06/30/2025
This is Cindy's personal letter. You may find it interesting, puzzling, or infuriating. She sent it to the lawyer handling the closure of UWOsh-Fox Campus, the County executives, the DIrector of the Hostoy Museum, and a few others.
Not all of the money controlled by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh belongs to the Universities of Wisconsin. Who has overseen its care and disposition? When and where has this been made known to the public?
Who will have the funds from the account that the Weis Earth Science Museum has at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, a bit over $70,000? All of this money comes from museum activities and revenues. The Universities of Wisconsin did not furnish any of this money. According to the 2012 settlement from the lawsuit between the Weis and the Board of Regents:
“The Board [of Regents] agrees to use Museum [assets]…. solely for the purposes of the Museum for as long as the Museum remains in Existence.”
“All property, tour receipts, admission receipts, gift shop sales acquired by the Board [of Regents], and monetary contributions given by Dr. or Mrs. Weis and other donors for Museum purposes
will be restricted to use for Museum purposes”
The Museum still exists on July 1, 2025 after the Universities of Wisconsin cede all interest in it to the Counties. The History Museum at the Castle describes the move as a merger. Where is the money? Who controls it?
Further, there have been several additional accounts with the Community Foundation of the Fox Valley Region and the University of Wisconsin Fox Valley Foundation and its successors. The major but private endowments from the Weis family for the Curator’s position and staff support have been taken care of. What about the others? The largest of these, left from the capital campaign to build the structure and create its content, has been used for capital expenses since 2002. We understand that approximately $141,000 of it remains. Who controls it? Which organization holds it? What about the other accounts? This is also money that was raised or donated to the museum, neither from the University nor from a governmental source.
Was money donated in 2022 for the specific purpose of building the Rock Garden returned to its donor?
Corey Finkelemeyer’s response as Acting Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration on June 10 to my phone calls and emails:
“With respect to your question about funds held in the UWO accounts, please note that any such funds remain subject to applicable university policies and state law. UWO will manage the funds accordingly.”
The Universities do not have a clean record of management.
There are no employees left; there has been no director since March 31. The volunteers remaining have long and deep associations with the Weis Earth Science Museum since its beginning. I have served as a volunteer since 2002 in many roles and as a member of the WESM Advisory Board and the Friends of the WESM Board during the entirety of their existence.
Perhaps I am the only person aware of these issues about the financial status of the Weis Earth Science Museum. I remain concerned also as a member of the public and a resident of Winnebago County.
Transparency about the fate of the Weis Earth Science Museum has been an issue for thousands of residents of Winnebago and Outagamie Counties and beyond. About 1000 people visited the Weis on its last day to say goodbye.
Cindy Duckert (I will provide contact info as necessary on request)
