November 10, 2023
Dear Colleagues,
I’m writing to share details about the ongoing work to prepare for the Washington County campus closure and the reshaping of the College of General Studies.
UWM has formed the College of General Studies Transformation Team (CGSTT), which is committed to providing you with timely information as we move forward. The full team is now being built out and will include a balance of CGS representation and leadership. In addition, the CGSTT will ensure CGS input and participation throughout the process.
UWM at Washington County
As directed by the Universities of Wisconsin, in-person instruction will end at the Washington County campus by June 30, 2024. UWM is providing transition support to current students who wish to complete their degree at UWM’s Waukesha or Milwaukee campuses or transfer to the school of their choice.
We will continue to work with Washington County officials to close the UWM at Washington County facility. We are also considering whether future market needs might call for student recruitment and/or academic programming that could be offered at an alternative location, perhaps in another educational institution’s space.
We will continue to engage with Washington County officials, CGS employees, UWM shared governance and other stakeholders to explore regional needs, including:
- Adult education and degree completion program options.
- Credentialing programs sought by area employers.
- Expansion of dual enrollment opportunities for area high school students.
UWM at Waukesha
UWM at Waukesha will remain open to serve students seeking an associate degree or one of its new bachelor’s degree offerings. We will continue to work with Waukesha County, CGS employees, shared governance and other stakeholders to discuss the future needs of the campus and the region.
College of General Studies Transformation Team
The CGSTT will lead these efforts. The team includes executive sponsors and co-chairs noted below. Other members of the CGSTT will be added as work continues.
Executive Sponsors:
- Mark Mone, chancellor
- Andrew Daire, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs
- Robin Van Harpen, senior vice chancellor for Finance & Administrative Affairs
Co-Chairs:
- Kathy Dolan, College of Letters & Science, Political Science distinguished professor and University Committee chair
- Scott Gronert, College of Letters & Science, dean
The executive sponsors and co-chairs will be in conversations with shared governance to finalize guiding principles and specific goals, the charges for the co-chairs and work team, and to establish work team co-leads. We are aiming to have a final charge document ready for distribution next week.
We appreciate the feedback we’ve received so far and know the importance of getting this right.
I realize many questions remain unanswered, and we are working as quickly as possible to provide more information, specifically on the impacts on employees, students and the communities we serve.
We will continue to update this CGS webpage with more information, including answers to additional questions and upcoming meeting dates.
I also want to thank those of you who recently shared your feedback and questions at town halls held by Provost Daire. Your input is essential to this transition.
Mark A. Mone, PhD
Chancellor