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January 5, 2026

Research

White students more likely to exit Madison schools via open enrollment

Posted on
The Cap Times

A University of Wisconsin-Madison class started the fall semester with a big question to tackle: Which families are opting not to enroll their children in the Madison school district, and why?

After a semester of conducting background research, analyzing data and reaching out directly to Madison families for interviews, one key finding was that nearly 1,600 middle and high school students open enrolled out of Madison schools into another public school district over the last three years — with white families being the most likely to leave.

Higher Education/System

Report calls for centralization, consolidation at UW-Madison

Posted on
Channel 3000

UW-Madison should centralize its human resources operations and consolidate its capital projects into one plan in order to improve oversight, a third-party report commissioned by the university recommends.

The report, which was completed by consulting firm Deloitte, highlighted issues with the school’s HR structure that led to inconsistencies in recruiting, payment and salary adjustment. The university was also found to have limited coordination on capital projects leading to inefficient planning.

AI, new leaders: 5 things to watch at the Universities of Wisconsin in 2026

Posted on
Wisconsin State Journal

In 2025, the Universities of Wisconsin had another packed year.

The fallout from the Trump administration canceling students’ visas, federal funding uncertainty for research, the closure of a branch campus and downsizing of another, the rollout of new policies faculty called controversial and campuswide budget cuts at UW-Madison are just a few of the moments the State Journal covered.

Campus life

State news

Wisconsin farmers worry that Trump farm aid won’t be enough

Posted on
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Paul Mitchell, chairman of the Agricultural and Applied Economics program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said many farmers weren’t prepared for the drop seen in soybean prices in recent years, and the tariffs compounded the situation.

“It creates a lot of uncertainty,” he said. “That’s the effect of these trade wars.”