Campus Messages

On March 21, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, Provost Charles Isbell Jr. and Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Rob Cramer sent a message to all faculty, Academic Staff, University Staff and limited appointees about steps being taken to preserve UW–Madison’s short- and long-term ability to carry out its mission amid potential federal funding cuts to research and other programs and uncertainty about indirect rates, stop work orders and inflationary impacts from tariffs.

UW–Madison is aware of the new Executive Order related to the U.S. Department of Education, signed on March 20. It is the university’s understanding that this executive order will not impact funding provided by the Department of Education for the current semester, including federal student financial aid and TRIO grants. With the spring term halfway through, most students have already received their financial aid, and disbursements will continue throughout the semester.

This afternoon, the U.S. Senate voted on a measure to fund the federal government through September 30, 2025. We will share additional information as needed.

UW–Madison condemns antisemitism in all its forms and strives to promote a welcoming campus environment for all members of the campus community, free from discrimination, including harassment based upon race, shared ancestry, national origin or other protected categories. As referenced Tuesday by the Department of Education, the university was one of 60 universities with a pending Title VI complaint that received a letter. It continues to cooperate with any inquiries or requests for information from OCR.

UW–Madison is preparing for the possibility of a federal government shutdown on Friday, March 14. A federal government shutdown may affect university research operations, though its implications depend largely on the length and the corresponding guidance provided by federal agencies.

Chancellor Mnookin and Universities of Wisconsin, along with biohealth industry leaders and university researchers reinforced the importance of NIH funding during a news conference at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. In a letter sent March 5, 34 biohealth companies, health systems, industry associations and research organizations urged Congress to maintain robust NIH funding and oppose significant cuts that jeopardize the critical work the federal agency supports.

On March 6, Attorney General Josh Kaul announced Wisconsin has joined a multistate coalition lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s termination of grant funding for K-12 teacher preparation programs. As the recipient of a five-year Teacher Quality Partnership program grant that was recently terminated, UW–Madison filed a declaration in the suit.

A federal judge on March 5 issued a nationwide preliminary injunction that halts the implementation of a 15% indirect cost rate on NIH grants and contracts. The injunction, which replaces the temporary restraining order on the cuts placed last month, will likely remain in place until the judge hears full arguments in three lawsuits brought forward by 22 state attorneys general, associations, and organizations representing institutions of higher education.

On Feb. 28, Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin and Provost Charles Isbell Jr. sent a message to all students, faculty and staff to provide some updates on recent activity at the federal level and the ways they, along with other UW–Madison leaders continue to assess the implications of these actions and respond across multiple levels.

On Feb. 27 Dean William J. Karpus sent a message to graduate students, with graduate program contacts copied, to reaffirm the university’s commitment to supporting current graduate students, amid the national uncertainty of the extramural funding landscape.