The University Of Wisconsin Colleges (previously known as the UW Centers) is a single institution with thirteen (13) two year (freshman/sophomore) campuses located throughout the state:

UW Baraboo/Sauk County  (Baraboo)

UW Barron County (Rice Lake)

UW Fond-du-Lac  (Fond du Lac)

UW Fox Valley (Menasha)

UW Manitowoc  (Manitowoc)

UW Marathon County (Wausau)

UW Marinette  (Marinette)

UW Marshfield/Wood County (Marshfield)

UW Richland  (Richland Center)

UW Rock County (Janesville)

UW Sheboygan  (Sheboygan)

UW Washington County (West Bend)

UW Waukesha   (Waukesha) 

We are a part of the entire University of Wisconsin System that also includes 11 four year comprehensive institutions granting bachelors and masters degrees, two doctoral institutions (Milwaukee and Madison), and the UW Extension.

Beginning in 2006, a single chancellor (David Wilson) leads both the thirteen Colleges and UW Extension; with an office in Madison, Dr. Wilson is responsible to UW System President (Kevin Reilly).  In addition, each campus has a Dean who serves as the chief executive officer for that location.  The Colleges range in size from Richland and Marinette with approximately 400 students to Waukesha with a student body of approximately 1700.

The primary mission of the UW Colleges is teaching - and the preparation of students to transfer to a four year institution in order to complete their undergraduate degrees.  The 13 Colleges are all integral parts of the communities that they serve; unlike their larger four year counterparts, the physical facilities of all Colleges were built by and are owned and maintained by the local municipalities and/or counties in which they are located.

The roots of the two year campuses extend to the establishment of off-campus classes and the creation of the UW-Extension in 1907.  In 1946, the UW Regents developed a policy for local communities to provide buildings for the exclusive use by the then UW-Centers.  These early campuses were part of the former University of Wisconsin - Madison campus.  Later, other UW Centers were added by institutions of the former Wisconsin State University System.  The merger of the University of Wisconsin and the State University System in 1972 resulted in the University of Wisconsin System and united the two year centers under the name of the University of Wisconsin Center System.  In 1983, the name of the institution became the University Of Wisconsin Centers; the latest name change, to the University of Wisconsin Colleges, occurred in 1997.