The Independent Student Newspaper of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Campuses Advance-TitanVol. 128, No. 13 Dec. 3, 2020 advancetitan.com ‘We may see very high mortality rates in prisons’ Correctional facilities in WI struggle to contain COVID-19 By Joseph Schulz [email protected] The Oshkosh Correctional Insti- tution (OSCI) recently passed a grim milestone, becoming the Wisconsin prison with the most COVID-19 cases since March, as criminal jus- tice reform advocates plead with the state to change procedures. The prison had 957 total con- firmed cases of coronavirus with 16 active cases as of Tuesday, accord- ing to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC). On Nov. 20, however, the DOC dashboard showed OSCI having 248 active COVID-19 cases. But the recent outbreak at OSCI was not the prison’s first, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. In fact, the prison had an outbreak of 341 active cases on Oct. 5, dipped below 100 cases and then rose to 288 active cases by Oct. 19. By the end of October, OSCI only had 39 active COVID-19 cases, according to the State Journal. Beyond OSCI, six other prisons reported more than 100 active coro- navirus cases on Nov. 20, including Columbia Correctional, Dodge Cor- rectional, Fox Lake Correctional, Racine Correctional, Robert Ells- worth Correctional and Taycheedah Correctional. In a Nov. 25 Facebook post, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office Photos courtesy of Esther - Fox Valley said it found four COVID-19 cases Protesters gathered outside the Governor’s mansion call for prison among inmates on Nov. 13, and fol- reform in Wisconsin. OSCI had 957 cases as of Nov. 25. low-up testing that day had revealed 27 additional cases. doctor or go and get tested, but in ing everyone, but the terminally ill, Since March, the sheriff’s office prison that doesn’t happen; you may those who are almost at the end of says it has been isolating all new have to be in a really bad situation to their sentence and people in on tech- arrivals by requiring them to quar- be hospitalized.” nical violations,” Van Lopik said. “It antine for two-weeks, while also en- Van Lopik attributed the out- would be a tragedy if someone dies, forcing masks for inmates and staff, breaks in Wisconsin prisons to who’s months away from being re- restricting access to the facility and over-capacity, meaning there is no leased.” stockpiling supplies. room to practice social distancing. Esther organizers spent the last “Similar to the community at Because prisons have limited in-per- five weeks holding sit-ins at the large, most affected inmates are ei- son visitations, he says the outbreaks governor’s mansion in Madison, ther asymptomatic or experiencing must be originating with the guards. advocating Gov. Tony Evers to take mild COVID-19 symptoms,” the In fact, the DOC COVID-19 action to address Wisconsin prisons’ sheriff’s office said. “All positive dashboard states that as of Tuesday COVID-19 situation. inmates remain housed within the a total of 111 employees at OSCI “We’ve been sitting out there for Winnebago County Jail, and we are have tested positive since the pan- the last five weeks and he knows monitoring their welfare. Subse- demic began. we’re there, but we haven’t heard a quent testing has already been coor- His organization advocates for the word,” Van Lopik said. “We’re go- dinated.” “compassionate release” of inmates, ing to keep sitting there until there’s However, if correctional facilities which would allow prisoners near- some sort of acknowledgement that do not work to reduce populations ing the end of their sentence or those there’s a problem in our prison sys- to increase space for social distanc- with underlying health conditions tem with COVID.” issues than putting people in jail, said. “We are one of the worst in ing, advocates fear that for many to be released early to increase their Even after the pandemic, Van because it fractures the family struc- the country as far as the racial dis- inmates, their time in prison could ability to social distance. Lopik says the overcrowding prob- ture,” he said. “It especially harms crepancy of our prison population turn into a life sentence due to the OSCI’s design capacity is about lem in Wisconsin’s prisons will not people with a lack of resources.” as compared to our general popula- pandemic. 1,494 inmates, but the prison’s pop- go away until the system of mass in- Winnebago County has a drug tion.” Frankly, we may see very high ulation was roughly 1,970 in June, carceration is reformed. Many peo- court program and is establishing At the end of the day, Van Lopik mortality rates in prisons,” said Wil- according to OSCI’s 2020 annual ple filling Wisconsin’s prisons and a mental health diversion program, says Esther will continue assem- liam Van Lopik, a community orga- report. Of those inmates, 22% have jails “are not hardened criminals” — but Van Lopik believes more action bling outside of the governor’s nizer for Esther-Fox Valley, a faith- less than a year left of their sentence they are doing time for non-violent is needed to ensure justice is doled mansion until it sees some kind of based advocacy group that supports and 18% have only one year left, per offenses, Van Lopik said. out fairly. change. criminal justice reform. “Out in so- an OSCI fact sheet. “We have to come up with more “There’s a huge racial discrep- ciety, you’re encouraged to call your “We’re not talking about releas- creative ways of dealing with those ancy in Wisconsin prisons too,” he Feature Page 2 Page 6 Page 7 COVID in prisons Lunch Ladies Thanksgiving meal The Astronomers talk upcoming EP 2 | AdvanceTitan.com Dec. 3, 2020 Advance-Titan Consulting firm hired to evaluate courses Phone: 920-424-3048 By Sophia Voight plans, which involve changing the Email: [email protected] [email protected] names of colleges and move depart- Website: ments and programs to colleges that www.advancetitan.com UW Oshkosh is partnering with are more closely aligned with each the consulting and analytics firm other. Editor in Chief Carter Uslabar Gray Associates to assist with their Restructuring plan No. 1 would be [email protected] ongoing academic structure explo- to maintain the current four-college ration that involves consideration system. Ad Manager Collin Tuchalski of restructuring the current college Restructuring plan No. 2 would be system and revising academic pro- to maintain the current four-college [email protected] grams. system but realign departments and 262-391-8452 Gray Associates is a consulting programs. firm that focuses on evaluating uni- Courtesy of UW Oshkosh Flickr Restructuring plan No. 3 would be Managing Editor versities’ academic catalogs and cre- UW Oshkosh is partnering with a consulting and analytics to assist a five-college system with STEM: Joseph Schulz ating program strategies that adapt in the consideration of restructuring academic programs. colleges would be, Science, Technol- [email protected] to student demand and employment ogy, Engineering and Math (STEM); opportunities. This includes presenting data on presented by Gray Associates will Business and Media; Arts and Hu- News Editor UWO has been engaged in an aca- potential programs for the university help inform the academic planning manities; Nursing and Health Sci- Amber Brockman demic structure exploration over the to invest in, update or shut down. process, but not drive it. ences; Public Leadership. [email protected] last year to consider restructuring the Koker said in a facultywide email While academic planning is an Restructuring plan No. 4 would current four-college system and as- that the firm is merely presenting annual occurrence, in his charge be a five-college system with stand- Asst. News Editor sess its degree programs. suggestions for the growth of the of PACUAS, Koker said now is an alone Fine and Performing Arts: col- Sophia Voight The process of reviewing the ac- university and will not make any opportune time to spearhead new ac- leges would be FAPA; Humanities final decisions on what programs ademic plans because it will lead to [email protected] ademic program array is something and Interdisciplinary Studies; Busi- that the university typically does ev- should be added or cut from UWO. more effective marketing and better ness, Technology and Media Inno- “Gray Associates does not and budgeting for the future of UWO. Sports Editor Cory Sparks ery five to seven years, Provost John vation; Nursing and Science; Educa- will not make decisions for us,” The consideration of restructuring [email protected] Koker said. tion and Public Leadership. Koker initially charged the Aca- Koker said. “UW Oshkosh faculty, the college system is also intended Restructuring plan No. 5 would demic Structure Exploration Team, staff and leadership will make the to “position our University to grow be a five-college system with global Opinion Editor Owen Peterson judgments and the decisions.” and succeed over the next genera- [email protected] or ASET, in the spring 2019 semester studies: colleges would be, Global to develop proposals for reorganiz- Koker said the university is not tion,” according to the ASET report. Studies and Humanities; Business ing the current four-college system, currently suggesting cutting any ac- PACUAS and ASET were formed to and Technology; Performing Arts Copy Desk Chief ademic programs. address the uneven balance between Kaitlyn Scoville which has an uneven faculty and stu- and Media Innovation; Nursing and dent representation among the col- Associate Dean of the College of the College of Letters and Science Science; Education and Public Lead- [email protected] leges, especially within the College Business Jakob Iversen, who was a and the remaining three colleges.