The UW system announced Monday that it will close UW–Milwaukee at Waukesha in spring of next year, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. It will be the fifth two-year branch campus to close in 18 months.
UW cited “shifting demographics and budgetary constraints” in the decision. UW–Milwaukee said it will instead shift to a university center model at Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC). UW–Milwaukee will ultimately have a physical space on the WCTC campus. UW–Milwaukee will also no longer offer associate degrees and will end its College of General Studies.
The closure is set to occur in three phases: the first will eliminate the College of General Studies and provide layoff notices to faculty and staff; the second will directly transfer some programs to WCTC; and the third will create a “seamless identity” with UW–Milwaukee and WCTC, with students able to transfer from Waukesha to UW–Milwaukee. The university last month signed transfer agreements with WCTC, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Moraine Park Technical College, and Gateway Technical College.
