The Badger Herald: Opinion: Dean of students calls for activism

Opinion

Dean of students calls for activism

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Also by Lori Berquam, Dean of Students:

Dean of students calls for activism (September 21, 2007)
Dean of Students office prioritizes safety (February 23, 2007)

Friday, September 21, 2007 12:00 a.m.

5 Vote 0 Votes

I want to thank the Badger Herald for taking a keen interest in the Offices of the Dean of Students (ODOS) and student life in general and take this opportunity to clarify some of the statements in Monday's article "Get up, stand up" by Nick Penzenstadler. It seems as though some people may have misinterpreted my comments about student protests and the war in Iraq, so I'd like to expand upon the message I intended to convey in that article.

The four components of the Wisconsin Experience, a concept grounded in the Wisconsin Idea, most simply means that we expect that what we do here matters and that together we can solve any problem are: research experiences, global and cultural competences and engagement, leadership and activism opportunities, and volunteer and service learning. It is my goal and the goal of ODOS that every student at the University of Wisconsin lives the Wisconsin Experience and takes part in the many opportunities this university has to offer during his or her time here.

Leadership and activism are important factors of student learning outside of the classroom. As dean of students, I encourage activism on campus and support students taking a stand for what they believe in. I want all our students to be active and engaged members of our community and to be passionate about topics and issues that speak to their own worldview. Historically, UW-Madison has been viewed as an institution where students actively raise their voice on a multitude of issues. Peaceful protests, marches and rallies are part of the fabric of this university. With that being said, I am surprised that we haven't heard more from our students about the war in Iraq, whether they are in support of it or not; we aren't really hearing anything.

I would like for students to get up, stand up and raise their voices for any cause that is important to them. This is much broader than just a focus on the war in Iraq. What I want most for all members of our community is for people to feel empowered to speak up for what they believe in. So as your dean, I urge you to get out and get active in something, anything really, that you value and support. Being active will contribute to your Wisconsin Experience.

Lori M. Berquam

Dean of Students

(608) 263-5700

dean@odos.wisc.edu

5 Comments | Leave a comment

Anonymous | September 21, 2007 3:01 AM | Reply

Right, lol, right. There are soooo many Let’s Bomb Iraq rallies. Liberal bias is all over this mother.

Anonymous | September 21, 2007 9:48 AM | Reply

Protests are sooooo passe. And who needs the noise and the traffic jams? And the sting of pepper spray permeates the air. Let ‘em blog if their message is so important.

Anonymous | September 21, 2007 12:59 PM | Reply

there is less direct protesting to the war now because the whack-job liberals have realized that it wasn’t doing anything. now they go after halliburton for some far-fetched reasons. when that doesn’t work they’ll find something else to complain about.

Anonymous | September 21, 2007 2:10 PM | Reply

how about activism on the uw issues that directly affect us? like the hypocricy of the uw administration and uwpd on diversity issues and the misdirected attacks on alcohol issues. i guess redirecting that energy to the iraq war would be easier for you.

Anonymous | September 23, 2007 5:43 PM | Reply

Student Activism….hmmm….like how Students are trying to keep control of their Student Fee’s and the Administration, especially Ms. Berquam, keep trying to take what little power we have away. - Germain E. Stemme