Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Higher Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County executive warns of UW campus closures and declining youth population in Washington County
Summary
Washington County Executive Josh Schooman said the University of Wisconsin system is closing two‑year campuses and warned the county faces a declining youth population; he said repurposing the former UW Washington County campus for K‑12 use could help attract families.
Washington County Executive Josh Schooman used the WASHCO Weekly broadcast to contextualize the Faith Ridge property transfer within broader higher‑education trends, saying the University of Wisconsin system has begun closing two‑year campuses and that similar pressures could affect four‑year institutions. "Make no mistake, there's gonna be two year campuses across the state that continue to close," Schooman said.
Schooman connected the closures to a demographic challenge in the county, saying Washington County is experiencing a decline in youth population and that the county hopes new and strong local schools — public, private, voucher programs and homeschools — will help attract families to the area. He framed the Faith Ridge reuse as one part of maintaining local educational options but did not provide supporting data or cite UW system statements during the segment.
The county executive offered no specific enrollment figures, academic program details, or citations for the broader claim about four‑year campus closures. He presented his remarks as perspective and local planning rationale rather than a formal county finding.
