University of Wisconsin-Platteville: A Comprehensive Overview of Academics and Campus Life

The Universities of Wisconsin are a driving force for economic growth and workforce development, reaching every corner of the state and offering life-changing opportunities. Education is at the heart of their mission, fueling personal development, economic progress, and vibrant communities through classrooms, labs, and statewide engagement, building a brighter future for all. Among these institutions stands the University of Wisconsin-Platteville (UW-Platteville or UW Platt), a public university with a rich history and a commitment to providing a comprehensive educational experience.

Historical Overview

UW-Platteville's origins lie in the 1959 merger of two distinct schools: Wisconsin State College, Platteville, and the Wisconsin Institute of Technology. Wisconsin State College-Platteville was founded in 1866 as "Platteville Normal School", the first teacher preparation school in Wisconsin. It was renamed "Platteville State Teachers College" in 1926 and "Wisconsin State College, Platteville" in 1951. The Wisconsin Institute of Technology, founded in 1907 as the "Wisconsin Mining Trade School", was established to train technicians for the numerous mining operations around Platteville, evolving into the first three-year program for mining engineers in the United States. The merged school took the name "Wisconsin State College and Institute of Technology" in 1959. In 1966, along with Wisconsin's other state colleges, it was granted university status as "Wisconsin State University-Platteville".

Academic Expansion and Evolution

Starting in the late 1960s, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville expanded its academic program and established new colleges, the largest being a business college. The mining college was transformed into an engineering college encompassing mining, electrical, mechanical, and eventually electronic engineering. In the late 1980s, the mining engineering degree was phased out because of falling enrollment.

Campus and Facilities

Since 2015, UW‐Platteville has had a written plan to guide decisions affecting the 362 acres of our campus. UW-Platteville's campus has no city streets that cut through campus. Ullsvik Hall, renovated and expanded between 2006 and 2008, houses administrative offices, academic facilities, visitor center, and other support departments. It also has banquet and catering facilities, including the Robert I. In 2002, a new student union, the Markee Pioneer Student Center, was opened at the center of campus. The new location makes the student union the heart of the campus. The union also serves as a technology and activity hub with a large computer lab (the Bear's Den), an involvement center, and on-campus activities. The union houses three of eight dining complexes, the Pioneer Crossing, Pioneer Haus, and The Pioneer Perk. The other location for food on campus is Bridgeway Commons, located in the residence hall section of campus. Elton S.

Recent Developments

In 2019, UW-Platteville opened a 1,500 square-foot hydroponics laboratory in Glenview Commons. The lab is operated entirely by students and grows a variety of greens for campus dining services using a film of water to disperse nutrients. In 2021, UW-Platteville installed a 2.4-megawatt solar array in Memorial Park. The university reported that the array was expected to offset energy use by 17% and save around $217,000 annually. In August 2021, Boebel Hall, located on the UW-Platteville campus and originally built in 1976, underwent a comprehensive $23.7 million state-funded renovation complete with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. On September 1, 2022, more than 300 people attended the ribbon-cutting for Sesquicentennial Hall, a $55 million, 200,000 square-foot engineering building connecting to Busby Hall of Engineering.

Academics and Programs

The student-faculty ratio at University of Wisconsin--Platteville is 20:1, and the school has 31.3% of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at University of Wisconsin--Platteville include: Engineering; Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services; Agricultural / Animal / Plant / Veterinary Science and Related Fields; Education; Engineering / Engineering-Related Technologies / Technicians; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services; Psychology; and Visual and Performing Arts. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 78%.

Distance Education

In 1978, the University introduced print-based courses to enable Wisconsin residents living in isolated areas to earn an undergraduate degree in business administration without having to travel to a university campus. In 1996, the residency requirement was amended and the distance program was extended to working adults living throughout the United States. In 1999, online graduate programs in criminal justice, engineering, and project management were introduced, allowing students throughout the world to earn an accredited degree at a distance from UWP.

Student Life and Activities

Of the student body, over 3,700 live in campus residence halls, with a growing number of students staying in town during the weekends. Students who don't live on campus typically live in houses off-campus which are rented by the year. UW-Platteville has over 250 clubs and organizations. The student newspaper, The Exponent, is published weekly by a student staff. The largest celebration by UW-Platteville students is the twice-annual lighting of the Platte Mound M.

Athletics

UW-Platteville is a member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 14 sports, including football and basketball. The teams are nicknamed "the Pioneers". Men's sports include basketball, football, indoor and outdoor track and field, cross country, wrestling, soccer, and baseball. Women's sports include basketball, soccer, indoor and outdoor track and field, volleyball, cross country, golf, softball, and cheerleading. All teams compete in NCAA Division III and Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. There are also a number of club sports teams such as hockey and lacrosse which are partially funded through the university. The Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium is home to the football team, lacrosse team, and soccer team. The men's basketball team won NCAA Division III championships in 1991, 1995, 1998, and 1999. The Pioneers qualified for the Division III men's basketball tournament from 1991-1999 and returned 10 years later in 2009. Bo Ryan, who later became head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers, guided the Pioneers to a 353-76 record and the best winning percentage in NCAA Division III basketball. Ryan established one of the best home court advantages of all time as the Pioneers only lost 5 games at home in a decade. The team averaged 26 wins a season in the 1990s, when the Division III men's regular season schedule only allowed 25 games per year.

Administration and Enrollment

The university is part of the University of Wisconsin System and has an administrative staff headed by a chancellor. In 2004, UWP received approval from the UW system to increase its enrollment from 5,500 to 7,500 students. UWP started a program called the Tri-State Initiative, which aims to attract prospective students from Illinois and Iowa. The enrollment of UWP, as of Spring 2008, stood at 7,795 undergraduates and 830 graduate students.

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