Althouse: "On Sunday, UW-Madison Dean of Students Lori Berquam produced an awkward, stilted YouTube video advising students 'Don't go'..."

April 24, 2012

"On Sunday, UW-Madison Dean of Students Lori Berquam produced an awkward, stilted YouTube video advising students 'Don't go'..."

"... to this year's Mifflin Street Block Party. The video went viral and students almost immediately began to heckle Berquam on social media."

80 comments:

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: My advice to you: don't comment on this post.; 4/24/12, 2:26 PM
Triangle Man said...: Don't do it.; 4/24/12, 2:28 PM
Rabel said...: Nice jacket.

Is that a Woolrich?

Are all the Deans carrying at UW or just the manly men?

That was rude. Sorry.; 4/24/12, 2:28 PM
MadisonMan said...: Be culturally respectful.

Oh brother.

I do think the advice to go with someone you know, and leave with someone you know, and don't take a beverage from someone you don't know, is fundamentally sound advice for any party.

I'm pretty sure the daughter is going.; 4/24/12, 2:35 PM
Bryan C said...: No! It is forbidden! Forbidden!

I'd also be offended if my block party was confused with Cinco de Mayo. I don't even like tequila.; 4/24/12, 2:36 PM
Calypso Facto said...: Nice job of promoting the party, Lori. If the weather cooperates, attendance will be double.; 4/24/12, 2:41 PM
Bob Ellison said...: Every day I'm Mifflin.; 4/24/12, 2:43 PM
Anonymous said...: Offensive because somebody made a shirt comparing it to Cinco de Mayo? Remember all the kick ass dual themed Grateful Dead shirts? Or Greek event shirts. That's just college tradition. Lighten up Francis.

And it has to be said...Ms. Berquam doesn't look at all like the stereotypical, hypersensitive, nanny state college dean. Not at all. Can't imagine where she got those glasses.

Oh, and was she advocating obeying the law during last year's protests?? Probably not. But that wasn't a party..or was it?

University of Wisconsin. Reaping what you sew.; 4/24/12, 2:46 PM
D.D. Driver said...: It's going to be CRAZY, students! People will be doing all sorts of dumb things. Don't go!

I'm no conspiracy theorist, but...; 4/24/12, 2:48 PM
Meade said...: "The video went viral ..." -Jason Joyce

As of April 24 @ 2:48 PM:
302 views
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc0vbho1I8k
96 likes, 8 dislikes

By "went" viral Jason probably meant "I hope it goes" viral.; 4/24/12, 2:50 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Some of the awkwardness may be do to a cognitive dissonance of what it means to liberally educate students today while asking them to reject something.

It may be a technical violation of the openness orthodoxy..

The students may not be used to hearing that they should reject something.. of course it sounds "awkward" to them.

(I'm reading Allan Bloom); 4/24/12, 2:51 PM
Automatic_Wing said...: Is this one of those things where college kids get drunk and puke all over people's lawns?; 4/24/12, 2:55 PM
Anonymous said...: Why do I get the feeling that a Cinco de Mifflin t-shirt offends this lady, but some classless anti-Jesus display at Christmas doesn't?

Bet she wouldn't have a problem with some good 'ol anti semitic #occupy chants either. Or Walker is Hitler...you know the routine.

University of Wisconsin. Too drunk and hypocritical to even know what were talking about.

That's why we all wear hispter glasses, when we pull our heads out of our asses.

They make us look smart.

I am fully convinced the education bubble is going to pop in a big way. Not only does it promote cultural stupidity, it seems to employ it as well.; 4/24/12, 3:00 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: If there is a block party on May 5 its a Cinco de Mayo affair..

Whats the problem?; 4/24/12, 3:02 PM
DADvocate said...: Mifflin Street Block Party=Project X
Lori Berquam=Middle school teacher lecturing students on behavior

"encourages really smart people to do stupid things." What does it encourage stupid people to do. Disrespectful to CInco de Mayo? Sorry, we're all tired of your PC bullshit. But, be culturally respectful, unless the people are conservatives or fundamentalist Christians.; 4/24/12, 3:03 PM
Shanna said...: It's possible to be disrespectful to Cinco de Mayo?

That remix was catchy. I don't remember having a 'dean of students' much less their advice about which parties to go to.; 4/24/12, 3:04 PM
Anonymous said...: I'm filling out one of Ms. Berquam's "Bias Incident Reporting Forms" because I told someone I support Scott Walker and they called me a fascist.

This is just brilliant.

http://students.wisc.edu/pdf/bias%20form.pdf; 4/24/12, 3:05 PM
edutcher said...: Cinco De Mayo is like St Patrick's Day, a chance for all the non-ethnics - and a great many of the once a year ethnics - to get plastered.

Love to see somebody wear a Vive Gen Lorencez and see if anybody got it.; 4/24/12, 3:07 PM
kjbe said...: Is this one of those things where college kids get drunk and puke all over people's lawns?

Yes, plus that last year's block party included two stabbings, three sexual assaults, three substantial batteries, four strong-armed robberies and numerous reports of property damage during and after the event, according to the report; three officers were injured; 162 arrests, including 37 UW-Madison students; police costs were $130,542, an increase of $42,983 from 2010. So, yeah, there's some cause for concern...not sure this was the way to go about it, though.; 4/24/12, 3:07 PM
Lyssa said...: It's possible to be disrespectful to Cinco de Mayo?

I can't watch the video and don't understand a bit about the controversy, but I have to wonder if we would be "disrespectful" to the US Independence Day if we all threw a big party, got drunk on Budwiser, and waved around American flags on July 4th.

Somehow, I think not.; 4/24/12, 3:10 PM
DADvocate said...: Kit - It sounds as bad as the University of Kentucky/Lexington's celebration over Louisville in the NCAA semi-finals. (Yeah, they celebrated that more than winning it all.); 4/24/12, 3:13 PM
ndspinelli said...: She forgot to say, "This will go on your permanent record."; 4/24/12, 3:17 PM
ndspinelli said...: She's perfect for UW, a PC, condescending idiot. This video should go on her permanent record because if UW ever decides to can her ass it will be exhibit A on how NOT to relate to students; 4/24/12, 3:20 PM
Fen said...: /Higher Education Bubble tag.

You could fire half these admins and no one would notice.; 4/24/12, 3:31 PM
Joe said...: Ahh, flashbacks to listening to assholes just like this when I was a teenager three decades ago.; 4/24/12, 3:39 PM
KCFleming said...: Sounds like Dunder Mifflin sure throws one hell of an office party.

Bring Your Own Beets!; 4/24/12, 3:43 PM
traditionalguy said...: She sounds like a Secret Service supervisor talking to the guys about the scheduled Whores Night Out in Cartagena.

How much trouble can beer and brats cause anyway?; 4/24/12, 3:44 PM
Calypso Facto said...: f UW ever decides to can her ass it will be exhibit A on how NOT to relate to students

Hahahaha. You crack me up, nd, suggesting that the UW would actually FIRE people for incompetence! Thanks for the laugh.; 4/24/12, 3:45 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Oh.. I know what the problem is.. its a scheduling conflict between the Commies and the Mexicans.; 4/24/12, 3:46 PM
KCFleming said...: She forgot the immortal words of all Deans: "Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son."; 4/24/12, 3:48 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Its like two women wearing the same dress at a party.. its a celebration fopa.; 4/24/12, 3:50 PM
ndspinelli said...: Great line Pogo..you win the thread!; 4/24/12, 3:58 PM
Beta Rube said...: "Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son."

And yet I seem to have landed on my feet.; 4/24/12, 4:03 PM
Anonymous said...: As a veteran of higher ed, I think she was forced to do this because of "cultural" complaints by someone about Cinco de Mayo.; 4/24/12, 4:10 PM
KCFleming said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 4/24/12, 4:13 PM
KCFleming said...: Please come to Mifflin
For the par-tay
I'm drinkin' here with some friends
And they've got lots of booze
You can puke your guts out on the sidewalk
By the Terrace where I will be protestin' soon
Please come to Mifflin
She said no, don't go if you want your degree; 4/24/12, 4:17 PM
rhhardin said...: She has trouble with content and form both.; 4/24/12, 4:17 PM
Brennan said...: I speak Wisconsin. She actually said "Buy me a drink."; 4/24/12, 4:18 PM
KCFleming said...: Strangely, the video made me want to attend Mifflin, and I am 210 miles away and older than 50.

Was that reverse psychology stuff her intent?
Because it totally worked!; 4/24/12, 4:31 PM
bagoh20 said...: She's right. If you go to something like that you might get crazy and do dumb things. Maybe get drunk and wild and have sex and wake up somewhere surprising or even in jail.

Damn, I miss that. I would give anything to be able to do that again. At my age it just doesn't work the same, but if it did, I'd be there.

Oh, and as she says, it can ruin your college career if you do it too much. You might end up like me and have to work for a living by commenting on Althouse all day while raking in the dough. Trust me, you don't want to push that rock up the hill.

That reminds me. At my apartment in college we had a party with 50 (I shit you not) kegs of beer and a live band. As the kegs emptied out, we had a contest to see who could push one up a hill the farthest without using their hands. This was enormously entertaining, but I was the star as I ran my motorcycle head on into a parked car and literally flew into the middle of the party landing next to a keg entirely unhurt as someone handed me a beer.

Where was this lady when I needed her?; 4/24/12, 4:40 PM
Shanna said...: its a celebration fopa

Heh.; 4/24/12, 4:44 PM
KCFleming said...: But at least you were culturally respectful, bagoh, whatever that is.; 4/24/12, 4:44 PM
bagoh20 said...: Well, we certainly showed a lot of respect for Irish and German culture - maybe too much.; 4/24/12, 4:49 PM
paminwi said...: The Berquam woman was one of the "administrators" who made such a big deal about the diversity issues at UW-Madison back in September 2011. She said discussion about affirmative action was "a threat to our diversity efforts."

Lori and Chief Diversity Officer, Damon Williams set up a meeting of students to make sure they knew where the presentation of the report was going to be and those very students ended up using force to gain entrance into a hotel facility that had been closed to them by coming through the kitchen and then opening doors that had been closed to them. She helped create an unsafe environment for many and from that point forward I have had no use for any of her "pronouncements". She is just the type of person UW-Madison hires and is so VERY proud of.; 4/24/12, 5:09 PM
Dan from Madison said...: Mifflin and the fifth of May outrage? I bet all the money I have that Berquam, when she was marching around the square last February, didn't think there was any problem with the (insert tyrannical despot here) = Walker signs. Offensive indeed.; 4/24/12, 5:21 PM
Methadras said...: This was a Dunder Mifflin.; 4/24/12, 5:24 PM
Methadras said...: Maybe even a Blunder Mifflin.; 4/24/12, 5:25 PM
James said...: Where's the lecture about feminism and the oppressive patriarchy, Ann? You're slipping.; 4/24/12, 5:25 PM
LarryK said...: Why does this defender of the white, hegemonic establishment oppose the "joint" celebration of a Mexican military loss and good old-fashioned Madtown hedonism? Cinco de Mifflin is multi-culturalism in action.; 4/24/12, 5:26 PM
William said...: How different my life would be today if I had taken a mulligan on the Mifflin. Keg beer, autoerotic hanging, and chain saws do not mix.; 4/24/12, 5:45 PM
Anonymous said...: My daughter went to Mifflin all four years of undergrad, she managed to keep a few of her brain cells to go on to law school.; 4/24/12, 5:53 PM
ndspinelli said...: Brain cells are not a requirement for law school. They're a detriment.; 4/24/12, 5:59 PM
ndspinelli said...: James, The part about not taking a drink from someone is about roofies. And, to be honest, which I always try to be, is not bad advice for women.; 4/24/12, 6:01 PM
ddh said...: Don't go to the Mifflin event. I will be disappointed if you go to the Mifflin event. If you do go, I will send you a video telling you how vewwy, vewwy disappointed I am.; 4/24/12, 6:09 PM
jp said...: More help with student loans?????

Not from this taxpayer.; 4/24/12, 6:13 PM
Robert said...: Wiki:

No major riots have occurred since 1996.[3]

Er....... what's a minor riot?; 4/24/12, 6:28 PM
Blue@9 said...: I wonder if they taught this lady in educator school that it's not a good idea to tell a bunch of college kids "Don't do this, don't do that."

Has she ever met any college students?

I can almost guarantee that there will be a hugely popular "Lori Berquam drinking game" by the time the party starts.; 4/24/12, 6:41 PM
rhhardin said...: More padding in the shoulders would increase her authority.

Otherwise she'll just look like another crazy workplace female.; 4/24/12, 7:10 PM
Anonymous said...: Doesn't the poor woman realize she is fighting against centuries of tradition?

Drinking and Carousing at Medieval Universities; 4/24/12, 7:17 PM
SteveR said...: Cinco de Mayo has been co-opted by Mexican beer distributors and the amatuer party crowd (e.g. New Years Eve, St Patricks Day). Growing up in the SW, it was never more than what it is, not some PC excuse to act like you know and care about something. She'd look slightly less stupid if she had left that out.; 4/24/12, 7:17 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: Oh man, you guys are such fucking rebels! Frat boy shit - now that's being on the cutting edge!

Keggers! Drinking games! Stabbings! Sexual assaults! Assault and battery! Strong-armed robbery! Property damage! Go on, show that screwy dean how "hip" you are!

You're a bunch of fucking doorknobs - and the reason drugs will never be legalized in this country - and why everyone responsible (who doesn't need a crowd to show off in front of) has to be deprived.

Let anybody say "be responsible" and your knee-jerk reaction in "Hell No!" because you ain't got the good sense you were born with that, yeah, fire is hot. What a bunch of losers. It's embarrassing to think you guys even have kids, just so that you can inculcate them with your silly behavior. Go on - cheer their stupidity - that's the way to do it!

Maturity is too much to ask of anyone anymore.

Signed,

The guy who's done more drugs than all of you put together and didn't need an audience to do it.

P.S.

Bagoh - riding your motorcycle head on into a parked car? Nice.

You people will grow up one day, but - clearly - there will have to be a lot of dead bodies around before you do,...; 4/24/12, 7:39 PM
rcocean said...: Seriously, didn't anyone watch her for more than a minute.

How much does she get paid anyway?; 4/24/12, 8:07 PM
DADvocate said...: what's a minor riot?

All the participants are under 18.; 4/24/12, 8:09 PM
DADvocate said...: Keggers! Drinking games! Stabbings! Sexual assaults! Assault and battery! Strong-armed robbery! Property damage! Go on, show that screwy dean how "hip" you are!

At my alma mater, Tennessee, that's called a home football game.; 4/24/12, 8:11 PM
rcocean said...: Come on Crack, do honestly think she's really against drug use or sex (as long as its GAY sex)?

She's just a liberal prude. Which means she's not only dull, she's intellectually inconsistent and vapid. I don't even think she was sincere.

Except, I think the Cinco de Mayo really upset her though. That, and girls having heterosexual sex.; 4/24/12, 8:12 PM
bagoh20 said...: Crack, You spout everyday about your badness and do it in front of as big an audience as you hope you can get, so spare me the bullshit. Your better-than-thou is not any different than any of the other self-promoting bullshitters that came before ye. I support your efforts, but like a religious fundamentalist, you think the whole world is sinners and you're here to save us. Problem is that nobody wants to live in your world of purity, and you can't just shoot the guy next to you because the real enemy is too far away.; 4/24/12, 8:29 PM
KCFleming said...: I have not scaled the mountain bare-knuckled, nor had a lost weekend, nor slept with another man's wife and ran off with her, shooting into the sky.

Never have I fought off a wild beast, nor sustained a minor chord before adoring fans, nor made a room of women weak in the knees.

But I held my babies, small and pink. I fed them at 2 and 4, and changed them, and took them to school, and chased away the monsters beneath their beds.

I worked every day. Never called in sick. Never bitched to my boss. Did my work, and went home. Saw people born and die, get sick, get well, fade away.

So what?

College was all work and no play for me. I am glad my kids experienced some of its fun, and weren't an old man before his time like me. Not regret, just recognition that some of that youthful exuberance is right and lovely and good, and now I am glad for it.

There is time enough for the yoke.; 4/24/12, 8:49 PM
Anonymous said...: Pogo, it's never to late to have some fun. It's just slower fun. Grab the gusto.; 4/24/12, 8:55 PM
bagoh20 said...: Well, someone should say it:

"Hey you kids - get off my god-damned lawn!"; 4/24/12, 8:55 PM
KCFleming said...: True, Allie.

I was writing for Crack, to explain perhaps that beauty and liveliness and raucous partying and the occasional bacchanal each have their season.

His season, it seems to me, is dead earnest discovery of man's darkness, of which I know a piece.

No one can join him. It's a singular battle. It has always been thus. I wish him luck, and pray he comes through it wiser still.; 4/24/12, 9:05 PM
bagoh20 said...: "There is time enough for the yoke."

And time to lay down for a spell now and then.

I was an wildly undisciplined young man, but then became a workaholic for decades. Now, I have an appreciation for both. The new problem is giving in to either. What was natural, now takes effort. I wish I could just switch either on or off and have an unexamined go at it. Getting old is what happens when you over-think your options, but it may be curable.; 4/24/12, 9:12 PM
David said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 4/24/12, 9:28 PM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 4/24/12, 9:30 PM
David said...: My bright college days:

Freshman year: We decided to burn our fraternity insignia in the lawn of the Delta House. As head fool of our group, I was in charge of the gasoline. Long story short, I found myself inside a circle of flames 5 feet tall while still holding a large container of gasoline.

Sophomore: Lost my motorcycle on a party weekend.

Junior: Decided it would be a good idea to clear the floor in a third floor fraternity room by tossing a empty been keg through the window. Somehow I neglected to worry that someone might be outside under the window. Luckily there was not.

There's more, but these were some highlights.

"Don't" was actually very good advice in all instances.; 4/24/12, 9:30 PM
David said...: ". It's embarrassing to think you guys even have kids, just so that you can inculcate them with your silly behavior. Go on - cheer their stupidity - that's the way to do it!"

I made a 180 degree turn when I got married and had kids. Life was a lot better being responsible than it was being a ridiculous asshole. Still is. To the extent that my kids understood how irresponsible I had been, I used the classic "do as I say, not as I do (or did)."

My kids done pretty well, and are all deeply into adult life. It's not clear what that proves. I generally believe (there are exceptions) that parents get too much credit for their kids' success, and too much blame for their failings.; 4/24/12, 9:49 PM
William said...: I too have committed my share of youthful indiscretions. But this much I will say in my favor: I never behaved poorly while wearing lederhosen. I just hope no young man disgraces himself at this festival while wearing lederhosen. Lederhosen is always an aggravating factor. I especially dislike those cheap plastic ones that have "Kiss Me I'm German" written on the seat of the pants.; 4/24/12, 10:47 PM
Chuck66 said...: She does make this sound like quite the party. I want to go!! I will be the 37 year old guy with a bit of a gut and a novelty beer drinking T-shirt on.; 4/24/12, 11:38 PM
Paco Wové said...: LEELA: Last week it was Robamadan, and the week before that, Robanzaa.

FRY: Man, that one was a blast.

BENDER: It was not just a "blast". It was a celebration of the accomplishments of my past prototypes, which just happened to take the form of a drinking contest.; 4/25/12, 7:32 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: To Pogo: Thanks.

To the rest of you:

Do you ever ask yourselves what it is we're doing here? What it is we actually want? Is this truly the best we can accomplish? I can't help but wonder because I so rarely see a call for anything higher.

And mine isn't a crusade against partying. This week I've drank like a fish, did my share of illegals, and danced like a demon, and rarely got home before daylight. But you know what? It's never been stupid behavior for the sake of being stupid. Sorry, but no driving motorcycles into parked cars for me and I wouldn't endorse it - ever.

My criticism is directed toward that stupid knee-jerk idea of rebellion displayed toward the dean. That the mere suggestion not to join a collection of idiots is somehow an affront to right-thinking people that HAS to be confronted by being the idiots she warns against.

Are there no other options? Really?

Is not thinking the only thought in anyone's head anymore?; 4/25/12, 5:24 PM
Meade said...: "dancing like a demon" sounds a little new age-y to me.; 4/25/12, 6:06 PM