Students hold silent vigil for victims of police brutality

More than 100 University of Wisconsin students gathered outside the Kohl Center after the Duke-Badger Basketball game to hold a silent vigil for victims of police brutality this semester.

Some students were holding signs with phrases such as “Black Lives Matter” and “We all bleed red. But whose blood is on our streets?” while others held candles or just stood alone.

The student who put the vigil together, Eric Dwayne Newble Jr, said he thought that students at UW needed support and a community to mourn with.

The issues in Ferguson are also issues seen in Madison, which people do not think about, Newble said.

Those mourning in Madison over these events have no real outlet or community to turn to, which was the main goal of the vigil, Newble said.

According to the 2014 Race to Equity Report, Madison is one of the worst places in the country for African-Americans to live.

After finding out about how big and important the basketball game was, Newble decided to hold the vigil outside the Kohl Center. His goal was to bring the students fighting against police brutality together students supporting the Badgers.  As spectators began to leave the Kohl Center, some called out against the vigil, however the students remained silent.

One of the student participants, Cara Whelan, said she greatly appreciated the meaning of the vigil.

“It means that people matter,” Whelan said. ”It doesn’t matter whatever race you are, whatever class you are, whatever sexual orientation, people matter.”

UW students hold vigil outside basketball game for victims of police brutality

Record setting football game and Morgridge donation

As Melvin Gordon broke records with a 408 yard rush and four touchdowns, “$100 million dollars” flashed on the jumbotron at Camp Randall stadium to celebrate a record-breaking donation to University of Wisconsin from the Morgridge family.

It was during the game that John and Tashia Morgridge announced their $100 million donation to the school. John was previously the CEO of Cisco and both him and Tashia graduated from UW in 1955. Their donation will be used mainly for faculty recruitment, UW Chancellor Rebecca Blank said.

“The wonderful thing about this is it is all dedicated to faculty support and faculty chairs, so it is good to give the university the ability to attract and retain faculty,” Blank said. “The reputation of your faculty is what defines the reputation of your university.”

The Morgridges have donated millions to the university over the past years.  Those donations have resulted in projects such as the Morgridge Institute for Discovery, renovations to the School of Education, preservation of the name of the School of Business and the renovation of the Red Gym, according to a UW statement.

The Morgridges have signed the “Giving Pledge,” where philanthropists vow to give away 50 percent of their wealth throughout their lifetime, a UW statement said.

The gift is not about [the Morgridges], it is about others, Blank said.

“I particularly appreciate John and Tashia’s long-time friendship and generosity with the university. They have really made a difference for this campus,” Blank said.

Record-setting game along with historic donation makes for an exciting weekend for UW

 Sexual Assault

An increase in the number of sexual assaults reported on campus is seen as a positive progression, potentially encouraging victims to come forward and seek professional help according university administration.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Annual Security and Fire Safety Report for the academic year 2014-15 reported 34 sex offenses in 2013, a number consistent with the reported number in 2012 and slightly lower than the 37 reported offenses in 2011.

Only about 2-13 percent of sexual assaults are reported on campus, Carmen Hotvedt, assistant director for violence prevention, said.

UW-Madison is trying to address the problem of sexual assault because of the recent allegations against a UW-Milwaukee frat for slipping “date-rape” drugs into drinks at a party they hosted.

The UW System Task Force on Sexual Violence and Harassment was created in efforts to increase preventative education on sexual assaults, Tonya Schmidt, a member of the task force and the director of Title IX and the Clery Compliance, said.

“I believe the education provided in the Tonight! tutorial helps students identify sexual assaults and instructs students on reporting incidents … the numbers reported will only increase, which is good because it means survivors are getting the help they need and perpetrators are being held accountable,” Schmidt said.

Sexual assaults have been an election topic among running candidates seeking to propose answers to the problem.

Attorney General-elect Brad Schimel plans to advocate for the Good Samaritan Law, a law which allows for a victim or peer to report incidents to police without fearing consequences if they were drinking underage or consuming marijuana, for example.

“That’s our hope … that even if a victim is not ready to come forward, they can discreetly get their hands on a kit and when they’ve cleared their heads they have that preserved,” Schimel said. “The Good Samaritan Law will ease that reluctance.”

State, campus officials turn their attention to preventing sexual assaults