Almanac

Ask Bucky

Do you have questions? We have answers! Ask Bucky is a service provided by the Campus Information and Visitor Center, your one-stop shop for information about the UW–Madison campus and community and your centralized source for off-campus housing listings. For more information, call 263-2400, visit the office in the Red Gym or the new satellite location in Bascom Hall, or visit us at http://www.civc.wisc.edu. Below is a question Ask Bucky recently answered.

Q: Why is the badger Wisconsin’s state animal?

A: According to the Wisconsin Blue Book, in the 1800s, Wisconsin miners dug tunnels into the hillsides as they searched for lead. To stay warm during the frigid winter months, they would live in these tunnels, a practice greatly reminiscent of badger behavior. Thus, Wisconsin became known as the Badger state — but not officially.

Although badgers had long been associated with our coat of arms, the state flag, the University of Wisconsin, the official seal and even the architecture of the state Capitol, it was not until 1957 that it became the official animal. Around that time, four elementary school students from Jefferson County discovered that the badger had no official status in Wisconsin and contacted their legislators. When a bill to nominate the badger as our state animal was introduced, opposition developed and a group of northern legislators introduced a separate bill nominating the white-tailed deer because of its strength, regal stature and economic value. A compromise was later reached: The American badger was named the state animal, and the white-tailed deer was named the state “wildlife animal.”

Insurance premium reimbursement program offered

Faculty and staff can get a portion of their health insurance premium reimbursed for exercising at Recreational Sports facilities. Three health insurance programs, GHC, Unity and Dean, provide these awards programs at the NAT, SERF and SHELL. Rec Sports memberships are $52 for the semester and include access to all facilities. Direct any questions to recsports@wisc.edu or call 262-8244 or 262-3742.

Adult students to be honored on campus in March

A reception to honor outstanding adult students is scheduled for 4:30-6 p.m. on Friday, March 31, in the Lee Lounge at the Pyle Center.

Recipients of the 2006 Outstanding Undergraduate Returning Adult Student Awards and the recipients of the Adult Students Scholarships will be recognized by the Dean of Students, Division of Continuing Studies, and the Adult and Student Services Center.

Anyone interested in attending should call 263-6960 by March 23.