The University of Wisconsin–Madison is committed to fostering an environment where students, faculty, and staff feel included, welcomed, and supported.
We embrace the concept of, and the importance of, pluralism here at UW–Madison. We aim to be an institution and a community that welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse identities, backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints; a place where we learn from one another through both our similarities and our differences.
A core mission of the university is to create the conditions in which members of our community can meet one another with curiosity, respect and a willingness to listen, even when they may not agree. Below are some recent examples of efforts in these areas.
Record Enrollment and Expanded Outreach Efforts
UW–Madison continues to be a top destination for students, receiving a record of nearly 66,000 applications for the fall 2024 freshman class. This year’s entering class included 8,500 freshmen and nearly 1,400 transfer students, coming from a wide range of locales, including nearly every county in Wisconsin and almost every state in the U.S. Programs such as College for Rural Wisconsin, which supports students from rural, farm, and small-town communities, and the Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Program, which serves American Indian students, are key to improving access to education.
Promoting Free Expression with New Educational Resources
UW–Madison updated its expressive activity policy and developed an expressive activity guide to ensure free expression remains protected on campus while safeguarding the university’s vital mission of fostering a safe learning and working environment. All new students are required, and all campus community members are encouraged to view the free expression video modules on the university’s free expression website.
Celebrating Military-Connected Students and Veterans
University Veteran Services hosted several events in November to honor military-connected students and veterans. Highlights included a new Military-Connected Prospective Student Day and a Veterans Day recognition breakfast followed by a Salute to Service dog tag engraving event. Additional activities included a military appreciation football game, an art event, meals during study days, and distributing Thanksgiving meals to military-connected students.
Joining Forces to Empower First-Generation Students
UW–Madison has joined the FirstGen Forward Network, highlighting the university’s dedication to first-generation student success. The network provides a model for enhancing student experience and creating more inclusive institutions of higher education. The university has demonstrated these commitments by offering the First-Generation Badgers program, enhancing coordination and programmatic support among campus offices and opportunities for students to connect with one another.
Hillel International Campus Climate Initiative
UW–Madison joined more than 35 colleges and universities as part of Hillel International’s flagship Campus Climate Initiative (CCI) program. CCI is a leading training and engagement resource for college and university administrators to address antisemitism. It is UW–Madison’s second time participating in the program. University leaders have also participated in training to combat Islamophobia.
Interactive Map to Find Prayer and Reflection Spaces
The Center for Interfaith Dialogue has relaunched an interactive campus map that provides updated information on available prayer, meditation and reflection spaces. There are 14 designated spaces across campus for the UW–Madison community, open to all religions and traditions.
Diversity Forum Weaves Threads of Belonging to Build Community
The 2024 Diversity Forum, hosted by the Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement, attracted 745 in-person attendees and 1,700 virtual participants, with more than 12,000 online views. Themed “Threads of Belonging: Navigating Differences and Building Community,” the event featured keynote speakers Dr. Steve Robbins and Fanshen Cox. Breakout sessions included discussions about dialogue across differences, user experience design for accessibility, and ways to support the needs of student veterans and service members.
Deliberation Dinners Creating Dialogue Across Difference
UW–Madison has doubled the size of the Deliberation Dinners program, which brings students together over a meal to have productive discussions about important public issues in a setting that exposes them to multiple and competing ideas. The program is bringing together up to 250 students for a series of six two-and-a-half-hour dinner sessions throughout the 2024-25 academic year.
Central Funding to Reduce Discrimination for Disability Accommodations
UW–Madison is implementing centralized funding for all disability accommodations across the university, covering employees, job applicants and visitors. A dedicated cross-campus team will streamline processes and procedures for reviewing and approving accommodations, such as facility modifications, sign language interpretation and captioning.
Update on Ad Hoc Study for Black Experience on Campus
Following the release of a report on the Black Community Experience at UW–Madison, commissioned by Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin and conducted by an ad hoc study group, a committee was formed to determine actionable next steps. A set of recommendations based on the report is expected to move forward in spring 2025.
Students Invited to Voice Their Experience
The university conducted its third student campus climate survey during the fall 2024 semester, inviting all UW–Madison students to share their thoughts and experiences regarding campus life. Conducted every three years, the survey assesses students’ perceptions of the campus climate. The results will provide insights into changes since the last survey in 2021 and identify areas that need improvement. Preliminary results will be published this spring, with the full report scheduled for release in fall 2025.
Office of Compliance Enhances Bias Reporting Process
UW–Madison’s Office of Compliance is now overseeing the intake and recordkeeping of bias reports, centralizing the response process and extending it to include faculty, academic and university staff. This change aims to streamline reporting while still offering resources through the Office of Student Assistance and Support.