The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee originated in  the 1956 merger of the Wisconsin State College Milwaukee (a state teacher’s college) and the University of Wisconsin Extension Center–Milwaukee. It is one of the two doctoral campuses in the UW System. The university is located in the most densely and diversely populated part of the state, and it expanded rapidly as the demand for college education grew in the post-war years in Wisconsin. Initially the campus had a student capacity of about 6,000 and it has grown to serve about 27,000 students in 2004-05.

This history contributed to the development of two major themes in UWM’s development. One theme is the University’s role in serving the public of southeastern Wisconsin by providing an accessible range of degree programs. This was reflected in the rapid expansion of degree programs and student enrollment in the 1960s. The other is the desire to build a major research presence in a range of disciplines, in part through developing the doctoral degree array.

The two themes converge in the University’s vision to be a premier public research university. This vision is multifaceted but brings together the variety of work done at the institution. As a public institution, the University has a responsibility to respond to the educational needs of the state—specifically, to present opportunities to the urban center in which the University resides. The campus goal is to be a center for research and knowledge creation across a broad range of disciplines. Many of the successes detailed in this report contribute to this integrated vision, but significant challenges remain.