The committee studying the future of the Universities of Wisconsin wants the state Legislature to explore spinning off the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
UW-Madison spin-off idea headed to Wisconsin Legislature
Wisconsin Public Radio
Author: knutson4
The 2020 election upended politics. Here’s what’s changed in Wisconsin, and what hasn’t.
Wisconsin Public Radio
Attorney Bryna Godar of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Democracy Research Initiative told WPR the lawsuits are an example of how litigation is focusing more on “those granular issues of election administration.” She said the timing of the suits raises questions about whether attorneys are hoping to preserve legal claims that can be used to challenge Wisconsin’s results depending on who wins.
After string of foodborne illnesses, Wisconsin experts encourage at-home food safety
Wisconsin Public Radio
While the different outbreaks have come in rapid succession, the number of illnesses being reported isn’t out of the ordinary, according to Kathleen Glass, associate director of the Food Research Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“It just happens to be the luck of the draw that we’re seeing it in Wisconsin,” Glass said. “They are also very high profile because they have affected a number of people.”
Jordan L. Siegler named Wisconsin Public Media Interim Executive Director
PBS Wisconsin
Jordan L. Siegler has been named Interim Executive Director of Wisconsin Public Media (WPM), the division at the University of Wisconsin–Madison that oversees PBS Wisconsin and Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR). Siegler currently serves as Associate Director of WPM. The announcement follows the recent death of Executive Director Heather L. Reese.
As political rhetoric heats up, these UW-Madison students are paying close attention
Wisconsin Public Radio
Many people are disenchanted with how bitter and divisive American politics has become since 2016 when Donald Trump was elected president. But for most college students today, that’s all they’ve ever known, said Allison Prasch, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor who teaches political rhetoric.
These 4 Wisconsin universities are among the best in the U.S., according to WalletHub
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Four Wisconsin universities have been ranked among the top 300 universities in the U.S., according to a recent study by personal finance website WalletHub.
Wisconsin drop boxes; the history, drama behind controversial method
FOX6
President Donald Trump cast doubt on the integrity of votes cast and returned through drop boxes. It’s a stance that lacks proof, according to University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Emeritus Howard Schweber.
“There is no evidence that anyone has ever tried to stuff drop boxes with fake ballots or multiple ballots or noncitizens’ ballots, and there’s no evidence that improper ballots that get into drop boxes end up being counted as votes,” Schweber said.
Carroll University opens new wellness program to treat students’ anxiety, behavioral health
Wisconsin Public Radio
A new behavioral health program at Carroll University in Waukesha is successfully helping students treat anxiety and homesickness, according to the program’s founders.
Puerto Ricans in Wisconsin, Wellness for college students, The creator of TikTok’s ‘Spirit Walker’
Wisconsin Public Radio
Over the weekend, a comedian at a Trump rally in Madison Square Garden made racist remarks about Puerto Ricans. Aurora Santiago Ortiz, a UW-Madison professor, discusses Puerto Ricans’ significance in Wisconsin and the U.S. to offer critical context for this political moment.
What to expect when you’re expecting election results in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Public Radio
That election had an unusually high number of absentee ballots because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But Milwaukee’s results came out after midnight in 2018 and 2022, too, said Barry Burden, who directs the Elections Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“So it’s not just tied to COVID — it’s really the process that’s used in our state and in Milwaukee causes that to happen,” he said. “There’s nothing illegal about it. There’s nothing unexpected about it. Actually, we all know this is going to happen, but nonetheless, there are people who are skeptical about it, and in some cases, will intentionally spread disinformation about it, but it’s just part of the process.”
Early in-person voting in Wisconsin surpasses last two presidential elections
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Barry Burden, professor of American politics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said it is difficult to compare the numbers to the past two presidential elections because of the pandemic and the longer period allowed for early in-person voting in 2016. However, he said the interest in early in-person voting appears widespread and that there is “clearly a new desire among Wisconsin voters to cast their ballots in person early this year.”
“It is happening at higher rates in communities of different sizes and with different partisan tendencies,” he said in an email.
With new legislative maps in place, Democrats set their sights on the Assembly
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Barry Burden, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and director of the university’s Elections Research Center, called the spending “astounding.”
“I think the competitiveness of the state legislature this year is the main driver. This is the first time in 14 years that the Assembly has truly been up for grabs between the two parties,” he said. “And there’s no shortage of people who want to give money to try to flip it in their direction.”
Idea to split UW-Madison from UW System advances
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A committee studying the future of the state’s public university system recommended the Legislature explore spinning off the University of Wisconsin-Madison from the state’s public university system.
Bats may be a scary Halloween symbol, but they benefit humans, and save farmers money
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
In 2018, a study out of UW-Madison that analyzed bat poop found that little brown bats in Wisconsin were eating 17 different types of mosquitoes, including nine that carry West Nile virus. The same study found the DNA of 24 different agricultural pests in the poop — lending validity to the estimate that bats save Wisconsin farmers hundreds of millions of dollars per year on pesticides.
Pursuit Unlimited: Odyssey Beyond Wars program helps veterans make the leap into higher education
Spectrum News
For many veterans, higher education can seem out of reach. However, a special program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is helping change that narrative.
Opinion: Economy would grow under Harris. Under Trump, expect higher prices and debt.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Written by Menzie Chinn, a professor of public affairs and economics in UW-Madison’s La Follette School of Public Affairs and Department of Economics, and Mark Copelovitch, a professor in UW-Madison’s La Follette School of Public Affairs and Department of Political Science.
The demand for child care, How young adults view the presidential race, How mindfulness techniques can help caregivers
Wisconsin Public Radio
Research suggests women farmers may improve local economies
Wisconsin Public Radio
New research has found that communities with more women-owned or -operated farms have higher rates of business creation, lower poverty rates and a longer average life expectancy.
University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Steven Deller is a co-author of the research first published in January. Deller and colleagues argue that the reduction in rural poverty is particularly important.
VIDEO Trump vs. Harris: Madison voters’ thoughts
Wisconsin Examiner
With early voting underway and only six days until Election Day, on the streets around the State Capitol and on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, we asked people who they want to become the next president of the United States and what are the issues that matter to them.
After run on ‘Top Chef,’ Milwaukee’s Dan Jacobs to deliver UW-Madison commencement speech
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Milwaukee chef and restaurateur Dan Jacobs will cook up a commencement speech for the University of Wisconsin-Madison this winter.
Rising warm temperatures across Southern Wisconsin creating climate change concerns
NBC-15
According to UW Madison Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Department Professor Jonathan Martin, September to October of 2024 is the second warmest it’s been since 1938. Martin studies the world’s air flow and said climate change is partially caused by warm winds eroding ice in the north and causes warmer temperatures in Wisconsin.
”It’s definitely climate change,” Martin said. ”The problem is you don’t want to keep accumulating these winds all in one direction, that is warmer, warmer and causing problems around the globe. I think we’re in that situation.”
Sexual assault reported on UW-Madison campus
NBC-15
UW-Madison officials stated in a message to the campus community Monday that a sexual assault was reported last week.
Celebrity endorsements of presidential candidates grow, how it could impact the election
WKOW-TV 27
“Celebrity endorsements are not likely to literally change somebody’s mind, but they are likely to get people to pause and say, ‘should I pay attention to this person?’ ‘Can I trust this person in the way that I trust and or admire the celebrity that I’m thinking about?’ And that just gives people another opportunity to find a way into political participation,” said UW Professor Mike Wagner.
‘Voter rescue’: Help in Milwaukee for hundreds who show up at wrong place
Wisconsin Watch
“This is a really interesting phenomenon,” said Barry Burden, director of the Elections Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, adding that he had not heard of such initiatives elsewhere. He noted similar confusion among students at UW-Madison, where the early voting site is not always the same as the Election Day polling place.
Sexual assault reported in southeast dorm
The Badger Herald
The University of Wisconsin reported a sexual assault occurring in a Southeast Residence hall Tuesday, Oct. 22, according to a Crime Warning email sent to students Monday afternoon.
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair holds early vote block party on Library Mall
The Badger Herald
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler held an early vote block party for University of Wisconsin students on Friday afternoon.
The block party took place on Library Mall, where around 20 students and community members tabled to encourage pedestrians to register to vote.
Q&A: ‘We’re seven days away from making history’: Actor Adam Brody rallies UW-Madison voters
The Daily Cardinal
Actor Adam Brody, known for his role as Seth Cohen on the Fox series “The O.C” and most recently as Noah on “Nobody Wants This,” hosted a student meet-and-greet on behalf of the Harris-Walz campaign in Madison on Sunday, where he spoke about Madison’s pivotal role in what he called “a historical election.”
‘Nobody Wants This’ and ‘O.C.’ star Adam Brody was in Madison this weekend, urging UW students to vote
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
From Netflix’s new comedy series “Nobody Wants This” to Madison, Wisconsin.
Actor Adam Brody, known for his breakout role in “The O.C.,” stopped by the state’s capital over the weekend. And, yes, his visit did have to do with the fast-approaching presidential election.
New UWM center aims to confront discrimination in urban planning, policies
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s new Center for Equity Practice and Planning Justice wants to “deconstruct and mitigate” the remnants of those policies that still shape and hyper-segregate Milwaukee today.
A historic mansion was the center of a bitter City Hall fight. New owners are reinvigorating it
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Singh has a law degree from Georgetown University and a master’s in business administration from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her resume includes stints as Dohmen Co. Foundation president and Burke Foundation chief executive officer.
UW Health: Use Halloween to talk with kids about candy consumption, healthy habits
WMTV
Experts at UW Health are recommending parents and caregivers use Halloween as an opportunity to talk with kids about sugar intake, healthy eating habits and good balances.
It is not uncommon for kids to come home with a big bag full of candy. Camila Martin, a clinical pediatric nutritionist with UW Health Kids, says to help kids plan to have some balance when eating candy.
UW-Madison community celebrates 114th Homecoming Parade
WMTV
Hundreds of UW-Madison students, alumni and Madison community members flocked to campus to watch the 114th UW Homecoming Parade on Oct. 25.
UW-Madison’s AI research gets $15 million boost from WARF
Wisconsin State Journal
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation will give nearly $160 million to UW-Madison in grants to support research, with $15 million specifically aimed at further developing the university’s artificial intelligence enterprise.
Invest in solar and honor pioneering UW scientist, Farrington Daniels | Steve Kokette
Wisconsin State Journal
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, UW-Madison was an international leader in the first renewable energy to produce electricity for the public — hydropower. During some of those years, the Wisconsin River was known as the hardest working river in the world because it produced so much electricity.
UW-Madison nets more than $511,000 in annual flamingo fundraiser
Wisconsin State Journal
A sea of pink flooded Bascom Hill Friday as Badger donors brought in nearly $511,877 during the annual fundraiser paying homage to one of UW-Madison’s most memorable pranks.
Despite efforts, MATC employees say college has struggled to tackle discrimination on campus
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The investigation into Truss and her coworkers’ experience took over a year, records show. MATC ultimately gave Busalacchi a three-week suspension.
The college — one of Wisconsin’s most diverse — has faced years of concerns about its racial climate for employees of color.
Could Latino voters decide 2024 election in Wisconsin? It’s possible.
Wisconsin Public Radio
“If they were registered, Wisconsin would be a no-contest,” said Ben Marquez, a University of Wisconsin-Madison political scientist studying Latino political organization and behavior. “Kamala Harris wouldn’t even have to come here to win. They’d just go out and vote two-to-one for her, and she’d take the state.”
Why are there so many ladybugs and lady beetles around Wisconsin this fall?
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Wisconsin sees dozens of species of small beetles this time of year, including ladybugs, but one is particularly prevalent: the multicolored Asian lady beetle, according to P.J. Liesch, director of the UW-Madison Insect Diagnostic Lab.
“The [Asian lady beetles] are the ones that folks are really seeing a lot of at the moment,” Liesch said. “Those particularly beetles are very active, flying around and coming to structures because they’re looking for sheltered wintering spots.”
Kamala Harris to hold Get Out the Vote rally at UW-Madison with Mumford & Sons and more celebrity musicians next week
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Vice President Kamala Harris will return to Wisconsin Wednesday for a Get Out the Vote rally at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, just days before the Nov. 5 election.
Save 25 times your expected retirement spending, and other advice from a pro
Barron's
Research from the University of Wisconsin showed that the spoils of working longer have accrued to those who need it the least. If you are healthier and wealthier, you are more likely to keep working.
Nearly 100K ballots cast on Wisconsin’s first day of in-person early voting
Wisconsin Public Radio
he early vote push continued Wednesday, with rapper and University of Wisconsin-Madison alum Yung Gravy seen leading a crowd of students toward the campus’ Memorial Union to cast in-person absentee ballots in a video posted by Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler.
Wisconsin crop harvest is weeks ahead thanks to dry, warm weather
Wisconsin Public Radio
Jerry Clark, crops educator for the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Division of Extension, said harvest is at least two weeks ahead of schedule in the western Wisconsin counties of Chippewa, Dunn and Eau Claire where he works.
“Since corn silage started to be harvested in the early part of September right through today, it’s been excellent conditions for getting the crop off,” Clark said on Wednesday.
Issue of health care access hits close to home in western Wisconsin
Wisconsin Public Radio
Tom Oliver is a professor of population health sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He said it’s not that health care isn’t important to voters, it just doesn’t always make for the best talking points and political ads.
“There’s a lot of health issues out there, just not the things that grab everybody’s attention and that people want to funnel billions of dollars behind into a whole campaign,” he said.
UW journalist in residence sees a shift underway in Wisconsin’s traditional political strongholds
Wisconsin Public Radio
POLITICO columnist Jonathan Martin talks about the challenges of covering Trump, why bipartisanship could be the winning move for Harris
Wisconsin college students and recent grads receiving threatening texts over voting
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Without prompt investigation and action, the sender may continue its efforts to frighten eligible young voters into not voting,” they wrote in the Oct. 15 letter.
The letter adds that the sender “targeted young voters aged 18-25,” including young staff members of the League of Women Voters and others who are part of the University of Wisconsin System. At least one Journal Sentinel reporter also received the text.
Replay: Tim Walz, Barack Obama campaign in Wisconsin on first day of in-person early voting
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Anna Jesch, a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said she thinks Obama’s appearance was drawing lots of college students. As a Minnesota native, she was excited to see vice presidential candidate Tim Walz — governor of Minnesota — too.
Jesch, who studies endocrinology and reproductive physiology, will cast her first vote in a presidential election in November. She said she didn’t know what the future of reproductive science would be under the Trump administration.
“I feel like my career, my future, my science kind of depends on this election,” she said.
When dementia changes a loved one’s personality
The New York Times
To get on top of — and feel less toppled by — mood changes, it’s helpful for caregivers to remember that those shifts are caused by changes in the brain, said Dr. Nathaniel Chin, a geriatrician and associate professor in the department of medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“They’re no one’s fault,” he said, and recognizing this can help you “feel less upset at your loved one.”
Anxiety, illness, missing the bus: all can lead to chronic absenteeism. What can Wisconsin schools do to get students back in class?
Green Bay Press-Gazette
At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, whose school of education was recently ranked one of the best in the nation, future educators learn the importance of a positive learning environment.
“We definitely focus on relationship building and rapport and creating a positive learning environment,” said Kimber Wilkerson, director of teacher education at the university. “That often makes a difference for kids, whether going to school is another stressor or a place where they don’t feel connected, versus knowing that they have someone.”
Limits on non-citizen voting: What to know about Wisconsin’s Nov. 5 referendum
Wisconsin Public Radio
Even if local officials in Wisconsin wanted to let non-citizens vote on local races or proposals, it’s not clear whether current state law would allow that change, according to analysis from the State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin Law School.
“Courts in other states have reached divergent conclusions about whether provisions akin to Wisconsin’s current constitutional text allow municipalities to authorize local noncitizen voting,” the analysis noted.
Citizens-only ballot measures make newly naturalized Americans voting for the first time feel on edge
NBC News
A review from the nonpartisan State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin Law School concluded that the Wisconsin ballot measure “will not have any immediate practical impact on voter eligibility,” since existing law already prohibits noncitizen voting in federal and state elections.
What experts say about taking psilocybin as an alternative treatment for depression
CNN
For a good number of people antidepressants have been a blessing, at least at the beginning of treatment, said Dr. Charles Raison, a professor of psychiatry and human ecology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison.
“I always start by saying, ‘Thank God, we have them.’ Many people can say, ‘Wow, I was pulled out of a pretty deep hole,’“ said Raison, who is also the director of the Vail Health Behavioral Health Innovation Center in Colorado where psilocybin is studied.
If you’re biting your nails over the election, use these expert tips to reduce stress
CNN
“We are in a generally heightened state of stress caused by events around the world,” said neuroscientist Dr. Richard Davidson, founder and director of the nonprofit Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where research on Tibetan Buddhist practitioners found that meditation literally changed their brains.
Post-hip replacement strengthening, and a surgeon-turned-patient
Wisconsin Public Radio
Hip replacement recovery includes regaining strength in in knee and hip muscles, physical therapists Lori Thein Brody and Jill Thein-Nissenbaum tell us. Then, retired orthopedic surgeon John Orwin talks to us as he recovers from knee surgery.
To prevent problematic employees moving from UW campus to campus, hiring policy update coming
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
After a nearly yearlong delay, the University of Wisconsin System is inching closer to an updated hiring policy that will minimize the chance of employees who engage in misconduct at one campus from being hired by another.
UWM sells Purin Hall for $2.15 million–one week after selling its former chancellor’s mansion
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has sold it oldest, smallest residence hall as a cost-saving measure.
The 17-unit Purin Hall, 2600 E. Kenwood Blvd., was sold for $2.15 million to three Milwaukee investment groups: 2600 S LLC, 2600 S 1 LLC and 2600 H LLC, according to a deed posted online by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.
Dig into Aztalan’s mysterious history with this ‘University Place Presents’ Q&A and episode
PBS Wisconsin
The goal of archaeologists and anthropologists today is, in some way, to bring back Aztalan, and that’s what host Norman Gilliland does during his conversation in University Place Presents Aztalan: A Place of Mystery with guest Sissel Schroeder, a professor of anthropology and archaeology and certificate advisor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Video gives a glimpse of what happened behind closed doors at Kamala Harris’ UWM stop
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Vice President Kamala Harris met with University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee students Thursday during a campaign event at the university that, at the last minute, was closed to the news media.
Being CEO of the household is weighing women down
The Washington Post
While most markers of gender equality reached their peak around 2000, they have not budged much since. “The invisible, amorphous cognitive labor that goes on behind the scenes has been especially slow to change,” said Allison Daminger, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison whose book on the subject will be published next year.
Pocan, Olsen talk TikTok ban, abortion in UW-Madison debate
WisPolitics
The two met Wednesday on the UW-Madison campus for their first debate, moderated by UW-Madison political science Prof. Barry Burden.
The debate was co-hosted by the Morgridge Center for Public Service, BadgersVote Coalition, Elections Research Center, Associated Students of Madison, College Democrats and College Republicans of UW-Madison.
These tiny worms account for at least 4 Nobel Prizes
The New York Times
“It’s an experimental dream,” said Judith Kimble, a nematode researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “The more we do with it, the more of a wonderful dream it becomes.”