UW System no longer readily providing branch campus enrollment data

The University of Wisconsin System is no longer reporting enrollment by campus, making it more difficult for the public to know where their local branch campus stands financially.

Six of the 13 branch campuses have closed or will by the end of this school year, with declining enrollment cited as the primary justification for closure.

"There's enough tension and anxiety over the closure of some UW institutions without (UW System) making matters worse by trying to shield basic enrollment numbers from the public," said Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, an organization that promotes government transparency. "It's only going to increase the amount of distrust people have toward UW universities."

The change in practice came to light when the UW System released preliminary headcounts at each university on Monday. The data showed most universities enrolled more students than they did the previous year, marking the second straight year of enrollment growth despite fewer traditional high school students to recruit and the disastrous rollout of a new federal financial aid form.

But the UW System declined to release campus-level data for universities, seven of which have more than one campus. UW System President Jay Rothman defended the decision, saying that because some students take classes at multiple campuses, it's "hard to try to pinpoint exactly" where the students are. That makes the university's total enrollment the "best number to report."

Rothman rejected the idea of the reporting change providing less transparency. He said chancellors are in "regular communication" with communities that have a branch campus.

6 UW branch campuses have closed

The branch campuses have long operated as more affordable launchpads for students to start a college degree closer to home before transferring to a four-year university. The two-year campuses have struggled to fill seats for more than a decade. In 2018, the UW System placed these campuses under the oversight of four-year universities in a hail Mary attempt to keep them open.

The approach hasn't panned out. UW-Platteville Richland shuttered after the spring 2023 semester. UW-Milwaukee at Washington County, UW-Oshkosh Fond du Lac and UW-Green Bay Marinette closed at the end of the 2024 spring semester. UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha and UW-Oshkosh Fox Cities will close after the spring 2025 semester.

The reporting change marks a departure from five years of practice. The UW System previously provided reporters with branch campus enrollment data upon request and within a few hours. Obtaining the information now will require a public records request be made under the state's public records law.

Universities collect campus-level data and report it to the UW System but declined to provide this data to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Monday, referring the question to the UW System.

UW universities provided branch campus projections this summer

Universities provided some indication of enrollment at their branch campuses in budget documents released in June. The estimates were based on the number of full-time equivalent students, not a headcount, which counts every student even if they are not enrolled full-time.

The projections showed:

• UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha: 445 students, a decrease of 324 due to the closure of UWM's other branch campus at Washington County

• UW-Eau Claire Barron County: 288 students, an increase of nine

• UW-Green Bay Manitowoc and Sheboygan: Steady with a decrease of two students

• UW-Oshkosh Fox Cities: 802 students, a decrease of 355, of which 332 are due to the closure of UW-Oshkosh's other branch campus in Fond du Lac

• UW-Platteville Baraboo/Sauk County: 152 students, a decrease of 19

• UW-Stevens Point Wausau and Marshfield: 309 students, a decrease of 57

• UW-Whitewater Rock County: 550 students, an increase of 17

Which universities gained students? Which lost?

Eight of the 13 universities reported a higher headcount than the previous fall.

UW-Madison unsurprisingly led the way in growth, gaining nearly 1,400 students for an enrollment of more than 51,700.

UW-Whitewater also reported a more than 2% increase, pushing its enrollment to nearly 11,800 students.

UW-Oshkosh and UW-Platteville took the largest hits, with each losing more than 4% of students compared to last fall.

UW-Milwaukee reported a less than 1% decline. UW-Parkside and UW-Stout also reported declines.

"This is significant because it represents a second straight year of enrollment growth, despite significant headwinds," Rothman said. "And it demonstrates that families and students continue to value the education our universities provide."

Rollout of new FAFSA form hurt UW enrollment

Among the headwinds universities are facing: fewer traditional high school students to recruit, and fewer of them choosing to go on to college. These demographic problems have plagued institutions across the country for much of the past decade.

A less-familiar obstacle for UW campuses this year was the federal government's revamp of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA. The rollout of the new form was marred by technical glitches, delays and bureaucratic problems that likely dissuaded some who were on the fence to not bother with college.

Rothman said universities didn't see the typical late surge of enrollments they would have in normal years, which he attributed to the form's problems and uncertainty over financial aid awards.

Another factor that hurt enrollment, Rothman said, was the closure of three branch campuses and the lack of a program promising tuition coverage for low-income, in-state students available to students this fall outside of UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee.

Rothman is asking the state Legislature to fund a statewide promise program in the future.

Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at [email protected] or 414-223-5168. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @KellyMeyerhofer.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UW System no longer readily releasing branch campus enrollment data