Our Campus,
Our Future
No events at the moment
Students, Faculty and Staff are Still on Campus
Classes are still in session for the 126 students currently enrolled at Boo U. Friends of the Campus is standing strong beside them, providing scholarships and enhancing student activities throughout the year. Campus Director Dr. Matthew Fencl shares, "The end of Universities of Wisconsin higher education at Boo U is near, but it is not yet here. We will continue to educate and inspire through Spring 2026, and I cannot express greater appreciation to our wonderful faculty and staff for accepting this news not only with grace, but with a virtuous commitment to the campus and our students through the next 6 months."
Future Options are Being Explored
Sauk County, on behalf of the Baraboo Sauk County Campus property owners—including the City of Baraboo and Sauk County— have contracted a consulting firm to create a redevelopment plan. The planning process will seek public comments through a survey and listening sessions. Their goal is to have the plan completed by June 2026.
Important Dates
April 29
Codger Brat Game
A softball game for faculty, staff, students, and alumni to get together, socialize, and have fun.
TBD
Spring Celebration
This event will be hosted by Friends of the Campus. Our goal is to gather alumni, retired and former faculty and staff, and our campus community to recognize the tremendous value our beloved Boo U provided to our area for almost 60 years.
May 22
Last Day of Classes
Please thank the Boo U Faculty and Staff. Their steadfast loyalty to serving our students and the community during this difficult time is unmatched.
June 2026
Redevelopment Plan
At this tentative date in Summer 2026, the consulting firm will present their recommendations to city and county leaders.
Ways to Engage
Are you a citizen of Sauk County? You can contact your representatives about the future of Boo U or attend a Campus Commission meeting.
FAQ
The campus is jointly owned by Sauk County and the City of Baraboo.
From the county RFP: “The grounds and facilities are owned jointly by the City and County, with staffing, programming and equipment currently being provided by the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in the Umhoefer / Plager classroom and science building. The primary degree offered is the Associate of Arts and Sciences (AAS) degree. Students earning the AAS degree are guaranteed transfer to a four-year UW campus.”
The Campus Commission is a group of representatives from the city and the county who make decisions about the Baraboo Sauk County Campus.
More information by Melanie Platt-Gibson: The Baraboo Sauk County Campus Commission was established on July 22, 1969 to oversee the jointly owned campus. This formation came after the campus buildings were completed and the initial classes began, serving as a vital link between local government entities and the UW Board of Regents.
The commission has five members: two from the Baraboo City Council, two from the Sauk County Board of Supervisors and one at-large member from Sauk County. Ex-officio membersinclude the Mayor of Baraboo, the Sauk County Board Chair and the Campus Director.
Primary responsibilities include managing overall operations, preparing and overseeing annual budgets for proper maintenance and insurance coverage. They also guide custodial policies and consider proposals for development, ensuring a consistent forum for discussion, planning and decision-making.
Current members include Scott Sloan and Steve Hause, Baraboo City Council. Bryant Hazard and Brandon Lohr, Sauk County Board and Mike Sitton, Town of Merrimac.
No; however, the academic offerings had been consolidated to one building serving just over 100 students.
From the county RFP: Effective June 1, 2025, the UW-Platteville branch campus is now situated solely within the Umhoefer/Pleger Classroom and Science Center. The remaining four academic buildings have been vacated. Fall 2024 semester had 167 students registered and the Spring 2025 semester saw a decrease with 132 registered students.
The Act 250 Grant allows former UW branch campuses that will no longer be academic to apply for up to 2 million dollars. This money can be used to cover planning and demolition costs.
From the county RFP: Provisions from the 2023 Act 250 of the Wisconsin State Legislature created a continuing General-Purpose Revenue (GPR) fund and appropriation to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to support branch campus redevelopment grants. Act 250 reserved $20,000,000 GPR in 2023-24 in the Joint Committee on Finance supplemental appropriation for this purpose. Act 250 requires WEDC to award grants of up to $2,000,000 to political subdivisions (a city, village, town or county) for costs including planning costs and demolition costs, associated with the redevelopment of buildings or other sites owned by the political subdivision on a branch campus or former branch campus "that are or will no longer be used for academic purposes.” The grant could be utilized by any of the former branch campuses (former college campuses) that were partnered with a university in the UW System restructuring plan approved by the Higher Learning Commission on June 28, 2018, regardless of whether the site is currently used for academic purposes. This includes the campuses in Baraboo, Barron, Fond du Lac, Fox Cities, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marshfield, Richland, Rock, Sheboygan, Washington and Waukesha. The grants may be used to fund activities that contribute to the overall economic improvement and enhancement of the community, including activities that facilitate job creation, workforce development, small business support, housing or public infrastructure improvement.
Edgewood University has expressed a desire to offer a nursing degree at the Baraboo Sauk County Campus. The agreement has not been finalized and the county’s findings on the best development plan for the campus land will have a major impact on whether this goes forward.
From the County RFP: Edgewood University is under consideration as a higher education tenant beginning Fall 2026 in the library building offering a four-year nursing degree. A formal lease with Edgewood has not been signed at this time. Edgewood is working with ADCI, a local architectural design firm, to determine potential renovations to the library for classroom and lab spaces.
Many options, including residential, commercial, cultural, or academic uses.
From the County RFP: Potential avenues include, but are not limited to: Develop additional higher education facilities to expand academic offerings. Collaborate with other institutions to establish branch campuses, fostering regional access to education. Repurpose the site for alternative residential/commercial ventures or community-oriented uses that benefit the local area and county. Consider the closure of the current campus and undertaking a comprehensive redevelopment plan to maximize the property's contribution to the region’s community, economic and cultural growth. Proposals should consider how each option aligns with regional development goals and the long-term benefits for the City and County.
We are a 501(c)3 charitable organization which proudly serves as the scholarship foundation for the Baraboo Sauk County Campus, as we have for over 50 years.
Money donated to the Friends will stay here locally, ready to support students in the future.
We are standing strong beside current students, providing scholarships and enhancing student activities throughout the year. Please know that the Friends of the Campus is completely independent from the University of Wisconsin system. Money donated to the Friends will stay here, ready to support students in the future.