The
Advance-Titan
Independent Student Newspaper of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Campuses
Vol. 125, No. 12
A-T History
- Dec. 5, 2019
- advancetitan.com
Student Rapper
Titans 4-2
Accessibility Excels
Stay Connected
@theadvancetitan
Chris Jewson discusses his lyrical themes and his upcoming project
The Advance-Titan celebrates its 125th birthday with a look back at its past
@titan or @atitansports
@theadvancetitan [email protected]
Page 19
- Page 3
- Page 11
Page 14
Police fail to solve mystery
By Bethanie Gengler
Final
Let us
part of a series
“
This series includes inter- views with the late Stephen Kappell ’ s b est friend, sisters and the Oshkosh Police De-
partment. The case files and
evidence were unable to be located or were destroyed by authorities. Numerous news articles as well as autopsy and crime lab reports were examined to gather informa- tion.
have some peace.
Seniors say goodbye
By Advance-Titan [email protected]
The graduating seniors of the UW Oshkosh independent student newspaper are saying goodbye.
Join copy chief Cody Wiesner, opinion editor Leo
Costello and editor-in-chief Jack Tierney on pages 17 & 18 to read what they have to say.
Shed some light on this
On an afternoon more than 56 years ago, the body of an 18-year-old UW Oshkosh college
freshman was found floating in Lake Winnebago
at Menominee Park. The man was found nude and beaten, with his hands and knees bound and a 30-pound rock attached to his feet. A coroner’s inquest could not determine whether the man had died by suicide or homicide.
“
horrific
Over half a century later, the victim’s family still hasn’t received any answers to who or what caused the violent death of Stephen Kappell.
death.
See Cold Case / Page 4
- Martha Kemp, Stephen Kappell’s sister
Hate speech or big misunderstanding?
By Joseph Schulz [email protected]
A Brown County Circuit Court judge recently ordered the release of public records investigating a UW Oshkosh English professor for possible gender identity discrimination. A May 2017 student complaint alleged that associate English professor James “Duke” Pesta discriminated against them based on their political identity and used hate speech in class.
See Bias Report/ Page 7
Joseph Schulz / Advance-Titan
Roughly 75 law enforcement officers respond to an incident at Oshkosh West High School.
Incident at West High injures 2
resource officer who then shot threatening injuries, although about other possible incidents the 16-year-old student on the nature of their injuries was being planned at area schools.
By Cody Barnes [email protected]
Tuesday.
Both the student and offi-
- unclear.
- “The Oshkosh Police De-
A look back on a decade full of technological
growth, political change, conflict throughout the
world, shifting economic powers and more.
- OPD Administrative Bu- partment places the utmost
- Oshkosh public schools
were closed Wednesday after an Oshkosh West High School student stabbed the school’s cer, who is with the Oshkosh reau Capt. Kelly A. Kent said importance on the safety of Police Department, were police are continuing to in- students, and all informatransported to the hospital vestigate information being with injuries that weren’t life reported through social media
See The decade in review / Page 20
See Shooting / Page 9
- 2 | AdvanceTitan.com
- Dec. 5, 2019
News
The
Advance-Titan
Phone: 920-424-3048 Email: [email protected] Website: www.advancetitan.com
Editor in Chief Jack Tierney
Ad Manager Collin Tuchalski
[email protected] 262-391-8452
Ad Representatives: Danielle
Beck, Sam Fassl, Patrick Hebl and Gwen Nichols
Managing Editor Joseph Schulz
News Editor Amber Brockman
Opinion Editor Leo Costello
Arts & Entertainment Editor Ethan Uslabar
Sports Editor Neal Hogden
Asst. Sports Editor Lydia Westedt
Joseph Schulz / Advance-Titan
Oshkosh North High School student journalist Brock Doemel published an article that was removed by the school in March.
Copy Desk Chief Cody Wiesner
North student wins censorship battle
Photo Editor Hannah Preissner
By Bethanie Gengler [email protected]
After an April listening session, he said. He also asked for an apolthe district released a statement ogy.
“How is it possible that a newspaper at what is allegedly a top
Asst. Photo EditorAllison Russotto
- saying they will not pursue disci-
- “Mrs. Kiffmeyer and Dr. Cart- journalism school would apolo-
An article written by Oshkosh plinary action against Doemel or wright owe a sincere apology to gize for the basics of reporting?” North High School student jour- the newspaper adviser and they the people of this community for Washington Post columnist Glenn nalists that was pulled from The will not pursue the identification their actions to cover up the truth,” Kessler said in a tweet. “This is a
Web Editor Sami Fassl
- North Star website an hour after of the article’s source.
- Doemel said.
- travesty and an embarrassment.”
Also in November, government
Asst. Web Editor Lauren Reidinger
- publication was factually accu-
- Nelson sought a court injunc-
- In June, the OASD revised its
rate, leading to allegations of jour- tion to prevent the release of re- policies regarding student pub- officials in Lafayette County, Wisnalism censorship, according to cords related to his dismissal, but lications which designate The consin received harsh criticism
Social Media Manager
- documents.
- was denied. Documents obtained North Star as a limited-purpose from free-speech proponents after
Gwen Nichols
- In March, student journalists by the student journalists in an public forum.
- proposing a resolution to prose-
- published a story on The North open-records request confirm the
- “The board authorized the ad- cute journalists for not reporting
Asst. Social Media Manager
Star website about missing As- information in their article was ministration to engage in prior re- press releases regarding water sistant Principal Hans Nelson and factual. The documents includ- view and restraint of school-spon- quality in its entirety.
VictorAlabi
- tied his absence to an earlier inci- ed a letter Nelson received Feb. sored publications and productions
- The resolution was recommend-
Graphic Designer Susan Lor
dent in which school bathrooms 25 placing him on administrative to prevent the publication or per- ed by county officials who were
were locked in response to van- leave “pending further investiga- formance of unprotected speech,” upset about media reports regard-
- dalism.
- tion into the North High School the policy said.
- ing the contamination of private
Graphic Designer
- The student journalists reported bathroom closure matter.”
- School administrators can re- wells in Lafayette, Grant and Iowa
Tatum Spevacek
Nelson’s office was empty and the
The documents also include strict articles that have poor gram- counties. Journalists reported 35
nameplate above the door “was emails showing Kiffmeyer played mar or writing, articles that are wells were contaminated by huremoved after his purported resig- a part in the bathroom closures not age appropriate, articles that man and livestock sources and 32 nation” due to “unilaterally” lock- and had instructed Nelson to lock contain matters beyond the limit- of the 35 continued to have coning the restrooms. The students them after two toilet paper dis- ed scope of the forum or materials tamination.
Distribution Mgr. A.J. Berg
Copy Editors: Heidi Docter,
Kate Sawyer, Honore Schmidt, Kaitlyn Scoville, Gregory Sense, Meg Wiesner and Karina Hueckman.
News Reporters: Bethanie
Gengler, Megan Behnke, Lexi Wojcik-Kretchmer and Sophia Voight
- attributed the information to an pensers were broken and toilets that contain unprotected speech.
- The Milwaukee Journal Senti-
unnamed school administrator. The school removed the arti- of toilet paper. cle from The North Star website
were filled with trash and full rolls
The Oshkosh North High nel reported Lafayette County resSchool student journalism censor- idents spoke out against the pro-
The Appleton Post-Crescent ship issue seems to follow a trend posal at a Nov. 12 board meeting
- shortly after publication and Prin- reported that Kiffmeyer emailed in American news reporting.
- and expressed concerns the coun-
- cipal Jacquelyn Kiffmeyer issued Nelson on Feb. 14 saying, “If we
- On Nov. 10, editors at Illinois ty was trying to hide information
a statement saying the article con- need to lock, have kids come to Northwestern University news- regarding water quality. County
tained “inaccurate and unverified the office; we unlock and check.” paper The Daily Northwestern officials opted to shelve the pro-
- content.”
- She sent Nelson another email lat- issued an apology to the commu- posal and discuss water quality
Sports Reporters: Josh Wool-
wine, Cory Sparks, Greg Sense and Dakota Zanin
Oshkosh North senior Brock er that day saying, “Please com- nity for their media coverage after reporting issues at another time. Doemel, who has since graduated, municate with staff and lock these sending a reporter and photogra- Ongoing journalism censorsaid he was pulled out of class on doors.” pher to cover protesters during a ship attempts throughout the U.S. multiple occasions and pressured The Post-Crescent reported speech by former Attorney Gener- leave some concerned about the future of news reporting, UW Os-
“We recognize that we contrib- hkosh journalism professor Vin-
“Nelson acted independently uted to the harm students experi- cent Filak said.
“There are tons of cases like this
Faculty Adviser Barb Benish
to reveal the confidential source Kiffmeyer denied her involve- al Jeff Sessions.
- he used in the article.
- ment in the bathroom closures.
About the Newspaper
The Advance-Titan is an
When Doemel and another stu-
independent student newspaper published on campus since 1894. The paper is written and edited by students at UW Oshkosh who are soley responsible for content and editorial policy. Any UW Oshkosh student is welcome to work on the newspaper staff.
dent journalist filed an open re- without consulting me,” she said. enced, and we wanted to apolo-
- cords request regarding the miss-
- Nelson signed an involuntary gize for and address the mistakes where people are being censored,”
ing assistant principal, Doemel separation agreement on Feb. 28, that we made that night … ,” the he said. “People are having their said the superintendent would which corroborates the informa- editors said in the apology. They ability to conduct business as stuonly provide those documents if tion the student journalists pub- also removed photographs and the dent journalists taken away from
- he turned over his reporting notes, lished.
- names of some sources used in the them. They’ve been refused rights
account passwords and a $138 processing fee.
In a press release, Doemel said article and apologized for using of access to things that anybody he has had to defend his story The Northwestern’s directory for should be able to get.”
The Advance-Titan is published on Thursday during the academic year.
A letter to Doemel written by against countless false accusations contacting students, calling it an Superintendent Vickie Cartwright from the Oshkosh Area School “invasion of privacy.”
Doemel said journalism censorship put him and his fellow jour-
- said, “It is necessary that you sup- District.
- The Daily Northwestern re- nalists “through hell.”
Correction Policy
- ply to the District any records you
- “The district knew all along that ceived immediate criticism for
- “My only intent as a journalist,
The Advance-Titan is committed to correcting errors of fact that appear in print or online. Messages regarding errors can be emailed to [email protected]
have related to the newspaper and the story was factual in its entirety, their apology on social media from now and at the time of the article’s the recent article printed by The yet continued to attack its validity journalists across the country who publication, is to keep my school North Star so that the District can and my credibility as a journalist argued taking photographs and in- and community informed of the be fully responsive to your re- through emails to school staff and terviewing sources are the basic truth,” he said.
- quest.”
- through statements to the media,” principles of journalism.
- Dec. 5, 2019
- AdvanceTitan.com | 3
125 years of independent student journalism
By Joseph Schulz [email protected]
125 years ago, a publication was created on what is now the UW Oshkosh campus with the intention of bridging the gap between faculty and students. The NormalAdvance began publication in September 1894 and is celebrating its quasquicentennial anniversary in 2019. Despite the time that has elapsed and a few name changes, the publication continues to foster communication between students and faculty. In the early days The NormalAdvance wasn’t exactly a newspaper. It was a kind of literary magazine, printing speeches, debates, literary essays and various other musings. In 1919, under the direction of faculty adviser Walter Fletcher, the publication became a full-on newspaper, incorporating headlines and coverage of sporting events. At the time, UW Oshkosh was
Courtesy of Polk Library
a teacher training institute, but
Oshkosh Advance staffers hard at work in the 1950s.
Fletcher had a deep passion for teaching students the art of journalism.
“He thought that there were opportunities for teachers to learn about journalism so they could teach that style of writing,” university historian Joshua Ranger said of Fletcher’s legacy. While Fletcher did make the paper more “newsy,” it was largely a newsletter and tool for those on campus to learn about events being held in the area.
The glory days
Everything changed in 1968 with the formation of a journalism major at UWO, which was then known as Wisconsin State Univer-
Courtesy of Polk Library
sity – Oshkosh. The paper trans-
LEFT: The first issue of The Normal Advance in 1894. MIDDLE: The 1968 Black Thursday issue of the A-T. RIGHT: The 1973 A-T staff poses for a
formed into a learning lab, a place
photo
for aspiring journalists to learn the
- porters.
- ested them.
- a biweekly paper.
- and Twitter.
tools of the trade.
- On Tuesdays, reporters would go
- Mary Bergin, who was on the
“It was really difficult on a small
“We couldn’t say anymore that
One of the first major stories
printed in the newly renamed Advance-Titan was its coverage of Black Thursday, a demonstration in which 94 African American students were expelled for protesting. Because the A-T came out on Thursday and Black Thursday occurred just before Thanksgiving break, the A-T got scooped by most major news publications in the area. The A-T came back from Thanksgiving and printed comprehensive coverage of Black Thursday on Dec. 5, 1968. to events, conduct interviews and A-T staff from 1973-77, said the campus with a staff that wasn’t we were the only people who can write their stories while the editors staff really tried to reflect the stu- making a lot of money,” he said. “It deliver you the student audience,”
- began planning what the physical dent body.
- was an experiment that our editor Filak said.
- paper would look like.
- “We were given a really loose wanted to try to leave our mark.”
- Despite the loss of national ad-
On Wednesdays, the edi- leash because Dr. Lippert really betor-in-chief and the news editor lieved in that,” Bergin said. “I never The A-T in the 21st Century vertisers, the A-T marched on. During Filak’s tenure as adviser,
- would meet with the chancellor felt like we were restrained.”
- Gale Hellpap, who was on staff the paper covered the scandal of
to talk about his upcoming plans. Wednesday nights were production ism professor at UWO from 1969- at the A-T and eventually worked aging UWO Foundation money.
- nights. “We just blew the doors off that
- 2005, said the A-T owes its modern her way up to assistant features ed-
Students typed their drafts on look to Lippert, adding that Lippert itor. Hellpap said she made lifelong thing,” Filak said. “The thing that typewriters and they would be ed- worked hard to ensure that the pa- friends and memories at the A-T. made it interesting for us is that we
- ited and retyped. The edited stories per was independent.
- “I actually met my husband, were able to explain it more in a
- would then be entered into a vid-
- “He was a very hands-off advis- Andrew, on staff. We both started way that mattered to our audience.”
Gary Coll, who was a journal- from 2003-05, started as a reporter Chancellor Richard Wells misman-
- eo terminal, which would spit out er, he didn’t direct the editorial con- at the A-T at the same time and
- The A-T has given Filak memo-
Because the A-T had so much
