University of Wisconsin-Madison police are investigating “significant” vandalism around Library Mall, according to a university news release Friday.
UW-Madison police investigating vandalism around Library Mall
Wisconsin State Journal
Author: gbump
Jean Roark
Wisconsin State Journal
Jean was employed by the University of Wisconsin Library from 1971 to 1975. Beginning in 1975, Jean was an academic staff member in the Dean’s Office for Undergraduate Education in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the U.W. She retired in 1995 after 20 years and was granted Emerita Status.
UW study: Wisconsin school districts abandoning performance pay for teachers
Wisconsin State Journal
Anew UW-Madison study suggests Wisconsin school districts — including some in Dane County — have moved away from compensation systems that at least partly paid teachers for performance.
Update: Police give all-clear after report of ‘Suspicious package’ at Enzyme Institute
Wisconsin State Journal
UW-Madison police said the Enzyme Research Institute on the west side of campus is all clear less than an hour after reporting a “suspicious package.”
Madison health centers see growing demand for addiction treatment
The Capital Times
Compass, offered at UW Health’s 1102 S. Park St. clinic, provides walk-in care for substance use disorder. The team includes a doctor, physician assistant, nurse, a peer support specialist, a social worker and a medical assistant.
“We work to make sure that we can get people pretty immediate access to any medications that might be needed related to their substance use disorder,” Salisbury-Afshar said. “We also offer some other medical services that we know people who use drugs often really struggle to be able to access. Specifically, things like Hepatitis C treatment, family planning, wound care, STI (sexually transmitted infection) testing and treatment.”
‘That Book is Dangerous’ takes on left-leaning censorship
The Capital Times
Szetela will discuss his book at a talk at the UW Center for the Study of Liberal Democracy on Monday, Sept. 22.
How Madison doctors are using cancer patients’ own bodies to cure them
The Capital Times
That was the topic of a Cap Times Idea Fest session Wednesday produced by UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center that featured three of their physicians. The discussion drew an audience of hundreds to the UW-Madison Memorial Union’s Shannon Hall.
“Immunotherapy is the concept that our own immune system can not only recognize and fight infections but it can recognize and fight cancer. It just needs a little help,” said Dr. Christian Capitini, who is leading the cancer center as acting director. “We’ve learned over the decades through many discoveries, including here at the University of Wisconsin, that immunotherapy in fact works in people and can translate into therapies that make a difference.”
‘Performative Men Wanted’: UW students face off in ‘Performative Male Contest’
The Daily Cardinal
The event was organized by freshmen Adrea Matulle and Beri Barton. The duo was inspired by other performative male contests across the country. “We were bored, I [had] fun with some graphics and posted it on YikYak,” Matulle said. Her post received 951 upvotes.
UWPD investigating red paint on Library Mall and Bascom Hill
The Daily Cardinal
The University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department is investigating red paint on multiple landmarks across Library Mall found in the early morning hours Friday.
Facility crews discovered red paint on the Hagenah Fountain, the front doors and steps of Bascom Hall and around the Abraham Lincoln statue. Flyers were also affixed to Bascom Hall.
UW–Madison researchers test psilocybin, the compound in “magic mushrooms,” as new tool in mental health care
NBC-15
Scientists at UW-Madison are leading national studies on psilocybin, to determine whether the psychedelic compound could offer lasting relief for mental health and substance use disorders.
Miami accuses Wisconsin of ‘fishing expedition’ in tampering lawsuit document request
Lawyers for the University of Miami said the University of Wisconsin and its athletics collective are on an “impermissible fishing expedition” in a request for documents and a deposition of former Badgers football player Xavier Lucas.
Stop raking your leaves, experts say. Here’s why
USA Today
The one scenario where you should pick up the leaves in your yard is if your trees have had serious foliar fungal diseases, according to UW-Madison.
“While most leaf spots on leaves are cosmetic and harmless to the overall health of the tree, fallen diseased leaves do serve as a source for spores that can infect next year’s emerging leaves,” the horticulture department said.
Students brace for library closures, changes amid UW budget cuts
The Badger Herald
Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin announced budget reductions June 23 across campus following changes in federal funding. As a result, the university’s libraries have received a 7% budget cut, according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Library’s website.
UW community reacts to Charlie Kirk’s death amid rising concerns of political violence
The Badger Herald
At UW, political student organizations are grappling with what Kirk’s shooting means for both campus safety and the political climate, according to College Republicans of UW-Madison and the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
70% of families and students polled say they want weighted grading, survey shows
Wisconsin State Journal
More than two weeks after the Madison School District announced that it would not weight grades for the purposes of a new college-entrance program, the results of a survey on the issue show large majorities of district students and parents polled were in favor of weighting grades.
Enrollment at 7 UW branch campuses revealed, amid declines that have closed 6
Wisconsin State Journal
Student enrollment at the Universities of Wisconsin’s branch campuses dropped at four and increased at three this fall, according to preliminary student count projections obtained Wednesday.
Major campus libraries reduce weekend hours, some smaller libraries to close after university-wide budget cuts
The Daily Cardinal
These changes are a part of larger university-wide budget cuts, announced earlier in the summer by Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin. All departments were directed to reduce their budgets by 5%, with administrative units reducing their budgets by 7%.
UW campus in Wausau to relocate to Northcentral Technical College
Wisconsin Public Radio
In a joint announcement, the university and technical college said the move will strengthen both institutions and support the regional economy.
Madisonians react to assassination of Charlie Kirk one year after his visit to UW-Madison
Channel 3000
Almost exactly a year before being assassinated at Utah Valley University, Charlie Kirk visited Library Mall on UW-Madison’s campus.
UW researchers develop mapping tool to explore 3D changes in genome structure
The Badger Herald
University of Wisconsin researchers Sushmita Roy and Erika Da-Inn Lee have developed a new computational tool that maps changes in the genome, ultimately helping researchers see DNA’s 3D organization and link it to phenetic disturbances in disease and normal processes, according to Roy and Lee’s study.
BadgerVote hosts campus voting registration for UW students
The Badger Herald
Starting Wednesday and continuing through Thursday, BadgersVote Coalition, an initiative by the University of Wisconsin, is hosting a voter registration event on the first floor of Gordon Dining and Event Center, according to BadgersVote. For students planning to vote in Wisconsin, they can register at this event with an election official trained by the Madison City Clerk’s Office.
UW to renovate Science Hall
The Daily Cardinal
University of Wisconsin-Madison officials are planning to renovate one of the university’s oldest and most historic buildings in 2027. Science Hall — built in 1887 — will undergo a renovation to upgrade its interior and add a rear common space.
‘We aren’t prepared to deal with them as people’: Faculty share concerns over student well-being at fall meeting
The Daily Cardinal
Faculty on the university committee discussed challenges to student wellbeing this academic year amidst executive orders and changing student involvement in a meeting at Bascom Hall Monday.
Federal funding cuts threaten future of Wisconsin STEM camp for autistic students
The Daily Cardinal
The camps, run through the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Center for Climatic Research, have drawn middle and high school students from more than 35 communities across Wisconsin and Illinois since 2022. With sensory-friendly, nature-based activities ranging from NASA citizen science projects to outdoor exploration, the programs aim to foster neurodiversity and encourage students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math.
UW-Stevens Point’s Wausau branch is leaving campus, relocating to technical college
Wisconsin State Journal
UW-Stevens Point at Wausau is relocating to Northcentral Technical College beginning next fall, the latest Universities of Wisconsin branch campus to face significant changes or closure since 2022.
Department of Veterans Affairs opens Wisconsin Badgers football ticket lottery
NBC-15
The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs opened its lottery for veterans and active service members to receive up to two free tickets to the Wisconsin Badgers’ Salute to Veterans football game on Nov. 8 vs. the Washington Huskies.
New virtual NICU nurse program at American Family Children’s Hospital reduces turnover
NBC-15
UW Health explained Wednesday the virtual nursing program was introduced in July of 2024 to help lower the new-to-practice nursing turnover rate.
Before the implementation of the program, UW Health said new-to-practice NICU nurses had a 38% turnover rate between 2021 and 2023.
‘American hero’: Wisconsin conservatives mourn Charlie Kirk
NBC-15
Kirk visited UW–Madison last year, where he drew both supporters and protesters during a campus speaking event.
In the wake of his death, the university issued a statement emphasizing the importance of open dialogue and security.
Preliminary count: Enrollment up at eight of the Universities of Wisconsin
NBC-15
Eight of the 13 schools in the Universities of Wisconsin system saw an enrollment increase compared to the fall of 2024, according to preliminary estimates. However, total enrollment decreased slightly across the whole system.
UW-Whitewater projected to see largest freshman class in a decade
Channel 3000
UW-Whitewater said a projected 12,075 students enrolled at the school for the fall semester including 2,459 new freshman, marking the largest freshman class in a decade.
What’s Wisconsin’s future with Under Armour as other major programs change outfitters?
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Next year also marks the end of Wisconsin’s 10-year contract with Under Armour. UW has not yet announced a new agreement, and what athletic department officials can say is limited until the next outfitting agreement is finalized.
Media at a crossroads: What the cuts to public broadcasting means for UW journalists
The Badger Herald
At the University of Wisconsin, along with numerous other schools across the country, students studying journalism are faced with the consequences of the recent funding cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides funding for news outlets like Public Broadcasting Services and National Public Radio.
UW-Madison researchers: Partisan news sours consumers on political compromise
The Badger Project
A new study from UW-Madison gives us some hints as to why the country is so polarized.
The August study from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication examines how using partisan news media affects an individual’s willingness to support lawmakers who reach across the aisle.
People of UW: Producers of Humorology speak on Greek life’s philanthropic effort
The Badger Herald
Editor’s note: People of UW is a human interest series produced by The Badger Herald staff members. The series aims to highlight a student or student group at the University of Wisconsin making an impact on the campus community.
Loss of international students affects enrollment growth at UW campuses
Wisconsin Public Radio
New freshman enrollment across the Universities of Wisconsin campuses is up an average of 3 percent this fall, but “significant declines” in international students have kept overall enrollment flat.
Enrollment gains at 8 UW campuses offset by big drop in international students, system says
Wisconsin State Journal
UW-Madison’s enrollment is projected to slip by 0.5%, according to the system’s preliminary enrollment counts.
The university is projected to have 241 fewer students this fall, a drop from the UW system’s official 2024 UW-Madison student count of 51,791.
Closing DDEEA undermines support for UW students
The Badger Herald
In an email July 9, University of Wisconsin Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin announced the Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement was ceasing operations and most of its staff would be transferred to other departments within UW. The sudden end of the 15-year-old division walks back the short history of the university administration accommodating its marginalized students.
How many students are going to each UW school in fall 2025?
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Enrollment at Wisconsin’s public universities this fall largely held steady from last year, despite increasing concerns about affordability, growing public doubt about the value of a college degree and a projected drop in international students.
City officials prepare UW-Madison students for August Moving Days
WMTV - Channel 15
Around this time each year, thousands of college students’ leases end in the Madison area, which means many are moving out while others are moving in.
Wynn Fonstad Middle-earth Map Exhibit At UW-Madison
The One Ring.net (for fans of JRR Tolkien)
UW-Madison’s Robinson Map Library recently held an exhibition that might be unfamiliar to many of Earth’s cartographers, but will certainly resonate with fans of JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. There the works of the late Karen Fonstad lay on display. The sprawling collection contained drafts and finalized hand drawn maps from her original publication and revised edition of The Atlas of Middle-earth, published in 1981 and 1991 respectively.
Troy Gene Lepien
Wisconsin State Journal
Troy worked in healthcare for over thirty years and was currently the System Vice President of Business Integrity and Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer for UW Health.
How much Wisconsin’s Chris McIntosh earns in bonus pay
Wisconsin State Journal
McIntosh qualified for a bonus of more than $76,000 in the first year of a reworked contract that includes incentive compensation tied to athletes’ academic performance and coaching bonuses.
David William Tarr
Wisconsin State Journal
Asheville, NC Professor David W. Tarr, emeritus professor of Political Science, Univ. of Wisconsin, died on August 3, 2025 at Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community.
Kenneth Paul Casey
Wisconsin State Journal
He was a managing attorney at Legal Action of Wisconsin, employed as a Public Defender and worked as a clinical instructor at the U.W. Law School.
UW-Madison announces changes to student support services, including dissolution of diversity division
WKOW-TV 27
In a campus-wide message posted Wednesday, Mnookin said a working group led by former Provost Charles Isbell completed a data review based on advancing student success, connecting students with proper support, ensuring pathways for student belonging, strategically organizing campus support, engaging in continuous assessment and improvement and stewarding school resources.
UW-Madison Division of Diversity Equity Educational Achievement programming to move to other divisions
Spectrum News
The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement (DDEEA) is coming to an end, UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said in an email Wednesday. However, many of its programs will not.
Biobanking DNA now could save species from extinction later
Wisconsin Public Radio
Native Great Lakes wildlife is at risk of extinction due in part to climate change and pollution. Before species are lost, their DNA could be “banked” for future regeneration. We talk to UW-Madison genetic professor Francisco Pelegri about the effort he’s leading to do just that.
Wisconsin students may pay 5% more in tuition at UW-Madison this fall
The Capital Times
The UW system’s Board of Regents is set to vote on a proposal Thursday to increase tuition across Wisconsin’s 13 public universities next school year. Each school would increase resident undergraduate rates by 4%. All of the universities, except UW-Green Bay, also opted in to an additional 1%.
Former Badgers track star breaks glass ceiling at the Sheriff’s Office
The Capital Times
When Shuntia Lucas told her 14-year-old son she was applying for a promotion — which would make her the first Black woman to hold the rank of sergeant at the Dane County Sheriff’s Office — he replied, “I guess you just break records, Mom.”
Jeffrey Harold Orwin
Wisconsin State Journal
He built a successful career in health and safety management at the University of Wisconsin, where his dedication and professionalism left a lasting impact.
Iowa university to offer new Wisconsin undergraduates in-state tuition
Wisconsin State Journal
The University of Northern Iowa, which is located in Cedar Falls, about 190 miles southwest of Madison, will set in-state tuition rates of $10,201 for incoming students from Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota starting this fall.
Are mosquitoes especially bad in the Madison area this summer?
Wisconsin State Journal
UW-Madison entomology professor Susan Paskewitz has a decade of mosquito data. As the director of the Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease, she studies mosquitoes, ticks and other nuisances and the diseases they may carry.
The Madison area experienced severe drought the last two years. “So the mosquitoes were incredibly low,” Paskewitz said.
Exact Sciences gets Medicare approval for colorectal blood test
Wisconsin State Journal
Exact Sciences, which is headquartered in the UW Research Park and has labs along the Beltline on Madison’s West Side, has announced that its Oncodetect molecular residual disease test has received approval through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Molecular Diagnostic Services Program.
UW to “sunset” Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement, move programs to other divisions
Madison365
Mnookin noted that DDEEA “has been the home for a set of scholarship-linked student support activities that serve approximately 5% of our student body.” She said those programs will be moved to the Division for Teaching and Learning. Employee support functions will move to the Office of Human Resources, and data collection activities will move to Data, Academic Planning and Institutional Research.
UW-Madison to sunset DEI division, move programming to other divisions
Channel 3000
UW-Madison will sunset its Division of Diversity, Equity, and Educational Achievement, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin announced Tuesday.
UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin to close DEI division, move programming elsewhere
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin announced July 9 that the university’s Division of Diversity, Equity and Education Achievement will close.
Is UW tuition increase needed? Republican lawmaker scrutinizes university staffing levels
FOX 11, Green Bay
It may soon cost more to send your student to a Universities of Wisconsin school, as the Board of Regents will vote Thursday on a 5% tuition increase for most of its universities.
UW-Madison eliminates Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement, moves programs, staff to other units
The Daily Cardinal
DDEEA’s employee support functions will move to the Office of Human Resources, and their staff members focused on institutional data collection will join Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research. Scholarships and student support and cultural programs will continue to be supported by the university, Mnookin said.
A 4/4 Teaching Load Becomes Law at Most of Wisconsin’s Public Universities
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Faculty members at most campuses across the University of Wisconsin system will soon have to teach at least eight courses per academic year.
Study finds low regret after gender-affirming surgery
New Atlas
A new study by the University of Wisconsin’s School of Medicine and Public Health has found that the level of regret reported by transgender individuals following gender-affirming surgery is less than 1%, which is significantly lower than the regret associated with having children, getting a tattoo, or undergoing plastic surgery.