H 32°, L 7° | Tomorrow: 
H 17°, L 4°Last week, the Associated Students of Madison came to Mayor Cieslewicz to convey the message that its constituents, residents of Mifflin Street, wanted to move the block party, which was mistakenly scheduled on their official study day of May 7, to April 30. Analogously, these alders often come to the Common Council endeavoring to pass legislation or approve projects important to the constituents of their district. Like the alders, ASM is an advocacy group, not an event organizer. The idea that ASM ought to pay for the Mifflin Street Block Party because they campaigned for a date change is as ludicrous as the idea that the alders should open their pocket books and fork over cash for each and every project or proposal they vote for. I doubt Ald. Zach Brandon would be willing to agree to such a suggestion. However, he makes enough money from his student-supported business, Laundry 101, that he is one of the few alders who might be able to meet this demand. Perhaps Ald. Brandon would care to put his money where his mouth is?
Secondly, insinuation that ASM has vaults of “discretionary” money lying about that it can dip into and throw around like a beneficent leprechaun is laughable. If Zach Brandon or any of the other alders signing onto this letter would have taken two minutes to research the segregated-fee system, they would have found how utterly unfeasible their demand is. These alders did not take even five minutes to go to the ASM website and find out the criteria for funding. In fact, they didn’t even take 10 seconds to send ASM a copy of this letter about billing them; rather, the letter was immediately released to the media. The alders signing onto this letter failed even to take the time to craft their letter in such a way that it wouldn’t come off as more than a transparent cry for publicity, a breath of hot air reeking of finger-pointing partisan politics and stage-setting to pull residential votes away from the mayor in 2007.
The tone and stance that the alders have taken toward students is not only extremely condescending, but downright offensive. From the tone of Brandon’s letter, one would assume that in their four-plus years in Madison, students are nothing more than free-loading squatters that leech off of the “real” residents. Brandon’s letter and statements insinuate that students contribute absolutely nothing to the city of Madison — economically or otherwise — and that chipping in for the Mifflin Street Block Party is the least we can do. To the contrary, we ask Mr. Brandon to look at the facts: students pay high rents, which their landlords use to pay property taxes, pump hundreds of thousands of dollars into local businesses, as well as work for businesses in all districts of Madison. Sorry to burst yours, Mr. Brandon, but the student population does not exist in a bubble.
As public officials, the alders could have been much more responsible, honest, and concise if they would have spared the mayor the flabby rhetoric and cut to the quick of their message: “waaaaah!” And for your information, Mr. Brandon, our fax number is (608) 265-5637. We are still awaiting our copy of the letter.
Emily McWilliams is the chair of Associated Students of Madison.
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Right on.
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There is a difference between (most, although I doubt that qualifier is necessary) proposals by the alders and Mifflin— that being that the Mifflin St. block party is in essence a “request” for a day of laxed enforcement of alcohol laws…
But, I wouldn’t expect UW students to get that. I’ve had the privelege of teaching enough of them to know that for the most part they are blithering idiots who care about nothing more than when the next kegger is…
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“I’ve had the privelege of teaching enough of them to know that for the most part they are blithering idiots who care about nothing more than when the next kegger is…”
What exactly do you teach that you can’t even spell “privilege”? If you’re that bitter then maybe it’s time to get a different job. We don’t want a teacher who loathes us.
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Go get ‘em, Em’.
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Saying that students are blithering idiots and only care about parties is not the same as loathing them. Not that I have a stake in that discussion or anything.
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Sounds like a disgruntled TA or a UW staff member who just doesn’t cut it…
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“Sounds like a disgruntled TA or a UW staff member who just doesn’t cut it…”
Or perhaps an individual outpublishing his department. But keep right on with the assumptions…
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All right then, how long HAVE you been willingly (you could look for tenure somewhere else) surrounding yourself with such “blithering idiots”?
“I find your lack of faith disturbing.”
-William Northend
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“All right then, how long HAVE you been willingly (you could look for tenure somewhere else) surrounding yourself with such “blithering idiots”?”
A fair question. I stay for the students who do care, but unfortunately they are outnumbered by those who come to lectures hung over and those showing up for office hours to do nothing more than grade-grub. I would love it if the student population would prove me wrong- to this point it hasn’t happened. It is disheartening to see student papers dominated by issues such as Halloween parties and the Mifflin St. block party; this merely reinforces the notion that the students only care about the social scene. As for tenure, that would be a moot point at this juncture.
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Says ASM about the alders’ statement: “…the quick of their message: ‘waaaaah!’”
Please say that I’m not the only one who notices the hypocrisy here.
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“which was mistakenly scheduled on their official study day of May 7.”
Correct me if I’m wrong…..but scheduling the block party for the first saturday in May was no mistake. Lack of foresignt on BOTH sides, yes, but certainly not a “mistake”
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“But, I wouldn’t expect UW students to get that. I’ve had the privelege of teaching enough of them to know that for the most part they are blithering idiots who care about nothing more than when the next kegger is…”
That may be true, but I’m sure the majority of us aced your class in the meantime.
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Can you guy save your sniping for office hours?
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go, emily!
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Boo-hoo, Emily. Cry me a river.
And for the record, ASM has never, ever sent anyone a courtesy copy of a letter or press release before ripping them in public.
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ASM is not responsible for Mifflin Street Block Party — the city is. Deal with it for Chrissakes. Sending a bill to ASM is the ultimate in grandstanding. Zach Brandon is a blithering idiot — who is running against him in the next election?
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You’re right. ASM isn’t responsible. THE STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE. Grow up. I am so sick of being on this campus surrounded by people who think that the world revolves around them. Wake up. Just because mommy and daddy pay your tuition doesn’t mean the city has to pay for your drunk fest.
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Stop behaving as though the Mifflin St. party is a right. It is not a right. It is a privilege.