Resolution Supporting Two-Year Campuses

Resolved by the Board of Supervisors of Sauk County, Wisconsin:

      WHEREAS, the State of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Counties have had a long and strong

      history of supporting two-year campuses in throughout the Wisconsin, and

      WHEREAS, financial feasibility has put a financial burden on the UW-system due to    

      declining enrollments and has forced the closure of campuses in Richland Center,

      Washington, Fond du Lac, Marinette, and Waukesha counties, and

      WHEREAS, in 2018 Northstar Analytics reported the UW System and related organizations

      “produce and annual economic impact of over $24 billion” while generating nearly 167,000

      jobs and over $1.1 billion in state and local taxes, and

      WHEREAS, a 2024 report written by James R. Johnson in research with the Berkley Center   

      for Studies in Higher Education and Greenwood Asher & Associates reported America’s

      university systems need to adapt to changing conditions and determine how to attain their

      educational goals through adaptive leadership who can leverage adaptive conditions to

      scale initiatives across systems; and

      WHEREAS, the Wisconsin Legislature earlier this year passed Senate Bill 518, which   

      received bipartisan support in both chambers, to set aside $20 million in state funds to

      provide up to $2 million in grants to communities affected by UW system branch campus   

      closures; and

      WHEREAS, the success of the remaining two-year campuses are vital to the economies of

      our local communities; and

      WHEREAS, campuses similar to the UW-Platteville Baraboo/Sauk County have been

      working closely with their local partners to target educational programs that best serve the

      community and has had success turning around enrollment; and

      WHEREAS, opportunities continue to exist diversify educational opportunities on these   

      campuses through new four-year programs and/or strategic partnerships.

      NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Sauk County requests that the Wisconsin

      Legislature and the Governor develop a comparable grant program to assist in the retooling

      of the remaining two-year campuses for educational and diversifying the use of buildings

      that are presently not need by the university system. 

      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the grant program be used for the development educational,

      recreational, governmental uses, or attracting private entities that serve the city, county,

      university, staff, and/or students (such as a daycare center as one such example), or other

      purposes the Legislature may deem fit for such grants.

Approved for presentation to the County Board by the Executive & Legislative Committee, this 18th day of June, 2024

Consent Agenda Item: [  ] YES  [ X ] NO

Fiscal Impact: [  ] None   [  ] Budgeted Expenditure    [  ] Not Budgeted

Vote Required:  Majority = _____       2/3 Majority = _____        3/4 Majority = ________

The County Board has the legal authority to adopt:  Yes ______ No ________ as reviewed by the Corporation Counsel, _________________________________, Date:  ________________ .

Offered and passage moved by:                  

_________________________________     £ Aye     £ Nay     £ Abstain     £ Absent      

Chair, Timothy McCumber

_________________________________     £ Aye     £ Nay     £ Abstain     £ Absent

Vice-Chair, John Deitrich

      _________________________________     £ Aye     £ Nay     £ Abstain     £ Absent

      Supervisor, Dennis Polivka         

      _________________________________     £ Aye     £ Nay     £ Abstain     £ Absent

      Supervisor, Mark “Smooth” Detter                                                                                        

      _________________________________     £ Aye     £ Nay     £ Abstain     £ Absent

      Supervisor, Lynn Eberl

      _________________________________     £ Aye     £ Nay     £ Abstain     £ Absent

      Supervisor, Patricia Rego

      _________________________________     £ Aye     £ Nay     £ Abstain     £ Absent

      Supervisor, Marty Krueger

      _________________________________     £ Aye     £ Nay     £ Abstain     £ Absent

      Supervisor, Sheila Carver

      _________________________________     £ Aye     £ Nay     £ Abstain     £ Absent

      Supervisor, Brian Peper

Fiscal Note:

MIS Note: