On Thursday, the UWM Washington County Work Group voted unanimously on recommendations regarding the future of UWM at Washington County. The group’s recommendations have been submitted to Chancellor Mark Mone for consideration.
It’s important to note that UWM at Washington County remains open.
The Work Group recommends that UWM at Washington County be fully incorporated into the rest of UWM over the next several years. This would include using a common admissions process, a common UWM course catalog, eliminating the College of General Studies as an academic unit and integrating it into other academic units, and further review of how best to use the UWM at Washington County facilities.
During the Fall 2023 semester, UWM leadership will review the recommendations. The recommendations will also be shared and considered in close consultation with UW System leadership, local elected officials, community stakeholders and other campus leaders.
Chancellor Mone charged the Washington County Work Group to prepare recommendations for the future of the UWM at Washington County campus. It was in response to a Washington County government task force’s examination of the future of higher education, which recommended merging UWM at Washington County with Moraine Park Technical College.
The UWM Washington County Work Group held 12 open meetings, starting in spring 2023, and received input from community members and a broad range of stakeholders. Among those providing feedback were students and faculty, city and county elected officials, the chair of the county’s task force, K–12 school superintendents, the Washington County Campus Foundation, and leadership at Moraine Park Technical College and UWM at Washington County.
In addition, the group administered two surveys: one to the faculty and staff of the UWM College of General Studies, and one to prospective, current and past students at the UWM at Washington County campus. The group is grateful for the time and effort of the many people who spoke with its members.
UWM leadership will keep you updated on any developments and any next steps resulting from the Washington County Work Group’s recommendations.