Campus Alert Archive
UW-Madison

Two residence halls housing 2,500 students quarantined for 14 days in a COVID-19 outbreak

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Confirmed Threat

On the evening of September 9, 2020, UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank ordered a 14-day quarantine of Sellery and Witte residence halls, giving the 2,500 residents approximately 90 minutes to two hours notice before the 10:00 PM CDT lockdown began. The same email announced that all undergraduate, graduate, and professional school in-person instruction across the entire flagship campus would shift to remote for two weeks. By the time the quarantine began, hundreds of residents of the two halls had tested positive for COVID-19.

Alerts
3
Response
min
Killed
—
Injured
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Institution
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Public R1 · WI
All UW-Madison cases →
~47,000 studentsRave Mobile SafetyWiscAlerts
Official alert policy
Read when and how UW-Madison says it will use WiscAlerts: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence · 2 verified verbatim

Some messages in this sequence are documented (their existence, timing, and channel are sourced) but their exact wording is not preserved in the public record. Those entries appear as placeholders; only confirmed text is displayed.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatimUW-Madison News publication of Chancellor Rebecca Blank's September 9, 2020 campus message (verbatim excerpt)1291 chars
All in-person undergraduate, graduate and professional school group instruction will be paused from Sept. 10 – 25. These classes will be cancelled Thursday, Sept. 10 – Saturday, Sept. 12 and will resume remotely beginning Monday, Sept. 14 for at least two weeks. Clinical training will be permitted to continue. Classes and sections that are currently being offered remotely will continue as scheduled. Our contact tracing has not revealed any evidence of transmission from in-person instruction; however, this decision comes out of an abundance of caution for our students and employees. The Office of the Provost will provide assistance, if needed, to faculty and instructional staff making this quick transition to remote learning. Given the high number of positive test results in Sellery and Witte Residence Halls, we have directed all residents in these buildings to quarantine in place for the next two weeks effective at 10 p.m. this evening. All residents of these halls who have not already been tested this week will be required to test on Thursday and Friday. University Health Services (UHS) will conduct these tests on-site. Students are NOT being asked to move out of the residence halls or leave town. We have significant additional quarantine space available if necessary.
The official campus message bundled the residence-hall quarantine with a campuswide pause of in-person instruction, making the targeted dorm lockdown part of a larger operational reset rather than a standalone Housing order
The message used a narrow carveout (students were 'NOT being asked to move out') rather than a hard stay-put command, reflecting UW-Madison's stated effort to avoid exporting infections to families and home communities
The 10 p.m. effective time created an unusually compressed implementation window; student-media accounts document residents rushing for food and supplies before the quarantine began
Unlike later BadgerSAFE/WiscAlert messages in this case, this alert survives in a primary-source university publication, allowing the operational language to be upgraded from reconstructed to confirmed verbatim
FOLLOW-UPEmail+4d
Wording not preservedBadger Herald reporting on University Housing policy change
A follow-up message is documented at this point in the sequence, but its exact wording is not preserved in the public record. The public edition displays only confirmed alert text.
ALL CLEAREmail+13d
Verified verbatimUW–Madison University Housing — Sellery and Witte Quarantine Lifted (Wayback)3987 chars
UHS and campus officials have cleared us to lift the quarantine on Sellery and Witte Residence Halls starting Sept. 23 at 8:00 a.m. We made progress in decreasing cases because of the limited interactions with others. In order to keep our cases low and avoid another increase in transmission, we need all residents to continue to limit their interactions. We do not want to have to reinstate or return to additional restrictions. It’s important to note that this is not the end of COVID-19 restrictions. Our ability to avoid further quarantine of any residence halls or even closing them, depends on our residents following public health guidelines and behavioral requirements (listed below) for the safety of our Badger community. Enforcement of these standards will be continued through the end of the semester. For those students who feel that these public health guidelines and behavioral requirements are too stringent for you to follow, University Housing will accept contract cancellations through the My UW Housing portal and will return prorated housing funds and unused dining funds. As we continue to closely monitor test data from the residence halls, students may be asked to move rooms in order to decrease density. Violations of any COVID-related behavioral requirements may result in removal of students from their residence hall and revocation of their Housing contract with no refund. If you have been quarantining at home or in the building during the past two weeks, here’s everything you need to know about steps moving forward: Returning from Quarantine at Home? Timing: You may return to Sellery and Witte starting today, 9/23, any time after 8:00 a.m. However, there is no need to rush back today. Drop-Off: Only residents of the hall are permitted to enter the building at this time. We ask any family/friends who return to campus with their students to remain outside with their vehicle. Check-In Hours: On 9/23, there will be a table in your residence hall lobby designated for key pick-up from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. From 9/24 through the weekend, your hall desk will be staffed from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. to get your key. Testing Requirements: In order to return and access your room, you must have completed a COVID-19 test since 9/15 and submitted your results through MyUHS . (In MyUHS, select the “Messages” tab, click “New Message,” and select the “COVID-19 Outside Result Report” option to complete the form and attach your lab results documentation.) If your test result was positive for COVID-19, you may return to your residence hall 10 days after your symptoms started if you have been fever-free for at least 24 hours and your symptoms are improving. If you never developed symptoms, you may return to your residence hall 10 days after your positive test. Behavior Expectations Wear face coverings at all times except when in their room with the door closed, including outdoor spaces. Maintain 6-feet distance from others, including outdoors and in common areas such as hallways, lounges, and bathrooms. No visitors from off-campus or other residence halls. Monitor for symptoms of COVID-19. Comply with required COVID-19 surveillance testing. Residents may only visit other resident rooms within their own hall. Room owner may only have one visitor in their room at a time. If both roommates are present, each can have a visitor for a total of 4 people in the room. Residents may leave the building freely, but they may be required to have their ID checked upon entering to ensure no one enters that is not a resident of that hall. (IDs not checked at all halls or 24/7) Additional Updates for all Residence Halls You will also be receiving a message to all residents with Housing updates for all residence halls on visitor policies, COVID-19 testing, dining, and the Sellery renovation project. For ongoing updates, please continue to visit our FAQ page . Thank you for your cooperation. For questions, please use our Contact form .
Verbatim UW–Madison University Housing message lifting Sellery and Witte quarantine (posted Sept 23, 2020), recovered via Wayback.
Replaces short reconstruction; official text says quarantine lifts "starting Sept. 23 at 8:00 a.m." with extended resident guidance.
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, Claude (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

All in-person undergraduate, graduate and professional school group instruction will be paused from Sept. 10 – 25. These classes will be cancelled Thursday, Sept. 10 – Saturday, Sept. 12 and will resume remotely beginning Monday, Sept. 14 for at least two weeks. Clinical training will be permitted to continue. Classes and sections that are currently being offered remotely will continue as scheduled. Our contact tracing has not revealed any evidence of transmission from in-person instruction; however, this decision comes out of an abundance of caution for our students and employees. The Office of the Provost will provide assistance, if needed, to faculty and instructional staff making this quick transition to remote learning. Given the high number of positive test results in Sellery and Witte Residence Halls, we have directed all residents in these buildings to quarantine in place for the next two weeks effective at 10 p.m. this evening. All residents of these halls who have not already been tested this week will be required to test on Thursday and Friday. University Health Services (UHS) will conduct these tests on-site. Students are NOT being asked to move out of the residence halls or leave town. We have significant additional quarantine space available if necessary.

  • Sourcepresent23/25

    Final assessment

    Near-unanimous that the source is present; the message references the Office of the Provost and University Health Services as the institutional issuer, with a couple of dissents.

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It references "The Office of the Provost", "University Health Services (UHS)", identifying the institutional source.
    2. present: It references "University Health Services (UHS)" and "The Office of the Provost", identifying the issuer.
    3. present: It references "University Health Services (UHS)" and "The Office of the Provost", identifying institutional senders.
    4. present: It references "The Office of the Provost" and "University Health Services", naming the institution.
    5. present: It references "University Health Services" and "The Office of the Provost", identifying authorities.
    6. present: It names "The Office of the Provost", "University Health Services", identifying the university as sender.
    7. present: "University Health Services" and "The Office of the Provost" identify the institutional sender.
    8. present: It references "Our contact tracing", "The Office of the Provost", and "University Health Services", identifying the university sender.
    9. present: It references "The Office of the Provost" and "University Health Services (UHS)", identifying the institution as sender.
    10. present: It references "University Health Services (UHS)" and "The Office of the Provost", identifying the university sender.
    11. present: It references "The Office of the Provost" and "University Health Services (UHS)", institutional senders.
    12. present: "The Office of the Provost" and "University Health Services" identify the institution as issuer.
    13. present: It references "The Office of the Provost" and "University Health Services (UHS)", identifying the university source.
    14. absent: No sender tag, agency, or institution naming itself appears in the message.
    15. present: It references "University Health Services (UHS)" and "The Office of the Provost", identifying the issuer.
    16. absent: No sender tag or named authority appears; "campus police" is given only as a contact.
    17. present: It references "The Office of the Provost" and "University Health Services (UHS)", institutional sources.
    18. present: "The Office of the Provost," "UHS," and "University Health Services" identify the university sender.
    19. present: It references "Our contact tracing", "The Office of the Provost", and "University Health Services", identifying the university.
    20. present: The text refers to "Our contact tracing", "The Office of the Provost", and "University Health Services", identifying the university sender.
    21. present: It refers to "Our contact tracing", "The Office of the Provost", and "University Health Services", identifying the university sender.
    22. present: It references "The Office of the Provost" and "University Health Services", identifying issuer.
    23. present: It references "University Health Services (UHS)" and "The Office of the Provost", identifying the sending institution.
    24. present: "The Office of the Provost" and "University Health Services (UHS)" identify the institutional senders.
    25. present: It references "The Office of the Provost" and "University Health Services", identifying the university sender.
  • Hazardpresent24/25

    Final assessment

    Near-unanimous that the hazard is present; a high number of positive COVID test results is cited as the public-health danger, with one dissent.

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It describes "high number of positive test results" of COVID, a specific public-health hazard.
    2. present: It cites "high number of positive test results", a COVID transmission hazard.
    3. present: It describes COVID-19 with "high number of positive test results", a specific hazard.
    4. present: It names "positive test results" and COVID transmission risk, a specific public-health hazard.
    5. present: It cites "the high number of positive test results", a specific COVID-19 hazard.
    6. present: It describes "positive test results" and COVID requiring quarantine, a public-health hazard.
    7. present: It names "positive test results" for COVID, a specific public-health threat.
    8. present: It describes COVID positive test results requiring quarantine, a specific public-health hazard.
    9. present: It names "positive test results" for COVID and quarantine, a specific public-health hazard.
    10. present: It names "positive test results" and COVID transmission risk, a specific public-health hazard.
    11. present: It names "positive test results" for COVID-19 driving quarantine, a specific public-health hazard.
    12. present: It cites "high number of positive test results", a specific COVID-19 outbreak hazard.
    13. present: It names "the high number of positive test results" and COVID transmission concerns, a specific public health hazard.
    14. present: It names "high number of positive test results" / COVID cases, a specific public-health hazard.
    15. present: It describes "high number of positive test results" and quarantine, a specific public-health hazard.
    16. absent: No specific threat is named; the paused-instruction context describes COVID, not a present hazard.
    17. present: It names "positive test results" and the need to "quarantine" for COVID, a specific public-health hazard.
    18. present: It names "positive test results" and COVID transmission concern, a specific public-health hazard.
    19. present: It describes "high number of positive test results" from COVID-19, a specific public health hazard.
    20. present: It names the hazard: "positive test results" for COVID, a disease outbreak prompting quarantine.
    21. present: It cites "high number of positive test results" and COVID quarantine, a specific public-health hazard.
    22. present: It describes "high number of positive test results", a specific COVID hazard.
    23. present: It describes "high number of positive test results" and quarantine, a specific COVID public-health hazard.
    24. present: It describes "high number of positive test results", a specific COVID outbreak hazard.
    25. present: It cites "high number of positive test results" requiring quarantine, a specific COVID outbreak hazard.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous that location is present; the alert cites Sellery and Witte Residence Halls.

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It says "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific buildings.
    2. present: It cites "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific buildings.
    3. present: It cites "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific buildings.
    4. present: It specifies "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls".
    5. present: It names "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific places.
    6. present: It says "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific buildings.
    7. present: It names "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific buildings.
    8. present: It names "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific buildings.
    9. present: It cites "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific buildings.
    10. present: It names "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific buildings.
    11. present: It specifies "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific buildings.
    12. present: It cites "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific buildings.
    13. present: It cites "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific buildings.
    14. present: It names "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls" as locations.
    15. present: It cites "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific buildings.
    16. present: It names "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific locations.
    17. present: It specifies "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", precise locations.
    18. present: It cites "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls," specific buildings.
    19. present: It names "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific buildings.
    20. present: It specifies "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls".
    21. present: It says "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific buildings.
    22. present: It names "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific places.
    23. present: It names "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific locations.
    24. present: It names "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", specific buildings.
    25. present: It specifies "Sellery and Witte Residence Halls", named buildings.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All reads agree guidance is present; residents of these buildings are directed to quarantine in place for two weeks.

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It directs residents "to quarantine in place for the next two weeks", a protective action.
    2. present: It directs "all residents in these buildings to quarantine in place", a protective action.
    3. present: It directs residents to "quarantine in place" and tells students they are not asked to move out, protective actions.
    4. present: It directs "all residents in these buildings to quarantine in place".
    5. present: It directs residents "to quarantine in place" and to "test on Thursday and Friday", protective actions.
    6. present: It directs residents "to quarantine in place" and to "test on Thursday and Friday", protective actions.
    7. present: It directs residents "to quarantine in place" and to "test on Thursday and Friday", protective actions.
    8. present: It directs residents to "quarantine in place" and to test on Thursday and Friday.
    9. present: It directs residents to "quarantine in place" and required testing, protective actions.
    10. present: It directs residents to "quarantine in place" and to "test on Thursday and Friday", protective actions.
    11. present: It directs residents to "quarantine in place" and to "test on Thursday and Friday", protective actions.
    12. present: It directs residents to "quarantine in place" and to test, protective actions.
    13. present: It directs residents to "quarantine in place" and to test on Thursday and Friday, protective actions.
    14. present: It directs residents to "quarantine in place" and to get tested, protective actions.
    15. present: It directs residents to "quarantine in place" and to test, protective actions.
    16. present: It directs residents "to quarantine in place" and to test, protective actions.
    17. present: It directs residents to "quarantine in place" and to "test on Thursday and Friday", protective actions.
    18. present: It directs residents of those halls to "quarantine in place" and get tested.
    19. present: It directs "all residents in these buildings to quarantine in place", a protective action.
    20. present: It directs "all residents in these buildings to quarantine in place" and requires testing.
    21. present: It directs residents of those halls "to quarantine in place" and to test, protective actions.
    22. present: It directs residents "to quarantine in place for the next two weeks" and to get tested.
    23. present: It directs residents to "quarantine in place" and to "test on Thursday and Friday", protective actions.
    24. present: It directs residents to "quarantine in place" and to "test on Thursday and Friday", protective actions.
    25. present: It directs residents to "quarantine in place" and to "test on Thursday and Friday", protective actions.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous that timing is present; the message states dates like Sept. 10 to 25 and effective at 10 p.m. this evening.

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It says "Sept. 10 - 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening", date/time cues.
    2. present: It states dates like "Sept. 10 - 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening", times and dates.
    3. present: It cites "Sept. 10 - 25", "effective at 10 p.m. this evening", dates and times.
    4. present: It states dates like "Sept. 10 to 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening".
    5. present: It gives dates like "Sept. 10 - 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening", clock and dates.
    6. present: It cites "Sept. 10 to 25", "10 p.m. this evening", and specific dates, time references.
    7. present: It cites "Sept. 10 - 25", "10 p.m. this evening", specific dates and times.
    8. present: It cites "Sept. 10 to 25", "10 p.m. this evening", specific dates and times.
    9. present: It gives dates "Sept. 10-25" and "at 10 p.m. this evening", date and time references.
    10. present: It says "from Sept. 10 - 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening", dates and a clock time.
    11. present: It cites dates "Sept. 10 - 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening", clock and date cues.
    12. present: It cites "from Sept. 10 to 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening", dates and a clock time.
    13. present: It cites specific dates "Sept. 10 to 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening", times and dates.
    14. present: It gives dates and times, e.g., "effective at 10 p.m. this evening" and "Sept. 10 - 25".
    15. present: It cites "effective at 10 p.m. this evening" and "Sept. 10 to 25", specific dates and times.
    16. present: It gives dates "Sept. 10 - 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening", time cues.
    17. present: It cites dates like "Sept. 10 - 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening", times and dates.
    18. present: It cites dates like "Sept. 10 - 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening," clock and date cues.
    19. present: It gives dates such as "Sept. 10 to 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening", dates and times.
    20. present: It gives dates: "Sept. 10 to 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening".
    21. present: It says quarantine is "effective at 10 p.m. this evening" and gives specific dates, time references.
    22. present: It gives dates and times like "Sept. 10, 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening."
    23. present: It gives specific dates "Sept. 10 to 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening", time cues.
    24. present: It states "Sept. 10 - 25" and "effective at 10 p.m. this evening", specific dates and times.
    25. present: It says "effective at 10 p.m. this evening" and gives dates "Sept. 10 - 25", specific times.
  • Impactpresent18/25

    Final assessment

    Present by majority (18 of 7): it cites a high number of positive COVID test results forcing quarantine and class pauses, conveying the spread and severity of a health threat; the dissent stressed reassurances that framed it as caution without stated harm.

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Cites high positive test results and orders quarantine out of caution for students and employees, conveying health risk and severity.
    2. absent: It directs quarantine and pauses instruction out of caution due to positive tests but does not state what harm the virus could cause.
    3. present: High numbers of positive test results forcing quarantine convey the spread and severity of a health threat.
    4. present: It describes pausing instruction and quarantining residence halls due to high positive COVID test results, conveying the health threat and its consequences.
    5. absent: It describes quarantine and class pauses due to positive tests but explicitly reassures students are not in danger and frames it as precaution without stated harm severity.
    6. present: It cites a high number of positive test results driving quarantine, conveying the seriousness of the outbreak as a health hazard.
    7. present: Cites high positive test results driving quarantine and pausing instruction for safety, conveying the health hazard's potential consequences.
    8. absent: It describes quarantine and class pauses due to positive tests but frames actions as caution without stating harm or danger to people.
    9. present: Cites a high number of positive test results driving quarantine, conveying the severity and consequence of the outbreak.
    10. absent: It describes quarantine and class changes due to positive tests but states no harm, only that it is precautionary.
    11. present: It cites a high number of positive test results and orders quarantine, conveying the health threat and its potential spread.
    12. present: Describes a high number of positive COVID test results prompting quarantine, conveying a health risk to residents.
    13. present: Cites high numbers of positive test results and orders quarantine to protect students and employees, conveying the health threat and its severity.
    14. present: Cites a high number of positive test results requiring quarantine, conveying the spread and consequence of infection.
    15. present: Describes quarantine due to high positive test results and transmission concerns, conveying a stated public health risk.
    16. present: It cites a high number of positive test results requiring quarantine, conveying the severity of the outbreak as a health hazard.
    17. present: It cites a high number of positive test results and orders quarantine out of caution for students and employees, conveying health risk.
    18. absent: The quarantine and class pause are precautions citing test results but state no explicit harm or severity to people.
    19. present: Cites a high number of positive test results driving quarantine of residence halls, conveying the severity and spread of the health threat.
    20. present: It cites a high number of positive test results driving quarantine of residence halls, conveying the outbreak's severity and consequence.
    21. present: Cites high numbers of positive test results and orders quarantine in place, conveying a public health danger to residents.
    22. absent: It describes class pauses and quarantine out of caution due to positive tests but does not state a specific harm or severity of consequence to people.
    23. present: The quarantine and class pause driven by high positive test results convey the disease spread risk to students and staff.
    24. absent: This describes a quarantine and class pause due to positive tests but frames it as caution without stating health harm or danger to individuals.
    25. present: Describes a high number of positive COVID test results and quarantine orders, conveying disease severity and consequences.

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

On September 9, 2020, with rising COVID-19 cases in Sellery and Witte residence halls and student test positivity above 20 percent, UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank ordered a mandatory 14-day quarantine effective at 10:00 PM CDT that same evening. Students received approximately 90 minutes of notice before the lockdown began, triggering a rush to nearby grocery stores and crowded dorm hallways. The same official campus message shifted all UW-Madison undergraduate, graduate, and professional in-person instruction to remote for two weeks. Five days later, University Housing began charging quarantined students for meals delivered to their halls, a policy that drew criticism and prompted a student government resolution demanding refunds. The quarantine was lifted on September 23 at 8:00 AM CDT. A later CDC study found no evidence the outbreak had spread substantially into the Madison community.
Analysis

Key Findings

Approximately 90 minutes of notice separated the email from the start of the 10 PM quarantine
Hundreds of residents of Sellery and Witte had tested positive before the quarantine was ordered, amid a student test-positivity rate above 20 percent
Containment was credited by a CDC study with preventing substantial spread of the outbreak into the Madison community
The mid-quarantine decision to charge for delivered meals drew national news coverage and prompted a student government resolution demanding refunds
Outcome
Residents were confined to their rooms for 14 days with meal delivery to dorm hallways. The quarantine was lifted on September 23, 2020 at 8:00 AM CDT after intensive testing showed positivity rates had fallen. A subsequent [CDC study](https://www.wisconsin.edu/all-in-wisconsin/story/no-evidence-of-covid-19-spread-to-local-community-after-uw-madison-residence-hall-outbreak/) found that the outbreak did not spread substantially into the Madison community, attributed in part to the rapid containment. Roughly 2,000 of 2,500 quarantined students remained on campus rather than going home, in compliance with the chancellor's directive.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    University shifts to two weeks of remote instruction, quarantines two residence halls (UW-Madison News)
    news.wisc.edu
    archived copy
  2. Official
    Sellery and Witte Quarantine Lifted (UW University Housing)
    housing.wisc.edu
    archived copy
  3. Student Paper
    All classes switch to virtual for two weeks, UW quarantines Sellery, Witte (Badger Herald)
    badgerherald.com
    archived copy
  4. Student Paper
    'Shocked' Sellery freshmen, Witte house fellow react to emergency quarantine (Badger Herald)
    badgerherald.com
    archived copy
  5. Official
    No evidence of COVID-19 spread to local community after UW-Madison residence hall outbreak
    wisconsin.edu
    archived copy
  6. Source
    Geospatial analysis of a COVID-19 outbreak at UW-Madison (PMC)
    pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "University of Wisconsin-Madison: Two residence halls housing 2,500 students quarantined for 14 days in a COVID-19 outbreak." Incident of September 9, 2020. Added May 2026; last updated July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/university-of-wisconsin-madison-sellery-witte-quarantine-2020-09-09/

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Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
covid-19uw-madisonsellerywitteresidence-hallquarantineoutbreakremote-learningpandemicfall-2020
Added May 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion