The Division of Student Life has appointed Gabe Javier as new assistant dean of students and director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Campus Center.

Javier is currently the interim assistant to the dean of students and senior assistant director of the Spectrum Center at the University of Michigan.

"We are excited to have Gabe join our division," said associate dean Argyle Wade, chair of the search committee. "He brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and national leadership on LGBTQ issues to our campus."

Priorities for the new director include transitioning the LGBT Campus Center to a new office on the first floor of the Red Gym, fostering community among LGBTQ students, and reviewing the center's educational and support programs.

"The amount of involvement by all aspects of the campus community on this search was remarkable," Wade says.

Javier will begin on Aug. 1.

Pixie Dust was magic for a team of University of Wisconsin-Madison food science graduate students in New Orleans last weekend. That's the name of the drink mix that earned them first place in a Disney-sponsored food product development contest at the Institute of Food Technologists annual meeting in New Orleans.

The contest invited entries of products that were healthy for kids and Disney themed. Pixie Dust is made from freeze-dried fruit and can be mixed with either milk or water. It supplies the equivalent of a full serving of fruit.

It was a good year overall for UW-Madison students at the IFT conference. Another UW-Madison team earned third place in another IFT food product competition with a shelf-stable yogurt truffle called Blissful Bites. A third team won an honorable mention in the Disney competition with a product called Tangerine Dreams, a carbonated beverage the provides a full serving of low-fat dairy.

The state Assembly plans to begin debate of Gov. Scott Walker's two-year budget on Wednesday afternoon, after it delayed the start Tuesday evening.

Republican leaders said they needed hours more to draft amendments. Democrats agreed with the move.

The Legislature hopes to pass the budget by the end of the week. The Senate is taking it up on Thursday.

Democrats said Walker's $66 billion spending plan hurts the middle class through massive cuts to public education and other changes. Republicans said it's a responsible plan that makes the tough choices necessary to plug a $3 billion budget shortfall.

About 2,500 protesters showed up at the Capitol on Tuesday to speak out about several parts of the plan.