Despite diminishing enrollment rates throughout UW System universities, UW-Green Bay has seen a gradual upswing in students for five consecutive years.
The location, the professors and new program tracks have proved to be the biggest appeal to the university for many students. This year, the total enrollment for the university is 7,251.
“I just fell in love with the campus. I didn't even tour anywhere else,” said Abbie Wagaman, a student at UW-Green Bay. “It's not too far of a drive, and it's definitely a plus as opposed to going somewhere far away like Madison or La Crosse.”
Wagaman is not the only student who preferred the distance from her home in Sheboygan; this is a huge selling factor for students looking for local campuses. A third of total students enrolled for this current academic year are from Brown County, which is an 8 percent uptick from last year.
The programming and the “vibrant campus life” are both key factors to the rise in enrollment, according to Director of Admissions Jennifer Jones.
Over the past five years, UW-Green Bay has added more than 12 academic programs. To gauge what would be the most influential for the job market, the university discussed with local businesses opportunities that would best suit graduates upon receiving their degree.
After discovering that the workforce calls for more degrees in STEM fields, the university introduced programs like mechanical engineering and nursing to satisfy the shifting desires of companies throughout the state.
“We're trying to meet the needs of this region because we know that's how you grow,” Jones said.
She also noted that most graduates leave with little debt; in fact, the university has the lowest debt ratio of the UW System. More than 55 percent of UW-Green Bay enter the job market after receiving their diploma.
Unlike other nearby universities suffering from “brain drain,” more than 87 percent of students stay in the state after graduation.
In the year prior to the restructuring this summer, seven out of the 26 campuses saw growth in their schools. Jones attributed the size of UW-Green Bay as encouragement for students looking for campuses that are not too big nor too small.
Throughout this first year of the merger, system campuses have gained more comfort in their transition to 13 universities. UW-Green Bay added two-year campuses in Marinette, Manitowoc and Sheboygan, which brought in 1,192 additional students. This increased total fall enrollment to 8,443 under the UW-Green Bay moniker.
However, the restructuring has not benefited all campuses as kindly, as UW-Stevens Point has been trying to stay afloat with potential faculty cuts and, most recently, the loss of six humanities majors. This includes French, German, Geography, History and two bachelor of fine arts concentrations, which were some of the 13 programs that led to resistance from Reclaim the UW protestors.
In the fall, UW-Stevens Point suffered a 7 percent decline in enrollment, losing over $5.2 million in revenue. At first, the program cuts were due to budget concerns, but have grown in response to the needs of an expanding workforce in the state, according UW-Stevens Point Provost Greg Summers.
UW-Stevens Point has tried to maintain low college costs in lieu of systemic cuts. Without the revenue from tuition, which increases alongside enrollment, there is little room for the university to shift to maintain the quality and experience they strive for.
For Eric Arneson, vice chancellor for Student Affairs & Campus Climate at UW-Green Bay, the costs and experience are valuable parts of earning a degree.
“There are no bad schools in Wisconsin,” he said. “I just think students look at ‘where am I going to get the best bang for my buck and where am I going to get the best experience?’”
