Campus

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UW-Madison students aid protesters at Standing Rock

Indigenous students at UW-Madison are assisting protesters at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota by raising funds and donating items such as lanterns, sleeping bags and firewood. Co-president of Wunk Sheek Faith, a member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of the Mohicans, has partnered with the American Indian Campus and Community Liaison to coordinate the donation drive. “We have this initiative ... to collect donations from the UW campus and community addressing the immediate needs of the people at the Sacred Stone Camp and in Cannonball, North Dakota who are the water protectors,” Faith said. Faith hopes the donations will help sustain the fight at the construction sites.

Badger football attendee dons controversial costume, university officials and others respond

Alumni criticize university's response to Obama costume featuring noose

A President Barack Obama costume including a noose worn at the Saturday Badger football game sparked outrage on social media from alumni and students, including critiques of the UW-Madison official’s defense of free speech.  The university quickly issued a statement on the costume, labelling it as offensive while still defending the individual’s right to wear a mask of the president with a noose around their neck.  “The costume, while repugnant and counter to the values of the university and Athletic Department, was an exercise of the individual’s right to free speech,” read a statement from the university.  A person at the game tweeted out a picture of the costume, which quickly spread through social media, sparking a debate about the line between free speech and offensive imagery.

UW professors speak on educational journalism, finding identity in art

Two UW-Madison professors explored education in journalism and discovering identity through art at the DeLuca Forum Thursday. The event, part of the Wisconsin Union Directorate Distinguished Lecture Series, featured professors Gloria Ladson-Billings and Faisal Abdu’Allah. Ladson-Billings is a decorated professor in the education at UW-Madison.

Snapchat filter promoting consent gets trial run Halloween weekend

A group of student activists collaborated to create a Snapchat filter that reminds students to get consent before sex and raise awareness about the sexual assault climate on campus.

University confirms third student with meningococcal disease

Despite an aggressive vaccination campaign, meningococcal disease is believed to have spread to a third UW-Madison student, according to a Thursday release. The student, who is being treated at a local hospital, will receive further testing to confirm if the illness is related to the rare serogroup B that had infected two other students earlier this month. University Health Services is urging all undergraduates under the age of 25 to get vaccinated, and so far more than 12,000 students have received the vaccine since it became available last Thursday.

Former NASA astronaut to speak at winter commencement

UW-Madison announced Wednesday that James Lovell, one of 24 people to ever travel to the moon and back, will be the winter 2016 commencement speaker. Lovell graduated from Juneau high school in Milwaukee before attending UW-Madison for two years.

New student organization promotes body positivity through relaxed group gatherings

The UW-Madison chapter of Project HEAL gathered Tuesday for the first of their bi-weekly coloring nights, where they create a comfortable space for people to discuss the thoughts of their bodies and eating disorders. Project HEAL is a new organization to the UW-Madison campus.

Panel examines gender’s role in politics

Three women UW-Madison faculty members spoke about gender’s role in politics on a panel called “Gender In/Gender and the Election.” Janet Hyde, Jane Collins and Jenny Higgins discussed various aspects of the topic at the talk, which was part of the “On the Issue” lecture series put on by Wisconsin Union Directorate Society and Politics.

Rabia Chaudry to be keynote speaker at diversity forum

Attorney, author and podcaster Rabia Chaudry will discuss civil rights, gender and faith as the featured keynote speaker at the UW-Madison Diversity Forum Nov.

Colleges Against Cancer kicks off Breast Fest with rally

Colleges Against Cancer began celebrating the start of Breast Fest, a week-long series of events to raise awareness for breast cancer that will occur during the last week of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The organization gathered at Library Mall Monday and shared information about the upcoming Relay for Life event with visitors of their table. UW-Madison senior Allie Lowman, who is the director of sponsorship for CAC, stressed the importance of cancer awareness and promoted the Relay for Life event, which will be held April 7 and 8. “It makes a big campus seem a little bit smaller,” Lowman said.”To see everyone come together for one cause, it’s really meaningful, especially if you know someone who’s struggled with cancer before.” CAC will be holding multiple events this week for Breast Fest that encompass the theme of breast cancer awareness, starting with a breast cancer panel Tuesday, a luminaria ceremony Wednesday and a balloon release Friday.

UW-Madison to hold early voting in two locations

UW-Madison students can vote before Election Day Nov. 8 at two campus locations. The Associated Students of Madison collaborated with UW-Madison to set up early voting and one-stop-registration sites at two campus locations. Students can vote before Nov. 8 at Union South from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, and the Student Activity Center 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day of the week starting Oct. 24 and ending Nov. 4.

UW-Madison loses Paul Peercy, former Dean of the College of Engineering

Former Dean of the UW-Madison College of Engineering, Paul Peercy, passed away Thursday at age 75.

Award-winning author places herself in the stories she writes

Award-wining author of children and adolescent books, Jacqueline Woodson, talked about her inherent inspiration for becoming a writer as "wanting to see herself in the world" at The Charlotte Zolotow Lecture Thursday. Woodson is known for “Miracle's Boys” and “Brown Girl Dreaming,” which won her the 2014 National Book Award in the young people's literature category.

Cook’s court date set, fraternity separates him

The court date for Alec R. Cook, a UW-Madison senior who was arrested for sexual assault Monday, has been set for Nov. 7.

UW-Madison student seriously injured after losing control of skateboard

A UW-Madison student was seriously injured after losing control of their skateboard and hitting a light pole on Observatory Drive.

UW-Madison community ignores Westboro Baptist Church demonstration

Signs that read “God Hates Proud Sinners” and similar phrases, that were held by members of the Westboro Baptist Church, were countered by words such as “Ignore the Haters” by UW-Madison students and community members.

Nursing students to assist with meningococcal vaccinations

After two UW-Madison students contracted meningococcal disease, more than 80 nursing students will volunteer to administer vaccinations beginning Thursday at the SERF. According to Dr. Pam McGranahan, an assistant clinical professor at the UW-Madison School of Nursing, first-year students will be conducting screenings and managing crowd control while second-year students will be the immunizers.

UWPD breaks ground on expansion project

Members of UW-Madison Police Department and JP Cullen contractors dug their ceremonial shovels Wednesday afternoon to expand their headquarters.

Queer artist of color encourages students to embrace, defend identities

Some people identify as undocumented immigrants. Others identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer.