10-11-17 uw president wants to merge two-year and four-year campuses

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross is proposing merging the state’s two-year schools with its four-year campuses in effort to boost enrollment.  System officials said in a news release Wednesday that Cross’ plan calls for keeping the two-year schools open but making them essentially regional branches of the four-year schools. Students would still earn associate degrees but they would come from the four-year schools.  They say the merger will make more classes available to two-year students, make their degrees more attractive and ease transfers to the four-year schools.  The move is designed to bolster two-year school enrollment, which has dropped 32 percent between 2010 and this fall.  Cross will present the plan to the Board of Regents next month.