WAUKESHA, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will close its UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha campus in 2025, university officials announced Monday.

The campus will close after the completion of the spring 2025 semester.

The closure, university officials said, is a “response to a directive from the Universities of Wisconsin.”

“Declining enrollment, shifting demographics and budgetary constraints led UWM to re-evaluate the best pathway for delivering higher education in Waukesha County,” UW-Milwaukee said in a statement.

The UW-Milwaukee Waukesha campus operated as a UW-Waukesha until 2018, independent from UW-Milwaukee. From 2014 to 2023, it saw an enrollment decline of over 65%.

This trend is reflected nationwide, as enrollment at two-year colleges is down around the U.S., according to UW-Milwaukee.

In 2018, the then-UW System combined UW-Milwaukee and UW-Waukesha as part of a mandated merger.

“UWM continued investing in the Waukesha campus and expanded to offer bachelor’s degree options in nursing, psychology and business. These efforts sought to attract new prospective students, but new bachelor’s programs are insufficient to mitigate the 10-year loss in associate degree students,” UW-Milwaukee said in a statement.

With less state funding, UW-Milwaukee said it is increasingly reliant on tuition income.

“As fewer traditional college-aged students choose to pursue degrees, universities in Wisconsin and across the country face unprecedented financial pressures. As such, they must make difficult choices to move forward from unsustainable operations,” the university said.

The university said there are not enough students to sustain the Waukesha campus.

The university noted that Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) expanded its associate degree offerings in Jan. 2023. It has decided to work with WCTC going forward.

UW-Milwaukee and WCTC jointly announced Monday the development of the UWM University Center at WCTC.

The university center will allow students to earn an associate’s degree from WCTC and then transfer to UW-Milwaukee to earn a four-year degree.

UW-Milwaukee announced transfer agreements with four technical colleges, including WCTC, earlier this year. Students who earn an associate’s degree at WCTC and want to transfer to UW-Milwaukee will no longer need to fill out a “lengthy” application.

In addition to associate’s degrees and bachelor’s degrees, UW-Milwaukee said the center and continued partnership will increase graduate degree opportunities for students, too.

“We are committed to supporting UWM and the Waukesha community through this transition,” said Rich Barnhouse, WCTC president. “We look forward to delivering on that commitment and building a new model of high-quality education with UWM. Chancellor Mone is a strong partner and I value his leadership and collaboration on shaping the future of higher education in Wisconsin.” 

UW-Milwaukee and WCTC officials said their faculty will work together to support incoming and current students.

“UWM’s highest priority is student success,” Mark Mone, UW-Milwaukee chancellor, said. “As student demands change, universities must change. The UWM University Center at WCTC allows us to put the student first and ensure a stronger future for UWM.”

The closure will result in layoffs of faculty and staff. There are more than 100 employees at UW-Milwaukee’s Waukesha campus who will be directly impacted.

“Today’s announcement will also directly impact more than 100 employees at our Waukesha campus,” Andrew Daire, UW-Milwaukee provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, said. “We are committed to working with our employees through this transition and identifying every possible opportunity for employment. Our team members at Waukesha are dedicated to educating and supporting students. We make this announcement with a deep understanding of the loss it will create for our colleagues.”   

UW-Milwaukee said it will provide “additional support and resources” as faculty and staff navigate the transition over the next 16 months.

Layoffs will include tenured faculty.

However, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee said that as enrollment grows at both WCTC and the university center, WCTC will work to hire “as many UWM at Waukesha faculty and staff as possible.”

Additionally, the campus closure means UW-Milwaukee will close its College of General Studies and end its associate degree offerings.