The Republican-controlled budget-writing committee declined to extend a tuition freeze at University of Wisconsin System schools for the next two academic years, setting the stage for students to potentially pay more for their education as soon as this fall.
Category: Top Stories
CDC-led study finds little evidence of UW-Madison dorm outbreaks fueling community spread
Ateam of scientists answered a lingering question about the ramifications of reopening UW-Madison last fall, finding little evidence that outbreaks in two dorms fueled further spread of COVID-19 into the community.
That’s so Fetch: Wes Schroll, ‘unicorn’ CEO, to speak at Wisconsin Entrepreneurs Conference
The keynote speaker at next month’s Wisconsin Entrepreneurs Conference owes his $1 billion company, Fetch Rewards, to an idea that came to him when he was a University of Wisconsin-Madison soon-to-be sophomore learning to do his own grocery shopping.
UW-Madison closes part of Humanities building, citing potential safety concerns
Humanities is the second building this month where UW-Madison officials asked employees working there to leave and then ordered repairs to because of safety concerns.
Fall weekend slated to celebrate UW-Madison Class of 2020 graduates
UW-Madison’s Class of 2020 can celebrate their achievements at Camp Randall Stadium this fall after COVID-19 deprived them of a traditional, in-person commencement ceremony.
UW-Madison chancellor recognized nationally for economics research
The American Economic Association named UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank a distinguished fellow, an honor that just four economists in the country received this year.
Blank hopes for a “typical” Fall 2021 semester
UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank said she is hopeful for a typical, in-person fall semester in 2021 at a virtual event on Thursday. “Virtual learning is not a substitute for residential education,” said Blank. “There’s a good amount of research that says the type of interactions and discussions you have face-to-face are very different from those you have in Zoom squares.”
Thomas Brock, Whose Discovery Paved the Way for PCR Tests, Dies at 94
Brock was a microbiologist at UW–Madison. In 1966, he found heat-resistant bacteria in a hot spring at Yellowstone National Park. That led to the development of the chemical process behind the test for Covid-19.
COVID vaccines and kids: five questions as trials begin
“I’m tired of seeing sick kids. I want to see them protected,” says James Conway, a paediatric infectious-disease specialist and vaccine researcher at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
UW study on COVID-19 prevention expands enrollment to essential workers
The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health is expanding its enrollment for a study on COVID-19 prevention to essential workers. Dr. Nasia Safdar describes the study and talks about new FDA recommendations on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
‘Dire shape’: UW-Madison pushes for money to replace Humanities Building
Crumbling concrete, rusted rebar and falling facades were among the selling points on a campus tour Monday designed to shore up support for the University of Wisconsin System’s more than $1 billion request to repair or replace aging facilities.
Van Hise Hall repair work to begin soon; employees relocated at UW-Madison
Gov. Tony Evers ordered emergency repair work to Van Hise Hall after concrete slabs broke off the UW-Madison building earlier this week and an engineering company found the building’s remaining panels “pose an immediate threat to public health, welfare and safety.”
UW-Madison revives pass-fail grading option to combat student stress and burnout
The University of Wisconsin-Madison announced Monday it will give students the option to take eligible courses on a pass-fail grading system this semester, in an effort to alleviate student stress and burnout.
Barry Alvarez chooses laughs over tears during ‘day of celebration’
Alvarez did his part to keep the mood light during an event that lasted more than 90 minutes and began with Lepay, the Badgers’ play-by-play announcer for football and men’s basketball, referring to it as a “day of celebration.”
Concrete slab falls from third-floor patio of Van Hise Hall on UW-Madison campus
Aconcrete slab broke off the side of Van Hise Hall on Sunday afternoon, landing almost directly in front of an entrance to one of the most highly trafficked buildings on UW-Madison’s campus.
Barry Alvarez says he’ll retire after a 31-year tenure with the Badgers as football coach, athletic director
Alvarez, 74, said Tuesday that he’ll finish his term leading the UW athletic program on June 30 after a 17-year stretch in the seat during which the department’s budget nearly doubled.
UW re-adopts flexible grading policy for spring semester
The University of Wisconsin-Madison will implement a more flexible grading policy this semester and retroactively adjust student transcripts from throughout the pandemic in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, administrators announced Monday.
New rankings place UW-Madison graduate schools among nation’s best
“Our graduate students are an integral part of our university,” Provost John Karl Scholz said in a statement. “These rankings are one example of the world-class education, research and outreach that happen here every day.”
UW Madison graduate programs ranked as some of the best in the nation, report finds
The 2022 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools” highlighted UW’s School of Education, ranking them fourth nationwide for the second year in a row.
‘Plan to be in Madison in the fall:’ UW-Madison details fall semester plans
Blank says nearly all of the courses that were offered in-person in the fall semester of 2019 will return to being in-person in the fall of 2021.
‘A new normal’: UW-Madison students told to prepare for return to campus in fall
“I feel confident that next semester will look more like Fall 2019 than Fall 2020, with offices occupied and throngs of students changing classes in the middle of the day,” Blank said. “But it will be different than before – it’s a new normal, not our old normal.”
Chancellor announces loose plans for Fall 2021 semester in optimistic blog post
In a blog post today, Chancellor Rebecca Blank announced loose plans for the Fall 2021 semester and said there are hopeful signs of a ‘new beginning’, such as vaccination clinics, low infection rates and in-person graduation.
UW Chancellor: Fall semester expected to look more like 2019 than 2020
University of Wisconsin-Madison students should expect to be back in the classroom this fall nearly as much as they were when the academic year began in 2019, according to a new plan outlined by Chancellor Rebecca Blank.
Broadway star, prominent psychologist to address UW-Madison graduates
Broadway star André De Shields and psychologist John Gottman will address graduates of their alma mater at ceremonies at Camp Randall on May 8, the university said. De Shields will speak to undergraduates, and Gottman will address those getting their graduate degrees.
UW Varsity Band members return for first large practice in more than a year
There’s no spring concert on this year’s calendar, and practice maybe looked a little funny, with students wearing slitted masks and bell covers slipped over instruments to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but UW-Madison’s beloved band is back.
More than 10,000 vaccine doses given at UW-Madison so far
UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank and other UW System officials toured the COVID-19 vaccine clinic on campus Tuesday as the university says it has now given out almost 10,500 doses to date.
UW leaders visit campus vaccine clinic, plan to scale up operations
UW Chancellor Blank and other UW System leaders took a tour of a campus vaccine clinic Tuesday, as the university plans to scale up operations as more COVID-19 vaccines become available. The Nicholas Recreation Center, or ‘Nick,’ became a vaccine clinic for UHS in February. According to UW, the university has administered nearly 10,500 COVID-19 vaccine doses to its community.
AstraZeneca reports 79% effectiveness rate for COVID vaccine in trial, conducted in part at UW-Madison
AstraZeneca reported Monday that its COVID-19 vaccine provided strong protection among adults of all ages in a long-anticipated U.S. study, a finding that could help rebuild public confidence in the shot around the world and move it a step closer to clearance in the U.S.
Pandemic, lack of spring break strains UW-Madison students’ mental health
While UW-Madison students are hopeful about vaccination efforts ramping up and spring weather arriving, many are still struggling to make online classes work while also worrying about their finances and health. This month marks the halfway point in a 14-week semester taking place almost entirely online and without a spring break, a schedule that students say is leading to burnout and in some cases damaging their mental health.
Daryl Watts’ overtime goal gives Badgers their sixth NCAA women’s hockey championship
Make room for a sixth NCAA championship banner in LaBahn Arena. Watts scored a stunner from behind the net in overtime Saturday, and the Badgers had another title to celebrate.
UHS opens vaccine portal as Wisconsin enters new wave of vaccinations
UW-Madison’s University Health Services (UHS) opened a portal on Wednesday for the university community to sign up for COVID-19 vaccinations.
Paul Fanlund: These UW-Madison students solve problems across the state
An example is a $600,000 item buried in Gov. Tony Evers’ $91-billion proposed two-year state budget. The money would expand a six-year-old University of Wisconsin-Madison program designed to tap the expertise and energy of students on the flagship Madison campus to solve problems and improve lives in communities throughout Wisconsin.
UW lifts testing requirements for vaccinated students, staff
As COVID-19 cases continue to decline, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has lifted testing requirements for students and staff who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
With vaccinations on the rise, UW opens online portal with eligibility status, appointments
Members of the University of Wisconsin-Madison community can now check their COVID-19 vaccine eligibility status and make appointments through an online portal, instead of waiting to receive an email invitation.
UW-Madison students record lowest COVID-19 positivity rate
UW-Madison spokesperson Meredith McGlone says she is encouraged to see the steady decline. “We think this is a terrific sign. We also want to make sure that folks don’t let their guard soon. We are in what I think we all hope will be the homestretch of the pandemic,” McGlone said.
UPDATED: UW announces increased vaccine eligibility for staff, students, future eligibility depends on supply
The University of Wisconsin has announced new eligibility for university staff and students to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Capital City Sunday: Evers reflects on pandemic anniversary, COVID-19’s lasting effects on society
UW-Madison Epidemiologist Ajay Sethi and UW-Madison Economist Tiffany Green join the program to discuss lasting lessons from the pandemic.
Student COVID-19 positivity rate falls to all time low
Over the last week UW-Madison recorded its lowest ever seven-day COVID-19 student positivity average for tests administered on campus, marking a milestone for the university’s efforts to stop the spread of the virus.
UW-Madison will host two in-person graduations this summer, but no families will be allowed
The University of Wisconsin-Madison announced Thursday that it will hold two in-person graduation ceremonies this year, with the caveat that graduates will not be allowed to have guests present.
UW-Madison plans graduates-only commencement ceremony at Camp Randall
The university announced Thursday that its traditional stadium ceremony will be held for only graduating students in two ceremonies, one for undergraduates and another for graduate students, both of which will be May 8.
UW-Madison plans graduates-only commencement ceremony at Camp Randall
UW-Madison’s Class of 2021 can expect to celebrate commencement at Camp Randall this May — just not with their families or other guests.
UW announces in-person, graduate-only spring 2021 commencement
“While today calls for excitement and hope, we must continue to keep positive case numbers low in order to realize this opportunity to be at Camp Randall,” senior class president says.
Blank: UW-Madison Faces $320 Million Pandemic Loss by June
The University of Wisconsin-Madison will face $320 million in pandemic-related losses by the time the current fiscal year ends in June, Chancellor Rebecca Blank said Thursday.
If approved, UW capital budget would allow new L&S building, Humanities demolition by 2030
The University of Wisconsin-Madison hopes to remove two residence halls, relocate 10 departments and programs and ultimately tear down the obsolete Mosse Humanities Building by 2030.
UW applications up 17%, international interest reflecting national rebound
The University of Wisconsin-Madison received a record 53,800 freshmen applications this year, with increases among in-state, domestic and international students.
Unbeaten Badgers volleyball team pauses all activities for 14 days due to COVID-19 cases within the program
The Badgers, who have been ranked No. 1 throughout the season, announced the season has been put on pause for two weeks because of multiple exposures to COVID-19.
Gov. Tony Evers wants $2.4 billion for state building projects, nearly half for UW System
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers wants to spend about $2.4 billion over the next two years on state building projects, with about $1 billion of the proposed money going to the University of Wisconsin System.
With COVID-19 cases rising at UW-Madison, officials issue warning to students
The first month of UW-Madison’s semester last fall saw nearly 1,900 on-campus student COVID-19 cases, two dorm quarantines, at least one hospitalization and a public rebuke by Dane County’s top leader.
Tommy Thompson: 75 Percent Of UW’s Fall Classes Will Be In-Person
At least three-fourths of all University of Wisconsin System classes will be in-person this fall according to system interim President Tommy Thompson.
As COVID-19 vaccines roll out, Thompson sets goal of 75% of courses in person on UW campuses in fall
University of Wisconsin System interim President Tommy Thompson told campus chancellors to aim to have at least 75% of their courses in person next fall, with the hope that COVID-19 vaccines will allow a return to some normalcy.
UW-Madison claims nearly $31 billion in annual economic impact to Wisconsin
UW-Madison and its affiliated entities are an economic engine contributing $30.8 billion a year to the Wisconsin economy, according to a new report commissioned by the university and funded by UW Foundation.
New CDC guidance on masks cites UW-Madison invention, research
New guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages Americans to make their masks work better by tightening their fit, including by using a simple, homemade tool designed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
‘Financial disaster’: UW System campuses show $317.7 million in lost revenue, added expenses from COVID-19 in 2020
New figures show the University of Wisconsin System saw $317.7 million in lost revenue and additional expenses between March and December as universities continue to weather the widespread budgetary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Facing ‘financial disaster’ from COVID-19, UW System pushes for borrowing ability
COVID-19 has caused the “biggest financial disaster” the university has ever seen, UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank said. Through federal stimulus money, furloughs, pay cuts for leadership, travel restrictions and targeted budget cuts to different units, Blank said she’s optimistic the financial gap can be resolved over the next two years. But she also renewed her case for giving the university borrowing authority.
UW Arboretum designated as National Historic Landmark
UW said the designation is based on the Arboretum’s “pioneering work in restoration ecology, its place in the history of conservation, and its commitment to Aldo Leopold’s land ethic.”
UW nursing, pharmacy students join effort to bring vaccines to rural areas
Over 200 University of Wisconsin nursing and pharmacy students have volunteered to help administer COVID-19 vaccines at statewide mobile clinics in local high-need areas.
UW-Madison’s research rank, once among top 5 in US, remains in 8th place for 2nd year
UW-Madison ranked eighth in research spending among hundreds of institutions in the latest year — again falling outside the top echelon where it had perched for decades — according to the latest figures by the National Science Foundation.
UW online MBA program stays in national top ten, engineering improves ranking
The University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium maintained its standing as the nation’s tenth-best online MBA program this year, while UW-Madison’s online master’s in engineering increased in rank, according to the U.S. News & World Report 2021 rankings.
UW-Madison asks for patience as new COVID-19 testing program comes with learning curve
In one of the first campus-wide emails of the new year, UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank shared some new, slightly odd wisdom for the semester ahead: “Pool your drool.”
Can universities manufacture a post-industrial future for the Midwest?
Rebecca Blank, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says that Madison’s thriving industries, such as biotechnology, software and gaming, are “areas that are basically all very much rooted in both the students who graduate from here and the faculty and the research work that we do here”.