Photo by DeLonge, courtesy of UW–Madison Archives
Charles Van Hise was a Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1879 to 1903, after which he served as President until 1918. As President, Van Hise offered the best-known articulation of the Wisconsin Idea. He was also an advocate of eugenics. Eugenicists seek to justify discrimination against marginalized people whom they deem unfit based on individual and group characteristics and identities. The impact of eugenics can be seen not only in the genocides of the 20th century but also, for example, in discriminatory immigration practices and involuntary sterilization laws. As UW–Madison strives to serve the people of Wisconsin and the world, the legacy of Van Hise reminds us that we must acknowledge and grapple with all parts of our past and our present to move forward together.