INDEPENDENT SINCE 1956 INSIDE The FEATURES Far from home UWM PAGE 10 MUSIC February 2,2005 The weekly campus newspaper of UWM Volume 491 Issue 16 A polka passion PAGE 20 A&E Anthology: Panthers, Phoenix EDITORIAL Ben Cervenka Bracket Busters Condom-nation PAGE 14 PAGE 22 PAGE 26 'Divergent problem, Transfer trepidation divergent solutions' Some find out about Forum calls for more accountability, diversity resources equivalents the hard way w By Jean Spellman since day one," she said. Staff Writer Jenny Cresto is another I"*"" " student who ran into prob­ After four-and-a-half lems when she tried to years, Lynn Fledger gradu­ transfer to another school ated in December from the within the UW System. 1 University of Wisconsin- She said she had difficulty Milwaukee, despite having transferring nine credits m^m&'-S** nine core business credits from the University of Wis- 1 not transfer as anticipat­ consin-Waukesha to Mil­ ed. waukee. m Fledger said she had been Though many other stu­ at the University of Wiscon- dents have these problems, sin-Eau Claire, where she t ' academic advisers from started college, for three three campuses said that 1 years when she tried to .... much of the responsibil­ transfer to the University ity is on the students, and of Wisconsin-Madison. Her there is an online system academic advisers told her for them to see which - and everything would trans­ how - classes will transfer. fer. However, she said, her Fledger said that if she core classes for a business * *** had ended up staying at degree did not transfer as Madison, it would have core classes there. "I've been a finance major See TRANSFER page 9 By Brian Resop actually graduate. A six-year Larry Martin speaks to the crowd News Editor graduation rate is used as an of faculty and administration who average for comparison. Mar­ attended the last of the Milwaukee 'Drug provision' Those involved in the fi­ tin said that UWM wants to Commitment Forums. Post photo by nal Milwaukee Commitment close that gap by 25 percent Sara DeKeuster. open forum held last Thurs­ by 2008, a goal he called "ac­ removal called for day showed their seriousness ceptable." to give their insight. toward improving the diver­ The Student Coalition for Terms made more than sity climate at the University Diversity and Access backed Closing the gap or of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. They the idea of creating a student closing the door? also showed their differences. success center where some Although some feel that im­ 157,000 ineligible for aid Over 50 members of the student and some full-time provements are only necessary By Bradley A. Wooten the FAFSA. It provides that UWM community attended the employees would be more pro- in the area of student retention News Editor a student's eligibility for aid last of the three forums held and achievement, the Student is suspended or revoked ac­ on campus during the past two Coalition has demanded im­ A congressionally ap­ cording to the schedule of weeks. Disagreements arose "We have very good provement across the board, pointed committee called controlled substances. over access, recruitment and including increasing the mi­ for the removal of a ques­ To date, more than 157,000 mentoring, among other is­ graduation rates for nority student population on tion about drug convictions financial aid applicants have sues. campus to be comparable to from the Free Application been ineligible for aid as a "As you can see, this is a students who are the non-white population in for Federal Student Aid result of the drug provision, divergent problem with di­ prepared." the city of Milwaukee. (FAFSA) known as the "drug not including students who vergent solutions," said Larry "I'm proposing that you re­ provision," something the were deterred from apply­ Martin, professor with the - Gary Williams, name your theme to 'closing Students for Sensible Drug ing for aid in the first place Adult & Continuing Education the gap, closing the door,'" Policy has been calling for because of any drug convic­ Program. Martin is also part multicultural affairs said Antonio Ramirez, spokes­ since its enactment. tions. of a committee overseeing man for the Student Coalition "Too many students have The proposal to remove the revision and completion department director for Diversity and Access. been turned away at the the drug question comes of Phase II of the Milwaukee The report only mentions doors to higher education from a report titled "The Commitment, which was due increasing the number of stu­ because of this harmful pol­ Student Aid Gauntlet: Mak­ to the University of Wisconsin active about finding out how dents of color on campus, icy," said Scarlett Swerdlow, ing Access to College Simple System on Monday, Jan. 31. minority students are doing in however, this parallels the executive director of SSDP. and Certain," and was issued However, the crowd at the their academic career and also university's wishes to stall en­ "Denying education to young on Monday, Jan. 24 by the forum unanimously agreed would go out and talk to stu­ rollment of any kind. people caught with drugs Advisory Committee on Stu­ on two issues: there must be dents at MPS schools and other William Holahan, an eco­ does nothing to help solve dent Financial Assistance, an accountability for those who Milwaukee high schools to try nomics professor, said that our nation's drug problems; independent committee cre­ are charged with improving and tell students there about the university should be fo­ it only makes them worse. ated by Congress to advise diversity and there should be the opportunities at UWM. cusing more on the students Congress should immedi­ on higher education and stu­ a stated amount of resources The center would also look that are here rather than those ately adopt the committee's dent aid policy. made available for centers, across the country and find who are not. recommendation." The report characterizes programs and task forces to members of other campus "We have to take retention Added in 1998 as an the drug conviction question use for improving diversity. communities who have im­ amendment to the Higher as "irrelevant" and notes that See FORUM page 2 The theme of the new phase proved diversity at their cam­ Education Act, the so-called its^existence "... add(s) com­ of the Commitment is "clos­ puses and have come up with drug provision (Section plexity to the form and can ing the gap" between students creative ways for maintaining Inside 484(r)) blocks college op­ deter some students from of color who enroll at UWM positive diversity manage­ Milwaukee Commitment Update portunities to students re­ compared to the number that ment and bring them to UWM Page 4 vealing drug convictions on See PROVISION Page 6 2 February 2,2005 The UWM Post News way it is. said. And when Phase II is com­ ews briefs Martin later said he didn't pleted after every bit of infor­ expect that number of people mation and opinion has been By Bradley A. Wooten Program at 229-4658 or visit uwm.edu/Dept/ to want more specific goals. recorded and incorporated for News Editor Honors. "I was surprised," Martin the best outcome, Santiago $1 for UW-Waukesha, said. "We literally started with has said he will endorse it and U.S. economic outlook, global a blank page and we had to follow it through. economy to be examined county exec says start putting together a plan. Ramirez has claimed that Waukesha County Executive Dan Finley is The most important thing is Santiago and the UW Board of Martin Feldstein, president and chief ex­ to ask what we can do to close Regents are trying to "corrupt ecutive officer of the National Bureau of Eco­ selling the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha -for $1. the gap." the democratic, knowledge- nomic Research and a professor of economics based ideals of a public uni­ State officials want the two-year school to Ramirez asserted that it was at Harvard University, will speak at the Brad­ versity system." He has also offer more four-year degrees. But if the state legally sound to create goals ley Distinguished Lecture Series from noon accused Santiago of being changes the mission of Waukesha's two-year involving numbers in such a to 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 10, at the Hyatt more interested in "courting campus, Finley said, state officials should document. He also said that Regency Milwaukee, 333 W. Kilbourn Ave. He corporate funding for the uni­ take it over, along with the expense and head­ it was fear of accountability discusses the U.S.'s economic outlook and the versity." ache of maintaining it. that's caused a lack of hard global economy. goals. "I obviously disagree with For more information, contact the Univer­ To expedite the process of getting UW- Waukesha off local taxpayers' backs, Finley is "The only reasons numeri­ his assessment and conclu­ sity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Busi­ cal goals and putting the chan­ sions, but one of the main ness Administration at 229-6519. The $30 making the state an offer that sounds too good to resist - the whole campus for a buck. cellor in the public eye are not points of my plenary address registration cost includes lunch. being implemented, despite was that we need to be a com­ "No, it's not a flippant proposal," he told the widespread support and viru­ munity of diverse views that Journal Sentinel. "It's a very serious one." lent and clear student oppo­ are respected," Santiago said.