The University of Wisconsin-Madison's student government, Associated Students of Madison, is attempting to create a more professional image, and in doing so, engage more students. ASM recently created a press office, a new Web site, and a new logo.

"ASM's new logo serves as a forerunner of many significant changes within the organization," according to ASM's press release.

"Creation of the new logo signifies the organization's desire to connect with students." A lack of student involvement has long been a problem for UW-Madison student government.

Typically, about 7 to 10 percent of students turn out to vote in student elections. The group also recently appointed a campus safety initiatives coordinator and announced it would work closely with the neighborhood group Capitol Neighborhoods Inc. on issues important to both UW-Madison students and Downtown residents.

Arts Lofts

The Arts Lofts, a new facility for the UW-Madison art department on Frances Street, are now occupied with faculty and students.

They began moving into the space, an old university warehouse transformed by a $9.2 million renovation, over the semester break. The opening means that all art department programs are now consolidated into two locations: the Arts Lofts and the top two floors of the Humanities Building.

Next up is an effort to bring the Tandem Press, a fine-art printmaking studio, into the same building.

Brookfield student wins

For creating an original song about getting into college, Brookfield eighth-grader Alexander Siy will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Alexander won a video contest sponsored by KnowHow2GOWisconsin and EdVEST, Wisconsin's official college savings program. The contest asked students throughout the state to create videos dramatizing one of four steps to college: Be a pain, push yourself, find the right fit and get some financial aid. More than 70 students from 22 cities in Wisconsin participated in the contest. The winning videos will be unveiled at the UW System Board of Regents meeting Friday.

New building for Oshkosh

UW-Oshkosh will get a new academic building for the first time since 1971, after the state building commission approved it last week. The state is providing $54 million for the 175,000-square-foot academic center and the university is raising an additional $8 million from private donors.

— Deborah Ziff