Frequently Asked Questions

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a campus master plan?
Who are the master plan consultants?
How were the consultants selected?
What's currently happening with the campus master plan?
How long will it take to complete?
Why does UWM need a campus master plan?
What will the master plan do?
What does a master plan look like?
How can I get involved?
What is happening with the Columbia Hospital site? How does it fit into the campus master plan?

What is a campus master plan?

A campus master plan is a comprehensive, integrative document that defines space-use needs and organization principles, establishes the framework that enables the vision of the campus to be accomplished, and identifies implementation strategies. UWM's planning process will be highly inclusive, and it will incorporate academic and physical master planning.

Who are the campus master plan consultants?
Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, Inc. (HGA), Milwaukee , and Sasaki Associates, Watertown , MA were selected by a seven-member selection team administered by the Wisconsin Department of Administration.

For more information about the consultants, please click here.

How were the consultants selected?
The entire selection process was administered by the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA). DOA issued a request for consulting services in early December, and formed a consulting services selection team which consists of representatives from DOA, UW-System, and UWM. There were seven voting members on the selection team, and UWM and UW-System each had one vote.

On January 23, 2008, the selection team conducted an initial screening of the consulting groups, and on February 19, the selection team held final interviews and DOA made the selection shortly thereafter.

What's currently happening with the campus master plan?
Currently, the master plan consultants are in the process of finishing the Observations and Assessments Phase (Phase A) of the campus master plan. As part of Phase A, the consultants conducted over 40 spring listening sessions with close to 800 participants, including campus academic and support units, faculty and academic staff governance groups, students, campus administrators, and community members. The consulting team also analyzed data from the campus and conducted site visits to gather information about existing sustainability systems, land acquisition issues, transportation, infrastructure, and building conditions. They also performed a detailed space assessment and examined current and future student housing needs.

The consultants presented a draft report of their Phase A findings in September to the campus master plan committees, and they will return October 16 and 17 to share their final report with the entire campus and community. During the October sessions, the consultants will also begin work on the Principles and Concept Plan (Phase B). This phase will involve the development of scenarios for the campus that will undergo numerous revisions as the campus and community provide feedback. The consultants plan to present a draft report on their Phase B findings in December.

How long will it take to complete?
The UWM campus master planning process will take approximately two years to complete.

Why does UWM need a campus master plan?
It has been over 35 years since UWM last completed a master plan. The University of Wisconsin - System recommends that its campuses engage in a substantial update of their master plans every 10 years. Consequently, UWM is long overdue for a comprehensive review of its current and future space needs.

What will the master plan do?
The master plan will make recommendations as to how the university can improve and create connectivity between university programs and community needs, and will provide guidance for future capital improvements, both on the main east side campus and within the Milwaukee region.

What does a master plan look like?
While all master plans are different, here are some recent examples of campus master plans that are available for review on the internet:

Again, these are merely examples of recent plans, and they are being provided solely to demonstrate what a completed campus master plan looks like. The final UWM Campus Master Plan may look entirely different from any of the plans listed here.

How can I get involved?
Throughout the two-year process, the master plan consultants will hold listening sessions with specific academic and support units on campus, as well as open forums for the campus community and community at large. Please visit this web site and check the Schedule page for meetings and announcements.

Additionally, the campus community and public are welcome to submit questions and comments anytime to masterplan-feedback@uwm.edu.

What is happening with the Columbia Hospital site? How does it fit into the campus master plan?
There is a brief overview of what is happening with the Columbia Hospital site under “Future Projects” on the University Architects and Planning web site at http://www4.uwm.edu/uap/projects.pdf. In summary, UWM commissioned a feasibility study of the Columbia site that was completed in early 2005. Subsequently, the State Building Commission recommended approval of $56,550,000 to be used for planning for the site over the next four years. In March 2007, the State Building Commission recommended deferring the funding to the 2009-11 and 2011-13 capital budgets. However, in fall 2007, Columbia-St. Mary’s issued a Request For Proposals (RFP), offering developers the opportunity to submit proposals for acquisition and redevelopment of the Columbia site. As of the present date, there have been no further developments on the potential Columbia acquisition. While the Columbia site will be examined and discussed as part of the campus master planning process, since acquisition is by no means a certainty, a variety of alternatives for campus transformation and expansion will be examined in detail, with input sought from faculty, staff, students, neighborhood residents, elected officials, and other stakeholders.