Over the past year, the University of Wisconsin has received a considerable amount of bad press. From the UW's reputation as the number one party school to its lack of diversity, criticism of the University is the highest it has been in recent memory. State legislators, alumni and Wisconsin residents only see and hear about the UW's shortcomings. However, lost among all of the negative media coverage are the students themselves and the extraordinary efforts they are making to correct these stereotypes.
Each spring, the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board and the Wisconsin Alumni Association team up to celebrate all that is great about the UW-Madison campus community by throwing a cost-free and alcohol-alternative party. The All-Campus Party is a week long festival held during the last week of April, which brings together campus organizations, university administration and local businesses to embrace the end of another great school year, celebrate the onset of spring and share the enthusiasm of our campus community. This year, over 60 unique student organizations, ranging from the Korean Student Association to the Campus Vegetarian Society, from the Associated Students of Madison to the Breakdancing Club, will hold their own events during ACP to showcase the diversity of campus life.
Thousands of students attend ACP events throughout the week and partake in alcohol-free activities. Whether voting for this year's All-Campus Idol or dancing the night away at Club Bucky, UW students enjoy social settings such as these without drinking. This is a far cry from how our university is perceived by many people around the state and around the country. It is unfortunate that the party school reputation has overshadowed student efforts to reverse the public's perception of the University.
All-Campus Party is just one of the many UW events that seeks to unify the student body while embracing and expanding its diversity. We hope that the efforts of the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board and numerous other campus organizations are not overshadowed by negative press coverage. As graduating seniors, we are proud to have been a part of UW-Madison and we look forward to continuing our pride as alumni. Let's not forget all of the positive benefits that the University provides to the state, and especially, the students —those same students who will become Wisconsin's future leaders.
Calvin Wysocki is a senior majoring in chemistry and French. Andrew Schmitz is a senior majoring in legal studies and political science. They represent the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board as president and vice president, respectively.
