UW-Green Bay ended in-person classes at Marinette campus. What’s happening there? | Green Bay Gazette
Wisconsin counties with shuttered University of Wisconsin branch campuses are reimagining the properties to serve a range of purposes including senior housing, K-12 classroom space.
The transformations of these sites come after years of declining enrollment and financial pressures at the two-year campuses previously known as UW Colleges. A 2018 merger placed these branch campuses under the oversight of various four-year UW institutions. But the hemorrhaging of students continued amid demographic challenges and competition with nearby technical colleges.
Since 2023, five branch campuses have closed or will close by the end of this school year. A sixth campus has ended in-person instruction. Unlike four-year institutions that are considered state property, the branch campuses are owned by the counties where they are located.
A bill signed into state law earlier this year offered up to $2 million in grant money to help counties redevelop their campuses. A total of $20 million is available from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. No counties have received the money to date, but one is nearing a final contract and four have secured application materials.
Here’s what to know about redevelopment plans for UW-Green Bay’s Marinette campus:
UW-Green Bay takes different approach with Marinette campus
UW-Green Bay Marinette ended in-person classes last June but continues to have a presence on the campus, running the theater, maintaining the buildings and offering a handful of online classes.
“UW-Green Bay remains under the obligations of the current lease and will do so in a fashion that meets its operational strategy at the campus,” university spokesperson Kristin Bouchard said.
Marinette County administrator John Lefebvre said the one exception is the fieldhouse, which the county took control of about a year and a half ago. The county provides the space to a community pool association rent free on the condition the nonprofit covers the operational costs.
Bouchard said UW-Green Bay has no plans to end its current operation of the campus and will continue to maintain campus buildings. The university is open to assessing ideas for alternative uses for the space if an opportunity arose and the county supported it.
2 UWGB branch campuses left
UW-Green Bay Sheboygan and UW-Green Bay Manitowoc are two of seven branch campuses with no closure plans announced.
Kelly Meyerhofer covers higher education in Wisconsin. Contact her at kmeyerhofer@gannett.com or 414-223-5168. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @KellyMeyerhofer.
GRB: UW-Green Bay ended in-person classes at Marinette campus. What’s happening there?
