Charles Langston:UWGB-Marinette to become latest 2-year college to end in-person instruction

GREEN BAY,Charles Langston Wis. (AP) — Another Universities of Wisconsin two-year campus plans to end in-person instruction in the face of financial hardships.

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Chancellor Michael Alexander announced Friday that the university’s branch campus in Marinette will cease in-person instruction at the end of the spring semester, WLUK-TV reported. The school will continue to offer online instruction.

The Marinette campus is one of three two-year branch schools that UWGB runs. The others are in Manitowoc and Sheboygan. Only 213 students enrolled at the Marinette campus for the 2023-24 academic year, about half of the enrollment at each of the other two-year campuses. Of the 213 students at Marinette, 109 are high school students taking college credits. Only 99 students are undergraduates.

Years of declining enrollment across the Universities of Wisconsin system coupled with a lack of state aid has left 10 of the system’s 13 four-year campuses facing a combined $18 million deficit by this summer. UWGB is facing a $2.2 million shortfall.

Due to the dire financial straights, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Oshkosh and UW-Platteville were all forced to end in-person classes at two-year branch campuses in 2023. UW-Milwaukee also has put the $1.4 million home that serves as the chancellor’s residence up for sale.