Community pushes for UW-Oshkosh Fox Cities educational buildings to stay open

In less than nine months, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh will close its Fox Cities branch, leaving an unknown future for its campus facilities.  

The two-year campus near Green Bay is the sixth branch to close in the past two years due to declining enrollment. 

Last week, the university’s Board of Trustees approved an appraisal of the Barlow Planetarium, Weiss Earth Science Museum and Communication Arts Center.

Board chair Tom Swan told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” the appraisal should help county executives make a policy decision for the educational properties because they’re owned and operated by Winnebago and Outagamie County. 

The Winnebago County Supervisor said that prior to the branch closure announcement, he wrote an ordinance that requires county-owned properties to have asset oversight.

Swan said the approved appraisal will determine the cost and square footage of each building, including the Barlow Planetarium. 

“Hopefully the tenant or buyer will be someone who will continue using the facility for educational purposes,” he said. The main focus for us is to find someone that can occupy the classroom space and maintain the entire facility.” 

More than a dozen community members voiced their concerns regarding the appraisal during the public hearing earlier this week, including Rick Beal of the Northeastern Wisconsin Stargazers. 

The NEWSTAR president told WPR he’s concerned the planetarium will close because the university “didn’t mention their plans in the closure notices.”

More than 1 million people have walked through the Barlow Planetarium since it opened its doors in 1997, according to Beal. He added that more than half of the 27,000 people who visited the planetarium last year were Wisconsin students. 

“I talked to a family that came from the Twin Cities because one of their kids was very interested in astronomy, and one of their children was very interested in dinosaurs,” he said. “They could have both of those desires and needs with one stop in Menasha.” 

While a timeline of the appraisal process remains unknown, Beal said his organization will continue its advocacy to keep the planetarium open and asked others to partner with NEWSTAR.

“We’re trying to step forward as advocates and bring other interested non-profits, educational groups, community leaders, corporate sponsors into the mix,” he said.

In July, the Joint Finance Committee approved for UW system branches facing closures to receive up to $2 million in grants to support redevelopment or demolition. 

Swan said future needs of the space includes upgrades of about $1 million.

“We need to get a clear definition on what repurposing means since two counties are involved here, could be up to $4 million,” he said. “We’d like to find another educator that would take this space, whether it be public or private.” 

Swan said community members can attend the trustee meetings which are held the last Monday of the month at 1pm.