Public forum on UWO-Fox Cities campus set for Wednesday

MENASHA, WI—(WISS)—Winnebago County is hosting a public forum to hear from community members and organizations on the future of the UWO-Fox Cities campus. The public forum is on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm.

Winnebago County will take over ownership of the campus and its buildings on July 1, 2025. Winnebago County Executive Gordon Hintz said the county has lots to do, from facilities assessments and full inventories to conducting tours with people interested in booking the facilities for events.

“ While there have been advocates that have come down to the county board meetings and have reached out, I think there’s still a lot of people in the area that may not even be aware of the transition,” Hintz said. “I think there are people that might have questions about the future. I think even some of the advocates might want more answers or might want the opportunity to express themselves on ideas that they have with a broader audience.”

History of the UWO-Fox Cities

The campus has hosted academic classes since 1960, when it was known as UW Fox Valley. The campus includes the Barlow Planetarium, Weis Earth Science Museum, Communication Arts Center theatre and gallery, a branch campus building for UW Platteville, the University Children’s Center, a community garden, a fieldhouse, an art studio, a library, and an array of offices. 

Hintz said it’s important to hear from the community about what they would like to see as the county moves forward in managing the 43 acres and the buildings on them.

“ It’s meant a lot for the last 60 years, and I think we’d like to maintain the cultural assets for public purpose, but somehow find a way for it also to be not just financially sustainable, but for the property, the 43 acres, to somehow generate revenue,” Hintz said.

Outagamie and Winnebago Counties shared ownership of the campus until recently, when Outagamie County voted to sell its share to Winnebago County for one dollar and the contents of the Weis Earth Science Museum, which will be moved to Appleton’s  History Museum at the Castle. The Weis Earth Science Museum is Wisconsin’s official mineralogical museum.

Barlow Planetarium

The Barlow Planetarium is probably the most-loved of the facilities on the UWO-Fox Cities campus. It is closed through June 30th, but it will reopen.

Hintz said it was important to make sure it can continue to operate.

“The decision by the board the other night was to fund the campus till December 31st, including keeping the planetarium open and operational,” he said. “I think that was important because if we closed it, it would be difficult to reopen. We would lose some of the operational expertise. And it generates revenue.”

Overall, Hintz said, Winnebago County managing the UWO-Fox Cities campus, when it closes, presents a unique opportunity. He called out the theatre, art gallery, and other parts of the campus that could host receptions, conferences, weddings, events and performances. 

“We need to be creative. We need to generate interest. We need to imagine what’s possible and think of things that haven’t been thought of before. The county wants to be a good partner. I hope years from now, we look back at this as a time that Winnebago County leadership really stepped up and worked with community partners on a successful conversion of a two-year campus into a cultural campus to really maximize the use of the property for something good.”

Public Forum Details

Who: Community Stakeholders Connected to UWO Fox Cities and the Broader Area

What: Public Forum on the Future of UWO Fox Cities Campus, Winnebago County Listening Session

When: Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Time: 5:30pm – 7:00pm

Where: United Way Fox Cities, 1455 Midway Road, Menasha, WI