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The Universities of Wisconsin system released enrollment numbers for its branch campuses Monday, reversing officials’ initial decision to release only university-level enrollment data. The move came after backlash from families and government transparency advocates, according to The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
The system has been struggling with enrollment declines for nearly a decade. Over the past few years, six of the system’s 13 branch campuses shuttered or announced plans to close, and another three have moved fully online; all cited falling enrollment as the reason.
Last week the system reported an overall enrollment bump of 0.7 percent across its campuses. But according to the new campus-level data, enrollment at the system’s seven remaining branch campuses remains largely on the decline, with some stark declines at UW Stevens Point’s two-year campuses.
Head count at the Wausau campus fell from 364 to 286 students, and at Marshfield it decreased by 44 percent, from 283 to 158 students. There were a few exceptions to the trend, with significant growth at UW Eau Claire–Barron County and UW Green Bay–Manitowoc.
