1 UW Campus Will Close, 2 Will End In-Person Instruction

WISCONSIN— In-person instruction at two University of Wisconsin system branch campuses will end, Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman announced Tuesday.

The two campuses at which in-person instruction will end are UW-Milwaukee at Washington County and UW Oshkosh, Fond du Lac campus. Meanwhile, UW-Platteville Richland will be closed.

The changes are slated to take place by June 2024.

"It’s time for us to realign our branch campuses to current market realities and prepare for the future. The status quo is not sustainable," Rothman said in a statement.

"This decision is a response to an evolving student marketplace. Offering students an educational experience they deserve while working with local leaders to ensure it meets their expectations is key to our long-term success."

Rothman also directed chancellors overseeing the remaining two-year campuses to work with local officials to determine the best uses for facilities to meet student and community needs.

The decisions announced Tuesday leave 10 remaining branch campuses, which are located in

• Barron County
• Baraboo
• Manitowoc
• Marinette
• Marshfield
• Menasha (Fox Cities)
• Rock County
• Sheboygan
• Waukesha
• Wausau

The closures were made based on enrollment trends, not cost savings, according to the president.

"We are seeing freshman enrollment rising at most of our four-year campuses while enrollment at the two-year campuses has been falling at a rapid rate for years," Rothman said.

"Moreover, online enrollment has been trending up as well. The market is telling us that increasingly students are pursuing a degree at our four-year campuses or online."