Skip to main content

Category: Campus life

Filipinx American Student Organization advocates in response to discontinuation of UW Filipino language program

Posted on
The Badger Herald

Starting in the fall 2026 semester, the University of Wisconsin’s Filipino language program will no longer be offered, according to Filipinx American Student Organization Communications Chair Ethan Ham.

The program’s elimination follows federal funding cuts by the Trump administration and the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education’s International and Foreign Language Education program that administers Title VI funding.

Title VI funding was established as part of the Higher Education Act and is used to support foreign language programs.

How much did you read the Cap Times in 2025? Take our news quiz!

Posted on
The Cap Times

Which performers headlined concerts at Camp Randall Stadium in 2025, marking the venue’s first concerts in decades?

After a 28-year hiatus, UW-Madison reintroduced concerts at the football stadium in June with a two-night performance by country singer Morgan Wallen. Less than a month later, Coldplay took the stage, marking the British band’s first show in Madison.

Under the terms of her employment contract, University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin received a bonus this year for staying in her job and for “satisfactory” performance. How much did she receive from the bonus?

Mnookin’s base pay surpassed $892,000 by 2024 after pay raises for UW system employees and “catch-up base salary increases” for multiple chancellors. Her annual bonus for staying is set to increase each year, from $150,000 this year up to $350,000 in 2029.

Man arrested for disturbance at Jewish nonprofit on UW-Madison campus

Posted on
WKOW - Channel 27

A man was arrested after causing a disturbance at a nonprofit organization serving Jewish students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.

Officers responded to the 500 block of State Street around 6:15 p.m. on Monday after reports of a man, wearing a ballistic vest and Palestinian flag, entering the building asking for food, according to Madison Police Department spokesperson Stephanie Fryer.

Two UW–Madison sophomores launch campaigns for District 8 Common Council seat

Posted on
Channel 3000

Madison’s District 8 Common Council seat is up for grabs after current Alder MGR Govindarajan announced he will not seek reelection.

The district, which encompasses the UW–Madison campus and much of the State Street area, is currently the focus of two student-led campaigns. University of Wisconsin-Madison sophomores Ellen Zhang and Robert “Bobby” Gronert have both announced bids to represent the district.

Winter commencement speakers stress uncertainty, disruption and a wavering job market

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

On one of the coldest days of the year, 2,151 graduates packed into the Kohl Center Sunday to walk the stage and celebrate their UW-Madison graduation. The ceremony featured speeches from UW Regent and former American Family Insurance CEO Jack Salzwedel, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, keynote speaker Grace Vanderhei and student speaker Jeeva Premkumar.

UW-Madison nursing, education students fear new federal loan limits could threaten their careers

Posted on
Wisconsin State Journal

UW-Madison student Nai’Taija Williams McMorris is eyeing what’s next. Set to graduate from her nursing program next year, Williams McMorris aspires to enter the master’s program she needs to complete to become a nurse practitioner.

But new federal loan caps going into effect in July may reduce her and other Wisconsin students’ options to enter careers that require a graduate-level degree. The new law lowers the amount of money students seeking some advanced degrees, including nursing, can borrow in federal loans.

Wisconsin’s 32 Most Influential Black Leaders for 2025, Part 1

Posted on
Madison 365

Maurice Thomas is chief operating officer at Greater Holy Temple Christian Academy, a 4k-8th grade Christian school in Milwaukee. He is an alum of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and expects to earn a master’s degree in education leadership from Harvard in 2027.

Jerry Jordan is a nationally-known painter working in the style of contemporary realism. He counts the unsung artists of the Harlem Renaissance as his artistic role models. By day, Jordan is an academic and multicultural advisor with the UW-Madison School of Education. He holds a degree in art from UW-Whitewater.

Dr. Bashir Easter is founder of Melanin Minded, a company that aims to empower Black and Latino communities by culturally appropriate resources and support for individuals affected by Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias. He began his career in elder care nearly 15 years ago with Milwaukee County as an elder abuse investigator, human services worker, and dementia care program specialist, and later served as associate director of the All of Us Research Program at UW-Madison.

 

New UW teaching workloads, credit transfer rules pass final hurdle

Posted on
The Cap Times

Starting next fall, full-time faculty and instructional academic staff at UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee will need to teach at least one course per semester and a minimum of 12 credit hours each school year. Employees at the other 11 state universities face higher requirements.

All credits for general education courses must also be transferable and satisfy general education requirements across the universities by September.

‘We need each other’: UW-Madison faculty grapple with Trump administration’s higher education rhetoric

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

A panel of University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty called for higher institutions to rebuild public trust during a panel Dec. 3, sharing both hopeful and pessimistic sentiments about the Trump administration’s threat to higher education.

History professor Giuliana Chamedes said the ability of students, faculty and staff to speak up has been “central” to restoring democracy and academic freedom. She referenced similarities between the Trump administration’s policies and historical attacks on higher education from fascist regimes, highlighting higher education’s historical ability to overcome persecution.

‘Pride in ourselves’: Indigenous UW-Madison students learn to sew ribbon skirts

Posted on
The Cap Times

“It’s important to be able to express ourselves through our clothing and kind of use it not only as a statement … that we’re still on campus, but also just have some pride in ourselves and our traditional attire,” said Miinan White, an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation and a member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe.

UW-Madison’s new Lakeshore Center would mar natural Picnic Point

Posted on
Wisconsin State Journal

I am devastated that the new Lakeshore Center building that UW-Madison is going to erect at the entrance to Picnic Point will be right at the current entry point, blocking the beautiful stone wall — now delicately outlined in snow. It also will require moving the pedestrian and bike paths, plus the road.

There are other good alternatives, assuming this building is even needed. How about building where the current parking area is, and moving the parking slightly west? Or how about the area near the old Kaiser beach house, which should be renovated, preserved and included.

UW-Madison’s woodworking program combines art and craft

Posted on
Isthmus

Their very first assignment is hand carving the utensil out of a block of poplar. But there is a reason that Katie Hudnall — the director of UW’s woodworking and furniture program — calls it the “not a spoon” assignment.

“If the project was just shaping a perfect wooden spoon, they wouldn’t really get the chance to design something for themselves,” says Hudnall. “The assignment is really to create not just a spoon. The design element is what gets them to unlock their art brains.”

Need a study buddy? Students explore AI tutors

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

As final exam season starts, many University of Wisconsin-Madison students are increasingly turning to a new kind of study partner — one that never sleeps, charges hourly rates or judges a panicked 2 a.m. homework question.

Artificial Intelligence tools like ChatGPT have become embedded in student life with 86% of students using AI in their studies, according to a study by the Digital Education Council, marking a rapid cultural shift in how students prepare for exams and complete coursework.

Wisconsin, former basketball coach Marisa Moseley ask court to dismiss lawsuit

Posted on
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

In August, a group of former University of Wisconsin women’s basketball players sued former head coach Marisa Moseley, alleging psychological abuse.

The civil case, which also lists the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents and former UW senior associate athletic director Justin Doherty as defendants, seeks compensatory and punitive damages.

UW-Madison chancellor says new AI college will connect campus, serve most popular majors

Posted on
Wisconsin Public Radio

Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, who leads the University of Wisconsin-Madison, sees opening a new College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence as the right move to support in-demand majors and says funding the school won’t come at the expense of other areas of the university.

Early-career trans researchers reconsider their futures amid lost funding and fear

Posted on
STAT News

Researchers with a few more years of experience are more protected, but still facing setbacks. Fátima Sancheznieto is an associate researcher at the University of Wisconsin who studied biomedical sciences for her Ph.D., but now focuses on education and social science research. Before the Trump administration began cutting federal research funding, she was looking for faculty positions as an assistant professor — now she’s put that search on hold.

“You always have the — I don’t want to call it imposter syndrome, but — imposter phenomenon of, ‘Do I really belong here?’” Sancheznieto said. “When you start to notice maybe that you’re not getting as many job offers or career advancement opportunities and things like that — is it because I’m out and transgender?”

UW-Madison earns $1 million for winning Big Ten blood drive competition

Posted on
WMTV - Channel 15

The University of Wisconsin-Madison won the Big Ten “We Give Blood Drive” competition, earning $1 million that will go toward student or community health initiatives.

The competition, sponsored by Abbott, challenged all Big Ten schools to collect the most blood donations to help address the nationwide blood shortage.

‘The next step:’ UW-Madison details $80 million college focused on AI

Posted on
WMTV - Channel 15

 For the first time in more than 40 years, the University of Wisconsin-Madison is launching a new college.

Approved by the UW Board of Regents on Thursday, the “College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence” is set to open in July.

“We see the new college as kind of the next step,” UW-Madison Interim Provost John Zumbrunnen said. “We envision it as a hub around computing, data and AI on our campus, but really beyond our campus too.”

UW-Madison’s new Hub envisions seeding students’ startups across Wisconsin

Posted on
Wisconsin State Journal

Surrounded by tools and wires in his lab at UW-Madison, Luis Izet Escaño holds up a tiny object, 3D-printed with metal powder in a device he created. It’s a little product that could lead to something much bigger, and he’s crafted it through his startup company.

That effort is getting some help from a new program at UW-Madison, through which he gets some seed money from the university and one year of training, with the help of campus experts, to get his company out of the door and pitch it to real-world investors.

University of Wisconsin wins Big Ten blood drive, securing $1M for health initiatives

Posted on
WKOW - Channel 27

The University of Wisconsin won in the second season of Abbott and the Big Ten’s We Give Blood Drive, overcoming Nebraska in a close contest.

Running from Aug. 27 through Dec. 5, the “We Give Blood” competition, was announced at the 2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game in Indianapolis.

UW schools will use stricter guide to decide whether to cut programs

Posted on
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

More academic programs at Wisconsin’s public universities could be on the chopping block under a new metric campuses must use to monitor enrollment trends.

The Universities of Wisconsin, also known as the UW system, formed a taskforce last year to explore program cuts in response to declining enrollment and persistent financial pressures.

Pining for tradition: UW Forestry Club revives Christmas tree sale

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

The UW Forestry Club will revive its Christmas tree sale this December, selling 300 trees after a six-year hiatus due to a pause in club membership and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite not being officially registered as a student organization, the club serves as a student-run professional development organization for forestry and natural resource majors. It provides hands-on skills training, certifications and industry networking opportunities and represents the student chapter of Society of American Foresters in Madison.

UW-Madison’s proposed AI-focused college gets Regents’ OK

Posted on
Wisconsin State Journal

UW-Madison has the go-ahead to start a new College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence.

The UW Board of Regents on Thursday gave UW-Madison permission to move the School of Computer, Data and Information Sciences (CDIS) out of the College of Letters and Science and transform it into the new college.

UW Board of Regents approves new College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence

Posted on
The Badger Herald

The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents approved the reorganization of the School of Computer, Data and Information Sciences to create a new, standalone College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence during its December meeting on Thursday.

Improv classes enhance medical students’ interpersonal skills at UW-Madison

Posted on
Channel 3000

he University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health has used improv classes to help medical students develop their interpersonal skills, combining performing arts and health-related fields into a six-week course.

Amy Zelenski, a professor of medicine at the school, teaches an elective class in improvisational theater. She is no stranger to the performing arts scene, as she has a background in theater.

UW receives approval to move L&S’s largest majors to new AI-focused school

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

The University of Wisconsin-Madison received approval to separate the school’s largest and fastest-growing majors into a new college focused on Artificial Intelligence and computing ahead of next fall.

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents voted unanimously Thursday to authorize creation of a new College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence (CAI) at UW-Madison, the first new academic division since 1983, when UW-Madison created the School of Veterinary Medicine.

Future of UW foreign language programs at risk amid federal, campus funding cuts

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

A series of federal and campus funding cuts have plunged the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s foreign language programs into financial uncertainty.

Last spring, UW-Madison regularly offered 31 different foreign languages through the fourth semester level, but now, the future of many lesser-taught languages are in limbo after the Trump administration withheld federal funding and university-ordered campus-wide budget cuts.

Why UW-Madison is creating a new college focused on AI

Posted on
The Cap Times

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is set to create a new college for the first time in more than 40 years.

The Board of Regents — which oversees UW-Madison and Wisconsin’s 12 other public universities — approved a proposal Thursday to establish the College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence.

The new college version of “The dog ate my homework”

Posted on
Psychology Today

This is one of those moments where I can really say I did walk a mile and trudge uphill in the snow to find out about a grade. I was an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and when professors posted grades, it was on a sheet outside their office door, and since we didn’t have email, we just relied on when they said they might be posting the grades. It was common to arrive at the door and find that nothing was posted yet. We did not bang on the door, asking why it had taken a little longer. We didn’t march to the provost’s or president’s office and demand to talk to someone about our complaints. Instead, we walked back downhill, picked up a coffee, and headed home. A day or two later, we would try again. And if we had questions about those grades, we checked the syllabus for when the office hours were and planned to see the professor then.

UW-Madison increases lobbying efforts amid federal, state political challenges

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

Following the Trump Administration’s crackdown on higher education, University of Wisconsin-Madison administrators, student and faculty groups alike have stepped up lobbying efforts.

Lobbying reports from OpenSecrets show UW-Madison has spent $831,000 on lobbying since the beginning of the year, but information from the last quarter of the year has not been reported yet. During all of 2024, UW-Madison spent $807,000.

UW-Madison will be cautious in admitting grad students for next fall

Posted on
The Cap Times

The leader of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Graduate School is anticipating another “cautious” admissions cycle for students seeking a spot on campus next school year.

Dean William Karpus’ remark at a campus meeting followed guidance he recently sent to the university’s graduate programs to help them prepare for fall 2026 enrollment.

Future of UW foreign language programs at risk amid federal, campus funding cuts

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

A series of federal and campus funding cuts have plunged the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s foreign language programs into financial uncertainty.

Last spring, UW-Madison regularly offered 31 different foreign languages through the fourth semester level, but now, the future of many lesser-taught languages are in limbo after the Trump administration withheld federal funding and university-ordered campus-wide budget cuts.

UW’s ‘exuberant cult of fraternity and sorority’ was defended a century ago

Posted on
Wisconsin State Journal

This State Journal editorial ran on Dec. 11, 1925:

It is probable that no street the length of Langdon Street in the state has dwelt so many significant people of the earlier period.

The sons and daughters of Langdon Street are known in the world’s affairs, and today are carrying on in many places. The ancestral homes have no special right to complain that, in the march of progress, they have been intruded upon.

With his sculptures full of natural splendor, artist Truman Lowe could make wood look like water

Posted on
Smithsonian Magazine

Lowe earned an undergraduate degree in art education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 1969 and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1973. During his graduate program, Lowe studied sculpture, glassblowing, ceramics and other art forms that would go on to influence his work: a catalog of earthy, curved sculptures built from organic materials.

UW-Madison proposes moving L&S’s largest majors to new AI-focused school

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

The University of Wisconsin-Madison wants to separate the school’s largest and fastest growing majors into a new college focused on Artificial Intelligence and computing.

The University  of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will vote  Thursday on the creation of a new College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence at UW-Madison, meeting materials show.

Medical Sciences Orchestra keeps music alive on campus

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

Musicians in the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Medicine and Public Health perform classical music with surgical precision as part of the Medical Sciences Orchestra. Founded in 2018 by fourth-year medical student Joohee Son, the orchestra provides a chance for new operations for students, faculty and alumni in the medical field.

UW-Madison seeks approval to break school of AI, computing into separate college

Posted on
Wisconsin State Journal

UW-Madison is seeking to break its computer school out into a separate college that will focus on computing and artificial intelligence — a move the university says will position the institution as a leader in AI. The UW Board of Regents will vote Thursday on whether to move the UW-Madison School of Computer, Data, and Information Sciences (CDIS) out of the College of Letters and Science into a new College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence.

Teaching assistant receives UW fellowship for second consecutive year: a look into his research

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

PhD candidate Morgan Henson received the Gulickson fellowship for the second year in a row, an award given to graduate students working to improve the teaching experience at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

His research focuses on how far-right political movements use digital platforms and media to gain political support. Outside the classroom, Henson is making a different kind of impact: helping his fellow teaching assistants.