Physical Environment Committee – Annual Report – 2025-2026

Members:

Name	Rank	Department	Div	E/A	Term End	Email
Jennifer Earl Boehm	FAC	Rehabilitation Sciences & Technology	PR	E	2028	jearl@uwm.edu
David Frick **	FAC	Chemistry & Biochemistry	NS	A	2028	frickd@uwm.edu
Michael Newman	FAC	English	AH	E	2028	mznewman@uwm.edu
Ann Raddant	AS	Nursing	–	E	2028	raddant@uwm.edu
Stephanie Ruditys	US	Facilities Services	–	A	2028	wirka@uwm.edu
Wendy Huddleston *, Vice Chair	FAC	Rehabilitation Sciences & Technology	PR	E	2027	huddlest@uwm.edu
Kevin Jahnke	AS	Campus Technology Support	–	E	2027	kjahnke@uwm.edu
Jesse McLean ***	FAC	Film, Video, Animation and New Genres	AH	A	2027	mcleanj@uwm.edu
Robert Schneider **	FAC	Urban Planning	PR	A	2027	rjschnei@uwm.edu
Nelson Brautigan 1	US	Facilities Services	–	A	2026	brautiga@uwm.edu
Ben Church	FAC	Materials Science & Engineering	PR	E	2026	church@uwm.edu
Nicole Stelzner ****	AS	Academic Affairs	–	E	2026	nicolems@uwm.edu
Jocelyn Szczepaniak-Gillece, Chair	FAC	English	AH	E	2026	szczepan@uwm.edu
Konstantin Sobolev ***	FAC	Civil and Environmental Engineering	PR	A	2026	sobolev@uwm.edu
Philip Warren 2	AS	Arts Facilities	–	A	2026	warrenp@uwm.edu
Prasanna Nanda	Dir	Transportation Services (Admin.Officer)	–	A	2025	nanda@uwm.edu
Elysse Newman	Dean	College of the Arts & Architecture	–	A	2026	newmanw@uwm.edu
Tracy Boyer	FAC	Freshwater Sciences (APBC Rep)	SS	A	2026	taboyer@uwm.edu
Brian Schermer	FAC	Architecture (GFC Rep)	PR	A	2026	bscherm@uwm.edu
Sammy Darm	AS	Campus Planning	x-o	o	2026	darm@uwm.edu
Carolyn Driscoll	AS	Secretary of the University Rep	x-o	o	2026	cearnold@uwm.edu
Jen Francis	Dir	Campus Planning (FAA Rep)	x-o	o	2026	francis1@uwm.edu
Melissa Spadanuda	AVC	Facilities Planning & Mgmt (Chancellor’s Rep)	x-o	o	2026	spadanud@uwm.edu
Mark Srite	FAC	Lubar College of Business (Provost’s Rep)	x-o	o	2026	msrite@uwm.edu
Nicole Stelzner ****	AS	Chancellor’s Advisory Committee for Campus Accessibility Rep	x-o	o	2026	nicolems@uwm.edu
Kyle Armstrong	Student	College of Arts & Architecture	–	A	2026	armst328@uwm.edu
< >	Student			A	2026

Charter:

A3.6    Physical Environment Committee

The Physical Environment Committee (PEC) makes recommendations on the development and planning of the University’s physical environment, including facilities, building locations and features, remodeling needs, parking and transportation, and naming of buildings. It also advises on a campus master plan aligned with academic priorities.

1. Membership. The committee consists of the following members:
   1. Eleven faculty members, as follows:
      1. five elected Faculty members;
      2. two Faculty members appointed by the University Committee;
      3. two Faculty members appointed by the Chancellor;
      4. one Faculty member appointed by the Academic Planning and Budget Committee (APBC);
      5. the Chair or Faculty designee of the Graduate Faculty Committee;
   2. two students appointed annually by the Student Association;
   3. one academic Dean appointed annually on a rotating basis by the Chancellor;
   4. one administrative officer appointed annually by the Chancellor;
   5. two members of the University Staff appointed by the Chancellor;
   6. four elected members of the Academic Staff;
   7. ex-officio and non-voting members, as follows:
      1. the Chancellor or designee;
      2. the Provost or designee;
      3. the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administrative Affairs or designee;
      4. a representative from Campus Planning and Management;
      5. the Secretary of the University or designee;
      6. one member of the Chancellor’s Advisory for Campus Accessibility (CACA) appointed by the Chancellor upon recommendation of the CACA.
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:

We discussed the capital budget passed in July and signed by the governor. Eight items pertain to UWM, including the Health Sciences Renovation project, funds for the redesigns of Engineering and Neurosciences and Sandburg Hall, the Maryland Ave bridge restoration, and Lapham exterior and envelope repair. The Chemistry Building demolition is scheduled for next year 

The Transportation Subcommittee crafted a letter to the Chancellor making multiple recommendations for safety improvements to the streets around campus. The letter was unanimously approved by the whole PEC and then submitted to Chancellor Gibson on May 20, 2026. Otherwise, the Transportation Subcommittee has been active in the Hartford Avenue reconstruction project; the road will become a one-way street between Downer and Kramer with bike lanes. Future plans to make UWM more bike and pedestrian friendly include new campus Bublr stations, improved bike access on Downer, and improvements to Kenwood pedestrian crossings. The Transportation Subcommittee held a campus walk in December with representatives from the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County Transit System. Transportation Subcommittee intends to be more involved in upcoming long-range campus planning efforts in order to work toward a bike and pedestrian-friendly campus.

The PEC heard reports on classroom usage and space planning. We also advised on a mural project for the spiral gardens. The chair of the PEC has been in conversation with Brian Switala and the campus police department in regard to the dismantling of about half of the blue light phones around UWM.

The PEC has begun conversations around any disruptions to the physical environment that could occur on campus related to ICE immigration crackdowns. The PEC sees that there is a failure at the level of system leadership, which has not provided clear and strong guidance or sufficient support for protecting our physical environment with respect to potential incursions on campus. The PEC is eager to promote a safe and supportive physical environment for our students, employees, and wider community in the wake of national chaos and will continue these conversations in the fall.

We recommended four naming requests which were subsequently approved by the chancellor.