Founded 1901

Royal Purple

Founded 1901

Royal Purple

Founded 1901

Royal Purple

Wegener’s death a chilling reminder to stay safe

As we all settle in to our dorms, apartments, and houses, we let go of summer and welcome in the school year. Summer is often a time of vacations, summer jobs, and fun. However, this summer came with grim news.

On May 30, the university’s summer got off to a somber start with the disappearance and death of 20-year-old soon-to-be junior, Mark Wegener.

His death is a dampening but important reminder for students to be careful and keep safety a top priority.

While outsiders may be quick to make their own judgments about this case, friends of Wegener have consistently stated it was out of character for him to wander off on his own, leading to confusion and suspicion from many.

Although Whitewater may not have the same dangers as big cities such as Milwaukee or Madison, it’s important that everyone is cautious when making decisions.The fall 2010 semester saw three separate hate crimes take place on the UW-Whitewater campus, with two of them involving potentially violent physical and verbal attacks. While those incidents are behind us now, the fear instilled in students will not be forgotten.

La Crosse area universities and colleges have seen eight college-aged males die in the Mississippi River since 1997: Richard Hlavaty, 19; Charles Blatz, 28; Anthony Skifton, 19; Nathan Kapfer, 20; Jeffrey Geesey, 20; Patrick Runingen, 23; Jared Dion, 21; and Luke Homan, 21.
Since the La Crosse deaths were all alcohol-related, it is important to be safe while consuming alcohol.  While Wegener’s accidental death was also alcohol-related, it’s unclear if the consumption of alcohol led to the accident.

While drinking under the age of 21 is illegal and not condoned by the Royal Purple, it’s obvious under-aged people still participate.
It’s vital that anybody who does consume it, regardless of age, does so with their own safety, as well as everybody else’s safety, as a priority.
To ensure your safety, make sure you have a friend with you when you’re walking on campus, especially at night. If you’re intoxicated, don’t drive. Instead, take a cab or have a sober friend pick you up.

All these incidents can serve as chilling reminders that no matter where you are, or what you’re doing on campus, anything can happen. Everyone’s safety is what should be at the top of each person’s priority list.

Often it is easy to ignore such advice. After all, many of us have heard chidings from a parent to be careful far too often.

However, as we mature and grow, we learn that such warnings are to be taken seriously.

Just because we attend school at UW-Whitewater doesn’t mean danger isn’t near. With that being said, it’s not necessary to live in a state of fear.
The wiser we become, the more the realization sets in that anything can happen on any day. With that in mind, be safe, stick with friends, and live life.

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Founded 1901
Wegener’s death a chilling reminder to stay safe