Not that I'm trying to relive my past or anything, but in recent months I've been contacted by a few friends and acquaintences (I had no enemies) from college and gotten updates on their whereabouts and activities. So if I may turn a nostalgic eye towards UW Milwaukee for a moment as they prepare to return to the classroom...
Student newspapers recently were dealt a blow to their First Amendment rights when an appeals court ruled that limits on high school newspapers could also apply to college newspapers that are funded as a student activity. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel incorrectly states this would exempt the UWM Post because, "Daily newspapers at UW-Madison and the UWM Post retain stronger first amendment protections because they receive no university funding." The UWM Post pushed that line back when I was a student (when a "laptop" is what a grad student sat on). However, the Journal Sentinel should run a retraction because, unless the UWM Post has moved their offices (they haven't), they occupy some fine office real estate in the student union rent free. So much for independence.
Meanwhile, I'm pleased to discover that the student government at UW-Milwaukee is still a mess. We hit upon the perfect solution prior to my leaving college. So any enterprising young student at UWM who wants fame and glory, here's your chance. Run for student government president on a platform to abolish student government. In one fell swoop you get to reduce student fees (thus lowering tuition), end student government corruption, and you get to put on your resume you were UWM student government president. Heck, that's more than the Democratic candidate for Congress in the 1st district can boast.
