Video of Chancellor Martin’s address

Chancellor Carolyn “Biddy” Martin, Bucky Badger, and theatre and drama assistant professor Patrick Sims lead the crowd in singing “Varsity” at the end of the welcome event for Martin at the Kohl Center on Oct. 23.

In her first major public address before 1,200-plus campus and community members at the Kohl Center Thursday, Chancellor Carolyn “Biddy” Martin outlined an ambitious set of priorities for sustaining greatness at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Martin described her “joyful” return to the campus, where she earned her doctorate in German literature in 1985, before offering perspectives on six core focus areas for the university’s future. Those include access and affordability, faculty recruitment and retention, research excellence, delivering a great undergraduate education, diversity and the Wisconsin Idea.

The occasion was “On, Wisconsin! A Great University and its Friends Welcome Chancellor Martin,” an afternoon of celebration that included musical and theatrical works developed and performed by UW–Madison students.

Video: Chancellor Martin’s Address

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Read a transcript.



Photos: Bryce Richter

The World Percussion Ensemble performs outside the Kohl Center.

The spoken word student group, First Wave.

The UW–Madison Wind Ensemble.

The UW–Madison Concert Choir.