On the heels of a national championship season, the University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team reached new highs for home crowd sizes in 2019-20.
Badgers women’s hockey team sets record for crowd size in 2019-20
Wisconsin State Journal
Author: gbump
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway extends curfew in Madison for two nights
The Capital Times
Madison will be under curfew for the next two nights, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway announced Monday on the third day of protesting over police brutality.
Gov. Tony Evers appoints new members to UW Board of Regents
Wisconsin State Journal
A Madison attorney who often represents sexual assault victims, the CEO of a Milwaukee startup and a UW-Whitewater student joined the state’s board overseeing public universities, Gov. Tony Evers announced Monday.
“If we are really going to affect change, then it’s going to take everyone:” Badger coaches respond following George Floyd’s death
Channel 3000
Wisconsin Badger coaches are responding following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died while in police custody in Minneapolis last week.
UW regents consider student fees, room-and-board increases
NBC-15
The regents are scheduled to vote Thursday on a 2020-21 operating budget that calls for increasing student fees an average of $30 across the system’s four-year schools. Room-and-board costs would go up an average of nearly $130 across the institutions.
How Do You Decide if Children Can Play Together Again?
The New York Times
If you are contemplating a play date, taking into account all these risks, you will need good communication with the other parents. “A start would be, hi, our kids have been asking about getting together, and as you know, this is a complicated conversation right now,” said Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. A parent could continue, “I wanted to start with an open conversation, see where you are, tell you where I am, and see if it’s possible to send a consistent message to our kids.”
UW’s Barry Alvarez on George Floyd’s death: “A life was lost and it mattered”
NBC-15
The man whose name has become synonymous with Wisconsin Badgers’ athletics, Barry Alvarez, took a moment Friday night to shine a light on the pain felt by UW’s African-American students, coaches, and staff in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis earlier this week.
Demonstrators Gather In Milwaukee To Protest George Floyd, Joel Acevedo Killings
Wisconsin Public Radio
Other law enforcement around the state have condemned the actions of officers involved in Floyd’s death, including University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Chief Kristen Roman, president of the Dane County Chiefs of Police Association. The Wisconsin State Journal reported that Roman said the action or inaction by officers was unjustifiable.
UW touts study showing salary averages for graduates
NBC-15
A new University of Wisconsin study shows that its graduates earn a median salary of about $49,000 one year after earning a bachelor’s degree and those from Wisconsin are about six-times more likely to remain in the state than those who come to the school from elsewhere.
They survived centuries of elephant onslaught. Now climate change is killing these iconic baobabs
Monga Bay
With their water-rich interiors, baobabs are part of the park’s attraction to elephants. The natural process of elephants digging into these trees doesn’t usually cause lasting damage. Baobabs have a unique ability among trees to recover their bark and tissue, says David Baum from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who has studied the trees for more than 30 years. “Baobabs have coexisted with elephants for millions of years, which probably explains why they have evolved such a remarkable ability for regrowth,” he says.
Violence Erupts In Madison After Demonstrators Gather Across Wisconsin Demanding Justice For George Floyd
Wisconsin Public Radio
After 2 a.m. Sunday, University of Wisconsin-Madison police tweeted the situation on State Street had “stabilized,” but said a significant law enforcement presence remained and encouraged people to avoid the area.
George Floyd protests: Extremists causing riots, Minn. officials say
USA Today
Pamela Oliver, a sociology expert from the University of Wisconsin-Madison specializing in protests, said politicians sometimes blame outsiders for causing trouble as a way of pretending there’s no real problem within a community. That’s not what’s happening here, she said: Political leaders acknowledge Floyd’s death focused sharp attention on longstanding problems.
Hurricanes pick up speed
Telegraph India
In almost every region of the world where hurricanes form, their maximum sustained winds are getting stronger. Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and University of Wisconsin-Madison Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, both in the US, analysed 40 years of hurricane satellite imagery to come to this conclusion. A warming planet may be fuelling the increase, speculates the paper that was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
To prevent pandemics, bridging the human and animal health divide
Salon.com
Sandra Newbury, director of the Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, worked with the shelters to contain the virus. Thanks to the private donor, they were able to offer free testing and medical care for the adopted cats, eventually isolating hundreds that had been infected. “We were really aggressive in our efforts to not let it spread,” Newbury said. She believes identifying such a large number of infected animals and quarantining them allowed the authorities to eradicate the virus. According to Newbury, no positive tests have been reported since March 2017.
Protesters challenge curfew as downtown Madison erupts for second night
The Capital Times
For the second day, a Madison protest against police violence against black people led to tense confrontations between activists and officers downtown. After a lengthy march, protesters engaged in a game of cat-and-mouse with authorities that stretched past midnight.
Amidst the pandemic, autism’s largest conference moves online
Spectrum News
Because digital talks are easier attend, they may reach larger audiences, says Brett Ranon Nachman, a doctoral candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who is autistic. For the meeting in Montreal, Canada, last year, he co-organized a special-interest group on higher education for autistic adults. This year, the group will present as part of a webinar series called the INSAR Institute, organized by INSAR.
Hannah Sherfinski: Breaking the silence: Identifying youth in need through trauma screening
The Capital Times
Column by Hannah Sherfinski, a dual degree MD-MPH student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Alternative financial services in the time of coronavirus
Qrius
Financial education can reduce use of alternative financial services, particularly payday lenders, says Melody Harvey, a national poverty fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
MPD: 15 arrested, officers injured, and more stores looted in overnight clashes
NBC-15
For the second time in as many days, clashes between law enforcement and demonstrators erupted as protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody earlier this week wound down.
Ticket usage for Badgers men’s basketball home games falls to lowest level in 14 years
Wisconsin State Journal
Crowd sizes dropped to the lowest average on record for University of Wisconsin men’s basketball games at the Kohl Center in 2019-20, even as the Badgers went on a run to the Big Ten Conference title.
UW reps say Ray Cross’ coronavirus response blueprint ignores their input
The Capital Times
In one of three virtual System-wide listening sessions, campus representatives questioned the University of Wisconsin System’s commitment to shared governance in a recent COVID-19 blueprint, advocating for greater input from faculty, staff and students in its pandemic response.
UW Health dietitians notice trends of increased eating, alcohol intake
NBC-15
Increased eating and alcohol intake are two trends UW Health registered dietitians are seeing during COVID-19.
UW-Madison picks astronomer to lead largest academic college
Wisconsin State Journal
UW-Madison has named astronomer Eric Wilcots to lead the university’s largest academic unit, marking the first time an African American will serve as dean of the College of Letters and Science.
Former Badgers men’s hockey player, broadcaster Rob Andringa dies at 51
Wisconsin State Journal
Rob Andringa, a Madison Sports Hall of Fame member who won an NCAA championship with the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team and later called one as a popular broadcaster, died Friday. He was 51.
Wisconsin Badgers, most Big Ten teams uncertain when athletes will return for workouts amid COVID-19 pandemic
Wisconsin State Journal
While the NCAA’s Division I Council has opened the door for football and basketball players to begin working out on campus on June 1, Big Ten Conference schools are mixed on when they’ll allow them to happen.
Has Donald Trump kept campaign promises to Wisconsin? Does it even matter?
Wisconsin State Journal
“People looking at those indicators, I think would say Trump is doing a reasonable job of managing the economy,” UW-Madison political science professor Barry Burden said.
As opposition to UW program cuts grows, ‘aggressive’ timeline may be adjusted
Wisconsin State Journal
University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross has backed away from an “aggressive” timeline he announced earlier this month to reduce the number of academic programs on most UW campuses by fall 2021.
Following steep decline, Badgers women’s basketball home crowd size climbs slightly in 2019-20
Wisconsin State Journal
Ticket usage for University of Wisconsin women’s basketball home games moved slightly upward in 2019-20, reaching the highest level in the last five seasons.
Campbell, Emily Bentley
Wisconsin State Journal
She retired in 1992 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Nursing, as a Full Professor with Emeritus status.
Non-conference schedule figures to be loaded with elite opponents for Badgers men’s basketball team
Wisconsin State Journal
The 2020-21 version could be a doozy depending on the opponents the Badgers draw in the Gavitt Tipoff Games and the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Those pairings have yet to be released during an offseason complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Madison mayor imposes curfew after rioting, looting Downtown
Wisconsin State Journal
Later Saturday and into Sunday morning, there were also reports of people targeting other places in the city, including East Towne Mall, where Best Buy appeared to have been broken into and the doors to the mall food court had been smashed. Just before 1 a.m., police were stationed at mall entrances.
UW System unveils first-of-its-kind study looking at graduates’ earnings
Wisconsin State Journal
University of Wisconsin System graduates earn a median annual salary of just under $50,000 after receiving their bachelor’s degree, according to a first-of-its-kind System study released Sunday.
Q&A: Peter Halfmann and UW researchers look at coronavirus in cats, potential link with humans
The Capital Times
Last week, researchers at UW-Madison’s Influenza Research Institute published a study that found cats can contract and transmit SARS-CoV-2 to one another. One senior scientist in the lab is Peter Halfmann, who said the findings can have important implications for both pet owners and animal care providers.
Tom Still: Even with new scientific paths, broad vaccine availability still a year or more away
Wisconsin State Journal
Quoted: Dr. Jon Temte, an associate dean in the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and a former chairman of the U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and Dr. James Conway, also at UW-Madison, is a leader over time in the American Academy of Pediatrics for immunization and infectious disease strategies.
Peaceful protest, then pepper spray
The Isthmus
It was not until early Saturday evening, after hours of peaceful protest over the death of George Floyd, that things turned ugly in downtown Madison.
Friends, former teammates remember Rob Andringa as ‘the ultimate Badger’
Wisconsin State Journal
Andringa died Friday night at his home in Stillwater, Minnesota, nearly 2½ years after he was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. He was 51.
UW-Whitewater announces plans to reopen dorms, return to campus
Badger Herald
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater announced Friday residence halls will open for the fall semester and in-person classes will resume.
UW prof helps cultivate healthy minds during pandemic through YouTube meditations
Wisconsin State Journal
More people than ever are struggling with mental health problems due to the novel coronavirus crisis and its economic fallout, and University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Richard Davidson said there are solid scientific findings to support this.
‘I Can’t Breathe’: Madison erupts in riots after a peaceful protest supporting BLM
The Daily Cardinal
It was supposed to be a peaceful protest. And, for about six hours, it was — and then it was not.
Local police chiefs face the public in virtual town hall following George Floyd’s death
WISC-TV 3
The town hall included UW Police Chief Kristen Roman, Fitchburg Police Chief Chad Brecklin, Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney, Madison Police Chief Victor Wahl, Sun Prairie Police Chief Michael Steffes, Middleton Police Chief Troy Hellenbrand and Dane County mother Jaquelyn Hunt.
Dane County police chiefs condemn officers’ actions in killing of George Floyd
WKOW-TV 27
UW-Madison Police Chief Kristen Roman wrote that the officers’ actions in Minneapolis were “heinous and unacceptable.”
UW-Madison PEOPLE program going virtual
WKOW-TV 27
The program will be all online from June through August. It helps students from 8th grade to high school prepare for higher education.
Dane Co. Police Chiefs Assn. president calls Minneapolis officers “heinous and unacceptable”
NBC-15
“Regardless of further information that may be discovered in this case, nothing can justify the actions or inactions of these officers,” Kristen Roman wrote in a statement released Thursday morning. “If someone calls for help, it is our duty to help.”
Eric Wilcots named dean of UW-Madison’s College of Letters & Science
NBC-15
Wilcots previously worked as deputy dean and associate dean for research of L&S before becoming interim dean.
Dane Co. community leaders, police discuss death of George Floyd
NBC-15
UW-Madison Police Chief Kristin Roman said ensuring diverse officers have a chance to succeed is also crucial. “Once you get diverse candidates within an organization, you need a mechanism and processes and structures in place to support that diversity,” Roman said.
Sociology expert says history is repeating itself amid police brutality and protests
NBC-15
Quoted: “It looks really similar,” Pamela Oliver UW-Madison Professor Emerita of Sociology said. “Racism is an issue and structural racism is still an issue, but how it works is still changing, moving and evolving.”
Plunging solar energy prices spell bright future for clean electricity
DW.com
Germany’s demand for solar power “not only installed a lot of solar, but it catalyzed the learning curve,” said Gregory Nemet, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who has written a book on how solar energy became cheap. In China, where most of the world’s solar panels are now made, production processes were refined further to bring prices down to levels that compete with coal.
Live Coronavirus News and Updates
The New York Times
“It worries us,” said Dr. Nasia Safdar, the medical director for infection prevention at the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison. “We wonder if this is a trend in an unfavorable direction.”
Why Amy Cooper’s Use of ‘African-American’ Stung
The New York Times
Patrica G. Devine, a social psychologist at the University of Wisconsin who studies unintended bias, argues that there has been little rigorous evaluation of the training strategies deployed to combat it, and as a result we simply don’t know enough about what makes a difference.
How JCPenney Bankruptcy Can Affect America’s Shopping Malls
WPR
Earlier this month the department store JCPenney filed for bankruptcy. Department stores make up 30 percent of total mall square-footage. We examine the ripple effects large retailers’ bankruptcy can have on America’s shopping malls. Guest(s): Jerry O’Brien
“A modern-day lynching.” Virtual town hall convenes Black leaders, police to address killing of George Floyd
Madison365
UW Police Chief Roman said the Law Enforcement and Leaders of Color Collaboration have done great work to address trust gaps in Dane County in the aftermath of the 2014 Ferguson Unrest.
Black Hole Paradoxes Reveal a Fundamental Link Between Energy and Order
Quanta Magazine
But other researchers stress that these findings do not constitute an outright proof of the weak gravity conjecture. Gary Shiu, a theoretical physicist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, said the belief that entropy should always increase when you take quantum gravity into account is “an intuition that some might have, but it’s not always true.”
Coronavirus superspreaders may be responsible for huge share of infections
Axios
But Judith Leavitt, professor emerita in the department of medical history and bioethics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, says Mary Mallon may have only been directly linked to about 50 cases over a 12-year period when she wasn’t forcibly quarantined and may have been mislabeled due to fear and prejudice.
UW System Administration Office Announces Dozens Of Layoffs Due To COVID-19
Wisconsin Public Radio
University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross has announced the layoffs of dozens of employees working in the division known as UW-Shared Services due to financial challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dane County police chiefs condemn actions of Minneapolis officers following death of George Floyd; community members call for change
Wisconsin State Journal
Ahead of the town hall meeting, organized by the online news site Madison365 and the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County, UW-Madison Police Chief Kristen Roman, president of the Dane County Chiefs of Police Association, called the death of George Floyd heinous and unacceptable. “Nothing can justify the actions or inactions of these officers,” Roman said of the officer who knelt on the back of Floyd’s neck for several minutes and three other officers who failed to intervene or render aid.
Wisconsin Badgers, most Big Ten teams uncertain when athletes will return for workouts amid COVID-19 pandemic
Wisconsin State Journal
While the NCAA’s Division I Council has opened the door for football and basketball players to begin working out on campus on June 1, Big Ten Conference schools are mixed on when they’ll allow them to happen.
Paul Fanlund: Who is most likely to believe conspiracies? Not who you think
Wisconsin State Journal
Michael Wagner, a UW-Madison journalism professor, and Jordon Foley, a Ph.D. candidate, published an article a few days ago on the Brookings Institution website based on a survey conducted in five “swing” states in the 2020 election, including Wisconsin.
Chemistry, concrete and ceramic cement
Cosmos Magazine
Materials science engineers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison say it has been assumed that these grain boundaries are very stable, but their new study suggests that might not always be the case.
Barbara Sher, 84, Dies; Prescribed Self-Help With a Dose of Humor
The New York Times
“Barbara Sher was a product of the Human Potential Movement,” said Christine Whelan, who has studied self-help books as a professor in the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “She focused on self-actualization, with a bit of the more modern ‘just do it’ pragmatics that readers have flocked to in recent years. She was part of the self-help movement that talks about work as a source of identity, self-fulfillment and a way of living one’s purpose in the world.”
Apple buys machine-learning startup to improve data used in Siri
Bloomberg
Inductiv was co-founded by machine-learning professors from Stanford University, the University of Waterloo and the University of Wisconsin, Madison.