“The university is certainly on the right track. We must always keep in sight the responsibility of educators. We meet this responsibility class by class, semester by semester, and research project by research project.”- Chancellor Carlos Santiago

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Chancellor Carlos E. Santiago presented his fall 2007 Plenary Address to staff, faculty, and students on Thursday, Sept. 20.

The speech, held in the Zelazo Center’s Helen Bader Concert Hall, was titled “Moving Forward: Assessing progress toward UWM’s student-success and economic-development goals.” Santiago outlined many current initiatives, including a UWM Campus Master Plan.

The basis of the master plan, which is expected to be achieved in two years, is to organize physical campus space at UWM for the next 20 years. The plan calls for recommendations regarding space utilization, transportation and parking challenges, and university housing.

“Our East Side campus is severely compressed,” said Santiago. “UWM’s need for new funding is highlighted by our continued dramatic enrollment growth.”

The current UWM campus developed from what is now called Mitchell Hall, formerly the Milwaukee Normal School, in 1909. The present day L-shaped campus is 93 acres, 20 that make up Downer Woods and 73 that are zoned for development, which was acquired between 1956 and 1965.

The preparation for the master plan will be done in multiple phases, including conceptual plan and principle, site studies, final integration plan and design guidelines.

The design guideline phase will deal with location, landscape and building designs for additions to the UWM campus.

According to recommendations by the University of Wisconsin system, UWM is past due for a review of its future space requirements. While the system recommends a new master plan every 10 years, UWM last completed one in 1972 with the help of architecture firm Caudill Rowlett Scott.

Santiago also commented on the need for student scholarship funds at UWM, explaining how some students worry too much about financial issues and others spend more time and effort on working than on school.

“The level of stress among those students is high,” he said.

Santiago, now in his fourth year as UWM Chancellor, ended the afternoon speech on an optimistic note.

“The university is certainly on the right track. We must always keep in sight the responsibility of educators,” said Santiago. “We meet this responsibility class by class, semester by semester, and research project by research project.”

The UWM Campus Master Plan launch event will take place on Friday, Sept. 28 from 9:30-12:00 p.m. in the 4th floor conference room of the Golda Meir Library.

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