Wisconsin's private, nonprofit colleges and universities working together for educational opportunity.
The Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (WAICU) is the organization of the twenty-two independent (or private) institutions of higher learning in Wisconsin. Membership is limited to accredited, nonprofit institutions, headquartered in Wisconsin. The presidents of these institutions lead WAICU as its board of directors. All of WAICU's programs support educational opportunity.
WAICU is recognized in state statutes (§§ 15.185(5)(c), 15.377, 15.67, 15.675(1)(c), 16.979, 36.31(2m)(a)3, 39.285, 39.30, 39.395, 39.41, 39.435, 39.437(4)(a), 39.49, 115.297, 118.19(1c)(a), 118.55, 440.52(11)(d)) and 2011 Governor’s Executive Order #37, 2012 Governor’s Executive Order #59, 2013 Governor’s Executive Order #97, 2015 Governor’s Executive Order #147, 2018 Governor’s Executive Order #270, 2019 Governor’s Executive Order #37, 2021 Governor’s Executive Order #151, and 2023 Governor’s Executive Order #213 as the official organization of Wisconsin’s private, nonprofit colleges and universities.