After school and work took her from Illinois to Colorado and Washington, Humienik returned to the Midwest for a two-year poetry MFA program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She graduates this May.
Author: knutson4
Feds warn UW of “potential enforcement actions” over alleged antisemitism at campus protest
The federal Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights is investigating the University of Wisconsin-Madison for antisemitism, according to a press release issued Monday.
UW is one of 60 institutions that received letters “warning them of potential enforcement actions if they do not fulfill their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to protect Jewish students on campus, including uninterrupted access to campus facilities and educational opportunities,” according to the release.
UW-Madison researcher loses Fulbright award for climate change project
Four days before Rick Lindroth planned to leave Madison and fly to Argentina, he received an email saying his Fulbright award had been rescinded.
“That was a head spinner,” said Lindroth, a professor emeritus in the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s entomology department.
Gov. Evers seeks $4 billion for state building projects, including UW science facilities and new juvenile prison
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers wants to spend about $4 billion on state building upgrades across Wisconsin under a plan released Monday.
If approved, about $1.6 billion would go to the University of Wisconsin System for brick-and-mortar building projects. Other big-ticket items include $634 million for the Department of Corrections, $137 million for upgrades to veteran homes and $40 million to restore the state Capitol building.
Evers’ capital budget calls for $4.1B in building projects
Gov. Tony Evers unveiled a capital budget Monday that calls for $4.1 billion in new building projects around the state, with the largest chunk going toward Universities of Wisconsin campuses.
Trump pulled $400 million from Columbia. UW-Madison is on list of schools that could be next
The University of Wisconsin-Madison was among a list of 60 schools the U.S. Department of Education warned Monday about a potential loss of federal funding if they fail to protect Jewish students.
Tariffs are ‘lose-lose’ for U.S. jobs and industry, economist says: ‘There are no winners here’
While tariffs’ protection may “relieve” struggling U.S. industries, it comes with a cost, Lydia Cox, an assistant economics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and international trade expert, wrote in a 2022 paper.
Tariffs create higher input costs for other industries, making them “vulnerable” to foreign competition, Cox wrote.
COVID-19’s fifth anniversary: 5 areas where life changed in U.S.
As the Journal Sentinel reported, quoting Sedona Chinn, an assistant professor and researcher in the Department of Life Sciences Communication at University of Wisconsin-Madison, folks who were frustrated started doing their own research, but it also “led to more misinformation and more anti-expert bias, making it all the much harder for solid science to break through.”
Marisa Moseley resigns as Wisconsin women’s basketball coach
The Marisa Moseley era of the University of Wisconsin women’s basketball team ended Sunday. Moseley resigned after four seasons as Badgers coach, Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh announced in a news release sent Sunday night.
University of Wisconsin women’s basketball head coach Marisa Moseley steps down from position
Wisconsin’s women’s basketball head coach Marisa Moseley has resigned from her position, according to UW Director of Athletics Chris McIntosh.
Marisa Moseley resigns from role as Wisconsin head women’s basketball coach
Wisconsin head women’s basketball coach, Marisa Moseley, resigned from her role. Moseley was at the helm for four seasons, compiling a 47-75 record, while going 21-51 in Big Ten play.
Fennimore farmers work to reduce dairy intolerance through products
Researchers explain that some people have a reduced ability to chop up and absorb lactose. UW Madison’s Center for Dairy Research is hoping to continue to learn more about the future of dairy digestion.
“There is weak evidence at the moment that this change in the moving from what is typically A1 to A2, that there’s a difference in potential difference in how the body digestive,” Dr. John Lucey, the center’s director said.
Badgers Women’s Basketball Coach resigns
Badgers Women’s Head Basketball Coach Marisa Moseley has resigned from her position with the university, 15 Sports has confirmed.
Moseley completed her fourth season with the Wisconsin women’s basketball program. The team lost in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament to Iowa on Wednesday night. Moseley compiled a 47-75 record with the Badgers and 21-51 in Big Ten play.
Wisconsin farmers protect potatoes with weather forecasting tool, help from UW researchers
Farmers may prevent blight by spraying their fields with fungicides, but if overdone, this practice has its drawbacks, University of Wisconsin professor of plant pathology Andrew Bent said. To prevent blight and overspraying, professor and Department of Plant Pathology Chair Amanda Gevens uses a tool called Blitecast to communicate to farmers the appropriate time to spray fungicides.
Devesh Ranjan, new Grainger Dean of Engineering, talks research, inspirations
Devesh Ranjan, currently a chair and professor of mechanical engineering at Georgia Tech, will be returning to Wisconsin this summer as Grainger Dean of Engineering.
How UW-Madison’s aid for Native students addresses history
The Tribal Education Promise at UW-Madison, which provides financial aid to Indigenous students from Wisconsin’s Native nations, is intended to help address a history of coercion through treaties.
‘A mind blowing turnaround’: Political science professors teaching current events share difficulty over teaching rapidly evolving events
Yoshiko Herrera’s class uses the war as a backdrop for students to learn more about international relations and comparative politics. Current events used to be briefly covered in class, but lately they have occupied much more class time.
Don’t overdo it, but light exercise can help with minor illness
“If you have a mild to moderate illness, you can continue to exercise, but you should do less than you normally do,” said family physician Dr. Bruce Barrett, a professor and vice chair for research in the department of family medicine and community health at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “If you normally run 10 miles per week, maybe run 5 if you have a mild cold. Just tamp it down.”
Errol Morris’ new Netflix documentary takes on Manson, mind control, and the CIA
Interview with UW alum Errol Morris.
Gardener shares photo of unexpected guests lingering in snow-covered backyard: ‘Another example’
Liatris, also known as blazing star or gayfeather, are flowering plants native to North America. The perennials appear dead during winter but bloom again in spring. They’re known for their bright purple flowers and are popular with pollinators, per the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
How to fix an overactive bladder
Many fruits and vegetables, for example, are a key part of a healthy diet. They’re also high in fiber, which helps prevent constipation, says Chris Manakas, MD, a urologist at UW Health and an assistant professor of urology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
Tariff wars are often short. Their legacies aren’t.
Economists fear that Trump’s approach could unleash forces that have unintended consequences extending far beyond his time in office.
“This is the biggest change to tariff policy that we’ve seen in recent history,” said Lydia Cox, an economics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
How to protect your pets from bird flu
As of March 6, more than 100 domestic cats have been infected since 2022. Wild cats like lynx and captive tigers have also fallen ill. Considering the tens of millions of pet and stray cats in the U.S., confirmed cases remain exceedingly rare. “Just like in humans, the risk of pets contracting H5N1 is relatively low” outside of farm settings, says Peter Halfmann, a virologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine.
Changing US law keeps victims’ families – and people on death row – waiting decades for closure
The lead attorney, Greg Wiercioch, a professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School, told her that during his 16 years on the case, he’d come to believe Wood hadn’t killed her daughter or anyone else. He pointed out that DNA testing of a bloodstain on one of the other victim’s clothes had matched a different, unknown male, who could have also killed Fulton’s daughter.
Democrats are focusing on Musk as a key villain in the new Trump era
“Musk is as much a figure in the campaigns as much as the candidate at this point,” said Barry Burden, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
Is ‘Severance’ making your dog freak out?
Freya Mowat, a veterinary ophthalmologist and professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison’s school of veterinary medicine, has done research on visual perception for dogs. She said a show displayed on older televisions would appear like “old movie screens” to dogs with individual flickers and a low refresh rate. Modern televisions, though, offer more flow and smooth projection.
Marisa Moseley resigns as Wisconsin women’s basketball coach after four seasons
The Wisconsin Badgers women’s basketball team will have a new head coach next season. Marisa Moseley, who led the program since 2021, resigned just short of the completion of her fourth season. Associate head coach Margaret McKeon will serve as interim head coach.
UW-Madison young scientists’ careers in upheaval as Trump slows research funding
Randy Kimple, a professor of human oncology at UW-Madison, has two Ph.D. students in his lab supported by grants, called “supplements,” meant to promote diversity among researchers. The supplements fund not only students of color, but also first-generation college students and those from rural areas or low-income neighborhoods.
Kimple expects to lose that funding — roughly $150,000 — in the summer, given the Trump administration’s campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Wisconsin federal ag workers feeling whiplash after mass firings, apparent call-backs
Reynolds, who had been hired by the USDA in August, was one of two and a half administrative and support positions at the Soil Health Alliance for Research and Engagement in Madison. The alliance is a cooperative effort between the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, UW-Madison, and the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute.
UW-Madison announces new police chief
The UW Police Department has named its interim leader, Brent Plisch, as its permanent police chief, its third in more than three decades.
UW System leaders urge Congress to preserve federal research funding
Leaders from Wisconsin’s top universities, including University of Wisconsin System President Jay Rothman and UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, urged Congress to reverse federal research funding cuts at a press conference Wednesday at the UW-Madison’s Health Sciences Learning Center.
New fossil discovery reveals surprising insights into prehistoric human behavior
In a press release, Professor Pickering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison estimates that “this individual, probably a female, was only about a meter tall and 27 kg (60 lbs) when it died, making it even smaller than adults from other diminutive early human species, including those represented by the famous ‘Lucy.’”
Democratic lawmakers introduce new bill to address gaps from federal funding freeze
Wisconsin receives roughly $654 million per year in National Institutes of Health grants, which supports more than 7,700 jobs and $1.4 billion in economic activity, according to United for Medical Research.
Without additional funds from elsewhere, UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said the capping of indirect costs would have a “ripple effect” on the state’s economy.
Amid nationwide immigration crackdown, Wisconsin farmer worries about impact on the industry
An estimated 70% of the labor on dairy farms in Wisconsin are carried out by unauthorized immigrants, according to a 2023 survey from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School for Workers.
How attack ads in elections for judges can affect sentencing
“There is a lot of evidence that when judges are approaching an election, they sentence people more harshly than they do in other points in their term, said Zoe Engberg, an assistant clinical professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School.
“And there’s also a lot of evidence that shows that negative campaign ads, in particular, have a large impact on how judges make decisions in cases,” she added.
Madison teachers wary as district notifies principals of staff cuts
University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have projected overall enrollment declines at Madison schools next year, according to the district’s long-range facilities plan. However, in advocating for the referendum last year, district leaders and school advocates said those predictions were imperfect. They said the district defied projections this year and anticipated future enrollment increases, citing expected growth in the city of Madison and new housing developments.
UW Police Department names new chief
University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department announced its new police chief Thursday. Brent Plisch will officially become chief March 16.
UWPD investigating attempted bike robbery outside Sellery Hall
The University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department (UWPD) is investigating an attempted strong-armed robbery outside Sellery Residence Hall that allegedly occurred on Saturday, according to a UWPD crime warning email sent to UW-Madison students and faculty on Thursday.
Voters sue after Madison failed to count their absentee ballots
The Madison city clerk’s office first informed the public on Dec. 26 about the unprocessed ballots from three wards near downtown and the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. That disclosure was six weeks after a first batch of 68 ballots was found in a tabulator machine, sealed in an envelope inside a sealed courier bag.
Got problems in the garden? Meet two experts from Garden & Green Living Expo
PBS Wisconsin spoke with two plant specialists — Lisa Johnson, Dane County Horticulture Educator, and Brian Hudelson, director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic — to explore resources that are available to gardeners year-round.
Trigger warnings in the classroom: Helping or hindering students? UW professor weighs in
Halverson-Bascom and Douglas Kelly professor of French Jan Miernowski said he began placing trigger warnings in his course syllabi for two reasons.
For one, Miernowski observed his students placing content warnings in their assigned essays when there is explicit content present. The second reason is that his students reached out saying they were extremely affected by the content of his course books.
Universities of Wisconsin System president talks potential impact of NIH funding cuts
Thursday afternoon, University of Wisconsin staff and various members of the scientific community gathered to address concerns of cuts in medical research funding from the National Institutes of Health.
‘It’s gut-wrenching’: life-saving neurological research on line with NIH funding cuts, UW leaders say
Life-saving work in biomedical research is on the line, University of Wisconsin System and UW-Madison administrators said, if the National Institutes of Health makes cuts to its funding to the system.
“Taking a meat cleaver to this funding is simply wrong,” Universities of Wisconsin System President Jay Rothman said Thursday.
UWPD investigating attempted bike theft outside Sellery Hall
The UW-Madison Police Department is investigating an attempted strong-armed robbery which occurred March 1 and was reported March 5, according to a Crime Warning emailed to University of Wisconsin students Thursday afternoon.
Brent Plisch named UW–Madison’s new police chief
Brent Plisch has been named the new chief of police for the University of Wisconsin–Madison Police Department. He will officially assume his role on March 16.
UW-Madison Police Department announces next police chief
The interim police chief of the UW-Madison Police Department has been selected to lead the department permanently.
The University of Wisconsin- Madison announced Thursday that Brent Plisch has been named UWPD chief of police, starting on March 16.
UW leaders, Wisconsin medical researchers defend NIH funds amid uncertainty
Researchers at the Universities of Wisconsin defended their work in medical research on Thursday as they face uncertainty amidst federal funding cuts.
UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin warned of the danger of “indiscriminate reductions in research funding,” and medical and scientific researchers argued that funding from the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, is critical to their work.
Brent Plisch named chief of UWPD
Current interim University of Wisconsin–Madison Police Department (UWPD) Chief Brent Plisch was named chief of police, UWPD announced Thursday.
First national analysis finds America’s butterflies are disappearing at ‘catastrophic’ rate
“I’m probably most worried about the species that couldn’t even be included in the analyses” because they were so rare, said University of Wisconsin-Madison entomologist Karen Oberhauser, who wasn’t part of the research.
Madison voters to sue over uncounted absentee ballots in 2024 presidential election
“Many of these uncounted votes belonged to University of Wisconsin students in downtown Madison. The students were voting in their very first presidential election and perhaps one of the most consequential elections of their lives,” Jeff Mandell, general counsel of Law Forward, said in a statement.
He studies Alzheimer’s. Federal cuts could cripple his search for treatments
University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Sterling Johnson leads one of the world’s largest and longest-running studies of people at risk for Alzheimer’s disease. His team aims to diagnose the disease years before people even develop symptoms and identify ways to slow its progression. He finds his work meaningful and rewarding.
But over the past seven weeks, as President Donald Trump’s administration proposes deep cuts to biomedical research, Johnson has encountered a new feeling. Something he’s never felt since he started studying studying Alzheimer’s in 1997.
It ‘feels disruptive’: UW-Madison teacher training program loses funding from the federal government
In February, a UW-Madison teacher training program lost its funding from the federal government, citing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
“It’s unfortunate that the approach toward sort of rooting out programs seems to have overlooked what the program is really doing and its value to the high need communities that are being served by those programs,” said program director, Kimber Wilkerson.
Conservative professor would be just a diversity hire
My confusion arises because the Legislature also required UW-Madison to create an endowed chair for a “conservative” professor. To me, that sounds exactly like DEI. Were Vos and colleagues requiring the university to potentially choose a less-qualified person as a professor because that person was “conservative”?
Wisconsin football’s 2025 season opener gets moved up
The University of Wisconsin football season will start with some history this year.
A shift in the schedule moved the Badgers’ season opener against Miami (Ohio) up to Thursday, Aug. 28 at Camp Randall Stadium, providing the program with its first Thursday regular-season kickoff since 2011.
Women’s History Month: Celebrating prominent women artists of UW
March marks Women’s History Month and a time to honor the contributions made by women far and wide, here and now. The University of Wisconsin’s history is made up of countless accomplished women.
Wisconsin Film Festival announces 170 films in 8 days this April
The Wisconsin Film Festival is presented by the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Communication Arts and is now entering its 26th year. Ben Reiser, director of operations, said Madison has supported the festival’s growth.
“The film-going community in Madison has embraced it as a chance to see all these films that you do hear about from other film festivals,” Reiser said, and particularly, “as a chance to see them in movie theaters.”
‘There aren’t easy answers’: Mnookin fields faculty questions on NIH funding cuts’s impact on junior faculty, graduate students
University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin indicated during a Faculty Senate meeting Monday the university would walk back hiring and rethink grant-making if a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding cut is implemented.
‘I was rejected from 16 colleges because I’m Asian and smart’
His high school grade point average (GPA) was an exceptional 4.42, much higher than the American average of 3.0, and he was one of only around 2,000 students to score 1590 or higher on the SAT, out of more than two million students who take the test every year.
Yet after sending off his applications, he was rejected by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, Cornell University, Georgia Tech, MIT, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, the University of Illinois, the University of Michigan, the University of Washington and the University of Wisconsin.
From the field to the classroom: UW athletes read with Madison second graders
Student athletes at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have visited second grade classrooms in the Madison school district every Monday since September 2024 as part of the Role Model Reading Program, a partnership between the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) and the 2nd & 7 foundation created by Badgers head football coach Luke Fickell.
UW-Madison leaders prepare for expected federal funding cuts
Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin and other campus leaders are evaluating different scenarios for how federal funding cuts and policy changes could affect the University of Wisconsin-Madison financially.