PLAYING THE BADGERS BEFORE NEW YEAR'S DAY? Professor Bainbridge got the word about an extended Christmas closure at UCLA (motto: On! Wisconsin!) where apparently conditions are not quite as tight as they are at NIU (motto: BCS bites!) where there will be a 16 day closure, with December 22 and 23 becoming the forced vacation days or mandatory docking of two days' pay for non-instructional, non-exempt, and exempt employees. His characterization of the closure decision as "lousy" for lower-paid employees is spot on.