News

Bookstore donates $60,000 for new scholarship

The University Bookstore executive board presented the University of Wisconsin with a gift of $60,000 Monday at the Faculty Senate meeting to start off the need-based scholarship fund the Senate created at its meeting last month.

Members of the UBS board announced a gift of $50,000 from the bookstore in addition to a $10,000 gift from the family of one of the board members to the Great People Need-Based Scholarship.

According to University Committee member Ann Hoyt, the University of Wisconsin Foundation will match the gift dollar-for-dollar, meaning the gift will put $120,000 into the fund.

Hoyt said all donations not designated for any specific school will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the UW Foundation while donations that are designated will be matched by 50 cents on the dollar.

UW Chancellor John Wiley said the donation from the University Bookstore board was a surprise to him, and the bookstore has a history of supporting UW with gifts.

The announcement of the gift came shortly after Dean of Students Lori Berquam and University of Wisconsin Police Department Assistant Chief Dale Burke updated the Senate on the situation regarding the homicide of UW junior Brittany Zimmermann.

“We are working in close cooperation with the city of Madison in connecting the dots,” Burke said. “And I can tell you the city has a lot of dots. It just takes time.”

Burke said it is the role of everyone on campus to help ensure the safety and security of the city, and UWPD is doing everything it can to ensure the safety of people on the campus.

The senate also passed a resolution to urge the Public Service Commission to run the proposed transmission line from Rockdale to Middleton underground instead of aboveground and next to the Beltline.

Ronald Kalil, UW ophthalmology professor, said the tall poles that would be used to hold the power lines would ruin the skyline view from the UW Arboretum.

“It would destroy the illusion that you are in a wild place,” Kalil said.

He added some studies have shown exposure to power lines is a human carcinogen and collision with power lines is the second most common cause of death among birds.

UW Arboretum director Kevin McSweeney said while the resolution will not hold any legal sway, it would encourage others to join the fight.

Wiley said the main obstacle to burying the line, proposed by the American Transmission Company, is the cost of this option.

He added he has already sent in a letter to the Public Service Commission, stating UW’s stance against the aboveground line.