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A plan for reducing or consolidating institutions and programs of the University of Wisconsin (UW) is presented, based on a request by Wisconsin Governor Patrick J. Lucey in 1975. The Governor's basic fiscal and enrollment assumptions are identified, and the findings and recommendations of the UW system President John Weaver are presented. Part 1 of the report considers the implications of enrollment forecasts, educational opportunity, campus sizes and missions, program offerings and evolving societal needs, in relation to quality and cost. Part 2 addresses directly the request of the President to the Board of Regents for a statement of current planning assumptions, procedures, and directions. Finally, part 3 responds directly to the Governor's directive, in presenting criteria, procedures, and legislative language by which the State could, if it deems such action to be in the public interest, take immediate steps to initiate reduction in the scope and size of the university system. Conclusions include the following: unless artificial limits are placed on enrollments, enrollments in the university system will increase for the next 5 years; reducing significantly the scope of the UW system over the next decade will reduce access to educational opportunity for some people; and cutting the number of institutions or programs without reducing the numbers of students, faculty, and staff will not yield significant savings. A summary table is presented that outlines decisions and actions that would follow from proceeding with planning directions currently established or proposed versus reducing the scope of the UW system. Appended materials include data on campus finances and letters pertaining to the public policy regarding the UW system. (SW)