Wisconsin football boasted an 89% graduation for the 2022-23 academic year, or for the 2016 student cohort.

The Badgers are tied for No. 10 among the 66-team list. As of this season, 68 schools will make up the Power Four this fall.

In addition to Wisconsin, Michigan, Nebraska, SMU, UCF and West Virginia also held an 89% college football graduation rate last year. Clemson, Boston College, Cincinnati, Northwestern and Wake Forest make up the top five — with each school at a 97% graduation rate or higher.

For reference, Big Ten rivals Penn State, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio State also post an 87% or higher. Washington, Iowa, Oregon, Rutgers, USC, Purdue, Maryland and USC all float at or above 64%.

Wisconsin’s 2022-23 graduation rate is nearly identical to its average of 89.6% from the past five years. That tally has increased since it sat near 70% in the mid-2010s.

In April, U.S. news ranked the University of Wisconsin-Madison as the Big Ten’s No. 5 school academically behind only USC, UCLA, Michigan and Northwestern. The publication had UW as the No. 35 overall university in the United States.

What’s more, Forbes’ recent list of ‘Public Ivies’ included Wisconsin. Michigan, Illinois and Maryland also made the cut.

Long story short, UW not only offers its attendees a fantastic athletic scene, but it also prioritizes its academics.

Story originally appeared on Badgers Wire

OAK CREEK, Wisc. — Air pollution is a major concern in Southeast Wisconsin for many people.

To fight back, Sister Janet Weyker and Dr. Victoria Gillet joined the efforts of a local non-profit: Healthy Climate Wisconsin.

“We’re part of a greater planet and we are all connected,” said Weyker.

Sister Janet says her passion for fighting against fossil fuels comes after years of seeing her fellow neighbors suffering from breathing problems and respiratory diseases.

Watch: Healthy Climate Wisconsin advocates for pollution solutions

Healthy Climate Wisconsin advocates for pollution solutions

“They are our brothers and sisters as well. So, it’s a matter of environmental justice, racial justice, and preserving our planet,” said Weyker.

As a primary care doctor, Dr. Gillet says her work revolves around helping her patients feel their best, which can be tough when they have to fight for more than just their health.

“But, it’s not enough to make sure that they stay well. They really need to have a healthy environment that they live in – both the climate as a whole and the individual factors that are impacting them from a day to day basis,” said Dr. Gillet.

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Sister Janet and Dr. Gillet say Healthy Climate Wisconsin’s mission is to find better solutions for pollution and uplift communities who are asking for change.

“We need to stop the infrastructure from expanding and reduce our use of fossil fuels and put our money into renewable energies,” said Weyker.

“We deserve energy sources that make us healthy and keep us safe,” said Dr. Gillet.

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At this same point in the election cycle four years ago, Joe Biden was ahead of Donald Trump by 9 percentage points among Wisconsin voters in a two-way presidential matchup. Now, just days after the Republican National Convention ended in Milwaukee, a new Fox News survey shows Wisconsinites give the advantage to Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris — by 1 point. 

Harris receives 49% support to Trump’s 50%. In April, it was 48% each for Biden and Trump, and it was also tied in January (47% apiece).  In June 2020, Biden was at 49% to Trump’s 40%.

Trump’s edge is mainly due to an expanded 14-point lead among men, up from an 8-point lead over Biden in April. He is also favored over Harris among White men without a college degree (by 20 points), rural voters (+15), and White voters (+2).

Harris receives a bit more support among Democrats (96%) than Trump gets among Republicans (93%), but he makes up the difference by having a 4-point advantage among Independents. 

HARRIS’ SHIFT FROM TOUGH-ON-CRIME PROSECUTOR TO SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCATE FACES SCRUTINY FROM CONSERVATIVE GROUP

Some of Harris’ best groups include urban voters (+19 over Trump), Whites with a college degree (+18), and suburban women (+13). Her numbers roughly match or are a bit higher than Biden’s were in April among Whites without a college degree (+5), Independents (+5), voters under 35 (+4), women (+3), Democrats (+1), Whites (+1), and those ages 65 and over (-1).

The biggest shift is among “double haters” (voters with unfavorable views of both Trump and Biden). Trump was ahead by 1 point in April, but they now favor Harris by 25 points. There are too few Harris-Trump double haters to breakout by vote preference. 

Trump is favored by 3 points among new voters (haven’t voted in four most recent general elections), and union households go for him by 2 points, which is different from what we see in a couple of other northern industrial states. Union voters prefer Harris by 6 points in Michigan and by 15 points in Minnesota. 

Biden’s personal favorable rating was negative by 10 points in April and now he’s underwater by 12.  It’s the reverse for Trump, who went from being underwater by 10 points to negative 5 in the new survey. Harris is more popular than both at 49% favorable and 49% unfavorable. JD Vance’s favorability is negative by 7 points, while 15% are unable to rate him. 

TRUMP TO RETURN TO PENNSYLVANIA FOR FIRST TIME SINCE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Fifteen percent of Wisconsin voters say they are getting ahead financially, up from 11% six months ago. Still, most continue to feel they are holding steady (41%) or falling behind (43%). 

By far, the economy will be the deciding issue this fall.  It’s the top priority for 37%, trailed by abortion and immigration at 15% each. All other issues are in the single digits.

Majorities of those prioritizing the economy and immigration back Trump (by 38 and 81 points respectively), while those putting abortion as their top issue prefer Harris by 78 points.

“This poll shows Harris in a slightly stronger position in Wisconsin than Biden based on personal favorability,” says Democratic pollster Chris Anderson, whose company Beacon Research conducts Fox News surveys along with Republican Daron Shaw.  “However, with many voters feeling strained financially and union households breaking for Trump, she has work to do convincing voters they’ll be better off continuing with a Democrat in the White House.”

In a potential 5-way race, Harris and Trump tie at 46% each, with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. receiving 5%, and Jill Stein and Cornel West at 1% each.  Support for Kennedy was 9% in April.

Kennedy takes more support from Trump (6%) than Harris (2%), but it evens out because the other candidates also take from her (3%).

The large 75% approval of Biden withdrawing from the presidential race is widespread, as it includes 88% of Democrats and two-thirds of Republicans (65%) and Independents (69%).

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks following her meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday. (AP/Julia Nikhinson)

That consensus disappears on the issue of Biden finishing his term: 92% of Democrats and 58% Independents think he should, while 57% of Republicans think he should resign.  Overall, two-thirds think he should stick around. 

In 2020, Biden won Wisconsin by 20,682 votes, less than one percentage point. Trump’s 2016 victory was also by less than a point (22,748 votes). 

Poll-pourri

In the senate race, Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin leads likely Republican challenger Eric Hovde by a 54-43% margin, running 5 points ahead of Harris’ support in the presidential race. (The Wisconsin primary is August 13.)

More Trump supporters are ticket splitters, as 83% of his backers favor Hovde, while 96% of Harris supporters go for Baldwin. 

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Overall, three-quarters of Wisconsin voters say they are extremely motivated to vote in the presidential election, and they split 50% Harris vs. 49% Trump. That’s because slightly more Harris supporters (76%) than Trump supporters (73%) say they are extremely motivated.

Former US President Donald Trump arrives to the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. The RNC chairman warned against complacency when his party concludes its official nominating jamboree this week with polls predicting ex-President Donald Trump prevailing over President Joe Biden in the November election.   (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Fully 84% of Wisconsin Democrats want Harris to replace Biden as their party’s nominee — no other candidate gets more than 2% support.  

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Conducted July 22-24, 2024 under the joint direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News Poll includes interviews with a sample of 1,046 Wisconsin registered voters randomly selected from a statewide voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (127) and cellphones (649) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (270). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error associated with subgroup results is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.

Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.