A recently circulated GOP-authored bill would allocate millions in state assistance to reshape the use of county-owned facilities in communities affected by UW System branch campus closures, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. The bill would set aside $6 million for the effort.
If signed into law, Richland County would receive the first grant; grants would be worth up to $2 million. The county’s UW–Platteville at Richland campus became the first to effectively close in June following a 90% drop in enrollment over the span of a decade. Last fall, just 60 students enrolled.
Grant recipients can determine how to repurpose the physical campuses, which are owned by the counties and have been used by the System through decades-long lease agreements.
No further campus closures have yet been announced, but System officials have warned that additional closures could result without an improvement in System financial conditions. Ten of the System’s 13 universities will face a combined projected $58 million shortfall by summer 2024. Some of these with the largest budget gaps, like UW–Oshkosh and UW–Milwaukee, oversee branch campuses.
The Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee passed a $32 million cut over the next two years which the System could get back, but only if school officials cut diversity, equity, and inclusion programming and staff.
