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Category: State news

Scott Walker-era policy change is putting some UW tenured faculty at risk for layoffs

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Wisconsin State Journal

Now, for the first time, the UW system is turning to a decade-old faculty layoff policy that expands the circumstances under which tenured faculty can be laid off and outlines the process for doing it. With Milwaukee’s branch campuses closing, the UW system is eliminating the College of General Studies and putting Decker and about three dozen UW-Milwaukee tenured faculty at risk of being laid off.

Wisconsin sees promise in ‘housing first’ support of domestic violence survivors

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Wisconsin Watch

“It opens up a whole new world of possibilities,” said Kate Walsh, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and part of a team assessing the effectiveness of the statewide pilot project.

The UW-Madison team is gathering survey data from 68 housing recipients across the program’s nine pilot sites. More than half of the participants across the nine sites reported a reduction in exposure to domestic violence and higher satisfaction with their living situations, according to preliminary findings.

The dairy farm of the future could employ robotics

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Wisconsin Public Radio

Dennis Hancock is center director at the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, which will administer the new facility in partnership with the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. He said part of the decline in Wisconsin dairy farms can be attributed to workforce shortage and a possible solution is replacing some of the workforce with technology.

“One of the ways to save smaller farms, in my opinion and those that have actually made the conversion would agree, is through the use of robotics,” Hancock recently said on WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.” “Robotics are quite expensive, but they do save a lot of labor.”

Wisconsin farmers face profitability challenges with wet weather and soggy field conditions

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Wisconsin State Farmer

“We had the warmest February on record and our soil moisture was down to 16% in some areas. And now we’ve gone from one of the most severe deficits to one of the most severe surpluses (of moisture) in just a couple of months,” said Kevin Jarek, University of Wisconsin Division of Extension Crops and Soils educator for Outagamie County. “In my 25 years with Extension, this is unbelievable.”

UW-Madison researchers find high PFAS levels in natural foam on Wisconsin lakes, rivers

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Channel 3000

“We sampled several dozen different lakes and rivers in Wisconsin, and so we were looking at PFAS in foam,” said Christy Remucal, a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and interim director of the University of Wisconsin Aquatic Sciences Center. “It’s the white stuff you sometimes see on the side of the lake or in the river.”

Joint Finance Committee releases aid for communities losing 2-year UW schools

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Wisconsin Public Radio

Communities that have lost a two-year Universities of Wisconsin branch campus will be eligible for up to $2 million in grants.

The state Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee on Tuesday unanimously approved releasing $20 million to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation for a grant program to assist communities in redeveloping shuttered campuses.

Lawmakers approve money for biohealth tech hub, communities affected by UW shutdowns

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Wisconsin Examiner

The state budget committee on Tuesday approved the release of $27 million for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to cover grants aimed at creating a regional tech hub and to help communities affected by UW shutdowns. The committee also approved money for the Department of Corrections to cover the costs of youth who are serving adult sentences.

Study finds foam on Wisconsin rivers and lakes has higher PFAS levels than waters below

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Wisconsin Public Radio

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found that naturally occurring foams on state waterways have PFAS levels as much as thousands of times higher than waters that lie below.

The findings are part of a new study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. She said the PFAS concentrations in foam were “jaw-dropping.” Samples of foam collected from Lake Monona showed PFAS levels up to roughly 328,000 parts per trillion.

A judge ruled parts of Act 10 are unconstitutional. What comes next

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Spectrum News

Professor Michael Childers specializes in labor education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He said he thinks the likelihood of the case going to the Wisconsin Supreme Court is all but guaranteed.

“This finding — if it was allowed to stand — would, in essence, remove the changes to collective bargaining laws and allow for the provision for all the public sector workers to again collective bargain similar to all the private sector workers in Wisconsin are able to do,” Childers said.

‘I’m staying in the race’: A defiant Joe Biden rallies support to his campaign in Madison

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

James Tinjum, an engineering professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison who said he had concerns about Biden’s energy levels during the debate, was reassured Friday. He said he has faith in Biden’s ability to “get things done” and noted concerns about Trump’s age, as well. Trump turned 78 last month.

“He had more confidence, more strength in his voice and a positive message that I’m looking for,” Tinjum said.

People of all political beliefs share view on how inflation is hurting families | Opinion

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

In fact, the issue unifies all Wisconsinites — Democrats, Republicans and independents alike. It ranks at the top of issues residents rated as most significant problems they face. And while it is a common problem for all, inflation has an outsized impact on the young, according to the “WisconSays” survey of nearly 4,000 residents conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Survey Center in partnership with the La Follette School of Public Affairs.

US Supreme Court ruling weakening federal agencies may affect Wisconsin regulations, legal battles

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Wisconsin Public Radio

Steph Tai, law professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School, said the decision means that litigants, regardless of whether they’re conservative or liberal, will likely bring cases before courts that align with their own political preferences despite claims that judges are impartial.

“They’re going to pick judges that are more likely to be sympathetic to their argument that whatever federal regulation should be overturned,” Tai said.

New Alice in Dairyland Halie Heinzel hopes to connect consumers with agriculture

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Wisconsin State Farmer

I recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Life Sciences Communication. With the opportunity to serve as Alice in Dairyland, I am so excited to travel across Wisconsin for a memorable and rewarding year, connecting communities with agriculture and learning more about this diverse industry across our state.

With all eyes on Wisconsin, a new class of clerks prepares to run elections

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Wisconsin Public Radio

“They’re under more scrutiny in a presidential race, when Wisconsin will be one of the key swing states in the Electoral College,” said Barry Burden, who directs the Election Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “An error, a small mistake, or a delay caused by a clerk can lead to suspicion or misinformation or even conspiracies about something that’s going wrong in the election.”

Here’s what last year’s dry summer and a mild winter mean for this year’s Japanese beetles invasion in Wisconsin

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Green Bay Press-Gazette

PJ Liesch, director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Insect Diagnostic Lab, began seeing reports of Japanese beetle activity the last week of June, which is typical. Numbers will increase during their prime feeding months of July and August when they damage (but usually don’t kill) roses, grape vines, basil, raspberries, crabapples, birches and ornamentals, among others, by skeletonizing the leaves.

What First Amendment lawsuit means for designated protest zones at RNC in Milwaukee

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Wisconsin Public Radio

Howard Schweber, an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, thinks the judge still has enough time to rule on this case, which he expects will be in favor of the city of Milwaukee.

Schweber spoke to WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” about the First Amendment arguments in the case and the lack of clearly defined legal guidelines on the issue.

New charter school looking to open in Waukesha County

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Charter schools can be run either by public school districts or independently. Independent charter schools can be authorized by the Milwaukee Common Council, the chancellor of any Universities of Wisconsin (UW System) institution, each technical college district board, the Waukesha County Executive, College of Menominee Nation, Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University, and the UW Office of Educational Opportunity, according to the DPI.

Wisconsin wants to be tech mecca. After Foxconn broken promises, the state says this time is for real

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CNBC

The (tech hub) designation allows Wisconsin to compete for up to $70 million in federal grant money. More important, it formalizes a consortium of companies, including GE Healthcare Technologies — which has a major presence in the Milwaukee suburbs — and institutions like the University of Wisconsin-Madison supporting each other and smaller companies like Northstar.

A UW-Madison study mapped millions of acres of abandoned U.S. farmland. Here’s why it matters.

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A team of scientists from the UW-led Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center mapped millions of acres of abandoned farmland across the U.S. over several decades in a study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. Knowing where this abandoned land is could help people evaluate it for different uses, including climate solutions, the team theorized.

Wisconsin Supreme Court overturns OWI conviction of man who fell asleep at drive-thu

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Wisconsin Public Radio

“It’s the idea that law enforcement kind of wears several hats,” said Rachel Burg,  a clinical assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School. “One is monitoring and investigating crime and preventing crime but also protecting people and property and doing welfare checks on folks. So the community caretaker exception allows law enforcement to to take action if they have a concern about the welfare of a person.”

Eradication of insect pests and invasive plants

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Wisconsin Public Radio

UW-Madison entomologist PJ Liesch is back. We talk with him about what’s hampering  the spread of spongy moths in Wisconsin. We also talk about how climate change is aiding the spread of joro spiders to northern regions. Then, two WDNR invasive species specialists share success stories from across the state.

New collaboration with UW-Madison lets 3 Wisconsin school districts grow their own principals

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Wisconsin State Journal

A new collaboration between the UW-Madison School of Education and three Wisconsin school districts — Madison, Lake Mills and Middleton-Cross Plains — proposes a solution: Through the District Leadership Preparation Pipeline, a group of Wisconsin teachers will earn their master’s degree from UW-Madison for no cost. In return, they commit to working in their home school districts as a principal or assistant principal for at least two years.

UW-Extension receives $1 million to help site solar and wind projects

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The Capital Times

The goal is to make large-scale solar and wind projects work for all involved, said Sherrie Gruder, sustainable design specialist and energy strategist for UW-Extension, who is overseeing the initiative. Gruder said the grant will help local governments and residents “have a voice in making the projects work well for the values and the goals of the communities in our state.”

UW-Madison researchers survey ticks in Eau Claire; also identify lone star tick

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Researchers from UW-Madison are visiting houses across Eau Claire — their mission: to reduce ticks. The Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases is a collaboration between the CDC, several universities and health experts, it’s headquartered at UW-Madison. According to UW-Madison College of Veterinary Medicine professor and director of the center of excellence, Lyric Bartholomay, in Eau Claire, they’re testing backyards that have been treated with chemicals from Rentokil-Terminix across 80 homes. Teams go to each house and drag for ticks with cloth tools that ticks latch onto.

Wisconsin prisons lag in treating substance use disorders

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PBS Wisconsin

“At the time of reentry, we know that rates of returning to use – to substance use – are very high. That in combination with someone having no really no tolerance puts them at super high risk for having an overdose if they return to use,” explained Dr. Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, an addiction medicine physician and professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She treats patients with substance use disorders at UW Health’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Clinic.

PFAS mitigation, hospital funding held up in Wisconsin

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Wisconsin State Journal

PHOTO: Christopher Zahasky, associate professor in the Department of Geoscience at UW-Madison, stacks rock samples extracted from the drilling site on French Island on Tuesday, June 4. Three wells are being drilled on the island as part of a research project funded by the La Crosse County.

New Wisconsin Public Radio station honors late Executive Director Gene Purcell

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Current

Wisconsin Public Radio is launching a new music station with call letters honoring Gene Purcell, Wisconsin Public Media’s late executive director.

WEPP, which will start broadcasting Thursday on 90.7 FM in Rice Lake, Wis., gets its call letters from Purcell’s given name, Eugene Patrick Purcell. He died due to injuries from a traffic crash in 2021 after more than a decade at the helm of the organizations behind Wisconsin Public Radio and PBS Wisconsin.

Gov. Tony Evers to ask for $800 million more for UW system

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Wisconsin State Journal

The announcement comes a day after the regents voted on their annual operating budget, which leaves seven universities with budget shortfalls for the upcoming year and has the UW system propping up one of its schools, UW-Oshkosh, after it became the first in UW system history to deplete its savings and run a cash shortfall in the millions.

Fewer UW campuses projecting deficits. But one university has exhausted its reserves

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

One university has completely depleted its unrestricted reserves — a first in UW System history — that will require the UW System to step in and loan some of its own reserves. And some of the universities projecting to close their deficits in the coming year still need to make “substantial” cuts to achieve that goal, UW officials told the UW Board of Regents at a Thursday meeting on the UW-Milwaukee campus.

Did UNC System destroy DEI or save it from legislative meddling?

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Inside Higher Ed

In other states, a lack of trust between those parties has led to chaotic results. In Wisconsin, the Republican-led state house held up millions of dollars in funding for the state university system over disagreements on DEI spending, kicking off a war of attrition that lasted over six months and nearly derailed the University of Wisconsin system budget.

Smith: Centennial of nation’s first wilderness area highlights Aldo Leopold’s legacy

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

We Wisconsinites who value the natural world and outdoor recreation hold Aldo Leopold in especially high esteem.

Not only was Leopold a pioneering ecologist, forester and author who profoundly influenced the modern conservation movement, but he spent much of his adult life in the Badger State as a professor at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and cultivator of his family’s “shack” on an old farm near Baraboo along the Wisconsin River.

Rainfall leads to improvement in Wisconsin drought conditions

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Wisconsin Public Radio

Less than 1 percent of the state is considered to be experiencing drought, according to the latest map from the U.S. Drought Monitor.

It’s made for a quick end to a long period of drought, state climatologist Steve Vavrus said.

“Drought has virtually disappeared from Wisconsin finally, after 12 solid months,” he said.

You can try beer, and a dessert, made with cicadas at Lake Geneva’s ‘Cicadapalooza’

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Insect Diagnostics Lab PJ Liesch received the first reports of Brood XIII cicadas in Wisconsin this year out of the Lake Geneva area just over a week ago. With some of the best-documented historical cicada activity in the state, Lake Geneva could very well be Wisconsin’s “bug central” this summer. Residents have already shared photos of cicadas covering tree trunks, sidewalks and other surfaces.

UW survey finds inflation, gun violence and health care top issues for Wisconsin residents

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Main Street Agenda is a project designed to focus on the issues Wisconsinites rank as most important heading into the 2024 election. The topics come from a survey of nearly 4,000 residents conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Survey Center in partnership with the La Follette School of Public Affairs.