Category Archives: University of Wisconsin System

Give UW-Madison its Freedom

A number of years ago, I wrote a column entitled “Tale of Two Universities.” It contended that the University of Wisconsin – Madison operated in a completely different sphere than the other campuses in the University of Wisconsin System (UWS). … Read the rest

Mone Work Group comes up short

If you were looking for solutions to the challenges facing the 12 two-year UW colleges across the state, the “Work Group” created by UWM Chancellor Mark Mone to save the UW campus in Washington County is not the place to … Read the rest

Rising Phoenix jump starts degrees

Wisconsin educrats and community leaders involved in higher education have been working hard to come up with solutions to the declining college enrollments that undermine their operations and threaten their existence. With the exception of a task force in Washington … Read the rest

Governor: your two-year colleges veto changed nothing

One of Governor Ever’s line-item vetoes in the new state budget eroded six months of hard work by a Washington County Task Force to come up with a pragmatic solution to the troubles facing its two-year colleges. Note: his veto … Read the rest

New Opportunities for Moraine College

With the support of the Wisconsin legislature and its promise of $3.35 million in integration money, Washington County has a greatly enhanced opportunity to bring about the creation of a community college. The end game for responsible adults in terms … Read the rest

President Baerwald, Please think collaboratively on community college.

Bonnie Baerwald, president of Moraine Park Technical College (MPTC), dropped a surprise bombshell on the developing consensus among leaders in Washington County that a consolidation of the county’s two two-year colleges makes pragmatic sense. Baerwald (pictured left) listed “facts” about … Read the rest

Combine MPTC-WB and UWM-WC

Faced with a severe enrollment decline University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee at Washington County over the last ten years and an uncertain future, Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann pulled together a citizen task force five months ago to come up … Read the rest

UWM stiffed (again) in governor’s budget

How can it be that Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (UWM) are chopped liver in Gov. Ever’s massive building budget for 2023-25? In late February Democratic Gov. Tony Evers rolled out his ambitious budget proposal for $3.8 billion … Read the rest

Are community colleges a good answer?

More than two dozen leaders in Washington County showed up last week to show their support for West Bend’s two-year liberal arts campus. Despite grievous enrollment declines, there was unanimity that some way forward must be found for the satellite … Read the rest

Two-year UW colleges in big trouble

Something has gone terribly wrong with the consolidation of the former UW College System and its 13 campuses into the comprehensive UW 4-6 year degree colleges. These were thriving community colleges 10-20 years ago with more than 12,000 students. At … Read the rest