock of geese in flight 30 Scandinavian language
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Soothing agents Ladle Bounteous Physicist Nikola Terminal abbr. Able In a fixed position Basketball shot Some Swift in music? Command Congratulations Spot on a radar screen Facilitate Make angry Paradise Lease Cost Moniker Gang Female chickens
solution found on page 4
solution found on page 4
ANAGRAM CRACKERS INSTRUCTIONS: Unscramble the letters below to spell out everyday English words. When you’re finished, unscramble the circled letters to find the missing word from the quip!
VHANE ADDET
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CONUE PURUS
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RORTER RAUTEN
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PAREME STRITH
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Q: What do you call a parrot when it has dried itself after taking a bath? A: “Polly- ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___” solution found on page 4
IN-WORD Find as many words as possible using only the letters from this week’s IN-WORD. Words must be four or more letters long. Slang words, proper nouns, and contractions are not permitted. Only one form of a verb is permitted. Words that become four or more letters by the addition of “s” are not permitted.
MAILBOX
Can you find 16 or more words in “MAILBOX?” Our list can be found on page 4.
solution found on page 4
February 6, 2012
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