UW-Madison professor emeritus Clint Sprott has spent half of his life making people’s hair stand on end and shooting sparks out of people’s fingertips.
For 40 years, the Wonders of Physics has been wowing
Wisconsin State Journal
Category: Top Stories
Are Wisconsin colleges worried about students using AI to cheat? Not really.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
University of Wisconsin-Madison students in Professor Paul Stoy’s class late last month stared up at the screen, mesmerized as a new technology called ChatGPT wrote a computer code to calculate planetary temperature. The task would normally take students several minutes while the chatbot completed it in seconds.
Hit with staggering enrollment declines, 2-year UW campuses might have discovered a way to survive
Wisconsin State Journal
The counties, who jointly manage the UW-Oshkosh at Fox Cities campus, are requesting a guarantee that, if they sink millions into renovating the campus’ 60-year-old cafeteria, and then the University of Wisconsin System shuts down the campus within the next five years, the System will pay the counties back for the renovations.
In dire need of more space, UW-Madison Engineering gets System’s top priority
Wisconsin State Journal
UW-Madison will aggressively seek a new College of Engineering building as its top priority in the upcoming state budget cycle as growth stagnates and faculty compete with one another for coveted and increasingly limited lab space.
Mnookin announces tuition promise, asks for increased resources
The Daily Cardinal
Mnookin announced two major initiatives at the meeting — an increase in eligibility for Bucky’s Tuition Promise and the creation of Bucky’s Pell Pathway.
UW-Madison expands tuition promise for low-income students to cover room, board and other college costs
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is expanding its tuition promise program to cover not only tuition for some low-income students, but nearly all other college costs that can derail progress toward a degree, such as room and board.
Expanded Bucky’s Pell Pathway program covers more costs for lower-income Wisconsin students attending UW-Madison
WISC-TV 3
Hundreds of Wisconsin students from lower-income families are expected to qualify for an expanded program from the University of Wisconsin-Madison that will cover their full financial needs to attend the flagship campus, the university announced Thursday.
UW-Madison exhibit has ‘something new to say’ about race and art
Wisconsin State Journal
When incoming museum director Amy Gilman first saw “Emancipation Group” on display at the Chazen Museum of Art in 2017, she reacted like many visitors: She stopped in her tracks.
Most UW System students think campuses should disinvite offensive speakers
Wisconsin State Journal
More than half of University of Wisconsin System students believe campuses should disinvite speakers who are thought to be offensive, a free speech survey conducted last fall found.
UW awards Distinguished Teaching Awards to twelve faculty
The Badger Herald
The awards are presented to all types of faculty members whose teaching deserves acknowledgement and reward, according to the Office of the Secretary of the Faculty.
UW-Madison launches new center to confront its history of exclusion
Capital Times
“Our faculty, staff and students are eager to take this history and use it to make our campus a better place for everyone,” said Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin in a statement. “With the new center, we are committing to embedding the mission of the Public History Project in the daily life of campus and in our decision-making.”
University of Wisconsin Law School joins exodus of others not participating in U.S. News rankings
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The University of Wisconsin Law School won’t participate in this year’s U.S. News & World Report rankings, a decision made in protest of how the magazine prioritizes metrics that the school says conflict with its underlying values of accessibility and affordability.
UW-Madison launches center to explore, reckon with campus history
Wisconsin State Journal
Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said in a statement that naming the center after Blank, who left UW-Madison last year and whose plans to become president of Northwestern University were hindered by a cancer diagnosis, was a way to recognize her role in creating the Public History Project.
A promising education | Racine native one of 800 attending UW-Madison via free tuition guarantee
The Journal Times
Jermika Jackson believes her son is destined for greatness. From a young age, D’Marion Jackson seemed wise beyond his years. He was a voracious reader who quickly finished handfuls of library books.
He is now a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and that was made possible by the college’s in-state tuition guarantee. D’Marion is one of about 800 freshmen receiving Bucky’s Tuition Promise.
University of Wisconsin System bans TikTok use on system devices
Associated Press
University of Wisconsin System officials said Tuesday that they will ban the use of TikTok on system devices.
University Club transforms to Union Commons on UW-Madison campus
The Capital Times
Now called Union Commons, the historic space at 803 State St. has been taken over by the Wisconsin Union, which also runs Memorial Union, the Terrace, Union South, and other campus markets and cafes.
Why Pride Night is important for this Wisconsin women’s basketball coach
Wisconsin State Journal
With a top-35 attendance average last season and over 3,200 fans per game at the Kohl Center already this year, the University of Wisconsin women’s basketball program has one of the top platforms in the sport. Assistant coach Caroline Doty hopes it can be put to use Thursday evening when the Badgers host their first Pride Game when they take on No. 11 Maryland in a Big Ten Conference game.
113-year experiment at UW-Madison ends this year. It will be crushing
Wisconsin State Journal
For more than 100 years, engineers at UW-Madison have been conducting an experiment pitting ordinary concrete against the test of time. The project, initiated by faculty member Morton O. Withey, began in 1910 as a 10-year test of the strength of concrete in the form of 6-by-12-inch cylinders. Dozens more cylinders were added in 1923, with a third batch in 1937.
UW-Madison names Oneida Nation member as new tribal relations director
Wisconsin State Journal
UW-Madison has hired a new tribal relations director to continue the “high priority” work of strengthening ties with Wisconsin’s Indigenous nations, the university announced. Carla Vigue will join UW-Madison later this month to succeed Aaron Bird Bear, the inaugural tribal relations director.
Carla Vigue named University of Wisconsin Director of Tribal Relations
Madison365
Vigue, a member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, is currently director of communications, events and community engagement for the National Council of Urban Indian Health in Washington, D.C. Prior to that, she served for more than a decade as communications director for the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, where she developed and implemented a statewide strategy for engaging tribal veterans.
Creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive learning and working environment at UW-Madison
Wisconsin Public Radio
We talk with LaVar J Charleston, the University’s Chief Diversity Officer, about his job and efforts to promote equity and social justice. We also look at scholarship and service programs designed to increase diversity and foster equity.
UW Odyssey to help veterans transition into college with ‘Beyond Wars’ program
Wisconsin State Journal
The Odyssey Project will start a new initiative specifically for veterans, named Odyssey Beyond Wars. It joins the project’s umbrella of offerings, which includes the original Odyssey Project, which serves people with financial or other barriers to a college education; Odyssey Junior, for children of students; and Odyssey Beyond Bars, a program offering classes to those incarcerated in Wisconsin.
Director of Tribal Relations Aaron Bird Bear leaves UW-Madison a changed campus
Wisconsin State Journal
From the moment UW-Madison Director of Tribal Relations Aaron Bird Bear arrived on campus in 2000, he had a mission.
UW-Madison researchers seek to understand how forever chemicals move through soil
Wisconsin State Journal
Scientists at UW-Madison are working to better understand how toxic “forever chemicals” move through the ground, which could help communities like Madison find and clean up the manufactured compounds before they contaminate drinking water.
Christy Remucal, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at UW-Madison who specializes in PFAS but was not part of Gnesda’s study, said the research is a critical first step to being able to focus cleanup efforts.
Madison prepares for holiday blizzard, officials advise staying off the roads
The Capital Times
The University of Wisconsin–Madison issued a statement Tuesday that “based on currently available information, the university will be open for normal operations for the conclusion of final exams Thursday, as well as for business on Friday.”
Thousands to graduate this week from Madison College, UW-Madison
The Capital Times
UW-Madison’s 2022 winter commencement will take place this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Kohl Center, where the university will confer degrees to nearly 1,800 doctoral, master’s and bachelor’s students.
UW-Madison student crowned Miss America
Channel 27
The UW-Madison student represented the Badger State and was selected from a group of 51 women.
Miss Wisconsin Grace Stanke wins 2023 Miss America competition
Channel 3000
Stanke, a Wausau native, is a nuclear engineering student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as well as a competitive collegiate waterskier and a classical violinist.
Miss Wisconsin Grace Stanke Wins Miss America 2023
People
Miss Wisconsin Grace Stanke, a nuclear engineering student from the University of Wisconsin, was crowned Miss America 2023 on Thursday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
Miss America 2023 crown goes to Miss Wisconsin Grace Stanke
USA Today
Wausau native Grace Stanke, a 20-year-old nuclear engineering student at UW-Madison, was crowned the winner of the Miss America competition on Thursday at the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, Conn., becoming the pageant’s 95th winner. She is the third woman from Wisconsin to win the title.
From GED to Ph.D.: UW commencement speaker Kirstan Gimse achieves dreams of being a scientist
Wisconsin State Journal
Gimse, who will be the student commencement speaker at UW-Madison’s winter commencement ceremony Sunday, has beat the odds to become the person she thought she’d never be. Nearly two decades after she dropped out of high school, she’s graduating with a Ph.D. in cellular and molecular pathology. Her research centers on Alzheimer’s research and gene therapies.
Good vibes: UW-Madison hip-hop class builds bridges through dance
Wisconsin State Journal
Taught by Ariel (AJ) Juarez, the class allows students to work on the building blocks of the dance style, such as house — a freestyle dance method that evolved from the underground music scenes in Chicago and New York City — and popping, which involves creating a jerking effect by contracting and relaxing one’s muscles.
Just how tight is Madison’s student rental market? Researchers hope to find out.
Wisconsin State Journal
A new collaboration between the city of Madison, UW-Madison departments and the UniverCity Alliance — a network of local government researchers and experts at UW-Madison — aims to change that.
AP source: Wisconsin negotiating with Cincinnati’s Fickell to be next Badgers football coach
AP Source
Wisconsin is negotiating a deal with Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell to try to make him the Badgers’ next head coach, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Sunday.
Wisconsin taps Luke Fickell for football job after great run with Cincinnati: ‘He is a transformative hire’
Fox News
Wisconsin hired Luke Fickell from Cincinnati to become their next head coach on Sunday.
Wisconsin football coach Luke Fickell finds ‘destination job’
Wisconsin State Journal
Luke Fickell is the 31st coach in Badgers football history after UW-System Regents on Sunday approved the deal struck between McIntosh and the former Cincinnati coach. McIntosh flew to Cincinnati on Sunday afternoon to pick up Fickell, and an invite-only welcome event and introductory news conference was planned for 4 p.m. Monday at Camp Randall Stadium.
Low enrollment leads UW-Platteville Richland to eliminate face-to-face classes next fall
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The University of Wisconsin System’s smallest campus next fall will no longer offer face-to-face instruction to students, with UW’s top leader citing low enrollment and financial pressures making the sustainability of the campus’ traditional education model “untenable.”
UW System moving degree programs off Richland Center campus
Wisconsin State Journal
In a letter Tuesday to UW-Platteville Interim Chancellor Tammy Evetovich, System President Jay Rothman outlined a four-step plan for the Richland Center campus, which includes moving all instructional programs to either the Platteville or Baraboo campuses for fall 2023 while developing a plan to “maintain a suitable presence” at the Richland County campus through such things as enrichment programs or courses for adults.
Update: Missing UW student from China found safe, police say
Wisconsin State Journal
Update: Police said Enzhe Xun was found safe after a tip from a community member.
Police seeking help in finding UW student from China
Wisconsin State Journal
Enzhe Xun, 19, was reported missing by his family on Nov. 15 after they had not heard from him, Madison police spokesperson Stephanie Fryer said in a statement.
UW-Madison provost, a finalist for chancellor, will rejoin faculty ranks
Wisconsin State Journal
UW-Madison is in need of a new top academic administrator, as Provost John Karl Scholz plans to step back into the role of a faculty member.
UW-Madison provost stepping down, launching new search for an important position
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is launching a search for a new provost, an administrative position ranking just second to the chancellor in terms of importance.
The current provost, John Karl Scholz, will serve until the end of the school year and then return to the economics department, where he has taught since 1988. A new provost is expected to start sometime next summer, UW-Madison announced Tuesday.
UW-Madison students show enthusiasm for voting on Election Day
The Capital Times
Eager to vote, students filed into the Union South polling place Tuesday afternoon at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with many citing abortion as their reason for turning out.
Judge dismisses lawsuit challenging UW-Madison’s practice of hiding some negative comments from social media
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The University of Wisconsin-Madison was within its right to hide some negative comments from its social media platforms because the criticisms were off topic to the posts at hand, a federal judge ruled this month.
Memorial Union, Alumni Park vandalized with messages criticizing conservative commentator
Channel 3000
Multiple landmarks on the UW-Madison campus — including Memorial Union — were seemingly vandalized overnight with messages protesting a conservative commentator who was set to speak on campus Monday night.
Messages deface Memorial Union, Alumni Park ahead of conservative commentator’s visit to campus
The Daily Cardinal
Carl Gulbrandsen, a giant in Wisconsin research, dies at 75
Wisconsin State Journal
Carl Gulbrandsen, a key player in advancing research at UW-Madison who advocated for stronger ties between universities and private companies, died Monday at the age of 75.
UW-Madison historian Monica Kim awarded MacArthur ‘genius’ grant
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A University of Wisconsin-Madison historian on Wednesday won one of the nation’s most prestigious awards, which comes with a no strings attached $800,000 stipend to spend however she sees fit.
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation named UW-Madison professor Monica Kim, 44, as one of 25 national recipients of the MacArthur fellowship. Also known as the “genius grant,” the awards are given annually to a select group of individuals across a range of disciplines who show exceptional creativity in their work and future ambitions.
MacArthur ‘genius’ grants for 2022 include 3 Chicagoans
Chicago Tribune
Monica Kim, Madison, 44: Historian at the University of Wisconsin “uncovering new insights into U.S. foreign policy in the context of global decolonization after World War II.
List of the 2022 MacArthur Fellows, winners of “genius grants”
NPR
Monica Kim of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, is a historian who examines “the interplay between U.S. foreign policy, military intervention, processes of decolonization, and individual rights in regional settings around the globe.”
MacArthur Foundation Announces 2022 ‘Genius Grants’
Forbes
Monica Kim is currently an associate professor and the William Appleman Williams & David G. and Marion S. Meissner Chair in U.S. International and Diplomatic History at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Her research examines U.S. foreign policy during and after the Korean War. The author of The Interrogation Rooms of the Korean War: The Untold Histories (2019), Kim is currently working on her next book, The World That Hunger Made: The Koreas, the United States, and Afro-Asia, which examines economic development as a tool of foreign policy and international influence.
2022 MacArthur Fellows Have Deep Ties to Academe
Inside Higher Ed
Historian Monica Kim, associate professor and the William Appleman Williams & David G. and Marion S. Meissner Chair in U.S. International and Diplomatic History at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, for examining the interplay between U.S. foreign policy, military intervention, processes of decolonization and individual rights in regional settings around the globe.
Odyssey celebrates 20 years of helping non-traditional students
NBC-15
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway declared today as Odyssey Day. Wednesday night’s celebration focused on voting and the experiences of Odyssey members. Some students read poems or recited literature to start off the night.
UW-Madison prof Monica Kim wins coveted MacArthur fellowship
The Capital Times
The MacArthur Foundation selected UW-Madison professor, historian and author Monica Kim for one of this year’s 25 fellowship spots, the organization announced Wednesday. The so-called “genius grant” is perhaps the most competitive and sought-after award in the arts, sciences, humanities and academia.
UW Odyssey Project turns 20: Grads recount how it’s changed their lives
Wisconsin State Journal
Around 30 people are accepted into the Odyssey Project each year and are registered as a special class of part-time UW-Madison students. It includes a six-credit course in the humanities, split over two semesters, for people who are low-income or facing other barriers to education. Approximately 95% of students are people of color.
Taught on Wednesday nights on Madison’s South Side, the program provides child care (dubbed Odyssey Junior), and students are fed a full meal before the start of class.
UW-Madison brings in largest, most diverse freshman class in history
The Capital Times
The university announced Monday 8,628 freshmen are enrolled this fall, compared to last year’s 8,465 freshmen. Despite the university offering nearly 3,000 fewer acceptance letters this year than the year prior, a greater percentage of those admitted chose to attend UW-Madison.
Oral history project honors 50 years of Native community’s activism, education at UW-Madison
Wisconsin State Journal
While the American Indian Studies program was established in 1972, its history can be dated to the fall of 1970 when about 20 Native students formed “The Coalition of Native Tribes for Red Power,” an intertribal group that called for the chancellor to support the formation of a program. It started after two years of debate and negotiation.
UW-Madison freshman enrollment sets record
Wisconsin State Journal
For the second consecutive year, UW-Madison’s freshman class is the largest in the school’s history, despite the university sending acceptance letters to fewer students than in previous years.
This year’s freshman class stands at 8,628, up nearly 2% from last year’s class, UW-Madison announced Monday. Of those, 3,787 — 44% — are in-state students.
Overall enrollment is up nearly 2,000 students over the prior year, with another record enrollment of 49,886.
Nobel awarded to Swedish scientist who deciphered the Neanderthal genome
The Washington Post
At the time, the ancient DNA field was “kind of a joke,” full of incredible claims that would turn out to be incorrect as scientists tried to recover DNA from dinosaurs, said John Hawks, an anthropologist at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. “It was Svante who came along and made this into a science,” Hawks said.
Paul Chryst has been fired as Wisconsin Badgers head football coach, Jim Leonhard stepping into interim role
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Paul Chryst is out as Wisconsin’s head football coach.
UW officials announced Sunday that Chryst has been removed five games into his eighth season as the Badgers’ head coach.
Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, 39, was named interim head coach.