WAA News
You’ve Got Mail
Thousands join in grassroots effort to protect UW’s budget.
Wisconsin’s budget may have been more than a day late, but at least it wasn’t too many dollars short in funding the UW.
The state legislature ran more than a hundred days past deadline in passing Wisconsin’s biennial budget, during which UW alumni made an unprecedented effort to make their voices heard at the Capitol.
Through a grassroots advocacy effort organized by the Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA), legislators negotiating the state budget received nearly 30,000 messages from UW-Madison alumni. A September mailing to all alumni included prepaid postcards that thousands of grads used to directly contact their legislators. Graduates were encouraged to help “Save Bucky” by asking their elected officials to provide sufficient state funding for UW-Madison.
A companion Web site, SaveBucky.com, featured a short video of Bucky Badger asking for help in front of Bascom Hall, and offered visitors online tools they could use to learn more about the budget and contact their legislators. The video was also viewed hundreds of times on YouTube.
Wisconsin’s budget may have been more than a day late, but at least it wasn’t too many dollars short in funding the UW.
The state legislature ran more than a hundred days past deadline in passing Wisconsin’s biennial budget, during which UW alumni made an unprecedented effort to make their voices heard at the Capitol.
Through a grassroots advocacy effort organized by the Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA), legislators negotiating the state budget received nearly 30,000 messages from UW-Madison alumni. A September mailing to all alumni included prepaid postcards that thousands of grads used to directly contact their legislators. Graduates were encouraged to help “Save Bucky” by asking their elected officials to provide sufficient state funding for UW-Madison.
A companion Web site, SaveBucky.com, featured a short video of Bucky Badger asking for help in front of Bascom Hall, and offered visitors online tools they could use to learn more about the budget and contact their legislators. The video was also viewed hundreds of times on YouTube.
UW alumni responded in numbers surpassing all previous WAA efforts. For several weeks, postcards addressed to legislators from every district in Wisconsin flooded the Capitol. State Senator Mark Miller ’72, who represents the sixteenth senate district (located in Dane and Columbia Counties), said his office received some 1,350 postcards.
“UW graduates made it clear that they want Wisconsin to keep UW affordable and accessible to students who want to learn, grow, and gain the enriching experiences that alumni did when they were enrolled at UW,” Miller says. “It’s important that the state provides UW with the resources it needs for world-class research facilities and to prepare students for life after college.”
As a public university, UW-Madison relies on state funding for the core education and services it provides to undergraduates on campus. The campus requested funding from the state to pay for two years’ worth of ongoing commitments in UW’s operating budget. The commitments include utility payments to keep the campus up and running, and salaries and benefits for faculty and staff.
“UW graduates made it clear that they want Wisconsin to keep UW affordable and accessible to students who want to learn, grow, and gain the enriching experiences that alumni did when they were enrolled at UW,” Miller says. “It’s important that the state provides UW with the resources it needs for world-class research facilities and to prepare students for life after college.”
As a public university, UW-Madison relies on state funding for the core education and services it provides to undergraduates on campus. The campus requested funding from the state to pay for two years’ worth of ongoing commitments in UW’s operating budget. The commitments include utility payments to keep the campus up and running, and salaries and benefits for faculty and staff.
WAA President and CEO Paula Bonner MS’78 said the effort engaged alumni in the democratic process and demonstrated that UW grads are strongly invested in the university’s future. “The response to ‘Save Bucky’ was an overwhelming show of support for the UW,” she says. “Advocating for the UW is a vital part of WAA’s mission and history, and I thank all alumni who sent in their postcards and chose to get involved.”
WAA provided the “Save Bucky” messages and tools through Alumni for Wisconsin, an organization of UW alumni and friends who volunteer to advocate for the university. The group creates a public dialogue about the importance of higher education in Wisconsin.
“Badger alumni are proof that when the state supports the UW, taxpayers see an outstanding return on their investment,” said Peter Christianson ’71, JD’77, chair of Alumni for Wisconsin. “UW graduates made their voices heard, and we know officials at the State Capitol got the message.”
To learn more about advocacy for the UW’s future, visit alumniforwisconsin.org.
— Kate Dixon ’01, MA’07
WAA provided the “Save Bucky” messages and tools through Alumni for Wisconsin, an organization of UW alumni and friends who volunteer to advocate for the university. The group creates a public dialogue about the importance of higher education in Wisconsin.
“Badger alumni are proof that when the state supports the UW, taxpayers see an outstanding return on their investment,” said Peter Christianson ’71, JD’77, chair of Alumni for Wisconsin. “UW graduates made their voices heard, and we know officials at the State Capitol got the message.”
To learn more about advocacy for the UW’s future, visit alumniforwisconsin.org.
— Kate Dixon ’01, MA’07
A Red Sea at UNLV
WAA hosts “world’s largest tailgate” — but who’s counting?
By all accounts, it was an alumni gathering of biblical proportions. On September 8, an estimated 13,500 fans flocked to the BADGER HUDDLE®/Blast before the UW football game against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, giving Badger fans a claim (if unverified) to a world record for the largest tailgate party by a visiting team. Temperatures topped 100 degrees, and hungry and thirsty tailgaters kept WAA and W Club organizers scrambling. The groups served up some 28,000 bratwurst topped with 100 gallons of ketchup and mustard, washed down by 60,000 beers and 31,000 soft drinks.
“We haven’t been able to find an official record for largest visiting tailgate,” says WAA president and CEO Paula Bonner, “but we’re confident no one can top the numbers we put up.”
After the sea of red-shirted people parted, they flooded the gates of Sam Boyd Stadium. Badger fans made up more than half of the 38,250 in attendance, the third largest crowd in UNLV history, and its fourth home game sellout. All four have come in games against the Badgers.
By all accounts, it was an alumni gathering of biblical proportions. On September 8, an estimated 13,500 fans flocked to the BADGER HUDDLE®/Blast before the UW football game against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, giving Badger fans a claim (if unverified) to a world record for the largest tailgate party by a visiting team. Temperatures topped 100 degrees, and hungry and thirsty tailgaters kept WAA and W Club organizers scrambling. The groups served up some 28,000 bratwurst topped with 100 gallons of ketchup and mustard, washed down by 60,000 beers and 31,000 soft drinks.
“We haven’t been able to find an official record for largest visiting tailgate,” says WAA president and CEO Paula Bonner, “but we’re confident no one can top the numbers we put up.”
After the sea of red-shirted people parted, they flooded the gates of Sam Boyd Stadium. Badger fans made up more than half of the 38,250 in attendance, the third largest crowd in UNLV history, and its fourth home game sellout. All four have come in games against the Badgers.
“Seeing all the red was overwhelming,” says Barb Finley ’82, who traveled to Vegas on a WAA athletic tour with husband Patrick Finley ’84, ’88 and three other couples, celebrating a friend’s fiftieth birthday.
Of course, it was hard to tell Badger fans from Rebel fans in the capacity crowd because both schools’ colors are basically the same. But after the scoreboard flashed the 20-13 Wisconsin victory, it was clear who was celebrating the Fifth Quarter — one for the record books, even if The Guinness Book of World Records refuses to acknowledge it.
— Karen Roach ’83
Of course, it was hard to tell Badger fans from Rebel fans in the capacity crowd because both schools’ colors are basically the same. But after the scoreboard flashed the 20-13 Wisconsin victory, it was clear who was celebrating the Fifth Quarter — one for the record books, even if The Guinness Book of World Records refuses to acknowledge it.
— Karen Roach ’83
Partners on the Palate
Abbott and Costello. Yin and Yang. Badger red and white. While all fine partners, none cross the palate as pleasantly as two Wisconsin culinary staples — beer and cheese. Last September, a group of fifty-three UW connoisseurs took a behind-the-scenes tour to find out how those Badger staples are made.
The tour was part of WAA’s Made in Wisconsin series, a lifelong learning program that gives participants an inside look at Wisconsin businesses through field trips to various companies around the state. The group’s first stop was the Roth Käse company in Monroe, where participants got to see the cheese-making process. After a Swiss-style lunch and demonstration on how to make fondue at the New Glarus Hotel, participants were entertained by an authentic Swiss yodeler, then headed to the New Glarus Brewery, where they were able to see beer made before taste-testing four different varieties.
“This was definitely one of our most successful Made in Wisconsin tours,” says WAA’s lifelong learning specialist Ellen Clarke ’06. “We really had an enthusiastic group, and this is a tour we hope to run again in the near future.”
Past Made in Wisconsin tours have included Harley-Davidson, Trek, and Ancora Coffee. For more information on upcoming tours and other lifelong learning programs, visit uwalumni.com/learning.
— Ben Wischnewski ’05
The tour was part of WAA’s Made in Wisconsin series, a lifelong learning program that gives participants an inside look at Wisconsin businesses through field trips to various companies around the state. The group’s first stop was the Roth Käse company in Monroe, where participants got to see the cheese-making process. After a Swiss-style lunch and demonstration on how to make fondue at the New Glarus Hotel, participants were entertained by an authentic Swiss yodeler, then headed to the New Glarus Brewery, where they were able to see beer made before taste-testing four different varieties.
“This was definitely one of our most successful Made in Wisconsin tours,” says WAA’s lifelong learning specialist Ellen Clarke ’06. “We really had an enthusiastic group, and this is a tour we hope to run again in the near future.”
Past Made in Wisconsin tours have included Harley-Davidson, Trek, and Ancora Coffee. For more information on upcoming tours and other lifelong learning programs, visit uwalumni.com/learning.
— Ben Wischnewski ’05
