UW-System President Asking Chancellors to Assess Financial Viability of the State's 12 Other Branches

Friday, April 21st, 2023 -- 11:01 AM

(By Rich Kremer, Wisconsin Public Radio) As a former two-year state college prepares for its final classes, University of Wisconsin System President Jay Rothman is asking chancellors to assess the financial viability of the state's 12 other branch campuses.

According to Rich Kremer with Wisconsin Public Radio, the directive comes amid steep enrollment declines at nearly all of the two-year schools and hesitancy by some counties to make large investments in branch campus buildings without renewed commitments the schools won't close.

In a letter to chancellors at four-year universities who took on former UW Colleges during a 2018 merger, Rothman calls for financial assessments at the branch campuses along with "innovative and creative approaches" to bolster them.

"The enrollments at these campuses have declined precipitously over the last five years," Rothman said. "In order to sustain accessibility at these locations, we must prioritize and develop an assessment that identifies and addresses any financial and operational issues."

In the five years since the merger, enrollment across the UW System's 12 branch campuses has fallen by an average of around 48 percent. Last November, Rothman announced in-person college classes at UW-Platteville's two-year campus in Richland Center would end July 1 as just 60 students were enrolled there last fall. 

The announcement got the attention of county boards, which own and maintain the former colleges. Some have delayed major investments in maintenance and upgrades until they get renewed commitments from UW System that they won't close those schools.

Last week, the Washington County Board of Supervisors approved a non-binding resolution that recommends merging UW-Milwaukee at Washington County with Moraine Park Technical College to address enrollment declines at the former UW college.

Rothman's letter states the goal of the assessments are to give chancellors "broad autonomy" in addressing enrollment and fiscal challenges in collaboration of the UW System Administration Office through periodic meetings.

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