As the 2007-08 school year comes to a close, the UWM Post looks back on the year that was at the university.

Pantherfest gets year started off right

The year opened with a kick-ass Pantherfest showing, headlined by major acts like Talib Kweli and the band O.A.R. Thousands of UWM students turned out to the Summerfest Grounds to kick-off the fall semester. Let’s hope that the university can follow up the event with an equally appealing and successful fest next year.

Residential Preferred Parking takes over the East Side

The 2007-08 year was also kicked off by the institution of the long-discussed Residential Preferred Parking bill. The Student Association fought the controversial piece of legislation for over a year before it took effect last September.

Nearly $25,000 in ticket fees were assessed in the first week of RPP, as students and residents alike took some time to get acclimated to the newly instituted parking regulations. RPP designated several campus-area streets for residential parking, requiring a permit in order to park in these popular spots. Commuters have become more accustom to the rules as the year has went on, utilizing the bus system and parking areas such as the Klotsche Pavilion more frequently.

Political candidates make Milwaukee a priority

Being a hotly contested election year, several high-profile politicians visited the UWM area. Chelsea Clinton and Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean spoke on campus ahead of the Wisconsin primary, while candidates Rudy Giuliani, Barack Obama, John Edwards and John McCain all made appearances in the area. Obama and McCain both won the state primary handily.

Nik Kovac wins Third District Aldermanic seat

Incumbent 3rd District Ald. Michael D’Amato chose not to run for re-election, prompting a wild eight candidate primary election race for the vacant seat. Kovac, a freelance journalist and Harvard grad, advanced to the general election where he defeated Patrick Flahery in an extremely tight race. Kovac assumed office in April.

Burglaries up in area, other crime rates steady

According to a fall report, burglaries in the UWM area rose 32 percent over the past year, prompting measures by the university to promote greater campus safety. Those measures include the development of a SAFE. Walkers program, where students have volunteered to walk campus neighborhoods in an attempt to increase visibility and stave off crime. Additionally, the SAFE Alert system has instituted a text messaging emergency program aimed at getting out important information to students quickly. Neighborhood Liaison Officer Oscar Perez has also drawn rave reviews for his work in improving university/community relations.

Sedition Act grabs negative headlines

The Student Association briefly passed the controversial and highly unconstitutional SA Sedition Act in February, which allowed the student governing body to issue cease-and-desist orders to groups or individuals who communicate “libelous or slanderous ideas” pertaining to the SA. The bill was quickly vetoed by President Rob Grover, and after a week of deliberation and immense media scrutiny, the veto was unanimously sustained.

SUFC wins student elections

The Students United for Change party swept April’s Student Association elections, after campaigning violations assessed against rival party Achieving Student Action through Progress left SUFC as the only party on the ballot. Arguments and appeals have raged on as ASAP write-in sheets were disallowed at the polls, with both parties continuing to file complaints.

Independent Elections Commissioner Dan Bahr has also been under fire for his violation assessments, with critics claiming his past affiliation with SUFC has skewered his decisions. As it stands, Tyler Draheim will serve as the SA president, with Tommy Hughes working as vice president.

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