MADISON – As Universities of Wisconsin System branch campuses continue to face an uncertain future amidst declining enrollment and increased costs of operation, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers is seeking to provide aid to communities impacted by recent campus closures.
The Governor today has submitted a request to the Republican-led Joint Finance Committee for 20 million dollars aimed at supporting the communities impacted by these closures.
If approved, Evers says the funding will be used to help communities transition closed campus sites for new purposes.
“Years of lack of meaningful investments in our UW System has caused recent faculty layoffs and campus closures that are adversely affecting our students, faculty and staff and their families, local communities, and our entire state—these are challenges that we must work to address, and quickly, to prevent further layoffs and closures,” said Governor Evers. “This funding is critically important in the meantime to help communities like Richland Center, Washington County, Fond du Lac, and Marinette find new uses for the infrastructure and existing buildings to support local communities and economies. I look forward to the Joint Finance Committee releasing these funds without delay so we can get them into the hands of the folks who need them and revitalize these campus sites as soon as possible.”
Next month, UW-Oshkosh will cease in-person classes at its Fond du Lac branch campus, while UW-Milwaukee’s Waukesha branch is set to close in spring of 2025.
The closures come at a time when several universities in Wisconsin are also navigating around outright closures by instituting across-the-board cuts. In March, Concordia University announced cuts would be needed at both their Mequon and Ann Arbor, Michigan campuses, while Northland College in Ashland and St. Norbert College in Green Bay are also dealing with financial issues.
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