THE UNIVERSITY TY OF W WISCONSIN’S ISCONSIN’ INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1969 Wednesday, October 5, 2011
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Regents: Ward to stay 2 years at UW Selby Rodriguez Campus Editor The University of Wisconsin System announced Tuesday that David Ward’s term as interim chancellor will be extended an additional year, allowing his tenure to stretch until 2013. A statement from the UW System said System President Kevin Reilly decided to extend Ward’s term after listening to several key players at UW, including the University Committee, members of the Academic Staff, the Associated Students of Madison and members of the Board of Regents. The decision was
prompted by an initial letter the University Committee sent to Reilly asking for him to consider extending Ward’s term to June 2013, the statement said. In the letter, the committee stated the university needs a strong leader with a wealth of knowledge and experience during these two years in light of the added flexibilities and money lost in the 2011-13 budget. “We believe [Ward] offers the combination of visionary, collaborative and consistent leadership we need, and that having his leadership for two years rather than just one will be critical for the continuity for leadership to see many
of these changes into the implementation phases,” the letter said. In an email to The Badger Herald, ASM Chair Allie Gardner said she looks forward to Ward’s extension and the opportunities it may provide. “With the extension of Chancellor Ward’s interim appointment, I look forward to efforts towards strengthening the communication lines between the chancellor’s office and students,” Gardner said. UW spokesperson David Giroux said he believes the extension will benefit the faculty, students and
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Courtesy of the University of Wisconsin
Interim Chancellor David Ward speaks to an audience earlier this year. UW System officials extended his appointment Tuesday.
City budget aims to balance taxes, layoffs, projects Eliot Markman News Reporter Madison’s proposed 2012 Operating Budget includes increased property taxes, cuts to funding for the Overture Center, allocated funds for a drug task force and a position to enforce safety standards in buildings on and off campus, Mayor Paul Soglin announced in a press conference Tuesday. Soglin said the budget totals between $10 and $12 million in savings and increased revenue. These cuts leave the
proposed 2012 budget at $250.4 million, up $2 million from last year. In the past, the city has seen budget jumps of up to $10 million from year to year, he said. Soglin attributed the city’s ability to make cuts to a mix of “tough decisions and luck.” The luck part, he explained, was the city’s ability to successfully negotiate with police and the relatively low costs of health insurance rates. Although Soglin repeatedly said he would ideally keep property taxes below 3 percent, the actual
projection for the taxes for the 2012 budget came in at 3.24 percent. He said the higher rate gives him a chance to avoid making significant cuts to services. The budget also allows for the Overture Center to receive $1.35 million instead of the $2 million agreed upon in 2010. The mayor said he believes the private sector would pick up this discrepancy in funding. While Soglin was unable to fulfill all of his originally intended budgetary proposals, he said in a statement he was pleased
that he was able to keep to his goal of avoiding layoffs and minimizing furloughs. The budget does not call for any layoffs, but calls for some furlough days for employees of the City Attorneys Association because agreements have not yet been reached for these employees to contribute to healthcare and retirement pensions, the statement said. Soglin attributed much of the cuts outlined in the operating budget to the lack of funding provided for the city from the state.
Lunch lines under gilded leaves During some of the busiest hours during a typical school and work day, people work through the lunch rush on Library Mall. Zhao Lim The Badger Herald
He said Wisconsin is facing harsh budget cuts that slash significant funding to local municipalities across the state. Funding the budget was also made more difficult by provisions such as Gov. Scott Walker’s voter ID bill, Soglin said. “There is a significant increase in the costs that come with next year’s election,” Soglin said. “There are increased costs to the voter ID bill — this cost is $345,000. This is what we call an unfunded mandate.” Still, the budget allows for
that the best way to create jobs is through limited government,” Schmitz Former Wisconsin said. “[He is joining the Gov. Tommy Thompson race because he] can’t filed his paperwork stand on the sidelines and for candidacy for the watch America continue U.S. Senate Tuesday, to erode.” During a Tea Party bringing him one step closer to running in the rally at the state Capitol election, according to an on April 15 of last year, announced email Thompson sent to Thompson he would not run supporters. for Senate in 2012, Thompson Schmitz said. served four terms Schmitz said, if as governor of elected, Thompson Wisconsin, during will work for the which time he working class with initiated the “bold reforms and BadgerCare program and Wisconsin Thompson innovative ideas,” Works welfare and school and would stay consistent with his political views choice programs. Thompson outlined his while he was the governor plan to reduce federal tax of Wisconsin. He said believes rates in the email sent to Thompson in creating jobs and supporters. “I will continue to fight improving the economy “private sector for Wisconsin taxpayers with … and I will fight against solutions and market tax increases and further based initiatives.” Also running for Senate reckless spending,” Thompson said in the from the Republican Party are former Rep. Mark email. Assembly Thompson said that he Neumann, has signed the Taxpayer Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald, Protection Pledge, a R-Horicon, and state Senator Frank Lasee, promise not to raise taxes. Thompson brought R-De Pere, who recently to attention that while filed paperwork for his in office he cut state candidacy. Rep. Tammy Baldwin spending by $287 million, cut income tax rates three is the only Democratic times and cut taxes a total candidate running in the election to replace of 91 times. In addition to cutting Democrat Herb Kohl, taxes, Thompson Senate who is retiring in 2012, campaign spokesperson University of Wisconsin Darrin Schmitz said political science professor jobs are a number one Charles Franklin said. Franklin said priority, saying Thompson does not believe heavy Thompson’s entry into the government intervention race marks the entrance is a viable means to of a dominant figure in obtaining this goal. “[Thompson] believes THOMPSON, page 5 News Reporter
Katie Caron Campus Reporter The student and theater lounge addition on the north side of the Union Theater will be for open use by Memorial Unionand theater-goers after a vote by Union Council Tuesday. The council established at their Tuesday meeting that the space will remain primarily open for use by students at all times, with the exception of minimal, restricted private use. Vice President for Program Administration Kiley Groose said the use of the space was a pressing
issue, and the proposed procedure took into consideration the current Union guidelines for lounge usage as well as the facilities subcommittee’s input. A main point of contention during the meeting was whether private events restricting students from using the space should be permissible at all in the lounge. Before review, the procedure read that the space should be preserved as a student and theater lounge, “carefully limiting” times when its use is private and not open
to Union members and guests. Associated Students of Madison representative Sam Seering said the space should be open to students under any circumstances, and private events restricting student use of the lounge should not be allowed. He also said Union members should always be allowed to use the space. “From my general feedback of talking with students on this campus, they’ve been excluded from many locations in both Unions,” he said. Matt Manes, a member of Union Council,
disagreed and said there are some rare instances where the lounge should be used privately and that the language of the guideline was satisfactory. With these points made, as well as discussion regarding the logistics of having functions at the same time as students are occupying the lounge space, the council came to the conclusion to change the language from “carefully limiting” to “strictly limiting” private use. Union Director Mark Guthier said he did not
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SOGLIN, page 5
Thompson gears up for Senate run Tori Thompson
Union Theater will be open for all
some additional programs and services to be added throughout the city. The city will create a drug task force to slow what Soglin said is a growing problem in the city. The $45,000 in funding set aside in the budget for this project will pay three police officers who will develop strategies to address the issue. The city will also add an additional building inspector to increase minimum code enforcement and up student safety on