Posted inEducation, Justice & Safety

Undercover students used in drug busts at some University of Wisconsin campuses

Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism checks at the UW System’s 13 four-year campuses turned up three sites at which officials acknowledge using students arrested for drug activities to make controlled buys. Opponents say this practice could place students in dangerous situations and exploits their vulnerability to losing thousands of dollars of federal financial aid and tuition by being suspended from school. But supporters say it provides an opportunity for students to avoid felonies.

Posted inEducation, Government, Justice & Safety

Emergency text alerts not reaching most people on University of Wisconsin campuses

Only three of the University of Wisconsin System’s 13 four-year campuses — Platteville, Stevens Point and Parkside — have more than half of students, faculty and staff signed up to receive text alerts, according to a review by the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism. The overall participation rate for all 13 campuses is about 32 percent, the Center found, based on data from each campus.

Posted inEducation, Health & Welfare

‘Smart drug’ abuse rising on Wisconsin campuses

Experts say easy access to and casual acceptance of Adderall — a prescription drug that treats attention disorders — is increasingly common on campuses, including UW-Madison, where students coping with high academic demands are turning to illicit use of it and other stimulants.

Posted inEducation, Health & Welfare, Justice & Safety

Investigators head off threats from 125 troubled people at UW-Madison

Officials at the University of Wisconsin-Madison say they defused threats from 125 troubled students, employees and area residents under a little-known program launched two years ago in response to deadly tragedies on college campuses in Virginia and Illinois.

But the program didn’t identify at least three individuals before they caused problems at Wisconsin’s flagship campus, including threats against a campus leader, a bomb threat and a murder near campus.