Excerpt by: Sabine Martin, Wisconsin State Journal (Source: AI, new leaders: 5 things to watch at the Universities of Wisconsin in 2026, Wisconsin State Journal)
“The system in 2018 moved its 13 branch campuses under the control of its larger four-year institutions in order to keep them afloat after the closure of the UW Colleges, where they were previously housed. The branch campuses were first created to offer a two-year, more affordable path to a higher education in the state.
Five branch campuses are slated to continue offering in-person classes on their campuses after this year: UW-Eau Claire’s Barron County, UW-Green Bay’s Manitowoc, UW-Green Bay’s Sheboygan, UW-Stevens Point’s Marshfield and UW-Whitewater’s Rock County.
Enrollment at those campuses increased at three and fell at two.
UW-Green Bay Manitowoc gained the most students, growing from 488 last fall to 606 this year, a 24% increase. UW-Green Bay Sheboygan and UW-Whitewater Rock County’s enrollment also increased by 5% and 19%, respectively.”