MADISON, Wis. – The Universities of Wisconsin underscored their growing leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) innovation today as representatives from all 13 public universities convened for a panel discussion before the Board of Regents.
The conversation highlighted the universities’ shared commitment to shaping the future of AI in education, research, and workforce development.
“As AI reshapes our world, the Universities of Wisconsin are not standing on the sidelines. We are helping define what responsible and innovative use of AI looks like for higher education,” said Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman. “This panel today demonstrated how the Universities of Wisconsin are embracing AI in strategic, collaborative, and responsible ways.”
Featuring students, faculty, academic staff, and industry partners, the discussion reinforced the UWs’ role as a statewide leader in preparing Wisconsin students, communities and employers for the technological transformation underway.
Panelists outlined a range of ways that illustrate how the Universities of Wisconsin are setting direction for AI integration statewide, including:
- Establishing AI-related learning standards across a university curriculum.
- Encouraging student-focused research using AI models to improve such industries as health care, agriculture, and manufacturing.
- Enhancing teaching using AI.
- Partnering with industry to develop solutions through AI applications.
- Establishing ethical guardrails surrounding AI use.
“AI presents tremendous opportunities and real challenges,” said Regent President Amy Bogost. “By acting together, the Universities of Wisconsin are providing clear leadership for the state. Our universities are not merely responding to change, they’re leading.”
With more than 164,000 students across the state, the Universities of Wisconsin are uniquely positioned to prepare the workforce, drive research, and support communities through the era of artificial intelligence.
“Responsible financial, ethical, and academic stewardship must remain at the center of our work with AI,” President Rothman said. “The Universities of Wisconsin must and will aim higher with coordinated standards, campus implementation plans, and baseline AI literacy for faculty and staff. Importantly, we are building from real momentum.”
- Watch recording of Thursday afternoon Board of Regents meeting (archived recording)
- “Artificial Intelligence: Preparing Wisconsin for the Future” (op-ed), Jay Rothman, February 2, 2026
UW-Madison leads with ‘principled pragmatism’
UW-Madison is one of the nation’s leading public universities and has been able to move forward in meaningful ways by creating new and transformative programs over the past several years, despite facing multiple challenges.
That was the message shared by UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin with the Board of Regents Thursday, noting that the university’s success is derived from the investment and support from the State and people of Wisconsin.
“UW-Madison is a center of gravity for the entire Universities of Wisconsin system and indeed, the entire state,” she said. “The strength of one rises or falls with the strength of the other.”
Mnookin, who will depart for the presidency of Columbia University at the conclusion of the academic year, reflected on a leadership approach during nearly four years leading UW-Madison that she called “principled pragmatism,” blending a willingness to listen to critics, to be nimble and creative, and to be open to change, with a strong commitment to core values like academic freedom, research excellence, creating access and opportunity for students, and the Wisconsin Idea.
UW-Madison is meeting the moment of change and uncertainty with innovative programs and new infrastructure, positioning Wisconsin’s flagship university to continue its traditions of academic, student and research excellence.
Mnookin outlined several meaningful accomplishments during the course of her tenure and emphasized that these were shared accomplishments to which a great many had contributed.
These accomplishments include establishing a new Entrepreneurship Hub, creating programs like Bucky’s Pell Pathway that have greatly expanded access and affordability for students from Wisconsin, fostering pluralism on campus through the Wisconsin Exchange program, and expanding the university’s ability to address complex problems facing the state and world with the Wisconsin Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) initiative.
Mnookin said the RISE-AI program, coupled with the newly opened Morgridge Hall and the expected founding of a new College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence, complete what she called “the UW-Madison AI trifecta.”
“This university will be a national center of excellence in AI, working to ensure that technology enhances – not replaces – human scholarship, and positioning its graduates for so-called ‘gold collar’ jobs, professional roles that require top-notch technical skills,” she said.
Amid the challenges UW-Madison and other large research universities are navigating is volatility around federal funding.
Though 2024 was an extraordinary year for UW-Madison, where the university achieved the highest HERD ranking in a decade, in 2025, the university saw a 17% decline in federal research funding. Over the same period, 145 federal grants were terminated or subject to stop work orders, with $27 million in lost funding.
She told the Regents that legal challenges have helped to reinstate a number of the grants, and with help from Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation, some of the major proposed cuts to federally funded programs have been stemmed.
To continue to grow and meet the state’s education and workforce development needs, UW-Madison is seeking greater flexibility on funding essential purchases, more autonomy over building renovation and construction projects, and bonding authority to increase flexibility and opportunity for major projects that are funded without taxpayer dollars. “All three of these challenges are a contest between agility and the inflexible structures of a much slower era,” she said.
“It’s like trying to move forward with the parking brake on. I hope you will be strong advocates for a more sensible approach that would allow the university to move at the pace that innovation and excellence require.”
In an era when higher education is confronted with significant uncertainty and risk, the Universities of Wisconsin and its leaders must continue to rise to the challenges with principled pragmatism, Mnookin said, safeguarding its mission while staying open to growth and change.
“I want to be clear that this is not a call to end oversight and accountability,” Mnookin said. “There are legitimate concerns about higher education, and we need to take those seriously. But we also need to give UW-Madison the tools – and sometimes the freedom – to be excellent, and to make support its excellence a core value.”
Report of the Regent President
As part of her update to ongoing chancellor searches, Regent President Amy Bogost responded to the news that UW-Madison Chancellor Mnookin will be leaving to accept a position as President of Columbia.
Bogost said she recalled how Mnookin spoke passionately – and personally – about the Wisconsin Idea during the chancellor search process, noting that it was UW-Madison research that enabled her father to receive a life-saving donated kidney.
“In that moment I realized she wasn’t just talking about a concept, she was actually living proof of our university’s reach,” Bogost said. “She understands that our research isn’t just happening in a lab, it’s out in the world saving lives. That gave her a genuine, deep passion for the mission which she continues to exemplify.”
Bogost added that UW-Madison is stronger and better positioned for the future because of Mnookin’s tenure. On behalf of the board, she thanked Mnookin for her leadership, courage, and passion.
In updates on other current searches, Bogost reported that the chancellor search at UW-Stevens Point is entering its final stages, with finalist candidates expected to visit the campus later this month to meet with members of the campus community, hold public forums, and interview with President Rothman and the Special Regent Committee, chaired by Regent Jack Salzwedel.
The chancellor search at UW-Eau Claire is also progressing, with the search and screen committee, led by chair Regent Karin Walsh and vice chair Professor Arthur Grothe, in the process of reviewing applicants in preparation for selecting and interviewing semifinalists next month.
Turning to recent UWs accolades, Bogost congratulated UW-Madison for its recent climb to No. 5 in the country for university research expenditures. This is the flagship’s highest ranking since 0214, according to the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development Survey. In FY2024, the university reached a record-high $1.93 billion in overall research expenditures.
Bogost also congratulated UW-Stout, which recently received the report from its 10-year comprehensive accreditation review by the Higher Learning Commission. The UWs’ polytechnic university received the highest ratings in all categories and has now been reaffirmed for another 10 years.
In athletics, Bogost saluted the UW-River Falls football team for claiming its first-ever NCAA Division III national championship and the UW-Oshkosh women’s volleyball team for winning its first-ever NCAA Division III national title.
Finally, previewing the meeting’s AI presentation, Bogost noted the Board has been very clear in its directives to President Rothman and the UWs leadership that AI is and should be a top priority if the UWs are to continue to lead Wisconsin to a vibrant future. “We aren’t just asking for a report; we’re asking for a roadmap,” she said.
“We are prioritizing AI literacy for every member of our community – students, faculty, and staff alike. Our goal is to move from a place of fear to a place of mastery,” Bogost said. “By becoming AI literate, our people become the ones who command these tools, not the ones sidelined by them.”
Report of the UWs President
In his report to the Board, President Rothman provided brief state and federal updates.
On the federal side, Rothman noted that he’d had the opportunity to connect with the Wisconsin Congressional Delegation last month where they discussed a range of issues impacting the UW, including agency rulemaking priorities and the importance of full funding in FY26 for several priority accounts.
Turning to the state side, Rothman reported that the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) had recently approved the release of the additional $53M that was allocated to the Universities of Wisconsin in the ’25-27 biennial budget and held in the JFC Supplemental.
He also noted that the Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER) had approved in December three policies the UWs were required to implement in order to receive the additional GPR as part of Act 15 (the biennial budget), including merit and market pay; instructional workload; and general education credit transfer. After JCOER approval of these policies, JFC met on January 14 to unanimously release the funds. This marks the final required legislative step for the UWs’ ’25-27 budget increase.
With the Wisconsin Legislature approaching the end of this legislative session, Rothman said the UWs expect to see many bills introduced in coming weeks as legislators try to get their priorities across the finish line before session’s end.
In a preview of the afternoon’s full AI presentation, President Rothman shared one example of how the integration of this revolutionary new technology plays out in real-life, and the practical benefits its offers.
He cued up a video featuring the Innovation Lab project, a new student internship collaboration developed between Royal Credit Union and three UWs – UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, and UW-Stout – that specifically focuses on using AI.
“Clearly, this is a landscape with enormous opportunities,” Rothman said.
The project was developed with the UWs’ Office of Economic and Employer Engagement under the leadership of Director Idella Kangas.
AI in the Committees
Continuing the meeting’s focus on AI, in the Business & Finance Committee, Regents heard a presentation on the adoption of artificial intelligence in administrative operations at the UWs. Vice President for Finance and Administration Julie Gordon and CIO Steven Hopper discussed the use of AI in automating workflows in administrative tasks, building integrated data ecosystems, and optimizing financial management and performance.
In the Education Committee, Regents heard a presentation by Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Johannes Britz titled “On Being an AI Chief Academic Officer: An Unusual Relationship with an Unusual Disrupter.” The presentation offered a provost-centered reflection on artificial intelligence as a disruptive force in higher education, providing a high-level overview of the AI landscape across academic affairs and student success. It highlighted the use of AI in academic program planning and teaching and learning, examined ethical and leadership considerations for responsible integration, and reflected on how a provost’s approach to AI has evolved since its emergence in November 2022. Provosts also participated in the presentation.
Regent Business Partnership Award
Kicking off the fourth year of Regent Business Partnership Awards, GE Healthcare and UW-Madison were recognized Thursday for their longstanding and productive collaborations.
“This is a relationship that goes back 60 years,” said Regent President Bogost. “It’s a great example of what is possible when Wisconsin’s flagship research university and an industry leader put their heads together to tackle real world problems.”
UW-Madison Chancellor Mnookin called the partnership a “two-way superhighway of talent and innovation between the company and the campus.” She added, “Sustaining those efforts (in medical research, cures, and treatments), in moments of potentially shrinking resources for scientific research, also requires partners who believe in our mission and are willing to invest in it and work together to innovate for the public good.”
Accepting the award, Matt Grubis, executive Chief Engineer for GE Healthcare, noted that the company has more than 250 UW-Madison alumni in its ranks.
“We need you,” Grubis said. “Our customers need you. Patients across the entire world need you. We need your creativity. We need your ingenuity. We need your ideas. We need you to bring that passion to GE Healthcare. And we need you to bring that Wisconsin Idea, the idea where your education should influence people’s lives beyond the boundaries of the classroom.”
“I think this reflects the power of the collaboration between a world-class business and a world-class university and what can happen, the impact it has on students, the impact it has on businesses, the impact it has on the state of Wisconsin,” President Rothman said.
“GE Healthcare’s active engagements with the Wisconsin School of Business, College of Engineering, and School of Medicine and Public Health mean dozens of UW-Madison graduates are finding jobs right here in Wisconsin,” President Rothman said. “UW-Madison is fortunate to have an employer like GE Healthcare as such a vital partner and I look forward to seeing this already robust relationship grow in the years ahead.”
In other business, the Regents:
- In the Business & Finance Committee, heard a presentation from host campus UW-Madison, in which Vice Chancellor Rob Cramer and Associate Vice Chancellor David Murphy provided an overview of the university’s financial position, and introduced several initiatives under the theme of “operational excellence” that promote efficient and effective delivery of administrative services;
- In the Business & Finance Committee, reviewed the UW Annual Financial Report for Fiscal Year 2025 prepared by the Office of Finance. The report notes that UW’s Total Net Position as of June 30 stood at over $6.9 billion, an increase of 3.7% from the prior year. The main contributors to this change include an increase in the total value of capital assets; an increase in net pension liability; and an increase in cash and cash equivalents as uncertainty in federal and state funding, as well as the transition to Workday, led to reduced or delayed expenditures near the end of the fiscal year. Revenues, meanwhile, increased by 2.3%, while expenses increased by 6.2%, driven largely by non-cash accrual entries for pension and other postemployment benefits;
- In the Business & Finance Committee, received the mid-year Budget-to-Actuals Report, which reflects the status of each university’s budget by major areas of activity in comparison to actual financial experience for the first half of FY26. While there is variation among the UWs, the report indicates that, in aggregate, revenues represent 71% of the budget, as many universities assessed Spring tuition prior to the calendar year-end, while expenses represent 55.2% of the current budget;
- In the Business & Finance Committee, approved the UW Status Report on Large or High-Risk Information Technology Projects. The report provides the status and noteworthy updates for 6 major IT projects across the universities, including completion of the Administrative Transformation Program, at an estimated $4.8 million under budget. The total project portfolio is $238.4 million, a 3.0% decrease compared to the July 2025 report;
- In the Business & Finance Committee, approved the annual report on the Strategic Plans for Major IT Projects. This report offers an inventory of all ongoing and new projects, both enterprise-wide and university-specific, and includes information on each project’s business need, impact, staffing requirements, and budget. Both reports will be submitted to the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Information Policy and Technology, pursuant to state statute;
- In the Education Committee, approved UW-Madison’s request to offer a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering. The proposed B.S. in Aerospace Engineering elevates the existing Aerospace Engineering subplan/named option within the B.S. in Engineering Mechanics to a standalone degree. Most students currently enrolled in the B.S. in Engineering Mechanics program have expressed interest in transitioning to the proposed program upon implementation. Market analysis for aerospace engineers remains strong, with data projecting 6% national employment growth over the next decade, faster than the national average;
- In the Education Committee, approved proposed revisions to university policies on campaigning in residence halls that update their policies to address concerns about campus safety, student privacy, as well as any physical or operational changes in residence hall spaces. The proposed revised policies were reviewed and approved by the appropriate student governance body and the Chancellor for each university. The proposed policies have also been reviewed by the Universities of Wisconsin Office of General Counsel for consistency and conformance with the requirements of state statute and administrative code;
- In the Education Committee, heard a presentation by host UW-Madison titled “Exploring the Many Ways We Teach and Learn”, which highlighted UW-Madison’s commitment to engaging students as active partners in knowledge creation and dissemination, emphasizing that learning extends beyond the traditional classroom. It underscored the importance of flexible teaching and mentoring environments to meet the evolving needs of students, the state, and citizens;
- In the Education Committee, heard an update on system level policy development to support universities in operationalizing RPD 20-25, “Teaching Workload” and RPD 4-23, “Core General Education Requirements”, including any progress made toward implementation. An update on work to revise SYS 102: Policy on University of Wisconsin System Array Management: Program Planning, Delivery, Review and Reporting was also given;
- In the Education Committee, heard an overview of proposed revisions to RPD 4-12, Academic Program Planning, Review, and Approval in the University of Wisconsin System. The proposed revisions update policy to include commonly accepted minimum credit hour requirements for degree types (e.g., associate, bachelor, master) conferred by UW institutions. The revisions also allow for the development of academic degree programs that are less than the minimum credit hour requirements when justified. The proposed changes align with the revised Higher Learning Commission (HLC) assumed practices that went into effect on September 1, 2025, and allow UW institutions the opportunity to develop reduced credit bachelor’s degree programs. A vote on the proposed revisions is anticipated for a future Board of Regents meeting;
- In the Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee, heard the annual internal audit plan including interim progress reports;
- In the Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee, heard the executive summaries for the NCAA Athletics Division I Agreed-Upon Procedures Reports for UW-Green Bay and UW-Milwaukee. The Committee also heard a report on the Institutional Relationships with Foundations and Associated Affiliated Organizations;
- In the Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee, heard a report from the Office of Internal Audit on its reevaluation of the audit plan development process (audit plan risk model) to help ensure the identified risks could be analyzed objectively and efficiently by internal and external stakeholders. The risk assessment included a scoring component;
- In the Capital Planning & Budget Committee, approved $1,835,100 in Segregated Revenue for the demolition of White Hall at UW-Whitewater. White Hall is a 1960s’ era dormitory which is no longer used;
- In the Capital Planning & Budget Committee, approved the increase in the budget for the Lakeshore Nature Preserve Fautschi Center project at UW-Madison by $4,700,000 for an estimated total project cost of $21,500,000 gift/grant. The Frautschi Center will provide space for experiential, hands-on learning and expand the research, teaching, and outreach capacity of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve on the UW-Madison campus. The center will be the first net-positive energy UW-Madison facility;
- In the Capital Planning & Budget Committee, approved the completion of the design and construction of the Music Hall Renovation and Addition Phase I project at UW-Madison for an estimated total project cost of $57,000,000. The project addresses the historic significance of Music Hall through a renovation and restoration of the existing building to support the program requirements of the LaFollette School of Public Affairs. The project has been envisioned and planned to be delivered in two phases;
- In the Capital Planning & Budget Committee, heard a UW-Madison presentation, “Enabling Excellence, Overcoming Challenges: An Update on UW-Madison’s Facilities Strategy to Transform the Built Environment.” Although faced with operational constraints, UW-Madison has continued to address aging facilities and increased deferred maintenance, while innovating to meet the needs of campus, the State of Wisconsin, and beyond.
The Board of Regents meeting for the Universities of Wisconsin will continue at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, February 6, 2026, at UW-Madison.