Dear UW–Madison Alumni and Friends,
It has been an eventful couple of months since I last wrote to you. As you have likely read in the media and elsewhere, several of President Donald Trump’s executive orders and early directives are aimed partly or wholly at research and at higher education, and I thought I would use this space to write briefly about a few of them.
Needless to say, every new administration arrives with its own priorities, and change is to be expected. It’s also critical that we at universities listen carefully to those who may have significant concerns about our activities and operations. At the same time, some of these directives would have a major and very concerning impact on UW–Madison, our operations, and our fiscal circumstances.
One directive issued last week asks the heads of each federal agency to — in the next 30 days — review and possibly terminate existing contracts and grants that do not further the president’s priorities, with a focus on those that involve educational institutions. Another aims to slash the “indirect expense” reimbursement rate from federal grants from the National Institutes of Health, which funds life-saving research here at UW–Madison on devastating diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
While I recognize that current indirect rates may sound high, they are rigorously audited: these expenses are a huge part of the real cost of doing science, and they fund everything from laboratory renovations to significant high-tech equipment purchases to safety and compliance costs.
If this cut is enacted, it will hurt everything from our clinical trials — in which 20,000 patients are currently accessing novel and potentially life-saving treatments — to critically important public health research to develop new tools to use against antibiotic-resistant pathogens. A third directive would cut research funding related to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and environmental justice, though we don’t yet have a clear sense for how the administration is defining these terms.
As I write this, some of these directives have been stayed by the courts, but we anticipate facing funding reductions. Among the programs that already have lost their funding or are at imminent risk are a partnership to train urgently needed special education teachers; a program that worked with Wisconsin farmers to make dairy farming more sustainable; and a program in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey to track and address wildlife diseases and invasive species that threaten not only our rivers and lakes but also human health.
Certainly, there is ample room for potential reform of the federal research system to make it more transparent, accountable, and sustainable. The same is true for working to improve how the university operates. Giving the public assurance that their tax dollars are funding research that is important and relevant, and that our systems are as efficient as possible, is not a partisan issue; it’s simply good public policy. At the same time, broad reductions in research funding will surely stall or prevent critical discoveries and impede students’ opportunities for training; still more broadly, they will damage our nation’s innovation economy and global competitiveness.
As I told campus leaders recently, we cannot let the challenges of this moment fully define us. We will continue to focus on our core commitments to significant research, transformative teaching, and an ethos of service. We will remain focused on preserving and building our excellence and helping all of our students — whatever their background, whatever their beliefs — succeed and reach their potential. We will continue to find opportunities to magnify our already tremendous economic impact on Wisconsin and move life-changing innovations out into the world, and we’ll continue to celebrate great news. Here are just a few accomplishments that are top-of-mind for me right now:
- the record we just set for undergraduate applications (a double-digit percentage increase over last year’s record 70,000 applicants!)
- our outstanding new deans for the School of Medicine and Public Health and the College of Engineering
- the campuswide initiative we’ve launched to make UW–Madison a premier institution for people who want to pursue entrepreneurship
- Wisconsin RISE, which is bringing faculty together in exciting new ways to advance our excellence in key areas
We will keep looking ahead to places where we can build on our strength and excellence, because UW–Madison has always been a place where big, bold ideas can take root and grow.
Until next time, know that the Wisconsin Idea remains our North Star, and — with your support — we’ll continue to bring UW–Madison knowledge, discovery, and inspiration to Wisconsin and the world.
On, Wisconsin!
Jennifer L. Mnookin
Chancellor
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Chancellor’s Choice
- Badgers know that winter can be a lot of fun in spite of the cold. Check out this video recap of this year’s Winter Carnival! More than 50,000 people turned out — a record number — for ice skating, sledding, broomball, and much more against the backdrop of the iconic Statue of Liberty (now in inflatable form). It takes the Wisconsin Union team about seven minutes to transform her from a pile of polyester into a monumental reminder that even though we do serious things here, we don’t always have to take ourselves seriously.
- Happy 100th birthday to the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, our partner in getting discoveries out into the world and investing in UW–Madison’s future. I’m tremendously grateful for WARF’s century of support! Here’s a look back at some key moments in WARF history.
- Finally, a request for your help. The state legislature is now beginning deliberations on the 2025–27 state budget. It will have a profound impact on UW–Madison, and we have a limited window of opportunity to make a difference. You are among our most powerful advocates, so if you live in Wisconsin, I hope you’ll join fellow Badgers in asking your legislators to support UW–Madison’s budget priorities in 2025–27.