University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Thursday, October 16, 2025
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BEYOND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
CHEERS TO GERMAN BEER
Acknowledgment without action falls flat. The university must turn words into change.
The gothic church turned beer hall near the Capitol serves delicious pretzels, wursts and
+ OPINION, PAGE 5
+ LIFE & STYLE, PAGE 6
Bill package aims to boost UW System affordability By Shane Colpoys & Michael Reilly SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS & STAFF WRITER
Democratic lawmakers introduced a package of bills on Oct. 9 hoping to strengthen Wisconsin’s higher education system, by ensuring college in Wisconsin is both affordable and accessible for instate students. The legislative package includes $40 million in new funding for advising and retention as well as a “tuition promise” scholarship program for low- and middle-income students attending other University of Wisconsin campuses aside from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Student success, workforce gains bill The proposal directs $40 million of funding — split evenly between the University of Wisconsin System and technical college system — focuses on helping students finish their degrees and avoid the burden of student loans. “Where it’s truly devastating is when people put 2-3 years into school, have the loans and for whatever reason need to leave school without finishing that degree,” Rep. Jodi Emerson, D-Eau Claire,
told The Daily Cardinal. “We want students to finish their degrees and use it to get a better job, and then pay it forward to the next generation.” Improving retention rates is key to strengthening Wisconsin’s workforce and keeping graduates in the state, Emerson said. The bill allows each campus to determine how to use the funds in ways that best support its students. The funding, distributed through grants, could go towards academic advising, career counseling or new retention programs. “A higher education degree whether its two years, four years or from a technical school is needed for our state to succeed,” Emerson said, adding supporting students with a wide range of skills — from engineers to medical technicians — is crucial to the bill’s sponsors. Democratic legislators are seeking bipartisan support as the bill moves forward, but Republican lawmakers on the Committees for Universities and Technical Colleges declined to comment at this time. “I hope that everybody can get
behind student success and retention,” Emerson said. “Wisconsin is better when everyone succeeds.” Wisconsin tuition promise The second proposed bill aims to expand the “tuition promise” program statewide by covering the costs of tuition for in-state students from households with an adjusted gross income of $71,000 or less. If passed, the bill would work as a “last dollar” grant administered by the UW System Board of Regents, filling the costs of tuition after federal aid and scholarships. Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, a co-sponsor of the bill, said she hopes that extending the program to all UW System schools will benefit every single young person in Wisconsin who has the work ethic to go to college, but not the “deep pockets.” UW-Madison administers “Bucky’s Tuition Promise,” which guarantees scholarships and grants to pay for tuition for incoming first year and transfer students
in Wisconsin whose household adjusted gross income is under $65,000. Roys said Bucky’s tuition promise has given students the ability to change the trajectory of their lives and this bill will extend that opportunity to the rest of the state. “Madison provides a wonderful education, but so do all of our campuses,” Roys said. “Ultimately, it benefits all of us and our economy if young people are able to pursue a career that will help them support their families and contribute to the state.” In the past, the Republican-controlled legislature rejected a proposal to fund the Wisconsin Tuition Promise. The UW System funded the program themselves in 2023 and will reinstate it in 2025. While the bill still faces policy discussion and debate in a Republican-led state legislature, Roys said she hopes to have a “pro-education” legislature next session. “Every child in Wisconsin should have the full range of opportunity to pursue a career and further education, whether that’s in military, trade, learning, or going to one of our great technical colleges or one of our UW campuses,” Roys said.
Proposed city ordinance eliminates student seat on alcohol committee By Haellie Opp SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Madison’s Alcohol License Review Committee (ALRC) will consider a proposal that would eliminate the seat reserved for a University of Wisconsin-Madison student government representative at their meeting tonight. The proposal would eliminate two appointed seats on the committee that oversees alcohol license review — one filled by the Associated Students of Madison and one by a representative from the Tavern League. The ALRC currently includes 14 members, nine of whom are appointed by the mayor. Colin Barushok, Dane County Supervisor and chair of the committee, released a statement opposing the proposal, while Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway told The Daily Cardinal in an email statement the proposal would make the ALRC “more efficient” by aligning the membership with other committees. “Students are an essential part of Madison’s downtown community, and they deserve a voice in local decision-making,” Barushok said. “It would be a big mistake to remove student input from decisions over alcohol policy and nightlife safety.” After the ALRC votes on the proposal, it will go back to the Common Council on Oct. 28 for a final vote, regardless of whether
JON BROCKMAN/THE DAILY CARDINAL
the ALRC votes in favor. The final decision will ultimately rest with the Common Council. The proposal is sponsored by Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and district alders, Yannette Figueroa Cole and Carmella Glenn, who are both ALRC members. “This proposal is designed to make ALRC more efficient by removing staff appointments and non-voting members so the membership is in line with the vast majority of other city committees,” Rhodes-Conway said. “I enthusiastically support more young people and UW-Madison students
holding meaningful roles in city government — including on the ALRC. I welcome those interested to apply for committee appointments on the city’s website.” Barushok said the committee has not recommended a “substantive change” to ALRC ordinances in a while. With this new proposal, the mayor could appoint an ASM representative to the committee, but she is not mandated to, and ASM will not have a dedicated seat. Kayley Bell, a UW-Madison senior and ASM representative, is the only student on the committee.
Bell told the Cardinal she believes the push for this ordinance came from a previous lack of engagement from ASM and the Tavern League. Bell currently has an operator’s license and is very familiar with the alcohol license process. “I’ve had the best attendance so far of, from what I know, any ASM representative in the past,” she said. “I feel it’s just unfortunate that this proposed ordinance change would remove ASM’s seat when they finally have someone that’s really engaged.” Barushok approved the agenda on Wednesday, meaning the com-
mittee will have to vote on whether to recommend the Common Council approve the ordinance change. The Common Council’s agenda will show the results of the ALRC vote. “If the committee recommends approval, then the Common Council will likely take the committee’s recommendation, and they take our recommendations 99% of the time,” Barushok said. “I anticipate the committee will vote to not recommend passage of this, because I think the other members of the committee see it the way I do, including our student member, Kaylee Bell, that we shouldn’t remove the student voice.” Both Barushok and Bell encourage students to make their voices heard to their alders, the city and the board. “It’s not only about students being represented on the ALRC, it’s also about this broader concept of shared governance,” Bell said. “We’ve had a long history of very strong cooperation and partnership with the City of Madison, and this would be a back pedal of students losing their voice.” All ALRC meetings are open to the public and consider public testimony, whether in person, over Zoom or letters written to alders who represent them. Those who wish to testify in person can do so at the meeting on Oct. 15, 5:30 p.m. at the Madison Municipal Building.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”