A total of 85 percent of classes across the UW System are being offered in-person this fall, smashing interim System President Tommy Thompson’s goal of 75 percent, officials announced Tuesday.
Category: Higher Education/System
Opinion | Fredric March’s Misguided Antiracist ‘Reckoning’ at the University of Wisconsin
What is it about the University of Wisconsin and race? The administration’s recent decision to move a rock from view because a journalist referred to it with the N-word almost 100 years ago was goofy enough. But there has been more at the school in this vein.
Transitions: Mercyhurst U. Names New President; U. of Maryland-Baltimore County’s President to Step Down Next Year
Kate VandenBosch, dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, plans to step down at the end of this academic year.
Big Gifts for Wisconsin, Cornell
The University of Wisconsin at Madison announced a commitment of $175 million for the School of Computer, Data and Information Sciences. The gift was $125 million from alumni John and Tashia Morgridge, of which $50 million was in the form of a one-to-one matching grant.
What is the student vaccination rate at your UW System campus?
Student vaccination rates at Wisconsin’s public universities range widely from 91% at UW-Madison to 38% at UW-Parkside, according to figures released Friday.
UW-Milwaukee, UW-Eau Claire hit 70% student vaccination rate, unlock scholarship lottery
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and UW-Milwaukee on Thursday became the second and third state campuses to reach a goal of having at least 70% of students vaccinated against COVID-19.
Interim University of Wisconsin President Tommy Thompson undergoes surgery after a water skiing accident
University of Wisconsin interim President Tommy Thompson underwent surgery Thursday morning following a water skiing accident, according to a post on his Facebook page.
UW System Interim President Tommy Thompson Recovering From Surgery For Torn Bicep
University of Wisconsin System interim President Tommy Thompson is recovering from surgery Thursday to repair a torn bicep. Thompson says the injury comes from a “little water skiing accident” last weekend.
Tommy Thompson, interim president of UW System, needs surgery after water-skiing accident
Tommy Thompson, the interim president of the University of Wisconsin System, will be having surgery Thursday morning, he wrote on his Facebook page. Thompson, the former four-term Republican governor, said he had a “little water skiing accident” over the weekend and needs to have his bicep reattached to the tendon.
Edgewood College denies online teaching request for professor on autism spectrum
Edgewood College denied an online teaching request from a professor on the autism spectrum who struggles with wearing a mask, saying that granting such an accommodation would be an “undue burden” on the school.
Tony Evers administration announces COVID-19 testing requirement for unvaccinated employees
On Monday, the administration said about 70% of the more than 30,000 executive branch employees were at least partially vaccinated as of Friday. Executive branch employees don’t include the University of Wisconsin System or local school districts.
How Wisconsin is ruled by a shadow governor
Then-Gov. Tommy Thompson, a Republican, picked Vos to serve as a student representative on the University of Wisconsin’s board of trustees. Vos was also college roommates with Reince Priebus, who later became chair of the Republican National Committee and Trump’s first White House chief of staff. Priebus didn’t respond to inquiries about Vos.
What Higher Ed Can Learn From Hospitals
The University of Wisconsin System and the University System of Georgia have consolidated some of their two- and four-year institutions in recent years. But consolidation is rare in higher ed. Given the rising cost of trying to be all things to all people, universities have to form centers of excellence via regional partnerships.
Time capsule, ‘Eyes of Texas’: News from around our 50 states
State Sen. Steve Nass has officially asked the Legislature’s Republican leaders to sue the University of Wisconsin System after system officials refused to submit their COVID-19 protocols to his committee for approval.
Why Jim Jordan should avoid fights over what’s ‘un-American’
It didn’t generate nearly as much attention, but Jordan had a separate tweet yesterday featuring recent footage from a University of Wisconsin football game. The video showed celebrating fans, nearly all of whom were standing side by side without masks, packed into a stadium.
College football season is here. And so is the delta variant.
At one such game, University of Wisconsin’s home opener against Penn State, no vaccination proof or negative test was required. Masks were required indoors but only “strongly encouraged” in outdoor spaces. More than 76,000 people attended. The Madison, Wisconsin, metro area, home to more than 660,000 people has seen a steady increase in cases since mid-July and a positive test rate of 3.4 percent, according to Public Health Madison and Dane County.
Nass asks GOP leaders to sue UW System over COVID policies
Sen. Steve Nass officially asked the Legislature’s Republican leaders Tuesday to sue the University of Wisconsin System after system officials refused to submit their COVID-19 protocols to his committee for approval.
UW-Whitewater offering extra incentives for students who get vaccinated
UW-Whitewater is hoping to help students and community members capitalize on the extension of the $100 COVID vaccine gift card benefit.
State Senator asks legislative leaders to take UW System to court over COVID-19 pandemic regulations
State Senator Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) is requesting legislative leadership take legal action against the UW System for refusing to comply with rules regarding COVID-19 mandates.
UW System president Tommy Thompson encourages students to get COVID-19 vaccine
Interim UW System president Tommy Thompson visited UW-Oshkosh on Tuesday, where he thanked students for getting vaccinated for COVID-19 and encouraged the unvaccinated to get a shot.
Nass pushes lawsuit to settle who sets UW COVID-19 policy
On Tuesday, state Sen. Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) formally sent a letter to Senate Maj. Leader Devin LeMahieu and Speaker Robin Vos, asking them sue UW System to determine if university administrators need legislative approval to enact any COVID-19 restrictions.
Public colleges with the best return on investment
#54. University of Wisconsin-Madison- 40-year NPV: $1,178,000- 10-year NPV: $125,000- Graduation rate: 86%- Median debt: $19,639
GOP divided over whether to push UW System on COVID rules, with Nass digging in and others siding with Thompson
Republicans already appeared divided over how far to go in confronting the University of Wisconsin System — specifically former Governor Tommy Thompson — over setting its COVID-19 policies.
Nass urges legislature to sue UW System over COVID-19 policies
The University of Wisconsin System could soon face a lawsuit filed by the Wisconsin legislature over whether university administrators or an Assembly committee have the final say over mask and vaccine restrictions on the UW campuses.
Another Republican says don’t sue UW over COVID-19 policies
Sen. Robert Cowles issued a statement Thursday saying he wouldn’t support a legal challenge. He said tying the system’s hands isn’t in the best interests of local communities or businesses.
UW-Madison reports 90% of campus fully vaccinated even without vaccine mandate
UW-Madison reported on Thursday that nine out of every 10 members of the campus community are fully vaccinated — even without mandating students and employees to get the shot. “I’m proud of our students and employees for taking this important step to protect themselves and others,” Chancellor Rebecca Blank said in an announcement. “And I’m grateful to our staff, who worked tirelessly to achieve these results.”
UW-La Crosse becomes first campus in the state to reach a 70% vaccination rate
Former Wisconsin governor, and national health secretary under President George W. Bush, Tommy Thompson is now at the helm of the UW System as interim president. Thompson recently kicked off a tour that will include stops at all the campuses this fall to urge students to get vaccinated.
Another Sign Of The Pandemic’s Effect On College Students: Fewer Transfers
Fewer students transferred between colleges over the 2020-2021 school year, and new data show that trends in who is transferring between colleges — and where they’re going — may be exacerbating existing inequity.
UW Board of Regents eye changes to chancellor search committees
The UW Board of Regents may allow more campus community members to serve on chancellor search committees, potentially relaxing a rigid and controversial policy that faculty viewed as restricting their input on a critical task.
UW system: Nursing, pharmacy students eligible for tuition credit this fall
More than 1,000 nursing and pharmacy students took advantage of this opportunity during the 2020-21 academic year.
UW nursing, pharmacy students eligible for tuition credit for providing COVID-19 vaccinations
he credit is provided by funding from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
Prehn corresponded with Republican leadership about decision not to step down from Natural Resources Board, emails show
The embattled chairman of the Natural Resources Board sought and received counsel from aides to Republican state Senate leadership on his decision to not vacate his seat at the end of his six-year term in May, emails show — contrary to claims he hadn’t.
Frederick Prehn solicited advice from and shared information with several people since May, according to documents obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, including Madison lobbyist Scott Meyer, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, and former University of Wisconsin Regent Gerald Whitburn.
Thompson should impose jab mandate — Roy Christianson
Letter to the editor: Before people nominate UW System President Tommy Thompson for a “Profiles in Courage” award for his refusal to let the Legislature in effect run the UW System, let’s consider the following. If Thompson is correct that UW has the right to determine how to manage its own health policy (which I strongly suspect he is), he is simply doing his job by refusing to let legislators like Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, dictate whether mask or vaccine mandates can be used.
Stanford And MIT Top Washington Monthly’s 2021 College Rankings
- Stanford University
- MIT
- Duke University
- University of Wisconsin–Madison
COVID-19 roundup: At Georgia, a professor quits midclass
Faculty members at the University of Wisconsin at Madison are questioning whether it is possible for anyone to get permission to teach online, The Wisconsin State Journal reported.
The pandemic made internships hypercompetitive
At the height of the pandemic last year, half of all internship opportunities had been canceled, according to job site Glassdoor. The ones that weren’t canceled were mostly virtual and some were unpaid. By spring 2021, just 22% of students said they’d had an internship during the school year and only half of those said they were in-person, according to research from the Center for Research on College-Workforce Transitions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
UW’s Strategy on Delta Variant of COVID for Fall Classes
Video: UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank details the university’s plans to combat a likely increase in COVID cases on campus due to the highly-contagious delta variant with in-person classes starting September.
Republican Assembly Leader not interested in suing UW System for control of COVID policies on campus
The Assembly Majority Leader said Thursday he is not on board with suing the University of Wisconsin System over control of its COVID-19 policies, as one Republican senator has called on legislative leaders to do.
Tommy Thompson is right: Lawmakers shouldn’t micromanage UW’s response to COVID-19
Wisconsin needs more Tommy Thompson and less Steve Nass.
Thompson, the former Republican governor, put his foot down this week when a meddlesome group from his own party tried to tell him how to run the University of Wisconsin System.
Alverno joins the list of private colleges requiring COVID-19 vaccination on campus this fall
Alverno College announced Thursday that all students, staff and faculty must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Nov. 1.
Tommy Thompson calls for higher ed task force, likely won’t seek permanent UW presidency
UW System interim President Tommy Thompson said Thursday he doesn’t plan to seek the job on a permanent basis, estimating about six months before he leaves the post.
GOP leader doesn’t support suing UW System over control of COVID-19 policies
The second-highest ranking member of the state Assembly said Thursday he does not support suing the University of Wisconsin System to control campuses’ COVID-19 policies, an idea pitched by a fellow Republican earlier this week to legislative leaders.
Disappeared ducky, ramen rewards, Dorothy Parker: News from around our 50 states
University of Wisconsin System President Tommy Thompson pushed back Tuesday against Republican lawmakers who claim campuses need their permission to implement COVID-19 policies.
Tommy Thompson says UW System will enact COVID-19 policies without legislative approval
UW System interim President Tommy Thompson won’t be deterred by Republican lawmakers who say he needs their approval to enact COVID-19 regulations on campuses, he said Tuesday.
UW System asserts its authority to set COVID-19 policies, pushing back against GOP
The University of Wisconsin System will not cooperate with legislative efforts to control campuses’ COVID-19 policies, interim System President Tommy Thompson said Tuesday in his strongest rebuke of Republicans to date.
Tommy Thompson: I have no plans to cede UW COVID policies to lawmakers
Column by interim UW System president Thomnpson: The University of Wisconsin System owns a critical responsibility to open our classrooms this September to deliver the in-person education students deserve and parents expect. And we are planning to do just that. Unfortunately, some want us to ignore our unambiguous authority and duty under Wisconsin law to protect the “health, safety, and welfare of the university.”
Wisconsin Colleges, Universities Using Federal COVID-19 Relief To Pay Off Student Debt
As the fall semester approaches, more Wisconsin universities and colleges are looking at ways to reduce debt that could keep students from continuing their education.
Officials at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee announced Friday they had forgiven more than $5 million in outstanding balances owed by students from the 2020-21 school year.
UW System Refuses To Submit COVID-19 Safety Restrictions For Republican Approval
University of Wisconsin System interim President Tommy Thompson says he will not comply with an order from Republican state lawmakers to submit COVID-19 safety restrictions and requirements for their approval. Thompson said he doesn’t think the state Legislature will sue over the matter but said if it goes to court he’s confident the UW will win.
‘Get out of my way’: Tommy Thompson says UW won’t submit COVID-19 safety policies to lawmakers for approval
Republican leaders have said they’ll be filing a lawsuit in an attempt to force UW and the former Republican governor to comply.
‘If they sue us, we’ll fight it’: Thompson says UW System moving forward with pandemic rules
A defiant Thompson said repeatedly during a call with statewide media he believed the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules (JCRAR), which sets policy for state agencies, does not have the legal authority to dictate how the university system enacts rules that address campus safety.
UW System, lawmaker trade shots in COVID-19 policy battle
The war of words between the University of Wisconsin System and a Republican lawmaker heated up Tuesday after System President Tommy Thompson told lawmakers to “get out of my way.”
See How Much More Tuition Costs for Gen Z Than It Did for Gen X at 30 Popular Colleges
University of Wisconsin, MadisonTuition cost for Gen X (adjusted to 2021 dollars): $3,094Tuition cost for Gen Z: $10,766Percent increase in cost: 248%
UWM puts $5.1 million in federal stimulus funds toward paying off debt for 2,000 students
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee became the latest college to wipe out millions of dollars in student bills Friday, leveraging federal COVID-19 stimulus funds to pay off outstanding student debt incurred during the pandemic.
UW-Madison will require weekly COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated students, employees
The University of Wisconsin-Madison announced a weekly COVID-19 testing requirement Wednesday for all students and employees who do not show proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
UW-Stout professor fired for not wearing mask on campus
The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents last month fired a UW-Stout engineering professor for failing to wear a mask while on campus last year, according to documents obtained by the Wisconsin State Journal.
Tommy Thompson explains why he got vaccinated – and why you should, too
When I had an opportunity to become vaccinated against COVID-19 last spring, I didn’t hesitate. The vaccine clearly was the best way for me to protect myself and the people I care about from death or hospitalization due to COVID. I was also eager to do my part to help our society beat back this insidious disease.
College study-abroad programs cautiously return with small groups of ‘trailblazer’ students
Zashary Torres, a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, tried to study abroad in Barcelona in January.
COVID-19 pushed it back to this fall.
Now, he’s set to arrives in Spain on Sept. 1, despite Spain’s “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory.
All UW Campuses Enact Mask Requirements, Expectations Amid Rise In COVID-19 Cases
Every University of Wisconsin System campus in the state has instituted mask requirements or expectations for individuals regardless of their vaccination status as the number of new coronavirus cases rises. The measures come amid an effort by Republican lawmakers to block COVID-19 restrictions at universities.
From taxes, to roads to schools. How does the Wisconsin state budget affect daily life?
The Wisconsin state budget is an excruciatingly complicated document that takes your state and federal tax dollars and spends them on programs like food assistance for poor residents, projects like county highway repairs and public employees like school teachers.
The critical race theory controversy drives an hourslong legislative debate over classroom instruction in Wisconsin
Quoted: “Teachers do not deliberately set out to make students feel bad about themselves. The problem this bill seems to identify, that Wisconsin’s teachers intentionally or otherwise want to make students feel bad, is simply not real,” said Jeremy Stoddard, a University of Wisconsin-Madison curriculum and instruction professor.
“What I fear is that if it becomes law, it will have a chilling effect inhibiting teachers from teaching a full account of history.”