The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Student Association Senate voted to place a referendum on the upcoming April 26 and 27 ballot evaluate student support for changing the name of the university.

Students voting in the 2006 elections will have the opportunity to choose from a list of more “prestigious” names, ridding UWM’s current name of the hyphen, which backers of the proposal said pushes UWM under the radar of its peer universities.

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It has been 60 school days since Ryan Neibauer filed an appeal on Jan. 9 to restore $60,000 in funds to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group, which was cut at a Student Association Senate meeting on Dec. 18.

Now, the public advocacy group that combats pollution and homelessness and supports environmental concerns is fighting for a funding appeal in front of the Senate Finance Committee Appeals Committee, a hearing that SFC bylaws mandate must be heard within ten school days of filing an appeal.

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University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Student Association President Russ Rueden is refusing to release the names of the three applicants for the open justice position on the University Student Court, saying it’s a “personnel issue.”

The court cannot function legally until a third justice is appointed, which Rueden said would happen “as soon as possible.” The court has been out of operation since former Chief Justice Stan Rubins resigned on Feb. 24.

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Alcohol and Drugs

A 20-year-old male was arrested on allegations of second offense underage drinking and activating false fire alarms in the Sandburg Commons on March 21. The student’s description matched that of the surveillance tape. When questioned by police, the man said that he did it on accident. He was issued $757 in citations.

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UWM criminal justice professor charged<

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A newly proposed commuter rail that would connect Milwaukee to Chicago could bring more students to Milwaukee universities for a practical fare, project officials said.

The proposed Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee (KRM) Commuter Rail would start at the Amtrak station in downtown Milwaukee and continue 33 miles south following Lake Michigan to Kenosha. In Kenosha it would meet up with the existing Chicago rail system, the Metra, to continue to Chicago.

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Student Association senators engaged in a heated debate over limiting senators’ questioning time and ultimately voted down the Just and Proportional Observation resolution Sunday.

The resolution, authored by Sens. Drew Baryenbruch and John Benzinger, called for limitations on the question-and-answer portion of Senate meetings. According to the resolution, some senators are “long winded,” which may discourage other senators from participating.

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When Chancellor Carlos Santiago first came to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he proposed to add more doctoral programs to the university as an effort to put UWM at the national collegiate level.

Santiago has kept his staff busy with the addition of three new doctoral programs since 2003: history, health sciences and medical informatics. This represents rapid growth — there were only three doctoral programs added between 1985 and 2003.

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The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Union smoking ban that went into effect over the weekend, beginning on April 1, has gone over smoothly and without incident, said Union Operations Director Scott Gore.

“Students have been well-behaved and compliant thus far,” Gore said.

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Three members of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents visited UWM last week to hear students’ educational concerns following a United Council presentation on the quality of a UW education.

The United Council of UW Students, a grassroots lobby and advocacy group for UW students, was represented by David Glisch-Sanchez, academic affairs director for the United Council.

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