UWM statement on Washington County Board resolution

MILWAUKEE _ UWM leaders issued the following statement in advance of a Washington County Board of Supervisors meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 12. Board members at the meeting will vote on a nonbinding resolution about the future of higher education in Washington County.

UWM Statement

UWM is committed to ensuring students in Washington County have access to affordable, quality higher education in their community. That is why we have made significant investments in academic programming there since the Washington County campus joined UWM in 2018. And we’re grateful to partner with the Washington County Campus Foundation, which has provided more than $200,000 annually for students attending or planning to attend UWM at Washington County.

We understand that longstanding financial and enrollment challenges are concerns for local leaders, as is the case for many smaller campuses around the state. The Washington County Board has shared its task force’s resolution about the future of higher education with UWM and many other community members. However, UWM was not invited to be an official member of the task force, and while we’ve monitored its progress, we’ve had no influence over the resolution. We are certainly open to having meaningful conversations about higher education in Washington County.

It is important to note that the Washington County Board cannot unilaterally dictate the future of UWM’s Washington County campus. The physical campus is subject to a joint UW System and Washington County agreement.

We have made a point, through email communications and town halls, to reaffirm our commitment to the UWM faculty, staff and students at the Washington County campus. UWM’s obligation to faculty, staff and students is separate and distinct from the physical site of the campus. UWM’s personnel policies and procedures govern these relationships, as do shared governance and tenure protections. We strongly believe any future conversations about the future of UWM at Washington County must include faculty, staff and students in deliberations and decisions.

We look forward to being a part of any discussions the county might have with stakeholders to secure the future of higher education in Washington County. And we remain dedicated to providing the best education for all UWM students.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.