Fraternity proposes controversial housing project
The coed professional chemistry fraternity Alpha Chi Sigma is proposing the demolition of two former fraternity houses in poor condition to accommodate the building of a large apartment project.
Education
UW wins $2.5 million for tackling plastic waste
The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the University of Wisconsin–Madison funding of $2.5 million for a plastics recycling research and development project as part of the DOE’s Plastics Innovation Challenge.
Parisi anticipates County Board support for minority business hub
Tomorrow night, the Dane County Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting to take public testimony on the proposed 2021 Dane County budget, and even amid the budget constraints of a pandemic, there are some new spending proposals to consider.
Child Care Counts payments for early care, education get another $50M
Gov. Tony Evers announced $50 million in additional funding for Child Care Counts payments for early care and education.
Dane County to put $810K toward Black culture center
Dane County Executive Joe Parisi has included $810,000 in his 2021 capital budget for a new nonprofit organization to purchase land to build a proposed Center for Black Excellence and Culture.
Child care center opens second Madison location
The Playing Field, a child care and early learning center on Madison’s near west side, has opened a second location to serve more of Madison’s most vulnerable children.
UW–Madison teams win $1.5 million in national competition
Two University of Wisconsin–Madison teams have earned a total of $1.5 million for their projects to help Dane County’s middle class.
Parisi proposes funding for Black Business Hub
Dane County Executive Joe Parisi is proposing $2 million in funding for an economic development hub focused on helping minority-owned businesses.
$45,000 from Spectrum will go to further digital literacy
Two Madison-area nonprofits — the Urban League of Greater Madison and 100 Black Men — are the recipients of Spectrum Digital Education Grants totaling $45,000.
Internet provider offers free service for students, educators
Charter Communications Inc. will again provide free Spectrum Internet and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with kindergarten through 12th graders, college students, and/or educators.
Family starts business to support virtual learning equipment
Identifying a need for stands to hold their childrens’ school-issued iPads, Adam Domack and Jenna Dean began producing the stands for others.
Local preschool expands to include elementary grades
Preschool of the Arts on Madison’s west side has added grades K–2 to address new demands from families amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Court approves in-person instruction for older grades
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Public Health Dane County and Madison does not have authority to issue a virtual mandate for students in grades three through 12.
UW–Madison researcher collaborates with AI initiative
Sadhana Puntambekar, from the Wisconsin Center for Education Research and professor in the University of Wisconsin─Madison School of Education, will be the sole representative from UW─Madison to collaborate with national researchers on establishing one of five artificial intelligence (AI) institutes and education hubs.
Urban League expands virtual learning support
The Urban League of Greater Madison is offering free workshops, phone and in-person support, and a soon-to-be-launched resource library for people supporting children participating in virtual learning.
Report: UW ranks as 13th best public college
A report by U.S. News & World Report has again ranked the University of Wisconsin–Madison 13th best in the country for a public college or university.
COVID-19 spike causes UW shift to online classes, pause in sports
The University of Wisconsin–Madison will move to online classes and pause men’s football and hockey teams for two weeks following a spike in positive COVID-19 test results.
Urban League offers virtual school training for parents
In an effort to support families struggling to adapt to online school, the Urban League of Greater Madison is offering a workshop, A Parent’s Introductory Guide to Virtual School, that will be offered Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 6:30 p.m. and Thursday, Sept. 10, at 5 p.m.
Wisconsin behind nation in spending for education
Per-pupil spending in K–12 schools in the state has dropped Wisconsin’s rank from 12th nationally to 24th.
Prominent Black activist and community leader James Graham Jr. has died
James C. Graham Jr., a prominent Black activist and former CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison, died Sept. 4.
