SA issues statement over check, shutdown

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Student Association issued the following statement campus-wide today.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Student Association has been thrown into disarray in the past two weeks by actions taken by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee administration.

The UWM Student Association would like to explain to the UWM community what has occurred.

The University administration began an investigation regarding a $10,000.00 check, written to a company named AcerPrudens, from the Sandburg Halls Administrative Council (SHAC), in early September. The University administration began an internal audit of the SHAC financial accounts to investigate this check. It is important for you to know that SHAC and the Student Association are two completely separate entities.

On October 9, 2006, Chancellor Carlos Santiago sent a letter to the Student Association (SA) President, Ms. Samantha Prahl, requesting that she turn over financial information regarding SA’s Segregated University Fees (SUF) account, as well as SA’s private account. The SA private account contains money that SA has fund-raised on its own and is not student money. This account is allowed under University policy and neither this account or any other SA account has ever been the subject of a previous audit.

The SA private account is not the account from which the $10,000.00 check to AcerPrudens was written, nor did any officer of SA write the check. The check was from a student organization that is independently operated and separate from SA. Although the University administration indicated to Ms. Prahl that they desired to audit SA’s private account information, no link between the check under investigation and SA has ever been made.

Upon receiving the letter from Chancellor Santiago, Ms. Prahl began continuous communications with Mr. Paul Rediski, the UWM Director of Internal Audits. Ms. Prahl indicated to Mr. Rediski, beginning on Tuesday, October 10, 2006, that SA was willing to turn over the SUF account to the University for auditing and would be more than willing to turn over the financial information for the private account as well, but since it was independent from University administration control, that SA desired an independent third party to conduct that audit. This request was promptly rejected by Mr. Rediski with no reasoning provided.

Ms. Prahl indicated on several different occasions that SA would be more than willing to turn over the private account information, but to an independent auditor, and Mr. Rediski continually refused requests without explanation.

After meeting with SA officers, Ms. Prahl communicated to Mr. Rediski on Wednesday, October 18, that SA desired to comply with the request for the private account information, but because it was a private account and not one administered by the University, that a private auditor was the most appropriate and desired person to release the information to.
Ms. Prahl then received a phone call from Mr. Rediski on Thursday, October 19 in response to her previous day’s communication. Mr. Rediski requested a meeting with Ms. Prahl, James Hill, Interim Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, an a UW-System auditor on Friday, October 20. Ms. Prahl informed Mr. Rediski that she would not be available because Mr. Hill had arranged for her to attend a UW-System Student Government Presidents conference in LaCrosse, Wisconsin that day.

Mr. Rediski scheduled the meeting for Monday, October 23, and indicated he hoped to resolve the matters regarding the audit at that time. While Ms. Prahl was enroute to the conference on Friday, October 20, she received a call that the SA office, located in the UWM Student Union, was locked, the locks changed, and a letter, written by Mr. Hill, on the door. The letter stated that since SA had not provided the University administration with access to the private account financial records, that Mr. Hill was suspending SA’s continued access to SUF support and use of University facilities, including the SA offices and computers. Upon hearing this news, Ms. Prahl immediately returned to the University.

This effective seizure of the SA offices and information was done without prior notice to Ms. Prahl or any member of SA and completely ceased any and all work being done on behalf of UWM students.

With the unprecedented shut down of SA on October 20, SA retained Attorney Teresa Rickert of the Brookfield law firm of Schmidt Rupke Tess-Mattner & Fox, S.C. on Monday, October 23 to intervene on its behalf. The law firm immediately began communication with the University administration to come to a resolution of the audit matters and reopen the SA offices and to allow SA to again operate. Through conversations between the University administration and SA’s attorneys, a solution to the issues regarding accessibility to SA’s private account information was presented to the University late in the morning of October 23. The University never responded to the options presented.

Instead, the University Police Department executed a search warrant on the SA offices during the evening of Monday, October 23. Although this search warrant had been issued on Sunday, October 22 and discussions were occurring on October 23 to resolve the private account audit matters, the University Police Department executed the warrant when fewer students were in the Union and while no SA members or their attorney’s were present.

In executing the search warrant, nearly every shred of paper was taken from the SA offices and every computer hard drive in the office was seized. The execution of the search warrant has now completely disabled SA. The execution of the search warrant, which was not limited to financial information, has made reentry into the offices just a frivolous exercise because SA is unable to function and aid students in any manner. Information completely unrelated to the search was taken, including documents used to fight against a UPASS rate hike, voter registration, neighborhood relations, Residential Preferred Parking (RPP) and even class notes were taken.

The actions taken by the University administration of requesting financial information from an account that was unrelated to the check at issue, to shutting down SA and then executing a search arrant on the SA office while discussions to resolve the dispute were occurring between the University and SA’s attorneys, are clear violations of student rights and a reprehensible attempt to exercise power by the University over an independent student government.

The Student Association will continue to do all that it can to keep working on the behalf of the students of UWM, despite having no resources that remain in its offices. We believe that the events of the past few days are seriously devastating to student rights, and will continue to work to uphold student rights and representation on campus.

We look forward to moving past the events of the recent weeks and to continuing our work on behalf of all students attending UWM, past, present, and future.

Salmon doesn't pass the smell test

From onmilwaukee.com, a Marquette fan that goes by the handle "Salmon Slayer" touts the ignorance some Marquette University students bring to the table:

"Bottom Line: The vast majority of the MU community could care less about UWM. It is a large commuter school, unknown to the vast majority of MU students until they arrive in Milwaukee. From what I know it is an average university in a mid-sized metro area. I had never heard of it before attending MU and I have not since given it any thought or consideration, save for the recent spate of comments surrounding what is (and always will be) a non-rivalry.

“UWM fans: Give it a rest."

Salmon Slayer:

By your handle I’d guess you’re from Alaska (attending a school in a state you’re not familiar with would explain why you’re so out of touch with Wisconsin).

Here’s the real bottom line for Salmon Slayer and others who have similar views.

I’ll grant that a large number of MU students hail from other states than Wisconsin. However, if such bold statements are to be made about the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, some education (albeit self-imposed) is necessary.

Salmon’s views are certainly not representative of MU, especially the educated attending the university.

This is made clear when Salmon wrote, “From what I know..." Clearly, what Salmon knows isn't much, nor did Salmon bother to seek out the information which he/she doesn’t know.

“…(UWM) is an average university in a mid-sized metro area.”

Milwaukee’s the largest city in Wisconsin. Perhaps you should consider taking a geography course at MU so you don’t have to take my word for it. Further, what makes a university average? If it’s enrollment, MU, too, could be said to be average. If it’s the university’s endowment, then MU could be said to be above average and UWM significantly below average. If it’s the quality of education, Salmon has no ground to stand on.

An education is what one makes of it. Look at UWM’s Honors College graduate and professional schooling entrance rates and tell me UWM provides an average education.

“I had never heard of it before attending MU and I have not since given it any thought or consideration, save for the recent spate of comments surrounding what is (and always will be) a non-rivalry.”

If you’re out of state, that’s understandable for the first few days, maybe even weeks, of attending MU. If you read the news, or even watch it on television, you’d know more about the far-reaching achievements of UWM and some of the latest controversy surrounding it.

The discussion of UWM’s and MU’s rivalry has been on-going for many years. Perhaps take a remedial English course to improve your reading skills to better inform yourself of this.

In addition to geography and remedial English, take a research course so you’re well-informed before touting your ignorance (that’s nine of the required 12 credits to remain a full-time student next semester). MU and UWM had a cross-town rivalry; it abruptly ended in the late 90s. This wouldn’t be a new concept, my fishy friend, but a return to a healthy Jesuit/public institution rivalry that ended before you were even thinking about post-secondary education.

As to your claims of UWM being a commuter school, I’d question where you got your information. Earlier you stated, “I had never heard of (UWM) before attending MU and I have not since given it any thought or consideration, save for the recent spate of comments surrounding what is (and always will be) a non-rivalry.”

So which is it? You have or have not given UWM a thought or consideration save for the non-rivalry?

I’m confused by what you seem to chalk up to fortune-telling skills. Since you seem to see the future so clearly, that UWM and MU will never have a rivalry, look to the past to see, despite your insistence, there was one.

UWM is evolving from its label as a commuter-school. Look at the Kenilworth Square Apartments and the dorms that recently broke ground off Humboldt and North avenues (warning, reading and research would be required).

UWM might be giving MU a run for its overly abundant endowment. Perhaps that’s what you truly are having a knee-jerk reaction to.

UWM's athletics have garnered national attention the last two years. That being said, I am surprised you say you’ve never heard of us.

The university’s research programs are moving toward the forefront and will continue to do so. Its students are top-notch and the university opens its arms to almost anyone seeking post-secondary education. MU shuts its doors, or has its doors shut for it, on the majority of applicants chiefly because they don’t have the money and brew the ignorance and arrogance you so readily adorn yourself with.

Salmon Slayer, don’t speak when you have nothing to say. You certainly don’t speak for the MU community (it’s far more informed).

UWM and its students might give you a nod when you stop mumbling whines lacking knowledge and start an intellectual conversation about the two universities.

Stick to fortune telling; I think it'll take you as far as you are destined to go in life.

Student Association ‘temporarily disbanded’

BY BRADLEY WOOTEN

When Student Association Legislative Affairs director Kyle Duerstein went to open the SA office this morning, he was greeted by a sticker that said “evidence” and new locks on the door.

Further, interim vice chancellor of Student Affairs Jim Hill, had a note on the door:
“Although you indicated that the Student Association plans to pursue its own audit, to date, you have refused to provide the University access to these records. Therefore, pursuant to UW System Policy F20, I am temporarily suspending the Student Association’s continued access to SUF support and/or use of University facilities, including the Student Association offices and computers.”

SA president Samantha Prahl said she was outraged at the university's audacity.

“The administration has temporarily disbanded the Student Association,” Prahl said. “They’ve eliminated the student voice on this campus.”

An Oct. 20 letter to Prahl, Hill said that, "Chancellor Santiago requested that you direct appropriate Student Association officers to make available to UWM Auditor Paul Rediske and UW System Auditors Tou Her and Zach Simba any and all financial records of the Student Association, pursuant to UW System Financial Administration Policy F20."

Those records included, but were not limited to, records of expenditures and receipts, external checking account and savings account records, UWM financial account records, invoices, records of SA actions approving expenditures and SA financial policies and procedures.

"I refuse to set such a dangerous precedent," Prahl said.

Rediske, Hill and Prahl were scheduled to meet Monday, Oct. 23 at 1 p.m.

However, Prahl and the SA have obtained legal representation and cancelled the meeting.

Prahl said that she had to cancel her plans to attend a UW System presidents' meeting today in light of the administration’s course of action.

On Oct. 18, Prahl wrote to Rediske her and the SA’s position clear.

“It is my intention, and the intention of the Student Association, to work with the university administration to conduct an audit of our financial accounts that is both just and preserves the integrity of an independent association,” Prahl wrote. “A very dangerous precedent is established when an independent association is subject to unbridled intervention by a co-equal in university governance.”

Now, the SA office is open, but all files and records have been removed from it.

UWM, MU need to rise up

EDITORIAL

BY BRADLEY WOOTEN

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has had a lot of good press lately, but like all good things, it came to an abrupt--albeit temporary--end.

When there's a chance to pit Marquette University and UWM against one another in basketball, and that chance is blown as the result of egos, there should be more of an uproar.

In fact, there should be a revolution. And yet, this seems to have escaped any realization by students and Milwaukee residents.

"I've received one phone call (on this)," said UWM spokesman Tom Luljak.

The Journal Sentinel hit this debacle dead on.

In fact, it took two anonymous donations totaling $20,000 to cover the difference in cost which initially caused UWM to back down, the Journal Sentinel reported.

What baffles me most about this is the lack of outcry on either campus.

The rivalry is born anew, but instead of it being about basketball, or a cross-town public versus private education rivalry, it's about money and politics.

Go Golden Eagles; go Panthers.

UWM Chancellor diagnosed with cancer

By Bradley Wooten

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Chancellor Carlos Santiago announced today that he will have surgery Tuesday, Oct. 24 to rectify the cancer in his prostate.

Following his surgery, he will take four to six weeks off from campus while UWM Provost Rita Chang serves in his stead.

"I do have two requests," Santiago wrote in an e-mail. "First, I urge all of you to make sure that you participate in periodic cancer screening tests. And, second, please do not send flowers."

Police efforts hold one man in custody

UWM Student Joesph Munz's murderer may now be custody.

Milwaukee Police late last night arrested a 24-year-old Milwaukee man in connection with the homicide of former UWM student Joseph Munz which occurred on Oct. 10, 2006 at 8:15 p.m. at 3264 N. Weil St. in Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood.

Citizen cooperation led police to the stolen van that allegedly was used in the offense. Police believe Mr. Munz was approached by the armed suspect just after Mr. Munz made a sandwich delivery at a home in the 3200 block of N. Weil St. The suspect demanded property and money, then Mr. Munz struggled with the suspect.

Despite being shot numerous times, Mr. Munz continued to struggle even as the suspect pistol-whipped him after the gun was empty. The case is expected to be reviewed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office as early as Tuesday. Milwaukee Police are investigating whether the suspect is involved in any other armed robberies in the City of Milwaukee.

The suspect is currently on parole for homicide by negligent use of a motor vehicle.

Eisman visits UWM

Pictured: UW-EC SPJer Christina Harris, UW-EC SPJer Matt Elliott, SPJ President Bradley Wooten, Green Party gubernatorial candidate
Nelson Eisman, SPJ Vice President Tim Elliot, SPJ Secretary Kristi Schilling, SPJ Treasurer James Carviou

Wisconsin Green Party gubernatorial candidate Nelson Eisman visited with students from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and -Eau Claire.

A more detailed transcription will be published in days to come.

UWM SPJ announces Gousha event

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will host former TMJ4 anchor Mike Gousha on Tuesday, Oct. 17 from 7 to 8 p.m. in Mitchell Hall Room 191.

Gousha will speak to free speech in light of National Free Speech Week. Specifically, reporters who keep blogs that contain opinion or editorial content in addition to reporting for a media outlet.

He will also speak to his career, ambitions and current happenings.

4 new ads added for 'The K'

You like what you see? So will your customers.

Politicians don't commit to students

BY BRADLEY WOOTEN

It started with a simple premise, bring the three gubernatorial candidates to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and invite students from across the state to hear what they have to say on higher education, the job market, the economy and tuition.

It ended with an illogical conclusion.

Green Party gubernatorial candidate Nelson Eisman was contacted by UWM’s Society of Professional Journalists in mid-July. The same day, he confirmed his attendance for an Oct. 8 student forum.

Both the Green and Doyle parties were contacted the same day as Eisman, which sparked the beginning of a battalion of endless excuses and eventually smoldered into non-committal.

Both candidates said it would be placed on a list that would eventually be discussed with the gubernatorial candidates.

Green continues to tout his alleged commitment to students in his political ads.

On Aug. 28, Green went so far as to have UWM’s “Students for Green,” a registered student organization with the university, stand behind him with signs his campaign handed out so as to give the doctored appearance that a larger number of students turned out to support him.

That day, Green unveiled his economic development plan for the state, which included a way to stop the “brain drain” in Wisconsin.

“The top age group leaving Wisconsin are 20- to 29-year-olds,” Green said.

I’d buy that, and one reason is because Wisconsin politicians aren’t paying any attention to that demographic.
“Believe me, there is nothing more I would like to do than debate Gov. Doyle on higher education,” Green said when asked why he hasn’t formally committed to attending a planned student forum at UWM in October. “But it’s important to consider Doyle’s calendar too.”

So let me get this straight: even after you’re told it’s one, not a debate but a controlled student forum sponsored by the university and moderated by the professional media, and two that the other candidates’ presence is not a pre-requisite for your own, you have the gall to say that?

Talk about needing to question the political rhetoric.

Throughout August and September, calls and or e-mails were made and placed to the Doyle and Green campaigns daily.

For Green, it was one excuse after the other but they were “very excited at the prospect of the forum.” On Sept. 20, the final cold, hard truth was given:

“After speaking with the Doyle campaign, it was decided that the UW-Milwaukee debate will not be added to the calendar,” said Scott Matejov, Green’s operations director who handles Green’s scheduling requests.

Matejov said a call from the Doyle campaign should shortly follow his to confirm the lack of non-commitment to students.

That phone call came two days later, breaking a 34 day streak of unanswered and unreturned phone calls and e-mails to Doyle’s campaign.

Worse yet, that call came at 6:21 p.m. to my internship, a newsmagazine that operates 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Unfortunately the governor’s schedule will not allow for the proposed debate,” said Sarah, a woman who only identified herself as Doyle’s scheduling person. “I hope you can understand the complexity of the governor’s schedule at this point.”

Of it’s understandable. That’s why the student forum was proposed in July, to give all campaigns plenty of time to fit it into their schedules.

First it’s that it’s too far out to schedule the forum for Doyle, now it’s flipped to be where it’s too close to the election.

Clear differences need to be drawn here, though:

The Green campaign runs these ads where he discusses the importance of higher education and has college students in the background. But he won’t commit to event he expressed interest in from the start because his campaign conferred with Doyle’s and decided reaching a statewide audience of students in the largest city in the state was a bad idea--for whatever reason.

This brings the larger point of contention: students and the younger demographic don’t vote enough, so politicians don’t pay them any creed. And yet, when there is a substantial effort to gather students statewide to listen to the candidates, it’s ignored by two of the three campaigns.

There’s one of two answers to this quandary: either politicians don’t care about higher education or students shouldn’t care about voting because in the end politicians won’t grant them the respect and attention they deserve.

Former SHAC presidents under investigation

Posted by Jesse Dercks

Wooten awarded third place national distinction

The National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association announced the recipients of its Excellence in Journalism Awards Oct. 3.

Bradley Wooten, then of the UWM Post, received third place for the NLGJA's Excellence in Student Journalism Award for his article "Resist urge, gays told: Jesus as 'motivating factor.'"

Tim Wilkins, the subject of the article, is a Baptist who seeks to evangelize and disciple the homosexual, a task, he said, can be accomplished, as he did, through Jesus.

After the article's publication, Wilkins slammed Wooten on his Web site, crossministry.org, with the article "Journalism at its worst."

Misunderstanding in e-mail origin sparks controversy

BY BRADLEY WOOTEN

A misunderstanding between the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee administration and 3rd District Ald. Michael D’Amato over an e-mail opposing Residential Preferred Parking sparked a heated e-mail from the alderman earlier this month.

Because the e-mail came from interim vice chancellor of Student Affairs Jim Hill’s e-mail account, the understanding for D’Amato and his neighbors was the university now opposed RPP, the alderman said.

UWM spokesman Tom Luljak testified to the Public Safety Committee that the UWM administration continues to support the adoption of RPP a week after the misunderstood e-mail was sent out.

“I will note that although many students, faculty and staff are strongly opposed to RPP, it is the official view of the administration that we favor adoption of an enabling ordinance,” Luljak replied to D’Amato’s e-mail. “[W]e remain committed to seeing an RPP program adopted.”

Both D’Amato and university administration said they want to move on.

The Student Association contacted all UWM students urging opposition to RPP, which, if passed by the Common Council, will remove 721 parking spots on and near the university campus and reserve them for permanent residents.

“As university policy, we don’t provide direct access for that,” Hill said.

Under the previous structure, an e-mail to be distributed campus-wide is forwarded to Hill’s office. In turn, Student Affairs then sends the e-mail out to all students.

The SA signed the RPP e-mail at the bottom.

“It was a misunderstanding on his part,” Hill said.

Hill clarified via e-mail to D’Amato that the opposition to RPP is not endorsed by the administration and that the sender of the e-mail, the SA, was identified at the bottom of the e-mail. D’Amato did not reply.

“(So) I assume it’s okay,” Hill said. “His reaction might have been different had it been clearer. He might have been angry and responded with emotion.”

Now, the office of Student Affairs will clearly and prominently identify the author of campus-wide communications at the top of the e-mail, Hill said.

“If you didn’t read to the end of the e-mail, it might not have been clear that it was not from a university official,” he said.

D’Amato said it was a knee-jerk reaction on his part and that he’s glad he can trust the university to uphold its word on RPP.

“My initial reaction was that (D’Amato) reacted too quickly,” said SA President Samantha Prahl.

In the Saturday, Sept. 9 e-mail, D’Amato wrote, “Monday I will personally investigate how we can terminate or delay any necessary approvals that UWM requires from the City of Milwaukee.”

“It definitely sounded like a threat, he’s definitely using his power in office to do negative things and things he know will hurt people,” Prahl said. “He sent this out on a Saturday, he definitely should have thought about it over the weekend before he pushed the send button.”

Prahl said the university faces loosing the bussing service all students can take advantage of, and pay for through segregate fees, U-Pass, because of another increase in cost for its use. That coupled with the loss of two U-Park lots along Lake Michigan does not make for the right timing in removing more parking spots, Prahl said.

Both the university and alderman are ready to move on from the misunderstanding.

“I’m satisfied that the administration has re-iterated their original position in support of RPP,” D’Amato said. “I was obviously taken aback by what seemed to be an about face by the administration. My neighbors demanded that it be dealt with them.”

D’Amato said that anybody who would have read the RPP e-mail would have believed that it came from Hill speaking for the administration, not the SA.

“While I am supportive that the students have their own voice, it should be made clear that sometimes they are not in agreement with the administration,” D’Amato said.

“For our purposes now, we’ll go forward with our collation promoting RPP and we hope to build off of that,” D’Amato said.

Housing, student behavior and transportation are issues the alderman said the university has a long way to go before progress is made.

“It’s encouraging to know the administration continues to stand by the residents,” D’Amato said.