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Thursday. April 6, 2023
dailycardinal.com
Day of the Badger celebrates UW-Madison communities, raises funding By Liam Beran STAFF WRITER
One thousand, eight hundred forty-eight minutes, $1,691,726 raised for the University of Wisconsin-Madison. That was the impact of the “Day of the Badger” event organized by the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA), which occurred March 28 and March 29. Participants, including many UW-Madison alumni, are encouraged to donate to a variety of funds — some broad, like the Chancellor’s Fund or financial aid scholarships, others more focused, like funding for the Chazen Museum of Art or Lakeshore Preserve. They can also participate on social media or “share their Badger spirit,” said Betsy Popelka Massnick, WFAA director of annual giving. Day of the Badger began at 10:12 a.m. on March 28 and concluded at 5 p.m. on March 29. The 1,848 minutes of the event are a “nod to the year the university was founded,” Massnick said.
During that time, donors can support various causes via online donations, with some “challenges and matching gifts” also offered, according to Massnick.
community together to make an impact across the university and beyond.” The event has been successful, raising “well over $1 million each year,” Massnick noted.
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The event started in April 2019, Massnick explained, with the goal of “bringing our Badger
This year marked a new record for WFAA, with over 4,600 donors and 6,400 donations rais-
UW-Madison ranked among America’s best large employers By Ella Hanley STAFF WRITER
The University of WisconsinMadison was ranked No. 196 in “America’s Best Large Employers 2023” by Forbes Magazine. The university is one of the eight large employers recognized within the state of Wisconsin. Forbes partnered with Statista, an independent market research firm, to create the list. Around 45,000 employees at various companies and institutions across the country were surveyed. Participants were asked to rank their current employer based on how likely they would be to recommend their employer to friends and fam-
ily members. They were also asked to include other employers they would recommend. The final list, published by Forbes in mid-February, consists of the top 500 large employers with the most recommendations received. “We are pleased to be recognized by Forbes as one of ‘America’s Best Large Employers,’ particularly given the fact that the results are based on input from employees across the country,” Provost John Karl Scholz said. This isn’t the first time UW-Madison has been ranked by Forbes. The university also ranked in the top 50 out of 500 universities in “America’s Top Colleges 2022,” and ranks No. 7 in the Midwest. “Being listed in the top 500 on Forbes’ 2023 ‘America’s Best Large Employers’ reflects the university’s commitment to providing a positive work environment for all employees,” Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration Rob Cramer explained. UW-Madison often conducts various internal surveys, such as the 2022 Staff Climate survey. Cramer believes these surveys succeed at “giving employees an opportunity to share their thoughts on issues regarding overall work satisfaction, safety and belonging.” Survey results are used to identify areas for improvement within the university staff. Scholz and Cramer specifically asked directors and deans to collaborate with their respective leadership teams to review results and indicate specific areas for improvement after the Staff Climate survey. Additionally, the university said it remains committed to transparency with its survey results, forming a dashboard for staff to view various demographics. “Our faculty and staff make UW-Madison a remarkably special place, and it is a top priority that all employees feel [they] can thrive here,” said Cramer.
ing over $1.69 million. Any campus area can participate in Day of the Badger, Massnick explained, with certain “university-wide priorities” like the Chancellor’s Fund, Great People Annual Scholarship and other annual funds. “These annual funds provide discretionary support to campus leaders and are critical for continued growth and excellence in education,” Massnick said. WFAA solicits participants in the winter, Massnick noted, and creates pages for the areas and funds those participants would like to promote. Colleen Schmit, alumni relations officer at the university’s School of Human Ecology, said the Day of the Badger helps “ensure that each of our 2,000 students in the School of Human Ecology has the resources and tools they need to succeed.” Schmit offered funding for internships as one example. “Internships can be dooropeners for a student’s career, but unpaid internships prevent
many students from accepting these opportunities,” Schmit explained. “The money raised through Day of the Badger is key in the School of Human Ecology’s efforts to provide funding for internships and make them accessible to all students.” Members of the UW-Madison community were also encouraged to engage with the event through social media participation, and, as of Wednesday, the hashtag #dayofthebadger has received over 2,600 posts on Instagram, many of which show alumni and community members donning UW-Madison apparel. Donors came from every state and eight countries, according to Massnick. “UW impacts so many corners of the world. Our community can support these efforts to extend the reach of the classroom and make a positive impact on our campus, community and the world,” Massnick said. “It’s such a wonderful example of the power of collective giving,” Massnick added.
Madison launches new solar power initiative By Molly Hauenstein STAFF WRITER
The city of Madison announced the implementation of the MadiSUN program last Tuesday to transition the city to renewable solar energy throughout 2023. The MadiSUN program will support local renewable energy providers while expanding access to solar energy installations for homes, businesses and nonprofits in the Madison area throughout the year. The program’s three main initiatives for 2023 include a solar group purchase program aimed at reducing the cost of solar installations for households, a pool of grants provided to businesses installing solar energy sources, and a grant to increase solar energy access for residents and local organizations. The city partnered with local non-profit RENEW Wisconsin, an organization that promotes the expansion of renewable energy in the state. RENEW Wisconsin Executive Director Sam Dunaiski said in a press conference the initiative will continue to increase access to renewable energy. “We’re bringing more solar to families, more businesses and more nonprofit organizations across our community,” Dunaiski said. “2022 was our most successful year ever for both the residential and the backyard programs, and our business program is also seeing very high levels of participation.” Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said the initiative will mark continued progress toward the decarbonization of the city. “We are proud of our investments and progress, and are grateful for our partners in this work,” Rhodes-Conway said. “Still, there’s a lot to do. We must keep moving forward to improve our resilience, grow our green economy and advance climate equity.” According to Rhodes-Conway, Madison has installed 1.4 megawatts of
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solar energy on the city’s buildings, and the city’s goal is to install eight more megawatts by 2030. The initiative also encourages businesses, homeowners and organizations to take advantage of the tax incentives included in the Inflation Reduction Act, according to Rhodes-Conway. The Inflation Reduction Act offers to cover 30% of the cost of renewable energy installation for taxpayers, organizations and government entities. Dunaiski said the initiative will facilitate the transition to renewable energy while ultimately boosting Wisconsin’s economy. “These technologies are speeding us away from our fossil fuel-based economy to a decarbonized economy, which will result in far better health and economic outcomes for all Wisconsinites,” he said. “And we can keep these energy dollars at home, while reducing pollution and mitigating climate change as well.”