Physical Environment Committee – Annual Report – 2024-2025

Members:

NameRankDepartmentDivE/ATerm EndEmail
Wendy Huddleston *, ChairFACRehabilitation Sciences & TechnologyPRE2027huddlest@uwm.edu
Kevin JahnkeASCampus Technology SupportE2027kjahnke@uwm.edu
Jesse McLean ***FACFilm, Video, Animation and New GenresAHA2027mcleanj@uwm.edu
Robert Schneider **FACUrban PlanningPRA2027rjschnei@uwm.edu
Ben ChurchFACMaterials Science & EngineeringPRE2026church@uwm.edu
Rose SauersUSPathway AdvisingA2026repennin@uwm.edu
Nicole Stelzner ****ASAcademic AffairsE2026nicolems@uwm.edu
Jocelyn Szczepaniak-Gillece, Vice ChairFACEnglishAHE2026szczepan@uwm.edu
Konstantin Sobolev ***FACCivil and Environmental EngineeringPRA2026sobolev@uwm.edu
Philip Warren 1ASArts FacilitiesA2026warrenp@uwm.edu
Nicole OswaldASStudent Success CenterE2025nkheinen@uwm.edu
Carissa Peterson 2USSchool of Freshwater SciencesA2025petersoc@uwm.edu
Valerica RaicuFACPhysicsNSE2025vraicu@uwm.edu
Stephen White **FACTheatreAHA2025swhite@uwm.edu
Jeb Willenbring 3 ****FACMathematical SciencesNSE2025jw@uwm.edu
Scott GronertDeanCollege of Letters & ScienceA2025sgronert@uwm.edu
Rick KoehlerUSFacilities Services (Admin.Officer)A2025rkoehler@uwm.edu
< >FAC(APBC Rep) A2025 
Jeb Willenbring ****FACMathematical Sciences (GFC Rep)NSA2025jw@uwm.edu
Carolyn DriscollASSecretary of the University Repx-oo2025cearnold@uwm.edu
Jen FrancisDirCampus Planning (FAA Rep)x-oo2025francis1@uwm.edu
Melissa SpadanudaAVCFacilities Planning & Mgmt (Chancellor’s Rep)x-oo2025spadanud@uwm.edu
Mark SriteFACLubar College of Business (Provost’s Rep)x-oo2025msrite@uwm.edu
Nicole Stelzner ****ASChancellor’s Advisory Committee for Accessibility Repx-oo2025nicolems@uwm.edu
< >Student A2025 
< >Student  A2025 
1 No candidates from elections 2023-24
2 Repl. V. Raicu (2025-E)
3 Repl. T. Steffan (2025-A)
4 Repl. C. Evans (2025-E)
< > Yet to be appointed
* Designated to call first meeting
** Appointed by the Chancellor
*** Appointed by the University Committee
**** Serving in both capacities
x-o Ex-officio
o Serves by virtue of office

Charter:

A3.6    Physical Environment Committee

  1. Membership. Twenty-seven members as follows: Five elected Faculty members, two Faculty members appointed by the University Committee, two Faculty members appointed by the Chancellor; one Faculty member appointed by the Academic Planning and Budget Committee (APBC); two students appointed by the Student Association; one academic Dean, one administrative officer, and two members of the University Staff appointed by the Chancellor; the Chair or Faculty designee of the Graduate Faculty Committee; four elected members of the Academic Staff; and ex-officio, the Chancellor or designee, the Provost or designee, the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administrative Affairs or designee, the Secretary of the University or designee, and one member of the ADA Advisory Committee (ADAAC) appointed by the Chancellor upon recommendation of the ADAAC. A Faculty member is elected Chair by the committee.
  2. Functions.  Makes recommendations for the development of the physical environment of all University-associated facilities, including built- to-suit leased facilities consistent with the mission and with the present and future academic programs of the University.
    1. Recommends a master plan for the development of the campus reflecting priorities in accordance with guidelines established by the committee.
    2. Recommends the location of new buildings, their inter-relationships and aesthetics and their functional and architectural features.
    3. Recommends remodeling needs and identifies desirable or undesirable features relevant to future construction.
    4. Recommends parking and transportation policies.
    5. Recommends appropriate names for buildings pursuant to established guidelines.
    6. Recommends other actions relevant to the physical environment.

Meetings:

The Physical Environment Committee (PEC) met the third Wednesday of the month in September, October, November, January, February, March, and April. The PEC did not meet in December or May due to lack of business. All meetings were held virtually this year. The committee has two sub-committees – transportation and naming. The transportation committee continued to meet monthly in 2023-2024, continuing their work to strive for a more pedestrian-friendly campus. They hosted a campus walk-about to identify safety issues across campus, including traffic patterns across campus. The transportation-subcommittee worked with campus and City of Milwaukee officials to recommend a change in traffic patterns on Hartford Avenue to align with a paving project scheduled for that section of road and sent recommendations to the Chancellor for consideration. The naming sub-committee met on an ad hoc basis to hear requests. Three naming requests total were heard in October (2) and March (1), and these recommendations were forwarded to the Chancellor for final approval. The committee also received the annual parking and transit budget summary and annual classroom utilization report. Members of the Facilities Planning and Management group regularly provided updates on the numerous large-scale projects across campus, including the Health Sciences Renovation and SWQ open space redevelopment. Members of FPM also presented the capital request priorities for the ’25-’27 biennium.