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March 13, 2024

Research

Wisconsin’s pay gap between men and women is worse than the national gap

Posted on
Wisconsin Public Radio

The pay gap for men and women in Wisconsin is worse than the gap between genders nationally, even as female representation on the state’s corporate boards continues to grow.

Nationally, women working in full-time, year-round jobs earn about 84 cents for every dollar a man makes, according to the most recent figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. In Wisconsin, women make nearly 81 cents to every dollar a man makes, Census Bureau data shows.

A recent report from the University of Wisconsin-Extension found the pay gap persists, even for those with college degrees.

UW researchers find economic disparities for families of children with developmental disabilities during COVID-19

Posted on
Badger Herald

In a study published last month titled “Economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on families of children with autism” researchers analyzed how families of children with developmental disabilities, including autism, faced significant economic disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic, using data from the Study to Explore Early Development, a case control study designed for young children with developmental disorders.

UW professor studies ‘sin tax’ on unhealthy products

Posted on
Badger Herald

University of Wisconsin assistant professor in economics Martin O’Connell is investigating the theoretical effects of a sin tax, which are placed on products that have external costs — such as sugars, nicotine and alcohol. The idea behind implementing these taxes is decrease consumer consumption of unhealthy products, like soda, according to O’Connell’s research.

Higher Education/System

Wisconsin Senate approves bills restricting transgender athletes, giving Legislature control over federal funds

Posted on
Wisconsin State Journal

The Senate also for the first time passed Assembly Joint Resolution 109, a constitutional amendment that’s Wisconsin Republicans’ latest step in their fight against government-run diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Republican lawmakers last year struck a deal requiring the Universities of Wisconsin to restructure its DEI programs, and GOP legislative leaders have said they plan to scrutinize similar programs in state agencies.

Wisconsin Republicans fire 8 more Evers appointees, including regents and judicial watchdogs

Posted on
The Associated Press

Republicans who control the state Senate fired eight more of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ appointees Tuesday, including two Universities of Wisconsin regents who voted against a deal that limited campus diversity and four judicial watchdogs who wouldn’t commit to punishing liberal state Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz.

Senate rejects 8 of Gov. Tony Evers’ appointees, including 2 from the UW Board of Regents

Posted on
Wisconsin State Journal

The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate on Tuesday fired eight of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ appointees, including two on the UW Board of Regents whose rejection came after they voted last year against a divisive deal that gives the UW system additional state funding in exchange for scaling back diversity efforts.

State news

Wisconsin’s wildfire season is beginning fast, with risk above normal

Posted on
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Another factor is the state’s ongoing drought from last year, said Steve Vavrus, Wisconsin’s state climatologist and the assistant director at the University of Wisconsin Madison’s Center for Climatic Research. About 68 percent of Wisconsin is in a drought, according to the latest data from the United States Drought Monitor. With 18.5 percent in a “severe drought” or a level two out of four.

“The concern right now, is that we’re in a drought still from last year. In fact, the drought conditions have worsened quietly in the last few weeks,” Vavrus said. “If we get a few more of the really unseasonably warm days that we had (earlier this month) … there’s legitimate concerns surrounding the higher risk of fire in Wisconsin and elsewhere.”

Are Eric Hovde’s claims about the national debt under Biden, Baldwin correct? We took a look.

Posted on
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

One point right off the bat: The 2020 fiscal year ended in September 2020, which means the numbers include the last few months of former President Donald Trump’s time in office.

Overall, Hovde is “pretty close on the actual numbers,” said Menzie Chinn, a professor of public affairs and economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. However, Chinn said, “the basic point is that the numbers are meaningless.”

Athletics

UW Experts in the News

Health food packaging buzzwords are confusing. This guide can help.

Posted on
National Geographic

Kathleen Glass, associate director of the Food Research Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, describes purchasing organic as “a lifestyle choice,” adding that there’s no evidence that organic is more microbiologically safe than conventionally grown foods.  Compared with 50 years ago, she says, the amount of pesticides and herbicides allowed on food are well below levels that could cause long-term health impacts.