University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE
INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE

The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee is a vital and distinctive public university that maintains a high quality academic program supported by outstanding faculty and academic staff. The University provides a positive culture supporting students and their learning with strong programs in basic and applied research that demonstrate a robust commitment to the city of Milwaukee, its surrounding region, and the State of Wisconsin. UWM seeks to enhance its reputation as a premier, national university focusing on engagement with its city while providing excellent teaching, learning, scholarship and research.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is a university on the move:

These initiatives and others have provided the University with vision, focus, and momentum—as well as with increased visibility. Now, the opportunity and challenge is to chart the next stage in UWM’s ascent as a preeminent research university focused on linking research and teaching to the region’s economic, cultural and intellectual needs in the 21st Century.

Mission. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is one of two doctoral granting institutions in the University of Wisconsin System. It was founded nearly 50 years ago in the belief that Milwaukee would need a great public university to become a great city. The themes of quality education, excellence in research, and community service guide all University activities.

The formal mission of UWM is defined on three levels. All institutions in the University of Wisconsin System share the system’s mission to “develop human resources, to discover and disseminate knowledge, to extend knowledge and its application beyond the boundaries of its campuses, and to serve and stimulate society by developing in students heightened intellectual, cultural, and human sensitivities; scientific, professional, and technological expertise; and a sense of value and purpose.”

UWM shares with UW-Madison, the other doctoral campus in the system, the core mission to “offer degree programs at the baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral levels; offer programs leading to professional degrees; conduct organized programs of research; promote the integration of the extension function; encourage others in the System to seek the benefit of the unique educational and research resources of the doctoral institution; serve the needs of women, minority, disadvantaged, disabled, and nontraditional students and seek racial and ethnic diversification; and support activities designed to promote the economic development of the state.”

Finally, the select mission is defined uniquely for UWM: “To fulfill its mission as a major urban doctoral university and to meet the diverse needs of Wisconsin’s largest metropolitan area, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee must provide a wide array of degree programs, a balanced program of applied and basic research, and a faculty who are active in public service.”

Academic Programs. Faculty and instructional staff provide the University's curriculum and programs to approximately 27,000 enrolled students. The University offers 151 degree programs, including 83 undergraduate, 48 masters, 19 doctoral and one specialist, through twelve schools and colleges. The schools and colleges include: The Schools of Architecture and Urban Planning, The Peck School of the Arts, Business Administration, Continuing Education, Education, Information Studies, and The Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, the Colleges of Engineering and Applied Science, Health Sciences, Letters and Science, Nursing, and The Graduate School. Highly regarded professional schools and colleges broaden and deepen the academic quality of UWM. Among them, the School of Architecture and Urban Planning and the Peck School of the Arts are the only such singularly dedicated institutions in the UW System.

UWM built its academic programs around the theme of integrated teaching and scholarship. The same faculty members who provide the foundation for its masters and doctoral programs regularly teach and work with undergraduates. Proofs of this joint commitment are the numerous undergraduate research opportunities that link students with faculty scholars.

UWM offers nearly 70 certificate and non-degree opportunities and is home to outstanding academic centers, institutes and laboratory facilities. The centers, with worldwide reputations for leadership in research, include such areas as architecture and urban planning research, gravitation and cosmology, business competitiveness, chamber music, Great Lakes studies, surface studies, teacher education, and twenty first century studies. UWM provides noncredit instruction and technical assistance services to more than 40,000 people annually through the School of Continuing Education. With over 1,000 classes offered after 4:30 pm on weekdays and throughout the day on Saturdays, UWM has one of the nation’s largest extended day programs.

Students. UWM’s student population is the second largest in the UW system. Enrollment patterns suggest that UWM is the campus of choice for many Wisconsin residents; the number of new students applying only to UWM within the UW System recently increased 18%. Total UWM enrollment for the fall of 2004 exceeds 27,000. Of these, approximately 23,000 are undergraduates, and 4,000 are graduate students.

This student population is different than those at many other state universities. Students at UWM are somewhat older than those at the usual residential campus; many are first generation college students; most are employed and significant numbers are married. Of the students receiving the baccalaureate degree in a typical year, fewer than 15% follow the “traditional model” -- beginning as UWM freshmen and continuing as full-time students until graduation. Nearly half the graduates transfer to UWM during their undergraduate years. This University has the largest undergraduate enrollment of students of color in the UW System. In addition, the campus hosts about 700 international students.

More than half of UWM’s undergraduate students come from southeastern Wisconsin, and commute to campus. Most of these students find jobs in the area following graduation and enjoy an excellent reputation with local employers. Further, many former students play prominent roles in the city’s business and professional life as well as serving as elected and appointed officials.

UWM is the second largest graduate degree granting institution in the state, with approximately 3,000 Master students, and 900 doctoral candidates this year. Many of these students earn prestigious awards from institutions such as the Ford Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the McNair Program, and the Big Ten Consortium for Institutional Cooperation. UWM also provides internal funding for graduate students as dissertation fellows and project, research and teaching assistants. Many of UWM’s former graduate students are employed by universities and colleges, government agencies, research institutes, and play important roles in elite private corporations.

Faculty, Research and Scholarship. UWM is at its core a community of faculty, staff and students engaged in learning, discovery, and creative expression. UWM aspires to become a premier doctoral research university by increasing the level of extramural support, the number of doctoral programs, enhancing the ratio of graduate-to-undergraduate students, and continuing to increase the quantity and quality of research and scholarship.

Publications in refereed journals, books, chapters and invited publications; grant proposal writing and awards; presentations at national or international meetings; and performances and creative activities are used as top indicators for scholarly productivity. Extramural funding constitutes one of the best indicators of the research productivity and reputation of UWM’s faculty in areas where such funding is available. During the past five years, the University’s extramural funding has increased and the expectation is that it will continue to increase. More information is available on The Graduate School web page.

Resources ranging from individual and group research grants, to funding for single and multi-user instrumentation, and support for the university library and shared facilities, provide the needed campus infrastructure in support of research. The Graduate School is central to the campus research mission, offering an array of mechanisms to help researchers write successful grant proposals, matching funds for capital grant requests, intellectual property expertise and internal grants for junior faculty. Reporting directly to the Dean of the Graduate School are six university-wide, interdisciplinary research units, with world wide reputation, including the Advanced Analysis Facility, Center for Urban Initiatives and Research, the Laboratory for Surface Studies, Marine and Freshwater Biomedical Sciences Center, Great Lakes Wisconsin Aquatic Technology and Environmental Research (WATER) Institute, and the Center for 21st Century Studies. Many other (disciplinary) research groups and hosted in the colleges and schools, totaling 37 academic and 27 service centers, 17 institutes and 8 labs (a complete list can be found on the Academic Research web page).

Governance. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is one of 26 campuses that form the University of Wisconsin System. A 17-member Board of Regents sets policy, while System President Kevin P. Reilly guides its operations. Each individual university in the System has a Board of Visitors; the UWM Board is composed of 20 individuals who focus on legislative and community relations. They are an energized and well-informed group, eager to assist the University in achieving its mission.

The most prominent feature of the culture of the University of Wisconsin System, including UWM, is shared governance, a unique system in U.S. higher education that is formalized in state law. Chapter 36 of the Wisconsin Statutes specifies that the faculty, academic staff, and students have significant responsibilities for the formulation of policies, activities and personnel matters that affect each of these groups within the University community. Such a system of governance thrives in an administrative environment that cultivates and sustains collaborative, consultative, and inclusive relationships with the University’s faculty, academic staff and students. For more information about governance at UWM, visit the Office of the Secretary of the University.

The University of Wisconsin-System Administration is based in Madison. Membership in the dynamic statewide system allows UWM to participate in extensive co-operative arrangements that independent institutions can rarely replicate. Many resources are available for system campuses to share (see UW-System Academic Affairs). The 13 two-year colleges feed undergraduates to all of the four-year campuses in the system. UWM also has a unique collaborative distance education program (UWM College Connection) that delivers a full bachelors degree to place bound students at numerous two-year campuses and technical colleges throughout the state.

Finance. UWM is a public institution that operates within the State of Wisconsin’s two year, biennial budget cycle. The university's current operating budget (2004-05) of $465.4 million includes $42 million for research and $137.5 million in federal aid, grants, and contracts, and supports a total workforce of 6,664 employees, including 777 faculty, 496 instructional academic staff, 934 administrative staff, 952 graduate assistants, and 3,505 student workers and classified personnel. State support for the operating budget increased for the first four of the past six years, but declined about $11.5 million in 2003-04 and another $8.8 million in 2004-05. Significant increases in resident undergraduate tuition (18% in 2003-04 and 16% in 2004-05) were approved to offset a portion of the reduction. State support for 2004-05 amounts to $117.4 million. Student fee income for 2004-05 is expected to be approximately $116.6 million. Growth from public sources will remain stable while significant increases in funding will come from alternative revenue sources.

Location. The 93-acre main campus is located in a beautiful residential neighborhood on Milwaukee's east side that offers its faculty, staff and students a wide range of cultural, athletic and entertainment opportunities. UWM is a short walk from Lake Michigan, near historic areas of interest and three miles from downtown Milwaukee. Chicago is just 90 minutes away, connected to Milwaukee by train and interstate highways. Residents describe the Milwaukee area as a wonderful place to live, characterized by easy access to a wide variety of entertainment and cultural activities that support a superb quality of life.

Facilities. The campus has 65 buildings totaling more than 5.6 million square feet. An aggressive $130 million building program over the last decade provided new facilities to support strong academic programs in business, architecture, performing arts and the sciences, as well as student housing. Construction totaling $53 million is underway for biological sciences renovation and the Klotsche Center, which will provide space for intramural and recreational activities, the Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine programs, intercollegiate athletics and parking. The University has outstanding facilities and collections that support its academic programs. For example, the Schools of Architecture and Urban Planning and Business Administration are housed in state of the art buildings. The new Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts, with its 750-seat Helen Bader Concert Hall, two dance studios, and conference and classrooms, provides the Peck School of the Arts, UWM, and the Milwaukee community with one of the premiere performance venues in the region. The Great Lakes WATER Institute provides excellent facilities and support for freshwater research and protection. The UWM Libraries house the priceless collections of the American Geographical Society, the second largest collection of geographic materials in the U.S.

The main campus, sometimes referred to as the Kenwood campus, is compact, with all buildings within easy walking distance of each other. In the midst of it all is an 11-acre nature conservancy. Near the Kenwood campus are the Alumni House and Hefter Conference Center. Several other UWM facilities not adjacent to the main campus are:

Kenilworth Building: A large facility one mile south of campus in a vibrant retail area that is currently being redesigned in an innovative $68 million public/private venture. When finished, it will provide state-of-the-art studios and offices for the visual arts, rooms for 370 students, and retail space.

Great Lakes Research Facility (The Great Lakes WATER Institute): A UW System Regents Center of Excellence, the Institute, located on Lake Michigan, houses the UWM Center for Great Lakes Studies; the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Marine and Freshwater Biomedical Sciences laboratories; US Department of Defense; USDA/Center for Great Lakes Aqua Culture program; and some Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources offices and laboratories. WATER has its own 70-foot research vessel, R/V Neeskay, which operates on Lake Michigan.

Center for Intelligent Maintenance Systems: The Center, under the College of Engineering and Applied Science, is located at the Cozzens-Cudahy Research Center several miles north of the Kenwood Campus and is a NSF sponsored collaboration with the University of Michigan.

School of Continuing Education: Located in downtown Milwaukee, approximately four miles south of campus, this facility houses the non-credit program, outreach, and conference operations. Situated in the same building is WUWM, a College of Letters and Science managed radio station that is the local National Public Radio affiliate.

UWM Field Station: Approximately 30 miles north of campus is the Field Station, a College of Letters and Science research unit situated in a scientifically significant property of approximately 300 acres. It is adjacent to the 2,500 acre Cedarburg Bog, an experimental ecological reserve.

International Projection. The Center for International Education (CIE) is the coordination point for many of UWM’s internationally-focused teaching, research and outreach efforts. Capitalizing on the strength of UWM’s faculty, many CIE programs focus on the new, interdisciplinary field of Global Studies, for which UWM has gained a national reputation. CIE’s responsibilities include interdisciplinary academic programs, study abroad, faculty research and publications, international student admissions, immigration advising, K-12 teacher education, and public programs. CIE is also home to the UW System Institute for Global Studies, supporting collaborations across UW System campuses, and the Institute of World Affairs, Wisconsin’s only World Affairs Council. This comprehensive approach facilitates holistic efforts to provide students, faculty and the public with opportunities to participate in a dialogue on issues of globalization as they impact life in the 21st century. CIE’s success in furthering this agenda has resulted in approximately $1 million in grants and a book series, New Directions in International Studies, through Rutgers University Press. These efforts have been recognized by the US Department of Education through its designation of CIE as a Title VI National Resource Center for Global Studies.

Development. The Department of Development seeks to cultivate relationships with prospective donors that will grow the endowment of the UWM Foundation. Last year, over $17 million was raised, with the primary focus on building student scholarship support. Campus academic deans and division heads also actively cultivate relationships, as part of the campus-wide effort to enhance our overall endowment and grow loyal community support. UWM’s aggressive $100 million multi-year capital campaign is crucial to sustaining and building quality academic/research programs and providing needed student support.

Viable relationships with alumni are key to development. Alumni of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee are heavily concentrated locally; 75% of graduates stay in Wisconsin with about 60% remaining in the greater-Milwaukee area. As the only major public research university in the region, the University has an extraordinary impact on the local community. There are few people in southeastern Wisconsin without some direct or indirect connection to UWM. The deans have drawn on this network of relationships by establishing advisory councils in the schools and colleges, which has strengthened the community commitment to UWM.

Athletics. UWM has moved into a prominent position both regionally and nationally in NCAA Division I athletics. The University’s student athletes compete in 15 varsity sports on seven women’s and eight men’s teams. Over the last six years, UWM has earned 47 regular season and tournament league titles in a variety of men’s and women’s sports. During that same period, UWM has regularly landed NCAA Tournament berths in baseball, women’s volleyball, and both men’s and women’s soccer and basketball. Our athletes are also successful scholars. The cumulative grade point average of the student athletes is about 3.00 and a league-best 78 UWM student-athletes were on the Horizon League’s Academic Honor Roll last spring.

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