University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Thursday, February 12, 2026
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RIDING THE RAIL JAM
AVOID MEASLES, GET VAXXED
Hundreds gathered on the Terrace to watch skiers and snowboards take to the rails.
Science isn’t optional, and neither is protecting your campus community.
+ LIFE & STYLE, PAGE 6
+ OPINION, PAGE 5
Mnookin champions ‘principled pragmatism’ By Alaina Walsh CITY NEWS EDITOR
In her final appearance before the Board of Regents on Thursday, outgoing University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin delivered a reflective defense of public higher education, urging leaders to hold fast to core values while navigating an era of “profound uncertainty.” Mnookin, who will depart this spring to lead Columbia University, used her final report to frame her tenure not through the lens of individual achievement, but through a philosophy she termed “prin-
cipled pragmatism,” a blend of willingness to listen to critics while still maintaining a strong commitment to the university’s core values. In the expansive, near hour-long address, Mnookin framed her tenure not merely as a series of administrative wins, but as a high-stakes effort to keep the state’s flagship anchored to its core values while radically accelerating its pace to meet a changing world. “In moments of great disruption like the one we’re in, a significant measure of our leadership will be our ability to stay anchored to these core values while also being flexible enough to
change,” Mnookin said. “And change is needed.” She defined those anchors as academic freedom, research excellence and a commitment to pluralism — which she defined as the robust exchange of ideas across different backgrounds and viewpoints. At the heart of Mnookin’s vision for a modern research university is the Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) initiative. Designed to move the university beyond traditional departmental “silos,” RISE has acted as a catalyst for interdisciplinary growth. The university hired 133 new faculty members through the program in just two
LILY’S CLASSIC CANCELED
years, with 53 focusing on artificial intelligence. The most visible success is what she termed the “AI Trifecta” — human capital, infrastructure and technological integration. “Our goal,” Mnookin said, “is to ensure technology enhances, not replaces, human engagement.” Along this line, UW-Madison recently debuted Research and Business Bridging Intelligence Tool (RABBIT) which uses AI to scan faculty research, then match scholars with industry partners.
+ Mnookin page 4
L&S Dean Eric Wilcots selected as interim chancellor By Annika Bereny CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR
JAKE PIPER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
By Ella Hanley COLLEGE EDITOR EMERITUS
Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity will cancel Lily’s Classic, its annual fundraiser and social event on the frozen Lake Mendota, this year after the University of Wisconsin-Madison imposed expectations fraternity leadership said they were not comfortable with. The event will transition from the traditional philanthropy boot hockey tournament to a private social event after multiple rounds of negotiations with university officials, Harrison Long, SAE’s philanthropy chair, told The Daily Cardinal. He said the fraternity “doesn’t want to be liable” for issues on the ice. The fraternity originally proposed several changes to its annual hockey tournament and fundraiser, including expanded fencing, increased law enforcement presence and stricter attendance policies, as early as November. But members said detailed feedback did not arrive until the last week of January, and after consulting their national chapter, SAE decided the university’s final proposed policies outlined in a Feb. 6 email were too restrictive and liability-heavy. “It’s the biggest philanthropy event in [UW-Madison] Greek life,” Long said. “We really focus all our efforts on this because we
know we can raise so much money.” Shauna Breneman, Public Relations and Communications Officer for the Wisconsin Union, said SAE’s initial proposal “did not sufficiently address protocols related to crowd management, adequate facilities, risk mitigation and compliance with code of conduct expectations” in a statement to the Cardinal. Last year, the event raised nearly $18,000. Long also said the fundraiser is one of the few times the fraternity is able to “gather both Greek life and people outside of Greek life together.” Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) — an office representing the more than 60 sororities and fraternities on campus — main concerns included straining campus resources, increased liability in student housing and safety risks from individuals on the ice who were not connected to the event or its philanthropic purpose. “Over the past five years, multiple campus departments have worked with Sigma Alpha Epsilon to address safety concerns associated with Lily’s Classic. Each year, additional measures were implemented to help enhance safety; however, the level of risk continued to increase,” Breneman said. Breneman said the 2025 Lily’s Classic led to “significant operational disruptions” on campus, such as Memorial Union temporarily closing.
Campus staff then held a meeting with SAE leadership in April 2025 where staff said they would support alternative routes for the event, but it “could not continue on this path.” SAE offered to eliminate the hockey tournament component entirely after the university originally vetoed the entire fundraiser, which opened further negotiations. The university offered the Bakke as an alternative site to host the hockey tournament, but SAE rejected that option due to capacity constraints. SAE members said they were frustrated a compromise could not be reached and that the university waited until the week before the planned event date to impose significant conditions. “How can you tell us ‘no’ for this big event when it should be a good thing that we’re bringing so many people together for this cause?” SAE chapter President Ryan Noori told the Cardinal. In an email to the fraternity obtained by the Cardinal, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Mark Guthier said SAE may be held accountable for property damage or disruptions to university services and would be responsible for “safely” dispersing crowds gathering outside the fencing throughout the day.
+ Lily’s page 2
College of Letters & Science Dean Eric Wilcots has been selected to serve as the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s interim chancellor, effective May 17, University of Wisconsin System President Jay Rothman announced Wednesday morning. “I have been impressed by Dean Wilcots’ steady, values‑driven leadership and his deep understanding of UW-Madison’s mission of teaching, research and service,” Rothman wrote in a release. “Wilcots’ long service and deep commitment to the Wisconsin Idea will provide the basis for continuing UW-Madison’s progress at a critical moment for the university.” Wilcot’s appointment comes as current Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin plans to depart UW-Madison for Columbia University following spring commencement on May 9. “For the past six years, Eric has proven himself to be an effective, impressive and collaborative dean of the College of Letters & Science, the largest college at UW–Madison, and he has evinced deep commitment to excellence in research and a life-changing student experience,” Mnookin said in the statement. “In addition, there are few leaders on our campus with as much passion and commitment to the Wisconsin Idea and the ongoing success of our state’s flagship.” Wilcots has served as L&S’ dean since May of 2020, serving in the interim role before his permanent appointment. He has worked for the university since 1995, when he first began as a lecturer in the Astronomy Department. He previously served as UW-Madison’s interim provost in 2023 before Charles Isbell Jr.’s appointment. “I am both humbled and honored to be asked to serve in this leadership role at such a consequential time in UW-Madison’s history,” Wilcots said. Wilcots will likely remain interim chancellor until summer 2027, current interim Provost John Zumbrunnen said in a Jan. 29 Academic Staff Executive Committee meeting. The Board of Regents will launch a national search to choose UW-Madison’s next chancellor and UW expects to announce a permanent provost, their second-ranking academic leader, in early March before Mnookin’s departure. Mnookin and the new provost will work together to determine interim L&S leadership.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”