The Shuttering of Campuses: Examining College Closures in Wisconsin
Wisconsin counties are grappling with the aftermath of University of Wisconsin (UW) branch campus closures, seeking innovative ways to repurpose these properties. The transformations come after years of declining enrollment and financial pressures at the two-year campuses, formerly known as UW Colleges. These closures mark a significant shift in the state's higher education landscape, impacting communities and prompting discussions about the future of education in Wisconsin.
Background: A Perfect Storm of Challenges
Several factors contributed to the closure of these branch campuses. A 2018 merger placed these branch campuses under the oversight of various four-year UW institutions. But the hemorrhaging of students continued amid demographic challenges and competition with nearby technical colleges. Enrollments at branch campuses have been declining as a whole since the restructuring. Families in Wisconsin, and elsewhere in the country, are having fewer children today than before the 2008 Recession. In 2013, state funding for the UW System was cut alongside a tuition freeze.
The Closures: A Timeline of Events
The first branch campus of the UW system to shut down in decades was in November 2022 with the closure of UW-Platteville’s Richland branch campus, which officially closed in July 2023. Since 2023, five branch campuses have closed or will close by the end of this school year. A sixth campus has ended in-person instruction. Before these closures, the only UW college campus to close was UW-Medford in 1980.
Here's a timeline of recent closures and significant events:
July 1, 2023: The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Richland branch campus officially closed due to declining enrollment, which was 64 in its final year. Community leaders pointed to the decision to remove Richland's recruiter, transferring international students to UW-Platteville, and the numerous budget cuts as the reasons for its closure. Another suggested reason for the closure was a fee imposed for administrative services by UW-Platteville, a model not used by most other UW campuses.
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October 2023: The UW system announced that classes would end at UW-Milwaukee Washington County in West Bend and at UW-Oshkosh at Fond du Lac. On October 17, 2023, Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman announced that the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Fond du Lac Campus would close at the end of June 2024. Its enrollment was 243 in its final year. The campus held its final class on May 17, 2024, with all faculty transferring to the main Oshkosh campus and students given the option to transfer to the main campus or Fox Cities campus.
June 2024: UW-Green Bay Marinette ended in-person classes but continues to have a presence on the campus, running the theater, maintaining the buildings and offering a handful of online classes. Its final in-person enrollment was 213 students.
March 2024: UW system leaders announced UW-Milwaukee Waukesha’s branch campus closure, and it officially shuttered at the end of the last school year. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee at Waukesha branch campus announced on March 11, 2024, that it would close at the end of the spring 2025 semester. The campus had an enrollment of 672 at the time of the announcement. Following its closure, UW-Milwaukee closed its College of General Studies, a college that supported the academic departments of its branch campuses. Its chancellor called the branch campus program "no longer cost effective."
June 2024: UW-Oshkosh to shut down Fox Cities campus amid enrollment plunge.
Redevelopment Plans: New Uses for Former Campuses
Wisconsin counties with shuttered University of Wisconsin branch campuses are reimagining the properties to serve a range of purposes including senior housing, K-12 classroom space, even a wedding venue. Unlike four-year institutions that are considered state property, the branch campuses are owned by the counties where they are located. A bill signed into state law earlier this year offered up to $2 million in grant money to help counties redevelop their campuses. A total of $20 million is available from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. No counties have received the money to date, but one is nearing a final contract and four have secured application materials.
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Here's what to know about redevelopment plans for your local UW branch campus:
UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha: Waukesha County plans to demolish the campus after it closes in June and transform the site into hundreds of homes. The redevelopment will place valuable land back on the tax roll, he said. The county has already released marketing materials to attract interested developers and anticipates putting out a request for proposals in February. Waukesha County anticipates using the grant money on demolition costs, county spokeswoman Hillary Mintz said. As part of this transition, UWM will develop a UWM University Center at Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC). UWM will work with current UWM at Waukesha students to help them complete their degree or transfer to the school of their choice. UWM will continue to accept new students to its Waukesha campus for the Fall 2024 semester.
UW-Oshkosh Fox Cities: Winnebago County and Outagamie County jointly own the land and facilities of the Menasha campus, including the Barlow Planetarium, Communication Arts Center, University Children's Center, Weis Earth Science Museum and a field house. The counties are working on a plan for the Menasha School District and an outside partner to use the buildings for educational purposes.
UW-Milwaukee at Washington County: The West Bend campus closed last June, and Washington County is working on a plan for the campus to continue serving an educational purpose. The West Bend School District has expressed interest in using 10% to 15% of the campus space for its alternative education programming, Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann said. Separately, K-12 superintendents across the county sent a formal letter of interest about using some space for special needs services in partnership with the region's Cooperative Educational Service Agency. The districts may become "anchor tenants" of the space and cover the operational costs of the facility, which are estimated to be $500,000 and $750,000 annually, he said. Lease and operating agreements are expected be formalized next year. Schoemann said partnering with outside organizations, such as the local YMCA or a school district, will be key to maintaining some of what the campus provided the commuity, like theater and recreational opportunities. Washington County has not yet applied for the grant money but anticipates doing so when plans firm up, he said.
UW-Oshkosh Fond du Lac: Fond du Lac County turned the campus building into the Prairie Theater and Events Center, said Josh Boyenga, an assistant to Fond du Lac County Executive Sam Kaufman. Classrooms and the commons space overlooking a prairie landscape are available to rent for trainings, conferences and events, including weddings. Reservations are coming in to rent the gymnasium for volleyball tournaments, he said. There's also talk of a pickleball league forming. The county is turning the art building into a law enforcement training center, Boyenga said. Renovations are underway to build a "mock jail." The pond on the property is deep enough to do dive trainings for officers. This could create a revenue stream from out-of-county police departments. Over the next few months, the county is moving its human services department to the campus, he said. That will pair well with the county's plan to sell the land surrounding the campus buildings and turn it into senior housing.
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UW-Platteville Richland: Richland County was the first to see its campus close and it is furthest behind in redevelopment. A viability study put a $20 million price tag on renovating all campus buildings, she said. Building new would cost even more. The theater and student center, for example, need significant repairs, but the community theater group doesn't have funding to sustain a project of that scale. A county committee is considering whether to shutter buildings, which essentially means slotting them for demolition.
UW-Green Bay Marinette: UW-Green Bay remains under the obligations of the current lease and will do so in a fashion that meets its operational strategy at the campus. The one exception is the fieldhouse, which the county took control of about a year and a half ago. The county provides the space to a community pool association rent free on the condition the nonprofit covers the operational costs. The university is open to assessing ideas for alternative uses for the space if an opportunity arose and the county supported it.
The Impact and Aftermath
Mary Papazian, Vice President of the Association for Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, argued that the closures reduce educational opportunities for rural students while impacting economic activity in rural areas. Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann expressed concerns about the future of the Wisconsin Idea following the closures of these campuses. UW Colleges Vice Chancellor Emeritus Steve Wildeck has called the branch campuses vulnerable and has concerns that closures will continue.
Local officials and some educators have pushed back. After learning that the Fox Cities campus would be shut down, Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson said UW-Oshkosh Chancellor Andy Leavitt and Rothman “let down the students and families of UW Fox and betrayed their trust - and now it will be up to the rest of us to clean up their mess. After the UW-Milwaukee decision, the school’s Faculty Senate voted to reject the teaching layoffs that will result from the West Bend and Waukesha campus closings.
The Remaining Campuses: A Glimmer of Hope?
Seven branch campuses remain open with no closure plans announced: UW-Baraboo/Sauk County, UW-Whitewater Rock County, UW-Green Bay Sheboygan, UW-Green Bay Manitowoc, UW-Eau Claire Barron County, UW-Stevens Point Marshfield and UW-Stevens Point Wausau.
Enrollment at three of these campuses - Baraboo/Sauk County, Marshfield and Wausau - fell this fall from the previous year, while the others saw increases. UW System President Jay Rothman has pledged to keep them open if the state approves his request for an $855 million budget increase over the next two years.
Support for Displaced Students and Employees
UWM will not accept applications to a traditional associate degree program after Spring 2025. For existing students and Fall 2024 incoming students, UWM will work with those students to complete their degree or transfer to the school of their choice, including the option to transition to UWM’s main campus.
Students who transition into a bachelor’s degree program to the main UWM campus will be charged the listed program rates. Students who choose to finish their UWM associate degree through the main campus (in person and/or online courses) will be charged the associate degree program rate through the duration of the teach-out plan, which is anticipated to be available through Spring 2027 for any AAS students enrolled during Fall 2024 or Spring 2025.
CGS employees have been automatically enrolled in the Priority Referral Program. This gives employees priority access to UWM non-faculty recruitments. All employees have the option of participating in the Priority Referral Program, which provides priority access to non-faculty positions for UWM employees who have received layoff or nonrenewal notices. Job placement services for employees are available via WOWORKS (the Waukesha Ozaukee Washington Workforce Development Board) and Forward Careers. Employees are encouraged to use the services of UWM’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), through Acentra Health, which is available to.
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