UW-Madison is formally investigating registered student organization Animal Advocacy over allegations that the group violated university policy and Wisconsin law through promotional materials connected to the April 18 Ridglan Farms rescue attempt, according to university officials and documents obtained by The Badger Herald.

Animal Advocacy is a student-led animal rights organization focused on activism, education and outreach surrounding animal welfare and animal ethics, according to their website. The group has been active in demonstrations and organizing efforts related to Ridglan Farms, a Wisconsin beagle breeding and research facility that received national attention following an April 18 open rescue attempt that resulted in confrontations with law enforcement and multiple arrests, according to previous Badger Herald reporting.  

Animal Advocacy President Jackson Ray said the organization first learned a complaint had been filed against the group April 20, after the organization hung posters around campus April 13 promoting advocacy related to Ridglan Farms. Animal Advocacy later received an official notice of investigation May 13.

“The investigation letter basically just formally declares that Animal Advocacy is being investigated for conduct guideline number three, violation of law,” Ray said. “Specifically solicitation to commit burglary.” 

According to the investigation letter, the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards alleges Animal Advocacy may have violated university expressive activity posting policies and Wisconsin state law, specifically solicitation (Wis. Stat. §939.30) to violate Wis. Stat. §943.10(1m)(a)  and Wis. Stat.§943.75(2m), which relate to burglary and the unauthorized release of confined animals. 

The investigation is administrative rather than criminal, though it relies on state law definitions, Assistant Vice Chancellor Public Affairs and Institutional Communications John Lucas said in an email.

“It is important to note that OSCCS is not conducting a criminal investigation, but campus policy uses state law definitions to describe prohibited conduct,” Lucas said in an emailed statement. 

The investigation hinges upon the Google document linked through the posters’ QR code, according to Ray and the university documents. In an April 17 email, Interim Student Organizations, Leadership and Involvement Director Barb Kautz-Wittwer wrote that the document linked to a blog post outlining plans to enter Ridglan farms and remove dogs from the facility, which the university alleged could constitute encouraging criminal activity. 

The organization did not encourage illegal activity, as the materials intended to inform students about the Ridglan Farms controversy, Ray said. 

“What they’re accusing us of soliciting is actually where we link informationally a blog that explains a plan to open rescue,” Ray said. “Nowhere are we saying, ‘Come join us and illegally rescue this property.’”

The Google document outlined lawful political activity such as contacting officials, signing petitions, and sharing information on social media, according to the document.  

Ray said the university later requested additional materials from the organization, including timelines for when posters were created and distributed, communications related to Ridglan Farms between March 15 and April 18 and information connected to an April 16 speaking event  featuring animal rights activist Zoe Rosenberg. 

According to a May 13 email from investigating officer Gretchen Vollrath, the university requested Animal Advocacy schedule an investigatory interview by June 1.

Ray said the organization has not yet met with investigators and is consulting legal counsel before responding.

“As a student at a university, they can investigate and potentially expel you,” Ray said. “Investigations don’t go through the courts where you have constitutional protections. It’s all through UW-Madison’s own internal processes.”

Ray said the investigation is consistent with previous university opposition in response to controversial campus activism, particularly UW’s handling of pro-Palestinian encampments in 2024. 

During the encampments, UW-Madison police arrested 34 people as administrators negotiated with protest organizers over demands that the university disclose and divest investments connected to Israel during the war in Gaza, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. 

“After the university crackdown on that, a lot of the actual paid administrators left the university because of how distasteful it was to them,” Ray said. “[Pro-Palestinian] encampments and advocating for freeing beagles from horrific conditions, are two very separate things, but I think the through line there is how the institutions and systems of power use their weight to push back on that.”

The Madison chapter of Students for a Democratic Society lost meeting room privileges following campus activism, which demonstrated similar university opposition toward controversial student advocacy, according to Ray.

In February, SDS said UW revoked access to its usual meeting space three days after a march on Bascom Hill calling for sanctuary campus policies, according to previous Badger Herald reporting. Lucas said SDS was not a registered student organization and therefore was not guaranteed access to university space, but SDS members described the move as retaliatory, according to previous Badger Herald reporting.

Ray said some members of Animal Advocacy have expressed fear about possible academic or disciplinary consequences.

“In our club, I’ve had conversations with students where even the fact that UW-Madison is investigating us is really scary to them,” Ray said. “It’s definitely a factor in their willingness to participate or advocate for future activism.”

Disciplinary action against Animal Advocacy could discourage future student organizing on campus, according to Ray. University crackdowns without repercussion could set a precedent that deters controversial speech and activism, Ray said. 

Animal Advocacy presents a notable opportunity for the university because it is less politically charged than other forms of activism, according to Ray. While the group still challenges powerful industries, its apolitical framing distinguishes it and makes the university’s response more significant, according to Ray. 

“I don’t want to see our RSO get shut down because of some posters we put up advocating for people to take political advocacy toward an issue,” Ray said.

Ray said the organization hopes public attention surrounding the investigation will pressure the university not to impose major sanctions against the group. 

Animal Advocacy views the university’s response as part of a broader cycle in which institutional resistance against activism can generate additional public support for activist movements, according to Ray.

“This institutional backlash is a part of a theory of change, where you take action, which then provokes institutional backlash,” Ray said. “That institutional backlash then provokes public support and sympathy, and then that in turn invokes more action and more change.”

University of Wisconsin Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin held a group interview with Wisconsin journalists on May 11 at Bascom Hall to reflect on her time at UW-Madison before her departure this month. 

Mnookin, who has served as UW chancellor since Aug. 4, 2022, announced her parting from UW earlier this year to become president of Columbia University, according to UW News.

The chancellor began the session with opening remarks, highlighting UW’s expansion of accessibility and affordability for students, high graduation rates and strengthening of research initiatives on campus. 

“I will say I’m also proud of some of what we’ve been able to do over these past four years,” Mnookin said. “I don’t feel like any of these accomplishments belong to me personally. I think they’re all very much collective, and I think this is a place that works together effectively and well.” 

In her time at UW, Mnookin launched Bucky’s Pell Pathway in 2023 to provide financial support for more than 7800 students, according to Mnookin. The program has worked with Bucky’s Tuition Promise, an initiative that predated Mnookin’s role, and the newer Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Program, to make UW more accessible to students of all backgrounds, according to Mnookin. 

Mnookin also launched The Wisconsin Exchange: Pluralism in Practice in 2025 and the Deliberation Dinners in 2023, both focused on encouraging open discussions amidst political divide. 

“I think it’s incredibly important that we promote pluralism and free expression by welcoming and encouraging a variety of perspectives and viewpoints on our campus,” Mnookin said. “And helping people understand at a time of dramatic polarization that while you can be a fierce advocate for what you believe, you should also bring curiosity to conversations with people who may not see the world exactly as you do, and you often have something to learn from people who don’t exactly share your point of view.” 

When Mnookin first arrived at UW, she faced criticism from Republicans, with Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) calling her appointment a “step backward,” according to The Wisconsin Examiner. In the past four years, Mnookin has worked extensively with people on both sides of the aisle and believes that finding compromise and common ground is important, Mnookin said. 

When it comes to polarization on campus, Mnookin believes that Wisconsin’s competitive elections and the rise of social media among young people play a large role in reinforcing the political divide among students. 

“. . . There should be some non-negotiables, like the fact that we’re going to respect the fundamental human dignity of all people,” Mnookin said. “But policies, complicated policies, where our nation is divided, should be things that we can talk about in serious and thoughtful ways.” 

To combat polarization, students have chosen to participate in various initiatives such as The Deliberation Dinners, Mnookin said. She hopes to bring her pluralistic values to Columbia as well. 

Mnookin also highlighted research accomplishments and the new College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence, which was made possible from over $100 million in donations, as well as new investments in sustainability, which has brought in more than $20 million in grant money, Mnookin said. 

With the rise of AI transforming education and the workforce, Mnookin hopes that critical thinking and the humanities also remain an important part of UW. 

All of these successes in previous years have occurred against the backdrop of tough situations, including a growing distrust of higher education institutions, pressures from fiscal challenges and attacks on universities, Mnookin said. 

Some of the hardest days in her tenure at UW were when the university had to navigate the impacts of new executive orders and the days during the pro-Palestinian encampment that took place in Library Mall two years ago, according to Mnookin. 

“I feel that we got through that period in a way that continues to recognize the importance of free speech, that continues to recognize that protest is a legitimate part of the First Amendment,” Mnookin said. “So are Time, Place and Manner rules, and I strongly believe in free speech and in the importance of free expression.” 

Regarding the administrative measures taken during the encampment, Mnookin said a leader always wants to avoid bringing law enforcement into a situation, but the students involved in the encampment continued to break the law. University administration felt they navigated the situation in a way that recognized its complexities, Mnookin said. 

In light of the recent turnover within the UW system, Mnookin also identified both challenges and advantages to working within a system of universities at UW. 

Sometimes system leadership looks for a “one size fits all” solution for institutions that are very distinct, but Mnookin navigated those challenges by maintaining good relationships with fellow chancellors, the Board of Regents and former UW System president Jay Rothman, Mnookin said. 

Mnookin was not looking to leave UW, but took the opportunity at Columbia and considers herself fortunate to have been able to work at so many institutions that really matter in higher education, she said.

Starting this month, Dean of the College of Letters & Science Eric Wilcots will serve as Interim Chancellor of UW, according to an L&S news announcement. 

Mnookin hopes her successor gets to bring people together in the role and benefit from the deep care for UW that makes the university’s success possible. 

“Like many of our seniors, I feel like I’m graduating after four years, and so I too know the enormous, life-changing impact that a place like this can have,” Mnookin said. “I feel very, very lucky to have been a part of it.” 

The University of Wisconsin held its 173rd commencement ceremony Saturday to celebrate the graduation of bachelor’s, law and master’s degree students. Several speeches were given to the crowd of over 40,000 by students and faculty.

UW senior class President Caasi Woji opened the ceremony reflecting on memories from her four years spent as a UW student. Woji discussed the importance of community building and having distinct perspectives in every room, while thanking friends and family for their support.

“Class of 2026, today is our incredible milestone,” Woji said. “Lead with care, lead with purpose and carry Wisconsin with you wherever you go, on Wisconsin.”

The ceremony also included the National Anthem sung by class of 2026 music education students Avery Elise Brutosky, Chayse Morgan Hoefle and Eric Daniel Luebke and an a cappella performance of “Build Me Up Buttercup” by Wisconsin Waale.

Provost John Zumbrunnen, who also had a son graduating in this commencement, recognized the friends and family watching for their care, encouragement and support. He further thanked the UW faculty and staff before introducing the deans of UW’s schools and colleges.

“As provost, I work with the deans of our schools and colleges to ensure that UW-Madison delivers a world-class educational experience,” Zumbrunnen said. “Through excellent teaching, mentoring, research and outreach, our faculty and staff help our students prepare for fulfilling careers, active citizenship and meaningful lives.”

Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, who, like most 2026 graduates, came to UW in 2022 and will be leaving following this term, gave shoutouts to veterans, Wisconsin taxpayers and UW’s women’s hockey teams, the “winningest team in NCAA history.”

Mnookin acknowledged the class of 2026 for its thousands of hours of community service, setting the highest voter registration and helping to inaugurate the new Morgridge Hall. She shared two anecdotes of UW people innovating, from the 1940s to present day.

“There’s one quality that I hope you’ve cultivated here that can help you navigate change and uncertainty, and that quality is a sense of purpose,” Mnookin said. “Purpose is not a perfect plan, it’s a compass. It helps you decide what deserves your time, what deserves your courage and what you may need to walk away from.”

Mnookin encouraged graduates to carry kindness, different from niceness, with them as they move forward, especially in polarizing times. She said that UW programs like Deliberation Dinners and the Wisconsin Exchange have begun to address polarization.

UW System Board of Regents President Amy Bogost congratulated graduates and addressed that the post-graduate landscape looks different now than what it used to. She encouraged graduates to be bold, feel the pain of rejection and believe in themselves.

“Believe in yourself enough to begin. Carry the Wisconsin brand with pride. Carry the Wisconsin idea as a responsibility, and when the path looks different than you expected — and it will — remember that this university did not just prepare you to follow a road, it prepared you to build one.”

Student speaker Ryan Schwartz also addressed the crowd, highlighting different Badgers’ stories and a collective sense of community. He said that it is not accomplishments that make the Badger, it is the belonging, unity and understanding that Badgers will choose one another.

The University of Wisconsin expected possible inclement weather, disclosing in an advisory that the ceremony will “take place rain or shine.” Nearby in a hotel lobby, the Italian and French department was wrapping up its reception for graduates who were trickling into Camp Randell stadium along with 40,000 other students, faculty, family members and friends.

New York time best-selling author James Patterson went out to the stadium to observe the crowds. Later in the day, Patterson would step on stage as UW’s 2026 spring commencement’s keynote speaker.

“The crowd isn’t quite there yet, but I have got a feeling for it. I think I will be okay. I am ready but still afraid,” Patterson said after looking at the growing number of people.

Friends, family members, faculty and students gathered at Camp Randell on Saturday to celebrate UW’s 173rd spring commencement. The ceremony included remarks from Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, UW System Board of Regents President Amy Bogost and student speaker Ryan Schwartz along with the keynote speaker James Patterson.

The ceremony marks one of Mnookin’s last official acts as UW chancellor, before her transition to Colombia University president later this May. She began her tenure along with the class of 2026 in the fall of 2022.

Patterson humorously referred to himself in his remarks as Mnookin’s “last big mistake.”

“Like most of you, I too arrived here in the summer of 2022, and like you, I have had a life-changing Wisconsin experience over these past four years — one full of joy and learning and one that has tested me at times as it has truly tested you as well,” Mnookin said. “Together we are stepping into new chapters, excited for what is ahead but also sad and aware that change can be a little scary.”

Mnookin reiterated the importance of the Wisconsin Idea and gave a special applause to the nine graduating women’s hockey team members who won this year’s national championship. 

Keynote speaker Patterson delivered a humor-drizzled remark, sharing his values for giving back to the community and his connections to UW, along with his advice for the young graduates.

“I want every graduate to walk out of here feeling you are worthy — you are worthy,” Patterson said. “You will learn that feeling worthy is a really big deal out in the world.”

Patterson shared his connections to UW through his wife Susan Patterson, to whom, he said, he signed a “Badger prenup,” which contractually obliges a spouse to watch every UW sports event from football to ping-pong.

Patterson also shared the life story of his late literary agent and UW alum Robert Barnett. Barnett was a literary agent and lawyer whose work with politicians such as Hillary Clinton earned him renown. Patterson said Barnett was “a very special Badger who led an amazing life.”

Amongst the notable mentions in his remarks was the ever-mysterious Tunnel Bob whose mention brought a fit of laughter from the crowd.

Patterson wanted each graduate to ask themselves the question he asks himself: “Time here is short, what can I do beautifully? What can you do most beautifully?”

The University of Wisconsin has approved multiple investments toward employee salaries in order to support its reputation as a supportive and market-competitive employer.

The investment includes $10.5 million in performance bonuses to academic staff who have dealt with Workday implementation and changing state and federal policies, and it includes $1 million to increase pay for tenured professors depending on their periodic reviews.

The university will also invest $7.6 million in faculty market funds — money used to make salaries more competitive compared to other universities and industries — in high demand fields. These include accounting, data analytics, education, engineering, health professions, social work and veterinary medicine, according to The Cap Times.

In order to qualify for the salary adjustments, employees must be in good standing at the university, must have served at least six months in their position, must not be under employee probation or review and must meet university performance expectations in accordance with their evaluations.

These salary adjustments will be in effect starting June 28.

The Office of the Independent Monitor, the agency responsible for independent oversight of the Madison Police Department, released a 31-page public memorandum lambasting the City attorney and Common Council members for obstructing the OIM’s independence April 21.

In the evidence provided via the memo, Independent Monitor Aeiramique “Meeka” Glass criticized former District 8 Alder MGR Govindarajan and City Attorney Michael Haas for working together to draft revisions to the ordinances that established the OIM and its oversight body, the Police Civilian Oversight Board.

The revisions would require quarterly reports to the Common Council about the OIM’s work, alter how the OIM can access police records and align the agency with City policies for non-mission related operations, according to an updated legislative memorandum released by Govindarajan.

Notably, the revisions would also clarify that the monitor is only allowed to obtain legal counsel independent from the City attorney’s office for matters related directly to its oversight mission, according to Govindarajan’s updated memo.

 “There are determinations against officers, and there are things being amplified,” Glass said. “The suppression of that is what I think that truly is. I think it’s also wanting to be able to control every aspect of how the government flows … they want the symbol of independent oversight, but they don’t want the reality of it.”

Govindarajan said he voiced concerns over structural issues with the OIM publicly starting November 2025 during a City budget meeting, but also stated his support for the OIM and its mission under a new monitor prior to Glass being hired. He began considering proposing amendments around the November meeting.

The concerns stemmed from issues with former Independent Monitor Robin Copley and the functioning of the OIM under her leadership, detailed by District 5 Alder Regina Vivader and Govindarajan in a letter addressed to the PCOB September 2025, according to Govindarajan’s memo.

The letter outlined a lack of finalization and timely submission for the Common Council’s approval of the annual report per ordinance rules, an unexplained delay in fulfilling public records requests, Copley’s absence at a council meeting and lack of compliance with managerial duties.

After Glass became the full-time monitor, Govindarajan said the two met January 2026 to discuss her vision for the OIM and her role, and their respective thoughts on potential ordinance revisions to address his concerns.

During the meeting, Glass was opposed to any changes to the ordinance in its current form, according to Govindarajan. Glass said she was opposed during the meeting because the ideas Govindarajan suggested were related to issues under Copley’s leadership.

“[Glass told me,] ‘if you are going to do an ordinance [revision,] I want you to wait until … my annual report comes out, and hopefully that annual report better informs you on what issues we’re facing, what structural issues exist, and that will better help inform the ordinance,’ to which I agreed,” Govindarajan said.

Govindarajan said, if it were not for Glass’ request, he would have moved forward with introducing revisions to the ordinance for the Common Council’s consideration in February 2026.

In the meantime, until the OIM’s annual report ordinance-specified March 15 release date, Govindarajan said he began working with Haas and his office to discuss legal compliance for the ordinance revisions.

“I was working on the language and talking to the City attorneys and City staff and everyone. That’s when I learned about the lawsuits, and the federal law, state law and city ordinance violations, ignoring City APMs,” Govindarajan said.

APMs are Administrative Procedural Memoranda that are not law but act as City policies, or a general code of conduct, according to Govindarajan.

Govindarajan said he learned Glass, Copley and the OIM under both monitors had potentially acted illegally due to an alleged belief that their independence from the city’s administrative framework extended beyond mission-related operations.

One issue Govindarajan said he found out about was that OIM data analyst Greg Gelembiuk faced scrutiny from MPD Chief of Police John Patterson for using a personal computer to review MPD records prior to hiring Glass. The issue was confirmed via a Nov. 7, 2025 inter-departmental memo from Patterson.

According to Glass, Gelembiuk had permission from Copley to use his personal computer to review the documents as a work-around after not receiving approval from the City information and technology department to use the case management system they requested access to.

The OIM’s ordinance-compliant “unfettered access” to MPD’s records and databases were paused in response to the incident over concerns with violations of APMs and Marsy’s Law, which protects the victim of a crime’s right to privacy, according to Patterson’s memo.

When Glass was installed as the current monitor, the OIM’s access to MPD’s records was restored, according to Glass. Gelembiuk remained in his role of OIM data analyst, according to Glass.

Govindarajan said this issue informed the initial ordinance revision he put forth that would clarify that the City administrative framework applies to all non-mission related work done by the OIM and PCOB, and that the APMs will be enforced by the Common Council, as well as removing the agency and board’s direct access to MPD databases.

The OIM would still have access to MPD records via channels agreed upon in a new Memorandum of Understanding between the monitor and MPD, according to a memo written by Haas at the request of Govindarajan to explain the intention of the revisions Govindarajan asked him to develop.

Memorandums of Understanding are an agreement between two parties that outlines their common goals and duties which functions like a contract, but is non-legally binding, according to Govindarajan.

Govindarajan said he did not officially begin drafting the ordinance revisions until Glass published the OIM’s annual report March 15 in order to be as informed as possible on how to approach OIM reform.

Govindarajan’s initial revisions were referred to Haas for introduction March 19 and proposed to the Common Council March 24, according to the legislative information center. It was referred to the PCOB March 25 and fully rejected by the board members, according to Glass.

After the proposed revisions were announced, Govindarajan said he found out about further potential violations from Glass and the OIM’s functioning operations.

“Only after that did I learn about the violations of Federal Labor Standards Act,” Govindarajan said. “HR had concerns that staff had not been being compensated for overtime because they never got approval for overtime, which then indicates that staff are doing unpaid labor, which is very much illegal.”

Human Resources director Erin Hillson said the concern was sparked after Glass said OIM employees had been working overtime during a press conference, according to Govindarajan.

In order to hire someone as a part of an investigation, Glass said she must receive approval from the City’s financial department.

“If I need [to commission an additional autopsy report,] it tips the city off to what’s happening, because I have to go through this department to get folks paid,” Glass said. “I have to find workarounds around that, still within the law, but maybe folks doing the work, and then after … my investigation is complete, then paying them. But that’s not fair.”

Govindarajan also said he had concerns with the cover of the OIM’s annual report published by Glass, after artificial intelligence appeared to be used in its creation and a second capitol building was hallucinated onto the City logo in its first iteration, which has since been taken down.

These revelations, in addition to conversations with Pearson regarding the OIM’s use of independent counsel March 21, prompted Govindarajan to amend his revisions and publish an updated legislative memo April 15, he said.

In its current form, the ordinance that created the OIM states that the monitor can retain independent legal counsel if necessary to “fulfill the duties of the OIM,” according to MGO.19.

The City attorney’s office provides the OIM and other City agencies with legal counsel on issues outside of its investigative scope, such as City procedures, the legislative process, responding to open records requests, open meeting law, etc., according to Haas.

Each agency is assigned one of the Office of the City Attorney’s 18 attorneys as legal counsel, according to Haas. Glass has not requested independent legal counsel for any investigations opened thus far, according to Haas.

Glass had been voicing concerns with Haas since December 2025 over attorney Andrew Schauer, the OIM’s assigned attorney, that he was unsuitable to act as the police oversight’s legal counsel due to his two-decade long history working with police unions, associations and MPD, according to her memo.

“It is an inherent conflict of interest to have a city attorney be the oversight’s counsel, but on top of that, to have an attorney directly assigned to us that has so much policing history and is currently the counsel appointed to MPD is a huge issue that should not be taken lightly,” Glass said.

Glass said it is imperative that the OIM and monitor have access to independent counsel for all matters, even those unrelated to investigators.

Denying the OIM access to independent counsel for non-investigative matters would contradict the City’s approval for the Police and Fire Commission and the Board of Public Works to use it for administrative purposes, according to Glass’ memo.

“I don’t think it’s a contradiction,” Haas said. “The main difference is that the independent monitor can make recommendations, and neither the monitor nor the [PCOB] has any authority to take action against any police officers. The PFC … is in charge of approving, hiring, disciplining and firing of police officers and the police chief.”

There are cases where the chief of police might recommend an outcome at a PFC hearing against a police officer, in which case the attorney’s office would represent the chief, meaning the PFC would need their own legal counsel, according to Haas. The key difference is the OIM does not hold hearings, Haas said.

Another key difference between the PFC and the OIM is that only the latter conducts investigations, which Glass said validates their need for independent legal counsel even more.

The amended revisions proposed by Govindarajan would change the language of the ordinance to say the monitor may retain independent legal counsel to support police oversight investigations “within the OIM’s jurisdiction,” and use the City attorney’s office for all other matters.

Haas uploaded documentation of an email provided by Govindarajan in which he discussed IT, HR and the finance department’s concerns with the structure of the OIM, Glass and Gelembiuk and a response from the Mayor’s office into the official legistar as support for the amended revisions, according to Glass’ memo.

The Mayor’s office Chief of Staff Sam Munger’s reply to Govindarajan’s email stated that “Meeka” had asked their office to not reach out to Pearson directly and had scolded “us” on several occasions.

Glass said this was impossible, as she had never met Munger at the time he sent the email and had only exchanged introductions with Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway at that point.

The only dispute Glass said she could recall was telling a member of the Mayor’s communication staff that it was best practice to allow the PCOB to have their own website logo and social media despite what their office stated prior to hiring Glass, but the matter is completely unrelated to Munger’s email.

Gelembiuk’s email correspondence in response to MPD’s concerns with how he was using their records was attached to Govindarajan’s proposed amendments as well, according to the legislative information center.

 “[Govindarajan] asked to have his email correspondence put into legistar. Now whether or not everything that was said in that was true or not true, or an opinion versus a fact, [I don’t know,]” Haas said. “Our office doesn’t get to decide what goes into legistar … We did not receive any requests to have anything else submitted into legistar.”

Per state law, the City attorney drafts all ordinances, ordinance proposals and revisions and submits all supporting documents for ordinances into the official legistar, the portal City documents are uploaded to for public access, according to Haas.

Before uploading the supporting documents, Pearson witnessed Haas tell Govindarajan that he misunderstood the concerns communicated by IT, HR and the finance department heads referenced in his email, and that they were unrelated to Glass or the OIM under her leadership, according to Glass’ memo.

Hillson and IT director Sarah Edgerton confirmed in follow up emails sent to Govindarajan that issues with access to MPD records are exclusive to Copley and the OIM under her leadership and have since been resolved, which was not uploaded as well according to Glass’ memo.

“What I clarified with [Govindarajan] was he had initially stated … there have been violations of the law in the independent monitor’s office. And I said to him, ‘I don’t, I’m not aware of any violations of the law,’” Haas said.

The documentation of the email with department concerns has since been updated within the legistar to clarify that concerns raised by IT regarding the security of MPD records was not an existing issue under Glass, according to Govindarajan.

In her memo, Glass said Haas assisted Govindarajan in uploading conflicting documentation that provided the public and the Common Council with a selective record of the issues Govindarajan detailed as reasons to support his amended ordinance revisions.

Glass acknowledged that she has to continue to shift her oversight approach in a way that makes the most sense for the Madison community after previously working for and becoming accustomed to larger, more established police oversight agencies.

“At the same time, there are just some things [the City] needs to understand ‘this’ is independence … While you guys are thinking about all of the liabilities, there’s so much that can be done that me and Chief are already working on around mediation, around restorative justice, around restitution that can reduce lawsuits, but they’re only thinking only from their political mindset,” Glass said.

Govindarajan’s term as District 8 alder came to a close the same day Glass published her memo, according to the April 21 common council meeting minutes. The amended revisions will be carried on by alders signed on as cosponsors, according to Govindarajan.

Glass’ memo asks the Mayor’s office to take action on three requests in order to set the record straight in the face of attempts to dismantle and discredit the OIM and Glass in accordance with the issues outlined within the memo and attached evidence.

Glass asks for specific details and documentation regarding instances Glass scolded its members for reaching out to Pearson, to formally place Govindarajan’s requests to upload “contradicting” documentation to the legistar on the record and formal notation for council reference that Haas assisted in drafting the ordinance revisions.

The fourth and final request is for the Common Council to fully reject Govindarajan’s revisions to the OIM and PCOB’s founding ordinances in solidarity with the office’s mission structured around independence and oversight, according to Glass’ memo.

“When things start to work effectively and efficiently in oversight and it starts to amplify the very things that the City attorney’s office wants to keep under the rug because it could potentially cause liability for the city … those things try to get suppressed,” Glass said. “I think people are uncomfortable with this level of independence.”

Editors note: reporting contributions made by Leila Dunfee and Anna Smith.

Canvas, the platform used by  University of Wisconsin students and staff for academic functions, became unavailable around 3 p.m. May 7, the second-to-last day of spring semester finals, according to UW Information Technology.

Students were advised in an email from Provost John Zumbrunnen to not proceed if Canvas prompts them to perform any action, including clicking a link, logging in, resetting passwords or completing any task.

This follows a data breach to Canvas’ parent company, Instructure, which reported it was investigating a cybersecurity incident May 1, according to UWIT. Instructure said it did not find evidence of passwords, dates of birth, government identifiers or financial information involved in the breach, according to UWIT.

Furthermore, UW’s Canvas does not contain student ID numbers, dates of birth, government identifiers or financial information, according to UWIT.

According to Zumbrunnen’s email, students should watch for communication from instructors regarding final exams or outstanding assignments that require Canvas access.

Additional information will be shared about final exams and grading, according to Zumbrunnen’s email. Ongoing updates can be found on the Campus Alerts page.

Centro, a Madison nonprofit focused on advancing long-term success in the Latinx community, has received a roughly $3 million grant from Ascendium Education Group to establish a Tech Hub to expand digital literacy and workforce pathways, according to Isthmus. The organization has previously focused on providing community-based services and education support, which primed their expansion into workforce training initiatives, according to Isthmus.

The funding was announced at Centro’s April 17 community update event, according to Isthmus. The initiative is expected to support training programs and strengthen connections between participants and employers in the Madison region’s growing technology sector, according to Ascendium Vice President of Communications and Community Engagement, Brett Lindquist.

The investment aligns with Ascendium’s strategy to expand access to education and workforce development, according to Lindquist. Lindquist said conversations with local organizations, including the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, highlighted growing demand for workers with technology training in the region. This rising demand stems from the expansion of technology companies in the Madison area, according to Lindquist.

The initiative is designed to respond to increasing demand for technology skills in Madison while ensuring underserved populations are positioned to benefit from that growth, according to Lindquist. Additionally, the program stresses connecting training programs with real employment opportunities in the region’s tech sector, according to Lindquist.

“We want to be sure that the people that we’re most focused on are in a position to take advantage of the growth that’s going to be occurring here in Madison,” Lindquist said.

The effort also aims to create alternative educational pathways aside from traditional degree programs, according to Lindquist.

These new pathways are intended to reach individuals who may not be served by higher education systems, particularly adult learners already in the workforce, Lindquist said.

“It’s really creating a whole new type of educational pathway,” Lindquist said. “It’s not just the traditional two-year, four-year option. It’s training that’s geared toward everyone, regardless of their background.”

The program is expected to be developed over a three-year period, with the first phase focusing on building infrastructure and partnerships, according to Lindquist. Later phases will concentrate on delivering training and expanding access to training and employment opportunities in the tech sector, according to Lindquist.

The Tech Hub will prioritize direct connections between training and employment through partnerships with employers, who will shape the curriculum and inform the certifications participants receive, according to Lindquist. 

Ultimately, the program intends to function as a pipeline, enabling participants who complete training to transition directly into jobs with local employers, according to Lindquist.

“This is really about forming those connections,” Lindquist said. “Not only will the training be effective, but it’s a path into a career, and ultimately to a good career with family-sustaining wages.”

Job placement and employer partnerships will serve as key indicators of the program’s success, as it’s ultimate goal is to create sustainable career pathways and long-term economic stability rather than short-term training opportunities, according to Lindquist. 

The grant also builds on Ascendium’s prior support for Centro, according to Lindquist. Centro’s strong track record of delivering programs that respond to community needs through service-based programming optimally positions it to lead a program that could eventually be replicated in other communities, according to Lindquist.

Ascendium previously supported Centro through a $2.5 million contribution to a capital campaign for the construction of a new facility, according to Lindquist. Lindquist said funding for programs like this is often distributed over time rather than all at once.

Funders typically require ongoing updates to track a program’s progress over time, according to Lindquist. These updates track outcomes such as participant enrollment, completion rates and job placement, Lindquist said.

Expanding access to technical skills is an important step toward economic inclusion, according to University of Wisconsin political science and Chicano/Latino studies professor Benjamin Márquez.

“Technology is an important part of our economy, and Latinos should be a part of that,” Márquez said. “This grant is about creating culturally appropriate training in these new fields.”

Márquez said efforts like the Tech Hub can help address disparities in opportunity by providing resources that are often limited to the Latino community, according to Márquez. These types of programs are particularly significant as they provide entry points into growing industries that have not always been accessible to Latino workers, Márquez said.

While nonprofits often operate within broader political and funding constraints, service-based initiatives like workforce training are generally less vulnerable to those pressures than advocacy-focused work, according to Márquez.

Márquez said this grant will give Centro additional resources to build on its existing work and expand opportunities for those it serves.

“Some deserving people are going to be helped,” Márquez said. “The additional funding will give [Centro] more resources to do so.”

For college students, it’s almost standard to lay down at night and “doomscroll” after a long day of classes, studying and socializing. But this scrolling impacts sleep, and it could be posing harm to mental health.

In a November 2025 study in JAMA Network Open, University of Wisconsin researchers explore this idea, questioning how late-night phone use may be correlated with suicide risks. In the end, it really depends on how the phone is being used, for findings were very nuanced, according to research assistant professor in the Center for Healthy Minds, Ross Jacobucci.

“If you’re using your phone to message with individuals that are friends to increase your social connection, we’re going to see positive outcomes,” Jacobucci said. “If you’re just scrolling through things and not using [the phone] in an active sense for communication, that’s not a good thing.”

This passive use of the phone, characterized by simple scrolling, can cause increased suicidal thoughts the following day in individuals who are already suicidal due to social comparison to others online and disrupted sleep, Jacobucci said.

Poor sleep has a cascading effect, affecting mental health for the next day and even into the next week, Jacobucci said. Growing research shows that sleep is highly correlated with emotional health because poor sleep can cause greater emotional instability, increase negative thinking and reduce the brain’s ability to regulate emotions, according to Assistant Director of the Wisconsin Institute for Sleep and Consciousness and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Stephanie Jones.

“High quality sleep is essential for resetting your emotional and cognitive baseline,” Jones said. “Sleep takes [the brain] down back to the baseline so that it can learn and take up emotional information effectively. When people are sleep deprived, their emotion regulation skills go out the door.”

There are three main issues with nighttime phone use, according to Jones. First, blue light emitted by phones can shift internal clocks and push sleep time later. Second, scrolling, texting or watching media on phones at night keeps the brain engaged and awake when it should be winding down. Lastly, a brain that is sleep deprived, especially at night, is prone to interpreting things inaccurately, assuming the negative and being emotionally overreactive, Jones said.

Sleep is especially important for college-aged individuals because students are still of adolescent age with developing brains, according to Jones. Sleep is essential for learning — a well-rested brain is needed to take in new information, and sleep is necessary to consolidate content after learning and integrate it into long-term memory storage. Learning for college students doesn’t just mean formal concepts like class content but also informalities such as self identity, according to Jones. The more learning done, the more the brain needs sleep, Jones said.

The study, pioneered by both Jacobucci and Jones, also exemplified how AI is becoming essential in scientific research, Jacobucci said. Within the study, participants downloaded an app that collected a screenshot every 5 seconds their phone was in use, leaving roughly 90,000 screenshots for each individual every month, according to Jacobucci. With such a mass amount of data, AI became an essential piece of the study through analysis, Jacobucci said.

“Five years ago, before AI really became more common, we couldn’t do a lot of what we’re doing now,” Jacobucci said. “From an analysis perspective, everything is AI.”

AI has the potential to increase the velocity at which a complex topic like suicide is understood. Suicide affects people of adolescent, college and older age, and the surface for how AI can help is just barely being scratched, Jacobucci said.

“This is a really important topic, and there are a lot of open questions,” Jacobucci said. “We could always use more people that are interested in this and willing to get involved.”

Jones and Jacobucci hope to follow up this study with a secondary exploration that requires participants to wear a headband as they sleep that records EEG, or electroencephalogram, according to Jones. Contrary to popular belief, watches that record and provide information about sleep habits by detecting heart rate and motion are a poor proxy for measuring sleep because sleep is solely a brain phenomenon, according to Jones. These headbands will provide real sleep data stemming from brain activity. Jones and Jacobucci plan to apply for grants for this secondary research in the near future.

Nutrition and exercise are often heralded as key pillars of health, but it’s important not to forget the fundamental role that sleep plays in regulating health, particularly mental health, Jones said. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it is essential to know that sleep isn’t just for feeling rested but also for giving your brain the capacity to process complex emotions and recover from daily stress, according to Jones.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the University of Wisconsin’s Center for Patient Partnerships has helped shift healthcare advocacy from “kitchen table advocacy,” where individuals struggled alone, to a national network of Medical-Legal Partnerships that ensure healthcare works for both patients and providers, according to Director of CPP and clinical professor of Law Sarah Davis.

After noticing the lack of infrastructure existing to support patients after her own journey against ovarian cancer, clinical professor and current Emeritus Director Meg Gaines founded the CPP in 2000 in hopes of bridging the gap between all individuals involved in healthcare, according to Davis.

“We are intentionally called the Center for Patient Partnerships because we are about making sure that healthcare works for all stakeholders, such as patients, health professionals, researchers. We are not the center for health advocacy against evil corporations. We are the center for how we all work together to make sure that everyone can access the right health care at the right time,” Davis said.

While in recent years the healthcare field has changed significantly, especially with the Affordable Care Act in 2010, which served as a catalyst for patient engagement, the fundamental nature of the U.S. healthcare system hasn’t changed. The insurance-based, for-profit system creates a maze that requires professional navigation — the CPP looks to fill it, according to Davis.

Additionally, the CPP provides UW students with a unique pathway into the world of healthcare, providing students with opportunities to assist marginalized communities via experiential/service learning, Davis said.

“We know if somebody is at risk of being evicted from their home, or cannot afford enough food, that causes stress and biological changes that come from trauma, directly impacting your health. Students can enroll in our Community Resource Navigator Program, where they work as navigators to help patients access community resources,” Davis said.

Students also gain the opportunity to participate in research and evaluation projects that are directly related to the CPP’s services and client needs. CPP recently had three students present in UW’s Undergraduate Symposium, in hopes of helping students understand the interdisciplinary nature of the healthcare system, according to Davis.

Navigators of the CPP primarily look to serve residents of Dane County and statewide with the Health Justice Clinic. Students regularly contact clients in hopes of providing resources and considering factors that affect health outcomes beyond biological health according to Community Resource Program Coordinator Ashleigh Ross.

“I think some of the biggest learning that happens is that students come in often with a lot of classroom knowledge about how programs work, how people access resources, and how policy is designed to work. They then experience people who are not able to receive resources because of immigration status, having too high an income or not having children, eliminating them from having access to that resource,” Ross said.

By utilizing their experience from the CPP, navigators coordinate patient care and address individual barriers to treatment. Recently, navigators connected a client attempting to navigate the healthcare world as an immigrant. They connected him with vital legal services, secured a remote court hearing and successfully delayed proceedings for over a year. These interventions allowed the client to resolve his documentation status, no longer living under the fear of active deportation, Ross said.

Not only do the CPP students gain practical experience by helping marginalized groups navigate through the world of medicine, but they also gain experience in “people skills,” according to Education and Outreach Coordinator Curran Cauldwood.

“A lot of times, students come to us and they’re very timid about being on the phone, and they’re not sure how to handle not being able to pause and think. We see them grow over multiple semesters with us, in being able to confidently know more answers, express empathy and kindness without necessarily having the right answer at the right time, being able to talk to somebody and help them through their problems,” Cauldwood said.

Gabi Beaman, current Navigator and UW senior studying global health, noted the program builds essential communication skills that allow students to gain perspective beyond clinical experiences. The program allows students interested in healthcare to treat patients as humans first before their medical struggles.

“I think a lot of students are anxious to talk to people over the phone, especially it’s hard when you’re not having that face-to-face contact with clients. So I think it definitely just builds that skill that can be used throughout your professional life,” Beaman said.

​Not only are UW students given the opportunity to represent UW communities, but they can also receive treatment as a client, as all Wisconsinites are served under the Health Justice Clinic, according to Davis.

“We want students to call us. And we have what’s called a no wrong door process, where if we’re not the right agency, if we’re not the right place to help, we’re going to make sure that student gets referred to an organization that can help, whether that’s another on-campus support or in the community or nationally, right? There’s a lot of help out there. And so we want to make sure that all people in Wisconsin can be as healthy as possible and thrive, including our amazing student population,” Davis said.

Students who wish to get involved with the CPP should enroll in Inter-Ag 473 if they wish to learn about the interplay between medicine, law and advocacy, and especially if they wish to serve members of diverse communities and gain experience in the fields they wish to pursue in the future, according to Ross.