Monday Meditation: WI Debate Alumni involved in UWM Scandal
October 23, 2006 – 8:00 am by: Nick BubbWhile most of us spent our Saturday debating, a story involving two former Wisconsin debaters and the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee’s student government broke into the Milwaukee Media. Former Appleton West Debater, Marquette LD Coach, and the first WDCA Champion in LD, Russ Rueden (HS Class of 2002), was implicated in a missing $10,000 from the UWM. UWM, unsatisfied with internal student measures to resolve the problem, has shut down the Student Government (Student Association) and even went so far as to lock the Student Association’s building. The allegations were first brought to the University’s attention by another Wisconsin debater, Jesse Dercks. Dercks competed in debate and forensics for Waukesha South.
You can read the full story over at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel(Link).
Whether these allegations are true or not, remains to be seen. Perhaps someone at the UWM could give the debate community a better perspective.
As Russ’ former colleague and competitor, I was completely shocked by this story. In fact, I feel a bit dirty reporting it here on WFD. I did not refrain from reporting because the debate community is one that deals both with good news and bad news. It does not hurt to read the story, get the facts, and pursue truth. One of the long tauted goals of debate is making friends you otherwise would not have made. That purpose would not ring true without a little salt every now and then.
6 Responses to “Monday Meditation: WI Debate Alumni involved in UWM Scandal”
Dear God, I thought Russ was going to be a priest…
By Jacob Swan on Oct 23, 2006
Wait… I read the article and looked at the testimoney and it looks like either Russ was embezzling, or that Dercks guy framed him up as a fall-guy. From what was said it looked like Dercks was monitoring the account for quite a while before the alleged crime, and his quotes seemed rather vindictive. Perhaps it just seeems that way to me because Russ is my ex-coach….
Regardless, if it comes down to a trial, we all know what’s going to happen. It’s Russ for crying-out-loud! He’ll just talk his way out of it…
By Nick Henegar on Oct 23, 2006
Well, the whole thing involving Russ goes even further. The Student Association has been under fire for quite awhile. Several former members of his cabinet (of which I was one) have been alarmed at the current breakdown in separation of powers and dismissal of proper rules and laws. You can find more on the story at http://www.theuniversitystandard.com and http://www.uwmpost.com.
I agree, though. Russ certainly is a talker but this sort of shady business has been around for awhile, sadly.
Lorenzo
By Lorenzo on Oct 24, 2006
Whoa. I just read those articles, and I agree with the general idea that this is indeed a little disturbing. What happens from here, who knows.
By Janesville Craig SA on Oct 25, 2006
Russ’s friend, Matt Franson, wrote him the $10,000 check made out to “AcerPrudens” – which is a marketing company out of Milwaukee and the website was created by Russ Rueden (which a quick WHOIS search of http://www.acerprudens.com can show you).
Clearly, Derks is not FRAMING Rueden. Rueden’s shady practices are finally catching up with him. Not to mention his gf, Samantha Prahl, is the president of the Student Association and it’s incredibly unbelievable that she didn’t know about all this……
By Lonni on Oct 27, 2006
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. :) Cheers! Sandra. R.
By sandrar on Sep 10, 2009