Department of Economics

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

A MESSAGE TO THE ECONOMICS COMMUNITY

It is difficult to find the right words to express the pain we feel over the institutional racism, racial injustice, and racial inequality in our society. We deplore the senseless and inexcusable killing of George Floyd and others before him. We unequivocally condemn these acts of brutality.

The Department of Economics stands with our Black students, colleagues, alumni and the broader community in opposing racism, hate, and violence. We recognize this as a moment that calls for both reflection and action. As society and the University consider serious institutional change, and as the economics research community devotes more attention and resources to understanding and dealing with the consequences of institutional racism, racial injustice and inequality, we will be involved and expect to be part of the changes.

We know that people of color, and especially Black people, are underrepresented in Economics. It is imperative we change that, and we resolve to do more. We will continue to work with our Black students and, based on their feedback, do everything we can to address their needs and improve their experiences as economics majors. We welcome input from anyone, especially students and alumni, on how we can foster an inclusive culture in our department. We are committed to listening, learning, and changing.

Dean Wilcots, the American Economic Association, and the National Economic Association have put out powerful statements about recent events. We encourage you to read them and engage with the issues.

The Faculty and Staff of the UW-Madison Economics Department