After a May 1956 study of the future site of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee by the
Long-Range Development Subcommittee of the Committee of Thirty, Provost (later Chancellor)
J. Martin Klotsche organized the UWM Campus Planning Commission (CPC). At its first meeting
in July 1957, Klotsche stated that he had established the commission to plan the campus and
to participate in the design of new buildings needed to house the growing university. At
that meeting, the CPC passed a motion stating "that the functions of this commission [will]
be the same as the University Planning Commission at Madison, namely: 'priority, design,
location, use of land, use of vacated building space and other pertinent subjects.'" Also,
the CPC established a Steering Committee to develop building priorities for the campus.
The CPC changed its name in early July 1959 to the Campus Planning Committee. The Board of
Regents officially authorized the CPC on September 6, 1963. In July 1969, Chancellor
Klotsche reorganized the CPC as the Physical Environment Committee (PEC). On October 8,
1969, the PEC held its first meeting and assumed the functions of the CPC.
The PEC reports to the Secretary of the University. Members of the PEC are appointed by the
Chancellor and the University Committee through several different procedures. The Chancellor
acts as the chairman of the PEC and may create subcommittees of the PEC as necessary.
Individual building subcommittees are appointed by the Chancellor.
Most subcommittees, especially those for individual buildings, exist for only a few years
while completing their work and are then disbanded. Some of the subcommittees, such as the
Names of Buildings Subcommittee and the Parking Subcommittee, have become de facto standing
subcommittees through their longevity. The Names of Buildings Subcommittee was established
circa 1958, began functioning in late 1959, and continues to meet as necessary. The Parking
Subcommittee was created in October 1957 and has intermittently evaluated the parking needs
and capacities on the campus.
In April 1981, the PEC established the Year 2000 Masterplan Committee to develop a plan to
accommodate the current and foreseeable needs for the campus through the year 2000. This
committee completed its work in May 1982 when it presented the Year 2000 Masterplan to the
PEC. The plan analyzed the current and future needs of UWM and made recommendations on the
resolution of space shortages through a comprehensive plan of remodeling and new
construction.
Chairs of the Physical Environment Committee and Its Predecessors
| 1957-1973 |
J.M. Klotsche
|
| 1973-1979 |
Werner A. Baum
|
| 1979-1980 |
Leon M. Schur
|
| 1980-1985 |
Frank E. Horton
|
| 1985-1986 |
Norma Rees
|
| 1986-1990 |
Clifford Smith
|
| 1990- |
John H. Schroeder
|
