Madison Reporter

Yesterday, University of Wisconsin–Madison officials, faculty, and staff joined Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and the media on a tour of key facilities at the university. The visit included Chadbourne Hall, Rheta’s Market, and the George L. Mosse Humanities Building. These buildings are central to the campus and have been highlighted for improvements or demolition in the governor’s draft capital budget.

During the tour, students and faculty provided feedback on residence halls operating at 115% capacity, dining facilities, and the aging Humanities building. The latter is scheduled for demolition pending approval of the 2025-27 biennium budget.

UW–Madison student Claire Ranft took time during a midterm exam to speak with Governor Evers in a music practice space at the Humanities Building. Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin accompanied Governor Evers alongside Assistant Vice Chancellor Cindy Torstveit and Department of Art faculty as they visited various classes within the building.

Governor Evers discussed ventilation and safety concerns with Art Professor Faisal Abdu’Allah on the sixth floor of the Humanities Building. He also met art and music scholars who voiced their concerns about structural issues.

Chancellor Mnookin expressed gratitude to Governor Evers for acknowledging these challenges: “The challenges are growing year by year and it’s time to create better alternatives,” she stated regarding structural deficiencies in the Humanities Building. She also mentioned that expansions to residence halls would be funded through self-generated program revenue instead of taxpayer dollars.

Governor Evers emphasized investment in education: “We have to invest in our education system — that’s our future.”

The state budget for 2025-27 is anticipated to pass this summer after legislative review and approval of budget bills for gubernatorial signature. Further details on how this affects UW–Madison can be found on the State Budget website.