The University of Wisconsin-Waukesha is set to close its doors in 2025 due to low enrollment numbers. With only 672 students currently enrolled, UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone has cited this as the primary reason for the closure. The decision has sparked controversy and debate among faculty members, with the Faculty Senate rejecting a proposal to lay off nearly three dozen tenured professors from the institution’s branch campuses.
During a recent meeting at the campus, UW-Milwaukee history professor Rachel Buff expressed concerns about the potential layoffs, stating, „I’m wondering how comfortable we feel with being pioneers in mass firings and undermining the circumstances by which all of us have come to have job security that we call tenure.“ The vote by the Faculty Senate, while advisory and symbolic, aims to pressure Chancellor Mone to reconsider his plan to relieve professors from the Washington County and Waukesha campuses of their jobs.
The closure of the West Bend campus earlier this year and the impending closure of the Waukesha campus after the spring 2025 semester have raised questions about the future of higher education in the region. The decision to lay off thirty-five tenured professors would mark the largest layoffs of public university professors in recent memory in the state of Wisconsin.
The issue of tenure protections for faculty members has also come to the forefront in this debate. In 2015, the Republican-controlled Legislature stripped tenure protections from state law, allowing for easier layoffs of tenured faculty. The proposed layoffs at UW-Waukesha and UW-Washington County have reignited discussions about the importance of academic freedom and job security for professors.
One of the key points of contention is the unique structure of the branch campuses within the University of Wisconsin system. When UWM absorbed the Washington County and Waukesha campuses in 2018, it created the College of General Studies to house branch campus faculty. This separation has led to feelings of resentment and neglect among faculty members, as well as concerns about job security compared to faculty at other branch campuses.
UWM has cited declining enrollment and an unsustainable funding model as reasons for the closure of the College of General Studies. The branch campuses have seen a significant drop in student numbers since joining UWM, leading to financial challenges for the institution. The proposal to lay off thirty-five professors is seen as a necessary step to address these financial issues and ensure the long-term viability of the main campus.
The debate over the closure of the College of General Studies and the proposed layoffs of faculty members is likely to continue in the coming months. Chancellor Mone must now decide whether to move forward with his plan and seek approval from the UW Board of Regents. The outcome of this decision will have far-reaching implications for the future of higher education in Wisconsin and the protection of tenure rights for faculty members.