MADISON, WI (WSAU) — At a meeting on Friday the final approval of the plan was given, and now each school’s accreditation, reporting structures, and administrative oversite will transfer on Sunday.
Locally, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point will take control of the two-year campuses in Marshfield-Wood County and Marathon County (Wausau).
The mergers will be completed by 2020. It’s billed as a means of boosting declining enrollment at the two-year campuses and strengthening the pipeline from those institutions to the 13 four-year campuses located statewide.
For many of the 13 two-year campuses, the process will also include a name change that places the new parent campus’ brand in their title. Earlier this week a committee of Marathon County supervisors gave the OK for the UW system to rename the campus.
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A final decision on the Wausau campus name has not been made, but many feel that the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Wausau is the front-runner because of the number of Wausau-branded companies that have achieved national name recognition. The Stevens Point campus plans to bring high-level business classes to the Wausau campus, including the possibility of an MBA program.
As part of the deal, UW Madison will also take over the administration of Wisconsin Public Radio and Television.
(Information from the Wisconsin Radio Network was used in this report)